Sunday, December 30, 2012

Progress!



I've been busy painting our new digs: Titus has been helping me of course, and things are starting to take shape.
I'm really excited about all the light we have in our new space.
As usual, things are taking a tiny bit longer than planned, but the excitement propels us every morning to drive into town and jump right back into action.

I'm planning to re-open around January 7th, if everything goes according to plan. In the midst of this all the projects have just kept rolling in, so I expect another busy year in 2013.

Thanks to all our friends again for all of our fantastic adventures in framing in 2012! It was an exciting year that led to the decision to expand La Linea Bella! -- and to move my own studio back into town.

Plans for the front of the new space are also starting to take shape, and we have our first art show at LLB planned for February.

Stay tuned for details, and we will see you soon!

Beate & Titus

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Atelier 1 & Atelier 2 -- coming in January:



Things are taking shape. I am beyond the mind boggling stage of what-ifs and everything is falling into place.
We are officially moving and expanding into the adjacent space on Allied Street!

 The front of the new store will house a working gallery/studio occupied by Stephen Endres, a Master Portrait Artist based in Charlottesville. You'll be able to visit him there, see his new work, and follow his creative progress. His work & skills are awesome, I think you'll really enjoy his studio. He'll be there by appointment or by chance, your pick.

The rear of the new space will house our expanding workshop and I myself will move my studio into the back of the main part of La Linea Bella so I can start working on your commissions and other art again -- and catch up on some one-on-one time with the other side of my brain.

We're really excited and are looking forward to putting the connecting doorways back in.
(Thanks in advance to my wonderful & skilled other half who has been by my side helping me plan this move and who has graciously agreed to aid in the remodeling process!)

All of these buildings on Allied were connected at some time and you can completely tell that they are beckoning to be re-connected. There is a tremendous creative energy over in this area, I hope you'll come and check it out some time. Word is that there is a great new consignment clothing store moving next door (Welcome Melissa!) to join the rest of the creative clan at McIntire Plaza.


More info to follow as we begin moving and expanding the gallery.

Happy Holidays! Much work to do, rolling up my sleeves.
Growth and more (creative) growth. Always a welcome thing!

Beate


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Small Business Saturday is today!


Join us on Saturday, November 24th
and celebrate all the wonderful creative local businesses in our community!

We are so fortunate that Charlottesville has such an abundance of artisans and  
unique and creative beautiful shops, galleries, vineyards, restaurants and specialty stores! 
All of them make up that wonderful spice that makes Charlottesville and its spectacular scenery 
even more special and enjoyable.

On Small Business Saturday, it is your chance to show those people who have chosen to share their unique vision of beauty how much they mean to you. They spruce up and invigorate your neighborhoods, create local jobs, and their local tax dollars are spent on your community - and so much more. Shop local this Saturday and celebrate!

Fantastic truly local businesses in McIntire Plaza include:

Carpe Donut
Possessions Recycled
CIRCA
Jason McLeod Jewelry
Allied Yoga
C-Ville Coffee

and more!


This Saturday of course is also the first of our 
"Special Saturdays in December"

(10 - 5 every Saturday till Christmas)

 20% off all gifts, art and jewelry
while you munch on sweets and treats!

So pop by your local merchants this Saturday and discover a hassle free, personalized and pleasant browsing and shopping experience to get you in the mood for the holidays!



HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

Beate & Titus!



Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Pooch Cards are coming




You might know by now that we LOVE well-made artisinal wares -- and how much we love animals! That's why we're SUPER excited to bring you POOCHCARDS this November!


"Dogs are arguably the most social creatures on earth, after all they befriended mankind and remain our most loyal followers. I created these cards for my dogs to be able to send greetings to their dog friends and today they have expanded to include people, who are just tired of ‘human holidays’ and are looking for something new to celebrate. Each card comes with a cheerful ribbon and memo on the reverse side for a special greeting, coordinating  mailing label with paper lined envelope and an embossed adhesive seal for closure." Bridget de Socio

(See, Titus is not the only canine who likes to send cards to his friends!)


Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Dreaming of Christmas (already!).


Stop by every Saturday in December for holiday treats and 20% off all in-store merchandise!


And don't forget: bring your holiday framing in soon so you can enjoy the best selection while it's available!

