Winter projects

Although the seed catalogs are rolling in, I’m trying to pace myself and save some garden dreaming for the long bitter month of January.  Thus I’ve embarked on a few home projects during the holiday vacation.

We’ve had a number of items kicking about in need of framing and hanging, and I added to that number when I gave Dan a 16 x 20 photo poster of him kayaking this summer on Whiting Bay, and a companion map of Passamaquoddy Bay by Maine mapmaker Jane Crosen.  Dan moved into a new school this fall and his office lacks a window, so I thought the photo would provide some good scenery.  Both needed lightweight frames suitable for hanging with a removable-adhesive hook.

Dan has been collecting old postcards of our beloved little town for a number of years, and we decided we needed to display these lovely cards from bygone years.  This was the week to get it all done.

We selected a number of inexpensive pre-matted frames for the postcards, and Dan organized the cards and designed the layout.  We decided to hang them in our living room, on the largest wall.  Dan created a template by taping together some sheets of newsprint in the same size as the wall, arranged the frames, and then marked all the spots where the hanger would need to be placed on the wall.  He was clever, that Dan.  Because the frames were inexpensive, mass produced frames, the placement of the hanger widget was not precise and varied slightly from frame to frame.  Dan cleverly taped a thumbtack to the frames in the center of the hanging widget, them placed the frame in the marked location on the template.  The thumbtack punctured the newsprint, marking the exact spot we needed to place the wall anchor and screw in the wall.

We then needed to drill holes for the wall anchors.  I showed Dan a clever little tip I learned years ago from a carpenter I worked with to catch the drywall dust.  Just use some painter’s tape to tape some paper towel under the drill site, catch the debris, remove the paper towel carefully and throw the debris away; reuse for additional holes.  Holes drilled, I hammered in the wall anchors and Dan hung the postcard frames.  We are very happy with the way it came out, centered and proportionate.  Today, on to a couple more framing projects, and maybe some de-cluttering (shoveling out) a good way to begin the new year.  Happy New Year!