Hobby & Craftwork

All the vehicles, which are made up of watch & clock pieces, were all in individual small frames. I was asked to strip them all down and re mount them into just 1 frame. I love it!

This was one of my best pieces I think. An original 45 and record cover & I even typed in gold on black, all the lyrics to go with the poster. It has sold, but was reluctant to let it go.

This was a prize I gave away with real sand and shells in a deep box frame.

It was a real honour to this, Now its mounted on a wall with other pieces from this hero.

Any dads that are Wallace & Gromit fans?

A second “Harry Potter” framing. Sold very quickly after showing it on fb.

Beatles poster with a genuine “We can work it out” 45 (single record). You could own this!

Great Mothers Day gift, or just a lovely gift! it includes a Local recipe (to Barton that is).

Two small frames that are “Harry Potter” themed and both have a platform ticket. Each one comes with a pendant too.

We hear about Dad’s Man Cave, Well in time for Mother’s day here is a small Princess “Mums She Shed”

How a bit of Rolling Stones?! It is an original 45 and the original sleeve too. I added the poster

When I came up with this idea using an original .”45″ in its original sleeve I had a customer in mind too. A life long Bowie fan. It worked and sold as soon as I showed it .

Harry Potter / Hogwarts letter, envelope etc all in a frame. A must for all fans. This sold within 2 hours of it going on mt FB page

Another 45 but with the original poster for the release of the record. It was later changed as it was seen as being too graphic. Well regardless, it sold quite quickly in this unique way of displaying it.

Here is T. O. L. Poppy no. 35. I must be doing something well as I am about to start on no. 36 too

Career frame including actual cap tally’s with the original bows in tact.

A pressed flower from the wedding bouquet, brought back from Italy and now mounted framed and hanging on the landing in my daughter i laws and sons home.

Last year a wife to be had me do a project as a gift for her now husband. He loved it so much he asked me to frame the brides wedding shoes, garter and fascinator. I am very proud of this as I am with all my projects).

Another collaboration with my graphic art specialist Guy (Tug) Wilson. Again each career is very individual

The “Career” frames are still popular. Why? Because they are totally bespoke to the individual. You get to chose the frame & mount colours and agree on the layout before I begin the time consuming measuring and cutting.

My daughter (who is a seamstress) had this “drawing” done for her

An old school friend is a massive Bowie fan and she bought a set of stamps that were already mounted and framed. But she wanted something similar for her daughter. So she bought the stamp set but this time saved herself a lot of money by asking me to mount them for her this time. Result – I was able to give her something back that when put side by side with the pre bought one, the only difference was the slight change in the order of the stamps.

A friend had this painting of HMS Sheffield gifted to him. He asked me to mount and frame it for him & I believe he then passed it on to a group for their reunion as an auction/ raffle prize.

I bough this Italian newspaper on the day of my sons wedding in Sorrento. I then put it in the frame etc and it is now on display along with a New York paper I framed from their engagement trip.

This is one of 2 Poppy prints I bought from POSH Original Art Ltd. One I kept for my own collection and this one I did as a give away to promote my fb page. The person that now owns it loves it.

First ever Book I have mounted and framed, But being a book it had to be done so it can be taken out and read. This done, it is going to be on display in a coffee shop in Southsea. I have done this and several other pieces for the Chocolate Lounge run by my old oppo from HMS Antrim many years ago.

For this project I had to make the main set of medals removable, ready for wearing on parades. My customer is very happy with the ease in which they can be taken out / put back on display.

I love working with peoples service history. This piece has a lot of different kinds of items. Medals, cap tallies, uniform badges and a cap badge. Whats great is that everyone’s history is different – unique to the individual.

Framing a Cross Stitch has its own difficulties in that it has to be stretched taut, but without it being in a bulky frame. I believe I have achieved it.

A friend who had a second son a while back, bought a ceramic Foot print to match the one from their first son. Trouble is that the company don’t frame them any more. So I was asked yo try match the first one as close as I could. They were over the moon with what I was able to do for them.

Tower of London Poppy No. 30. First time I was asked to include medals. Also had to make it so the medals could be removed for wearing. I love my hobby!!

I did this one for a nephew, but again for his son to give to him.

I had some Super Hero’s left over, so I put this together. Be great as a birthday, Christmas or Farther’s day gift.

I was asked to do this for one of my sons, but from His son (my grandson). I love it!

A novelty ‘extra’ Christmas gift for a friends farther. It wasn’t easy to make something of these pictures as he had tried to do something himself, but realised it isn’t that easy.

