The Shadow Box

"Memories..."

Golden memories... 

Like the corners of my mind

Misty water-colored memories
Of the way we were....
Scattered pictures,
of the smiles we left behind
Smiles we gave to one another
For the way we were...
Can it be that it was all so simple then?
Or has time re-written every line?
If we had the chance to do it all again...
Tell me, would we? could we?
Memories...
may be beautiful and yet,
what's too painful to remember
we simply choose to forget...

So, it's the laughter
we will remember....
whenever we remember....the way we were...

The way we were....

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And so, in keeping with this campy Streisand Theme Song, I was asked to build a Shadow Box to house those precious memories....
This will be an ongoing blog entry...so please bear with me as I post the trials and tribulations of building my project....  Please check back every once in awhile...just to see if I have been working on it!   LOL!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010:
How do I start?  Let's go to Hobby Lobby! Maybe they can make some suggestions...

Months ago, when picking up a piece of framed/matted artwork at Hobby Lobby, I discovered that the "framer" who worked there could build a shadowbox for me...
Since "WE" had to have a nice frame on the exterior of the box so that it would look like a work of art and since Hobby Lobby had been running a 50% discount sale on custom built wooden frames, "WE" went to compare frame depths/widths and finally settled on a couple of examples to price. 
The example sizes (frame only!) we wanted were originally priced over $900! YOWEE! Even with the 50% frame discount, museum quality glass, custom built box, hardware, magnetic hinges.catches, and labor, the price of the shadow box would cost nearly $750. Ridiculous!!!
Ramona, the framer who had helped me with the "Indy 500 Collage" I have hanging in my office, suggested that we take a look at some of the custom frames that Hobby Lobby had hanging in the 80% Discount Aisle...just past the Easter seasonal rows, back in the corner hidden behind the giant plastic palm fronds....  She said that we might be able to save a great deal if we could buy a comparable pre-built frame. So off we went on the quest..... 
LO and BEHOLD....there was the frame that we had originally picked out....hanging in the sale aisle!  We stood there amazed at the size. It was much larger than the one we had priced...
Original sticker price:  $930.  The first markdown was 50%...  The second markdown was 80% off $465....which left the frame priced at $93.  WOW... 
I went back to tell Ramona THANK YOU!!  I owe her big time!  Thank goodness I won't have to shop at every Hobby Lobby between here and Dallas to find the "right" SALE frame!

Now all I have to do is figure out how to build a box to insert into the frame. Below you can see what I have to work with....the frame by itself weighs in at 38 pounds, measurements: 48" x 48". That's a BIG box! We haven't decided on a depth yet...