Well, not so great a pic, but here it is in all its glory:
I got it framed at Hobby Lobby and it took over a month of waiting. I've heard so many horror stories about Hobby Lobby framing, so I was more than a bit terrified. My initial conversation with the framing staff did nothing to make me feel better either. There was talk of splitting the mat up into two separate pieces to accommodate the two windows (I thought that was stupid, but they made it seem like it was my only option). The guy also tried to sell me an expensive velvet mat (which made no sense since you can't feel/see it under glass) and he almost snarled when I asked for the cheapest black frame they had. But we hammered out all the details and I was told it would take three weeks and the initial quote was $57.
It was supposed to be ready on the 24th, so I called on the 23rd just to check. The guy I spoke with was rather rude and told me they would call me when the project was due to be finished (i.e. the 24th). Well, since today was the 26th and I still hadn't heard anything, I called up there yet again. Come to find out, the frame was backordered until the end of September and no one bothered to call me! When I relayed my Monday conversation, this new guy told me that they had a great frame in stock that would probably work better and, not only would it be ready in 10 minutes, but they wouldn't charge me for the frame! True to his word, in almost exactly 10 minutes, he called me and within another 10, I was picking it up.
When all was said and done, it cost $32 for the glass and the mat, which is still nothing to scoff at, especially considering the last project I had framed by a professional framer cost me well over $200 (but in all fairness, they mounted that project and that's always a HUGE chunk of the cost - I mount the projects myself now, partly because it easy to do and partly because I just don't trust someone else manhandling my hard work).
Despite the problems, I think I'm happy enough with it that I am going to take Pea up there and let them frame that too and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get Highland Girl re-framed (or at least a new mat cut). They did do an extremely good job and it's more than within my price range to get my wayward projects framed. I bought the foam core to mount the remaining stuff, I just have to take the time to do it. I figure getting one project done a month won't be that much of an expense, and for the projects that are a standard size, I can always buy a frame and just have them cut a mat. Granted, the more projects I take up there, the more opportunities I'm giving them to prove their nightmarish hype, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
It was supposed to be ready on the 24th, so I called on the 23rd just to check. The guy I spoke with was rather rude and told me they would call me when the project was due to be finished (i.e. the 24th). Well, since today was the 26th and I still hadn't heard anything, I called up there yet again. Come to find out, the frame was backordered until the end of September and no one bothered to call me! When I relayed my Monday conversation, this new guy told me that they had a great frame in stock that would probably work better and, not only would it be ready in 10 minutes, but they wouldn't charge me for the frame! True to his word, in almost exactly 10 minutes, he called me and within another 10, I was picking it up.
When all was said and done, it cost $32 for the glass and the mat, which is still nothing to scoff at, especially considering the last project I had framed by a professional framer cost me well over $200 (but in all fairness, they mounted that project and that's always a HUGE chunk of the cost - I mount the projects myself now, partly because it easy to do and partly because I just don't trust someone else manhandling my hard work).
Despite the problems, I think I'm happy enough with it that I am going to take Pea up there and let them frame that too and I'm pretty sure I'm going to get Highland Girl re-framed (or at least a new mat cut). They did do an extremely good job and it's more than within my price range to get my wayward projects framed. I bought the foam core to mount the remaining stuff, I just have to take the time to do it. I figure getting one project done a month won't be that much of an expense, and for the projects that are a standard size, I can always buy a frame and just have them cut a mat. Granted, the more projects I take up there, the more opportunities I'm giving them to prove their nightmarish hype, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it!
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Linda