Cheers! 

Santa, Beate & Titus



Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Holiday Framing -- are you ready?



It's here, it's here: the season to decorate your world (and your dog...) with sparkles and glitter and ribbons and bows... and to go out and go shopping for gifts! 
I like to use the motto "one for you... one for me..." myself. I love it!

It's also time to think of special holiday framing. Every year I come up with a ridiculous list of great ideas, half of which I have to save for the next gift giving occasion because I always run out of time.

I guess what I am saying is: The sooner you bring your ideas in, the more time we can spend pondering great designs and frames for them... and the better the selection will be!
 And we all know: Santa does not like to be rushed when it comes to creating really beautiful things. 

If you have a wishlist of special order jewelry items from KiraKira or WHITLEY Designs, it is the perfect time to order those items as well and see them in person or show them off at all of your holiday gatherings! 


Gold Antler & Pearl necklace by KiraKira


So come in soon to see us, look around and let us know how we can help you: we're ready for ya!


Beate & Titus


PS: 


Put on your most festive antlers 
and join us 
every Saturday in December 
for 20% off all in store merchandise
 and treats to sweeten the deal!



Sunday, October 28, 2012

Happy Halloween!


Happy Halloween!

Join us on Facebook for our 


Beate & Titus


Thursday, October 18, 2012



Every gift from a friend is a wish for your 

happiness.

~ Richard Bach






Yes, gift-giving (and -receiving!) time is getting near! 



Time to think of those special friends -- and special

orders... like special framing projects, KiraKira and WHITLEY 

jewelry and accessories, photo frames, cards & more! Stop by 

soon or visit us at www.lalineabella.com to start making your 

wishlist and to see what is new. Also: if you need to spruce up 

your home before the fam arrives for Thanksgiving, this is the time!

We're open Tuesday through Friday, 10 - 5 and Saturday 10 - 4 with 

extended hours during the Christmas season.



See you soon!!



Beate & Titus

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Irene Suchocki - Photography





New photographs by Irene Suchocki. 
(Montreal, Canada)

Butterflies, owls, landscapes and more, available custom framed or matted.

Available at La Linea Bella ! this week.

Ciao ~

Beate & Titus



"Wings", Custom framed in Roma's SONORA.


Butterflies, set of 3, custom framed in white beveled moulding with spacers.




Wednesday, October 3, 2012

The (lone) stars of October: Rough Stock Frames!

Yes folks, it's sad but true: Rough Stock photo Frames are about to become a part of history.

This is the very last batch of richly colored eye-popping naturally textured wood photo frames, and they were made just for us at La Linea Bella! 

Thank you Lorie Leigh!

(PS: 3L photography's prints can still be purchased, and the famous Rough Stocks can still be owned as custom frames for Lorie Leigh's TX photos.)

Ciao! 

Beate









Monday, October 1, 2012

Art vs. Frame


The old question returns:
Art vs. Frame. 


Obviously they should harmonize. They should gel. Mesh. Love one another. Live as one. Enhance one another and the environment they cohabitate in. They should play with each other, get the viewer's attention.

Whew! That seems like a big task!

Part of that, my dear art-owner, has already been achieved before you even step over the threshold of your favorite framer's gallery.You have chosen a piece of art, adopted it to live in your home for you to look at and love every day from now on!  The other part, well, that's a piece of cake.

You walk in and you're presented with what seems to be an array of endless choices. But really, in the end there are only about three that really are in love (or lust) with your piece of art. (Of course, avoid the "lusty" one, which is flashy and tickles your fancy... but so short lived...). 

All three choices are wonderful candidates for marriage for your carefully chosen piece of art, and this is where you and your framer become a team: together we'll weed out the duds and determine which one of these handsome fellows is worthy of hanging out in your living room (or bathroom, bedroom, hallway, entry, etc.). Big shoes to fill, but we know what's right for us, right?

So see, framing is not that hard!

I posted a very random and half thought out question on Facebook the other day, and it got a really surprising amount of input: mostly from artists and framers. The white choice got votes for being a clean choice, bringing out the art and NOT making it about the framing. The silver, many felt, was more pleasing to the eye and played with the artwork.
(PS: results of this little game will be posted next week... hmmm, wonder which choice made it to the finals?)

