Matting and Framing Photos

[sk8belle]

My mom admired a few of my photos, so I've had them blown up and was going to have them matted and framed for her Mother's Day present. However, I've discovered just how expensive that can be if done by a framing store (for 3 photos, it's going to total about $200). So I thought I'd try it myself. Has anyone ever tried matting and framing their own pictures or photos? If you get the pre-cut mats, is it easy to do? A place like Michael's (a craft store chain here in the DC area) would probably have that kind of material, right?

Thanks in advance for any help you crafty people can provide!

 

[KAMommy]

I do this a lot. If you have a standard size picture (say 8x10) you can get precut mats in all sorts of colors. I did some not long ago. The picture was an 11 x 14. I found some precut mats that were total 16 x 20 at wal mart. I bought 16 x 20 frames, also at wal mart. Total, my cost per picture was about $15.

I have also done odd sizes before and had Michaels cut my mats for me. The trick to this is take the picture and the frame in and let THEM measure how to cut. I measured my own once and had to buy the mats twice!

 

[sk8belle]

KAMommy:

Thanks! These are standard sized photos (8x10s), so I can use the pre-cut mats. I'll have to run by Michael's this weekend and try it out. Believe it or not, there aren't any WalMarts near me.

Again, thanks for your help.

sk8belle

 

[vanyel]

If you have a hobby lobby near you, you might check them out. Sometimes they have really great sales on pre-cut mats and frames. Just a warning - if it's not on sale this week, it will be soon. Unless I'm desperate, I never pay full price for anything there.

Cathy

 

[sk8belle]

Cathy:

I would have to check, but I don't think there are Hobby Lobbys around here. Thanks for the tip on them.

sk8belle

 

[Twigs]

Using pre-cut mats would be very easy to do. I have cut my own mats too. I bought a hand held mat cutter, but it wasn't easy to use. Then I got a Logan mat cutter from a local art shop. I don't remember how much it costs as it was a long time ago. It is easy to use and you can get a lot of mats out of one piece of mat board.

 

[sk8belle]

Just wanted to thank you all for your advice! I went to A.C. Moore this weekend. By happy circumstance, they were having a 40% off sale on frames, so I bought mats and frames for all three photos for the same price it would have cost to do one at a framing store. They turned out rather nice. Here's hoping my mom likes them.

Thanks again.

sk8belle