CP Rail Shadowbox

Another very cool project came through our shop. This one showcases Jimmy's unique and varied talents extremely well, so forgive me if I toot our own horn too much but I don't think there are many shops out there who could envision and create a finished product like this.

Our client had an idea to create a display box about his memories of fishing and hunting with his grandfather when he was a boy.  His grandfather was a CP railman and they used to take a train up the rail lines in Ontario to fish and hunt.  

He had his grandfather's Conductor's Hat, a photograph of him in his office, 5 various photographs from these trips, an uncracked bottle of Crown Royal from 1967, his grandfather's gun and gun bag, and a replica of the traincar they actually rode in.  

As a background, he had a map of Ontario blown up to the size that he wanted the piece to be.

General placement of the objects was decided upon with the client.

The client had a specific spot this project needed to fit into as it slides into a spot in a custom bookshelf. The frame also needed to be deep enough to accomodate the objects.  

The project was built to slide into this spot in a bookshelf.

Another factor was that it was going into a room with mood lighting only so lights in the box needed to be incorporated into the design, something we haven't done to this magnitude before.  

After we had settled on the overall design & arrangement the objects, the map, the background for all of the other objects, was outsourced to be dry mounted onto thick medite.  

Mounting the photos.

The photograph of his grandfather was matted and framed to give it more importance in the display.  The other photographs were drymounted onto thick black matboard and mounted onto the map at different heights to make them visually exciting.

   Custom mounts made out of metal and wood were designed and fabricated by Jim for the hat, the liquor bottle, the train and the gun.

Jimmy working on the lighting.

Lighting was installed behing the matting to illuminate the objects within.  The lights connect up to a transformer on the wall so that they can be turned off and on with the flick of a switch.

  

A frame out of deep pine and capped with our black jerseybox moulding was made by Jim to accomodate the depth of the deepest object:  the conductor's hat.

We were in and out of our clients' home a few times,  tweeking the lights before we all were happy... but the finished product was well worth it.

The finished piece in its bookcase... a lasting tribute to a beloved relative.

Spring Has Sprung... get your Family Photos on the Wall !

Here's a Tip from: Ellen Whitehurst, Better Living Expert: Spring has sprung and now we are officially immersed in the season of renewal and rebirth. And, according to Feng Shui, this is the season of New Beginnings as well. This idea of New Beginnings is traditionally symbolized in this philosophy by young plants peeking through and pushing their way up through the fertile ground. Feng Shui also associates this season with the aspiration or idea of 'Family' as well, the people that gave you your own new beginnings. Therefore, that secret springtime Shui makes this the most perfect season to honor your familial relations by updating and refreshing the photos that you have of your family around your home. You'll not only bring fresh energies that will strengthen bonds with family and friends but you you'll also be intentionally sharing symbols that represent the most recent good times that you've had together. This empowering exercise will not only make for good Feng Shui but will bring you a harmonious and happy spring as well! Read more about Ellen Whitehurst at her website;  http://www.ellenwhitehurst.com/

Hoping Spring brings New Hope for the Little Guys

I have just finished reading this week's Stittsville News, and I am sad to say that I am feeling a little blue. As a small business owner, I am always routing for the other small guys in town and hoping that things are going well for them. Unfortunately, from my observations, things aren't that great for us small guys right now.

Page 23 of the News tells me that Casual Elegance is closing up after nearly 10 years here. Owner Chantelle Turcotte sites " the influx of big box stores into the area as making it more difficult for a small business to compete in the market". The owner of Urban Tags, formerly of Hobin Street, is drastically downsizing her business to Sundays only at the Stittsville Flea Market. It has become a challenge for small businesses to pay their (crazy expensive commercial) rent and themselves these days.

On the plus side, I see a new store, "The Pottery Playhouse", has opened where Art Mad used to be. (And what happened to John and Maggie and their incredibly busy business anyhow? I haven't seen them to ask so I don't know. I am hoping they were just burnt out and wanted to retire.) A family run business, I am hoping that The Pottery Playhouse will succeed and in fact flourish where others have had to shut their doors.

