I found this photo of my dad a while ago. I have no idea when it was taken or by whom, but it is lovely. It shows his spirit and his joy in so many ways. I found a nice square frame, and made a mat out of a piece of five-inch cardboard with a three inch circle in the middle. I took my sample to one of the Big Craft Stores yesterday afternoon.
“Can you make this up in red for me? Do you have something to match the color of his stole?”
The clerk allowed as how they not only didn’t have a small red piece of mat board, but they couldn’t do round cuts. That would have to come from their supplier. The cost? Well, I’d have to buy the entire sheet of board, and then there’s the cost of cutting it and shipping it, and, oh, probably $30 or so.
Good Grief! Great Coogamooga! And so forth and so on. I’ll find me a bit of red construction paper or card stock and take it from there! I love ya, Daddy, but for cryin’ out loud. . .exorbitant doesn’t begin to cover it.
thisendoftheswamp 
What a wonderful photo! Just looking at your father’s photo made my heart do a little jig for joy! Just saying, your parents certainly were like oil and vinegar.
Regarding making your own matting, instead of using cardstock or construction paper, go to the scrapbook section of WalMart, Target, or Michael’s and look for the paper there. Scrapbooking paper will not damage photos as cardstock and company would.
Aha! Thanks for the suggestion. And, yes, that really IS a great picture of my dad.
Beautiful photo! Everything is exorbitant today. I wanted to get two pieces of cloth sewn together. One long seam. That’s it. NOTHING ELSE TO IT. I used to sew, so I know. They wanted $25. Are ya kidding me? I don’t even require a thread change out as any color will do.
Good grief! For $25 I’d sew it by hand! It isn’t as if you needed a pattern cut out or sleeves set in – just whiz down the line and be down with it. You’re right – that is an awful price to ask.
I posted on Facebook about it (haha), and people took me to task, telling how much goes into being an accomplished craftsperson/artist, etc. Um. I don’t need an artist. Just someone with a sewing machine! But I also had offers from friends to do it for free or for hugs, so that was nice!