off to the framers

as much as i LOVE ikea ribba frames, there are times when i call in the pros when it comes to framing.
i recently got two prints from print collection, and i have been exciting about getting both
of them ready to hang on my wall...

i already had a frame for the running buffalo print. i bought two identical prints at west elm about 4 years ago, because the frames were huge, and they were only $40 each. i like the print enough that i have kept one, but i always knew that i would swap out the second frame for something else.

whenever i am making a swap from one print to another, i like to take the image and frame to a professional framer. they normally charge somewhere between 15-20 for a "setting fee"...which means they will clean the glass, put the print in place, and close the back.

i thought the swap for the buffalo  print was going to be an easy matter or taking the backing off of the print, and putting the new one in, but there was a tiny problem....the print was just a fraction  smaller than the mat. i could have had an entirely new mat cut, but i really liked the thickness of the original  mat, and a new one was going to run me about $70, SO, we came up with the idea to cut a slightly smaller black mat out of a less expensive mat board that will act as a nice buffer between the original mat and the image.

when i went to stick the "g" print into a frame i already had at the house, i realized that although the print itself is 8x10, the image (where the color is) was an odd size. i really want this little print to be a fun addition to grady's room, and after some thought i decided that i didn't want a large mat around it. i wanted the image to just have a frame around it.

if you have never had anything professionally framed, the costs involved can be a little surprising. when we moved last fall, the glass on one of my larger prints got broken, and it was nearly $100 just to replace the glass!
however, i think it is important to have at least a few pieces of art on your walls that have been custom framed. it really makes a huge difference in the way a piece looks!

here is what i had done this time:
new frame for small "g" print + new backing + foam core + glass + setting fee.
new mat cut for large print + setting fee.
=around $140

have any of you ever had any good OR bad experiences with a framer?
any tips to share?
do tell....