I love this!!! These animal images on bits of old fence panels were a part of a very close friends Fine Arts degree course. I begged her (Susan Frye) to allow me to mount / frame a couple. Only if I put them in a second hand frame! was the cry. It is all about us as a throw away society, which includes pets sometimes! This is now proudly hanging on my lounge wall.

Another Karin Bailey Poppy

Ex WREN paints these Poppies. I try to support Ex forces artists by buying their artwork and then once I have done my mounting and framinfg- promote both their work & mine. This is Karin Bailey Art

Proud of your life & home! If you have an aerial shot – get it on display!! I will be happy to help.

Regimental colours, or just your preference I will try get as close as I can to your requests and make a bespoke & unique display for you.

I loved the history behind this. The whistle (bottom / middle) could have been used when it was time to “Go over the top” Brave people.

This was the second Ironman collection I framed. Similar but still different. That’s the beauty of letting me carry out this work for you – It’s your choice on the layout / colours etc, I just put it together for you.

Our Service history in a frame! There for generations to come.

It really id an honour when asked to mount & frame family medals.

What a way to honour a grandfathers military history. Now All family & friends get to see this rather than it being stuck in a cupboard.

Must be doing something right!! I have had the honour of mount / framing quite a few of these iconic poppies now.

10k, Half Marathon, Marathon or Ironman. If you have achieved something great then let everyone know about it. Have your medal(s) etc on display.

I was never great at tying the bows on my caps. But this customer was & still is. So he asked me to display this skill along with his other RN career badges.

First WReNs career I have done, framing her cap tallies and badges. She proudly displays the frame amongst her other memories.

Something ‘different’ for your wedding day? I created a shallow box for behind the glass and made a slot at the top of the frame. The guests then write their messages on the wooden hearts and slot them in. thus building up a beautiful reminder of the big day.

I put this together as a gift for a friend who’s daughter had a tiny baby girl. Very premature but after lots of hospital time and family TLC, she is doing well. Just a little reminder of how small she was, as we all say “I can’t remember them being That small”.

This is the second piece I have framed for this lady. She follows motor sport avidly and has lots of signed items from some of the races. These type of things so easily get stuck in drawers or cupboards and almost forgotten about. Don’t let that happen to your special items!!

Can’t remember much about your “Stag do”? Well the best man asked me to frame these reminders of Some of the things the groom was asked to do. Just for fun!

This HMS Antrim cap was donated to the “Chocolate Lounge” in Portsmouth where, once I had box mounted it, it now lives. Its on a wall with two – yes two uniforms I have also mounted.

Wow, when this went on the fb page Suitably Framed I could not have ever anticipated the response. Over 7300 views and prompted 40+ new LIKES to my page in one week! This wa done as a gift to a husband who left the RN March, 2017. His words – Best gift ever!! That will do for ME!!

I believe this was done a while ago, but again put away out of site. I was asked to frame this but using non reflective glass (perspex). Yes it adds to the cost, but if that’s what is required then I am happy to quote!

Proud of your own craft work? Let me frame it for you so family and friends can be proud of it too!

My client saw this concept on a site which sells unusual gifts. But that comes with a big price tag. She asked me if I could help her? More than happy to try!! This is 4 maps of a couples life events from meeting to honeymoon. Simple but very effective idea don’t you think!

These were the second set of ballet shoes I was asked to mount & frame. Since then I have done more projects for the person who I did these for.

I have now mounted and framed 26 of these iconic Tower of London Poppies. Still more than happy to do more if you still have one in its box?

Family medals which were just stuck in a draw. As well as mount/framing I was able to do some research on the medals and add missing details to the history of what these were presented for.

Another gift for a client to present to his Sea Scout daughter. Impressive collection of earned badges.

Well this was a real challenge! Framing 2 pairs of ballet shoes in one frame (20″ x 16″). The first pair worn 10 years ago, then the first pair of blocs? from 10 years later. What also made it a challenge is that it is very PINK. Not used to that! So had to ask for a little assistance and opinion from my daughter. Must have pulled it off as the person who it was gifted to almost shed rears of joy I was told.

I was challenged to mount / frame a whole newspaper rather than just the cover page. Well the photo doesn’t really show it, but I managed it! It is in a shallow box which I made from scratch and the mount edges are a few mm away from the edge, so you see it IS the full paper.

This goes with the news paper to remember a weekend in New York where the couple got engaged. It was an honour to be asked to frame both items in a matching frame and mount colours.

Recent work.

This was not really my work, but worth a mention. This small plaque was shipped out to an old friend in Spain. She has a painting by the lady named on the plaque and thought it was a fitting way to show respect. Plaque engraved by Pickerings of Brigg. Ordered and shipped by me.

