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Need a picture frame? Just about every store in America carries them. Run there and buy one, and you can hang that picture on the wall tonight. But why might you want or need a custom picture frame instead?

•     Your picture doesn’t fit in standard frames. For one reason or another, you have a print that could be an inch or two (or more) different from the standard picture frame sizes. Having a frame cut to match it is necessary in this situation.
•     This is a work of art. A special painting or photograph may want a special frame. A good picture frame really accents a work of art and brings out its best qualities. Combine that with custom matting and you can have a piece that will draw the eyes of everyone in the room.
•     You want a different material. Chances are, the standard frames you will find will either be wood or plastic, and both will be cheap. A custom frame can be any material you want or need, including several types of metals. It can really make a difference in the look and feel of whatever is hanging on the wall.

A custom picture frame is not always cheap, but investing in one will give your photograph or painting the proper treatment it deserves. Works of art deserve frames that complement them. That’s what a custom frame can do.

There are several methods to consider when cutting a mat for your photographs or works of art. Cutting a mat is generally preferable to purchasing a precut mat because you have greater customization and it is generally cheaper.

The simplest way to do this is with an X-Acto knife and a ruler. Using the ruler to measure and keep the straight line, you can produce professional results at minimal cost. It’s a great way to get your feet wet, but you will then want to graduate to a mat cutter.

A simple handheld mat cutter will have a blade at a 45-degree angle for a beveled cut to your mat. Measure and mark the mat as you already have done before and use your ruler again for the straight edge. It takes a little practice, but the results are even better than the X-Acto knife.

If you decide to do mat cutting on a regular basis, or want to do even more sophisticated cuts, consider getting a tabletop mat cutter. Tabletop cutters have guides attached to them, so you don’t have to use your ruler anymore. In addition, most have some form of mat holder that keeps the mat in place, so you do not have to worry about keeping it in place. This speeds up cutting exponentially.

Mat cutting is an art that needs to be practiced. Start small, and work your way up. Your works of art will be complemented by the mats that you can create.

More women than ever are playing the guitar nowadays. More luthiers and guitar manufacturing companies are paying attention to the needs of smaller female players, their playing styles, and their sense of style and design. What exactly is a girls/womans guitar and what are the differences one might expect to find in a guitar described this way?

Guitars made to fit the female form are becoming more fashionable than ever. The first time I picked one up to play I noticed it weighed less and had a nice but smaller feel that adapts well to a smaller hand without loss of tone or sound quality at all. I would not hesitate to recommend this sort of guitar to anyone who is smaller than the average man, including the up and coming virtuosos, and rock stars; children. Although your favorite nephew may not appreciate a pink guitar like the Squier Hello Kitty Electric Guitar.

Playing an instrument that feels right may help you to achieve your emotional and creative goals more easily. Wrestling with a guitar that is too big or heavy takes away from the concentration and comfort needed to perform at a high level.

The major players in bringing Girls Guitars to the public are limited, but include Squier, Gibson. Epiphone, Luna and Daisy Rock. These are just a few of this type of companies known to this author, catering to this new niche. There are a range of models to fit taste preferences as well as budget. It should be noted that Luna, which is one of the smaller companies listed above is owned by a woman who is an artist whose bass player mother inspired her to create a guitar to better suit her mothers needs. It is clear in looking at a Luna guitar that it is a beautifully crafted instrument.
Lets get to it, here are my personal picks for the best guitars for smaller players:

1. Luna Muse Parlor Acoustic Guitar is a brilliant acoustic guitar that is beautiful in design and is very comfy for any player. This is a particularly *affordable model, and plays easily and has great tones, including some very pleasing deep bass tones. It has a lovely soft matt finish, and some clean well crafted celtic knot style wood inlays in various places, as well as moon phase inlays of pearl (pearl like appearance) on the fretboard. The tuners have a really lovely matt grey metal finish. This guitar plays like it wants to be played.

2. Luna Andromeda Phoenix Bass Guitar. It is noticeably lighter in weight than the majority of bass guitars I have examined with out losing any of the tone and pop heard from any good bass guitar. It is also a very affordable guitar.

