No, I don't live in a cubicle house with fake walls. I mean I took down alot of the artwork on the walls and moved things around.
I've always loved those magazine spreads of homes where the folks had framed artwork all over every wall, floor to ceiling. I've envied those people. I've always wanted to cover my walls in art, preferably my own and originals by some of my favorite artists. I do own a couple of McCollows. If I were rich, I'd buy some Kochenach's. If I were super rich, I'd own a Sargent. I do have a few prints up that I love: a Monet, a Homer and a beautiful winter scene by Gary David Hoffman. All are from estate sales. The Monet is reproduced on canvas with a lovely gold frame. The woman who ran the sale told me they'd had it appraised and were told not to sell it for less than $150.00. I got it for $40.00.
It's not that I'm cheap, it's that; why pay more than $40 if you don't have to?
And I'm cheap.
Because I'm poor.
I was raised to always find ways to live far beyond my means. Nowadays people claim moral superiority for recycling but when I was young it was just called refinished, reusing and garage sales. My guess is that 90% of the furniture in my house is second or third hand. The things I've inherited from my Grandmother could be fourth or fifth hand, since she was an inveterage estate saler. I learned to refinish furniture from my mom. It's much easier than most people think. The result is things like the antique armoir in my living room that cost less than $200.00 when I add the cost of refinisher, stain and varnish. At the moment I have two beautiful wooden chairs with fresh needlepoint upholstery. Even for me, the needlepoint cost ten times more than I paid for the chairs, which I got at a sale for $35.00.
That's for the pair, not each.
My point is that I know I can get my own things framed without spending a lot of money.
I'd been checking out Value Village for years, really. Some of my favorite Holiday outfits have come from there. It wasn't until this summer, however that the art and poster section began to turn up lots of gorgeously framed and matted peices. Or maybe I just hadn't been looking too closely, because of the self emposed moratorium.
Here's what I know for sure; since last spring, I've gotten 17 new pieces framed and hung all over my house and I've spent less than $200.00 on the project.
I bought a framing tool that is used to plant the metal bits in the back of the frame to hold the backing on. Best money I've ever spent.
Jay says the place is beginning to look like an art gallery.
Well, yeah.
Finally.