Friday, July 6, 2012

Hang 'Em

I went down to see my mom the other afternoon and she asked me to hang some old pastel portraits for her and, well, I really wish I had taken a "before" photo, because it would make the "after" photo look *much* more dramatic.

The portraits were done in 1974, in Disney World, when our family and the Cronin family went to Florida together on the AutoTrain, and had the Time Of Our Young Lives.

But that's a story for another day.

The story for this day is when one is trying to hang things on a wall symmetrically, one has to measure the back of the thing-to-hang, because every wire is attached to the back of a photo or portrait or painting slightly differently.

Dad taught me that.

Oh and would you look at that! Dad *marked* the exact center of each portrait. From when he hung them in the basement at 26 Bettswood Road.

Sigh. Thanks, Dad.

I'd forgotten to bring work clothes, so whilst hanging and spackling and sanding I innocently asked Mom, "Do you have an apron I could wear over my dress?"

Oh, did she have an apron.

It's still got Dad's pencils in the pocket.

The finished result?


And why wouldn't it be?

No only did I have a great teacher, I have had a lot of practice this winter:

TheDowd said if Ledgie was a person 
he'd have me arrested for stalking.

And if you think this is cool, just wait 'til you see the Ledgie Loo after the Tall Ships Parade on Saturday . . .

Happy OpSailFest, everybody!
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7 comments:

  1. PatJuly 6, 2012 at 6:47 AM

    Please come to San Diego and help me hang my oodles of pictures!
    Love, Pat

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  2. julieJuly 6, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    nice work, El!
    Actually, dad had those hung in his office, not the basement at 26 Bettswood. The silhouettes were hung in the basement.

    ReplyDelete
  3. MBJuly 6, 2012 at 7:30 AM

    Love so much, El! Can't wait to see the Ledgie Loo this afternoon. And to visit Mom again soon to view her gallery! Looks great xo

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  4. Me, You, or EllieJuly 6, 2012 at 7:51 AM

    Ah, yes, Jules. They were in Dad's office.

    I blocked out the silhouettes, because y'all had them done at Fitch, in Kindergarten, and I was in Seoul for Kindergarten, and Mom and Dad tried to do my silhouette a few years later and I looked like a Neanderthal.

    Ellie

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  5. mom cJuly 6, 2012 at 8:19 AM

    Ah Julie, that explains why I found them in a box with all of dad's diplomas and plaques. It was a box with pots and pans on it, and for years I thought it held old pots and pans..Nice job Ellie xoxo mom

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  6. Me, You, or EllieJuly 6, 2012 at 9:42 AM

    lol, mom! I remember sitting for those pastels so well. It was hot and squinty and boring, but so cool to see ourselves emerging on the canvas. I have no memory of Ellie as the missing link, that is hilarious. No wonder they tried to camouflage your protruding forehead with a beret upon your return to STAS.

    xoxoxxo
    Jacquie

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  7. Me, You, or EllieJuly 6, 2012 at 2:10 PM

    Nice work, Ellie. And gorgeous apron. Only perfect indeed.

    xoxo,
    Beth

    ReplyDelete