It made me realize that that's what we are faced with every day: everyone has a different aesthetic and background. In the end, the only thing matters is that YOU, the owner of this lovely adopted piece of art, LOVES the end result. And helping you with that, that's what I love doing. That's what framing is all about.

Well, I love that.... and then I also love finding some of the wonderful artists who have sent me their creative and wonderful wares to show off at LLB. 

This week in the C-Ville Weekly, look for my ad for WHITLEY Designs. They are an awesome duo from San Fran with ties to Charlottesville and everyone has been "oooh-ing" and "aaah-ing" over and snatching up their new pieces at LLB. 


LOVE the Skye earrings, the chalcedony is an amazing shade of ocean-blue!


Alrighty y'all, enjoy your first days of Fall, which are always so gorgeous. Think of Fall jewels....... Suzanne will be sending more soon and I am in love with some of our new photographs we just got in. Well, you'll just have to stop by and see for yourself.

xoxo 
Beate & Titus

PS: Here's a cute project from last week "for dessert":






Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Welcome Marchesa!


The Marchesa, photographed by Man Ray, 1924

We welcome the Marchesa, our latest member, named after the famous Italian style icon Marchesa Luisa Casati. No, not kin to me per se, just a fabulous matching last name...  although I'd certainly love to emulate her! Wow, she had sass! (A lot of it...) And a love for strange animals....... hmmm, where have I heard that before?
(PS: that link's worth a read! She was a wild one!)


This is our Marchesa. Our Marchesa also has dreams.......
right now she is dreaming of those fantastic new Italian leather bags by KiraKira that she will soon be wearing.
Here is Suzanne's Espresso Devonshire tote in Espresso:


I will let you know when they arrive, just check for updates on Facebook!


Speaking of which: did you know that the new star of La Linea Bella ! TITUS has joined Facebook as well?
Yep, you can visit him on his own page where he will post super ADORABLE pictures of himself and share his opinion on some of what goes on in the frame shop... and his adventures in framing, customer service and design! He has already made some dog friends, including Ammo the Dachshund and they've been in touch with each other -- Titus is very impressed with Ammo, who lives at another frame shop in Pennsylvania and is FULL of stories.



Come and visit Titus any time -- he spends the day sleeping off his play hangovers under my desk but welcomes hugs and treats any time -- and will gladly offer his advice on your design choices!

And don't forget to come and check out WHITLEY Design's new jewelry that arrived last week!



See y'all soon!

Beate & Titus



Sunday, September 16, 2012

Thursday, September 6, 2012

It's still raining! Paper Conservation / Mold removal


With all this rain and humidity, I know my artwork has been buckling a bit in its frames... it's almost unavoidable. Remember to keep an eye on your framed art for foxing, mildew or a milky film on the interior of the glass in this weather. If you have any concerns, pop by and we can take a peek.

Here's a great link to help answer some of the questions for really wet or water damaged art work you may have. It also answers some questions about mold -- and remember, a paper conservator is the only real "doctor" for mold on artwork on paper:

For local paper conservation, we recommend and work with Blue Ridge Book Conservation:

Stay dry and safe and see you soon!

Beate

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Coming soon! Whitley Designs Jewelry




I'm a fanatic about unusual beautiful jewelry. And I found it again!

Whitley Designs is a team of two sisters, based in San Francisco but with ties to beautiful Charlottesville, where Whitney lived for a few years.

Whitney, a practicing attorney, draws inspiration from her daily life - creating refined, classic pieces. Hayley, a free-spirited artist, pushes the designs in a stylish, innovative, and forward thinking direction. Ultimately, they have created a versatile array of jewelry, with pieces that layer beautifully and transition easily from day to night. Just as "WHITLEYdesigns" is a hybrid of their names, Whitley jewelry reflects the confluence of two unique design aesthetics into one cohesive and timeless collection.

I think this collection complements Suzanne's pieces really well and will combine beautifully!

The pieces should arrive within the next few weeks, so stay tuned!


Friday, August 17, 2012

Welcome!

This is our new blog, and we'll start blogging again soon!
Make sure to check out our "Recent Projects" page for our first posted project.
Sign up here or on facebook to find out what's new in La Linea Bella !'s showroom or what's happening in our workshop.

See you soon!
Beate