It is mind boggling that here in Stittsville, where houses are literally being built on all sides of us and folks are moving in from everywhere, we cannot keep the little independent shops open. These little independent family run shops are what makes our town special and gives it character. We all need to go out and support them.

Get your coffee at Gaia Java, hold a birthday party at The Pottery Playhouse, pick up some flowers at Pretty Pots, buy a lure and some bait at Bits & Baits, send your kids for music lessons at the West End Music school, get a sign made at Stittsville Signs, get a trophy from Mementos, go out to lunch at Napoli's, to dinner at Nola's. See how much you can get within a short drive from your house.... or better yet on your bike or walking!

The small guys in Stittsville are here because they love what they do and they love Stittsville. I can guarantee that if they cannot match the price you will pay for a similar item in a big box store (and they probably can and will), they can for sure out-perform, out-service and out-wow the big guys. Why? Because they are your neighbours, the parents of your children's classmates and teammates, and they are your fellow citizens of Stittsville. They actually care if you have a good buying experience in their shop. Furthermore, money spent in Their shop will go right back to bettering Your community. We cannot say the same about the big box stores.

Don't live in St. Itsville you say? This does not concern you? Think again. Everywhere in communities all over Canada and the States, the small business person is getting squeezed out by big business to the detriment of us all. Sure there's a place for the big box stores, you can get the same things at the same stores right across the continent. You probably even know what aisle it's in and don't need any help to find it ( thank goodness!) and that's great. But what about when you want something special-- the one offs, the truly unique, the decidedly local flavor of your town? Who knows what it is, creates it and gives that to you? You know who. It's the little guys with their small shops, big hopes and giant dreams.

The Boys of Winter are Back!!!

Hey have you been missing HOCKEY?  We sure have.  We've even been missing the usual amount of hockey jerseys in the shop for framing.  So here's your reminder.... We frame Jerseys!  

We actually have framed so many jerseys here that we've made up our own Walkerworks Jerseybox.  Your jersey (you know that is doesn't need to be a hockey jersey, right?) is carefully fussed over by Jim... he inserts an acid free foamcore form and fastens the jersey using a microtach gun that shoots little plastic things that hold everything nicely in place.  

It is then mounted into our black foamcore box and finished with UV inhibiting glass in our deep black lacquered shadowbox moulding.  We'll even come hang it for you if you want.

All for the lovely price of $360 +hst.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Another year has ended here at Walkerworks...we just finished up the last job needed for Christmas.  YAY bring on Christmas!

We are taking a break to enjoy some time with the children and will be back in shop on Friday, January 4th at 10 am.

Merry Holidays to you and thanks for visiting our website!!

Amy, Jimmy, Hayden and Indigo Walker

Crafty Christmas!!

Having a Crafty Christmas?

We have some interesting things in shop for those crafty people out there.

Amoung our standard stock items we have:

* foamcore
*  acid free tapes,
* "perfect mount" ..which lets you mount your own photographs nice and flat
*  many many different colours of matboards (8x10 size and up).... and we are happy to cut out a    window or more for you
* scratched and dented frames (flecked spraypaint gives them a new life!)

Here's a craft that we've made here using suede matboards for our children's school photographs.
Great Grandparent Gifts!  Get yours today.....  we are here until Dec 22!!

Surgeon Major General Sir John By Cole Reade, KCB

Just finished an interesting framing project about Surgeon Major General Sir John By Cole Reade, KCB.  (What does KCB mean, you aks?  Go to:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Bath )

Our client had a photograph of Sir Reade (which we had lovingly reproduced by Janice of LUX), 7 medals dating from the late 1800's and early 1900's, and a plaque.

Our new acquaintance, Mr. Louis Grimshaw of Kingston, http://www.grimshaw-military.on.ca/) cleaned up the medals beautifully and "Court Mounted" them (which he tells us is most likely how Sir Reade wore them when in attendance in Queen Victoria's Court. (http://goarticles.com/article/Court-Mounting-and-Swing-Mounting-Medals/2083240/).

So here is the finished product!