3. The Squier Hello Kitty Stratocaster Electric Guitars are a line of extremely affordable solid body electric guitars, The friendly face of Hello Kitty is painted on the custom kitty head shaped pickguard on either a bubble gum pink or a black Stratocaster style guitar. This is a decent first guitar for an aspiring rock star gal in your life. Squire also makes an even less expensive Hello Kitty Mini Stratocaster Electric Guitar. It is smaller, has three single coil pickups, a 20 fret neck, and simpler Hello Kitty Graphics on the guitar body. It comes in black and Pink.

4. Daisy Rock Candy Series Daisy Rock Guitars guitar company was established in 2000 by Tish Ciravolo. The company manufactures and markets guitars designed specifically for girls and women. The Daisy Rock Candy Series includes several models of solid-body electric guitars with a single-cutaway body, similar to the body outline of a Gibson Les Paul or Paul Reed Smith single-cut guitar. They sound great and are easy to play. A top quality guitar that allows you to express yourself with great clarity.

5. Daisy Rock Short Scale Guitars. The Heartbreaker Short Scale is proof evolution still is alive in guitar design with a uniquely cut feminine body and a 22-1/2 scale neck making the guitar comfortable for smaller guitarists while still holding on to the the soul of a rocking guitar. Top quality features include a rock maple neck, basswood body, beautiful pearloid heart inlays, and shiny chrome hardware.

6. Minarik Inferno Electric Guitar Endorsed by Shred-mistress Rynata. It has an unusual body design and top notch electrics along with beautiful hardware, manufactured using advanced design techniques. Most women players agree that it has a great feel and super tone.

7. Gibson Les Paul Goddess delivers the same pure tone of a traditional Les Paul in a light, streamlined body. Comfortable enough to play for hours, tough enough to shake the house down. Typical Gibson quality and sound. Uniquely crafted light weight mahogany body with a figured maple top & narrow nut. The slim 60s-style neck is really slippery along with hi powered translucent 490R & 498T humbuckers you can wake up the neighborhood. The slim reduced body size is designed for optimum fit and performance for smaller body sizes. This is a real top line guitar for serious players.

8. ESP Horizon 3 Girl Electric Guitar. The ESP Horizon 3 Girl Electric Guitar is an unbelievable custom axe that incorporates a breathtaking emerald green see-thru finish over a figured maple top with an anime girl graphic. It’s an excellent partner to the sleek Horizon 3 body, with it’s scalloped double cutaways, large upper horn and jet black headstock that follows the body’s curves. This guitar doesn’t stop at great looks. . In addition to the maple top, the Horizon 3 Girl features a solid mahogany body and maple neck to ensure great tone and sustain. Two EMG81 humbucker pickups means this young lady has a very powerful voice, one that will growl on your chunky chords and wail high and clear on your solos. All of the hardware is black including high quality Sperzel tuners, a tone-enhancing Gotoh bridge, volume & tone knobs and a 3-way pickup switch. This guitar is an amazing high quality guitar for the accomplished player, or performer.

9. Epiphone Emily the Strange SG Electric Guitar. The limited-edition Epiphone Emily The Strange G-310 SG features Emily’s face and other graphics from the Cosmic Debris character including, of course, one of Emily black cats. This axe delivers everything from warm distortion to all-out scream with 2 hot-wired humbuckers. Crafted with select hardwood body, bolt-on mahogany neck, and rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays. Also features tune-o-matic bridge, stopbar tailpiece, and chrome tuners.

10. Taylor Baby Taylor Mahogany Top Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar is a 3/4 scale guitar. It has a perfectly symmetrical design and is like a full sized guitar. it is not designated as a womans/girls guitar, however it’s unique size and the usual superior Taylor quality will surprise smaller people with it’s perfect sound and feel. The Taylor Baby Taylor is a great slightly smaller guitar at an affordable price .

11. Fender Custom Shop Bonnie Raitt Model . This particular guitar is excellent. It is one of the sweetest guitars I have ever played. It is a Stratocaster in every way. Primarily, the biggest difference between this Strat and a stock American Strat is the nice narrow neck and terrific manufacturing job performed in The Fender Custom Shop. This guitar is not in production now, and must be acquired used. It is a great find if you come upon one.

An affordable costs under $550 when new.