simple gifts with framebridge.

I admit that it feels early to start talking about holiday gifts. But the fact of the matter is that there are some gifts for which a long lead time pays off for everyone involved—givers and recipients. Here’s an idea for one such gift, sponsored by Framebridge.

Anyone who’s been reading for a while will be familiar with my fondness for temporary wall displays. Washi tape and paperclips and tiny tacks pull their weight as framing supplies in my house. I love moving things in and out of the space as makes my sense for my current frame of mind or whim or the particular postcard that came in the mail that day. I have a few of these little corners in my house and I wouldn’t trade them for anything. But since Faye was born, I’ve saved a few small bits of ephemera that have taken on a little bit more meaning than the average post-marked envelope. There’s the moon phase calendar that I bought in San Francisco, destined for the nursery that we weren’t sure whether she’d have six months before she was born. There’s the letterpress card that came in a care package sent my way in the late winter that I was pregnant. The card bore the zodiac sign of Gemini, just like the baby in my belly. There’s the small envelope, hand-lettered by my friend Justine with Faye’s initials. For the last sixteen months they’ve each lived in different spots in our home—taped up to the wall; weighted down with paperclips and hung from tacks; propped against the bookshelf.In effort to make art out of the ordinary—and in an admittedly sentimental mood—I’d begun to think about preserving them for the longterm. When Framebridge reached out with an opportunity to test-drive their service, I knew immediately what project I would tackle. It would be a gift to the whole family—and something that Faye might eventually take with her into her own home.

I chose simple rectangular frames that matched frames we’ve used for other art in our house. There’s something about a float mount that lends itself to this kind of ephemera, I think, and so I opted to have each piece floated against a white backdrop instead of hidden behind a more traditional mat.  I like the idea that you can still tell that Faye’s initials are printed onto an envelope and that the tape marks where I taped and re-taped the zodiac print are still visible.Never having used an internet-based framing service before, I admit that I wasn’t sure what to expect. The pricing is vastly more affordable than framing we’ve had done in the past—frames at Framebridge range from $39 – $149 depending on the size of your art—but I wondered if the frames would match the quality that we already had. Would the acrylic that Framebridge uses in lieu of glass meet my standards? Would they get my notes requesting a smaller-than-average border between the art and frame? Happily, the answer in each case was yes. And more than that, the process was simple, quick, and clear from placing my order, to sending in our art, to receiving the framed art back again. The finished products themselves are lovely. I made ample use of the special request field available in the Framebridge order process and was able to request a smaller mat size than would have come automatically.  I was super pleased with the understated effect of a more subtle border around these particular pieces. Maybe best of all, the frames arrived ready to hang with small envelopes including all the necessary hardware. Literal minutes after our frames came through the door, we had them hanging in our bedroom.If you’re among the most organized among us and already plotting your holiday gifts, here’s a wholehearted endorsement to give Framebridge a try. In our case we were able to elevate the ordinary and add something special to our home without giving up precious space.

In the spirit of holiday giving, Framebridge is offering Reading My Tea Leaves readers 20% off their first order with the code TEALEAVES20. The offer expires 1/31/2016.

This post was sponsored by Framebridge. All opinions are my own. Thanks so much for supporting the brands that support Reading My Tea Leaves.