This piece is in a 50cm x 40cm frame with my clients RN career mapped out in actual Cap Tally’s. What’s nice about this is that he is a repeat customer! In 2014 he had a Suitably Framed Career Art made, so obviously liked it enough to come back.

Third set. Colours selected by the customer to match the service / regiment these family members served in.

Set two of three (for now!) Family medal history – frame & mounted this way preserves them for generations to come.

These medals are one set from a family steeped in miliery history. So much so I hope to receive two more sets very soon, so watch this space!

I can’t claim this as my work, but I did organise it! Brass plate engraved and fitted onto a reading desk. Then it was drilled and the solid brass crest added to the front. Work carried out by Pickerings of Brigg.

This was done as a gift to one of my sons. He was in a band and they made a CD that is displayed. If you have a favourite album and want it displayed like this, please get in touch!

Poppy no. 20! What more can I say. Except they do look great – each and every one! Love the many stories behind the reason for wanting the Poppies & wanting them to be displayed in this way. Lest we forget!

A new challenge for me. A motor sport under helmet hood, with the drivers initials and signature. Topped off with a personal photograph with the driver too. Customer and I are very happy with the result!

Now here is a new idea! I had to build up a shallow box to give enough room for some wooden hearts to slide in once the wedding guests have written on them. Lovely messages on your wedding day, already framed! I can do them in most colour themes if you like this idea?

This was done to go alongside the 2 Everton shirts I mounted and framed

A little side step from my usual work! I was asked if I could put small photographs into these broaches. As they were gifts from a bride to close family how could I refuse. She had had great difficulty trying to find someone to take this task on.

I was asked to see what I could do with this poster, which already had the double mounting. The problem was that it would not quite fit a standard frame. So my task was to make it fit without taking anything from the mounted piece. I chose to add a third mounted boarder to blend in with the colours but get it to fit the frame. Blends without over powering the artwork.

Well this one caused tears to the owner – but must stress of joy! They had seen one by someone else in the red frame and asked me to do something on those lines for them too. The reaction was worth more than money. It is going in pride of place in a newly built conservatory once its complete. The red frame did raise the price slightly as its not one you can just get off the shelf, but they were more than happy to pay that little extra for something they really wanted. Glad I could do it for them.

My client for this one wanted it to go in his shop, so was keen for me to get the colours right for him. From his reaction when I personally delivered it to him, I do believe I got it right! He loved it!

The client for these had 2 of her own (hers & mums) and she wanted the dark wood (effect) frames with Ivory double mounting. But just the Poppy heads, which I have to individually build the boxes for them to sit in. The other 2 were for her brothers family. He wanted smaller frames (black), with White double mounting. Box also in white. As you can stt – either way they look stunning.

The mounting of the Tower of London Poppies seems to be very good at the moment and just like the Poppy heads are all slightly different, so can the layout / colours & content can vary too.

Proud of yours, your parents or your grandparents medals and history. What better way to show your pride! Let me mount and frame them for you so they can be admired by all for generations to come.

How nice are these! Simple but effective. They were done for a young family member to finish off his newly decorated Superhero bedroom.

They are Lego action figures attached in a box frame. I made the 3 boxes before finishing it all off with double mounted card.

If you have any items you want on display in this way, contact me & I will happily give you a quote.

Bit of self indulgence here! This was my personal gift to my first grandson on his Christening day. It is a bosuns call and a digital art image of a ship I served on many moons ago. Topped off with some information about me that I hope – when he is old enough, will ask me about & I will be happy to tell him.

I loved doing this! I was sent a Bulls horn from Spain and was asked if I could mount/display it. The bull (pictured) was hand reared and almost a family pet. So this was a way of remembering him. Then it was returned to Spain.

This piece of Australian art was rolled up in a tube until I was asked to help. I placed it onto a wooden frame and fastened it into place. Now it can be displayed as it should be.

This is a Wedding Post Box made to look like a Front door at my customer’s request. I was done in the colour scheme of the wedding too. If you would like a bespoke post box making, let me know what you have in mind & I will see what I can do for you.

The collection box is attached to the front door, so they are all collected neatly in the box.

This is again done by creating a shadow box then mounting 4 samples within the 1.5″ deep box as a display piece for a fellow hobbyist

I was asked to mount / frame this beret & regimental belt as a gift for a 21st birthday. I had to build up a box strong enough to hold both items then fix them in to place without causing damage to either pieces. I tried to match the mounting boards as close as I could, which by the comments received (in testimonials) from my customer, I achieved. If you have an unusual item you wish me to mount, let me know. Always ready for a new challenge.

This was artwork done by Argi (Tug) Wilson ex RN & I was asked to mount/frame it for charity. It will be auctioned off at a Royal Navy reunion in September. If you have any services crests or items you would like displaying – let me know.