Thank you!

It's not often you get something for nothing, in fact I can count the instances on the knuckles of one finger, but today I was on the receiving end of an extremely generous gesture which in fact, saved the day for me.

I had bought a frame (with print in it) from a discount warehouse for a drawing I'm entering in an open exhibition very soon, but as I was disassembling it last night I found that the frame hadn't been sealed at the back using the usual little metal tags you just push over with a finger (I use a knife as the tags are a bit tough on soft finger tips), but with a staple gun instead.

So I hurried to Wolverhampton today, looking to buy some little metal tags I'd seen at Hobbycraft a few months ago. However, reluctant to add a bus journey on top of my train journey to get to Hobbycraft, I took a 5 minute walk from the train station to Chapel Ash to Creative Framing, where I thought I'd see if they sold those little tags to seal the back of my picture frame with.

The lady and gentleman in the framers were extremely friendly and more helpful than I could have hoped for. Although they didn't sell the little metal tags I wanted the man rushed upstairs and returned with a block of these other little tags, 'you can have these' he said, 'we usually use a gun to fix them into the frame, but you might be able to knock one in with a hammer.' He very helpfully showed me how I might be able to use them, and then dropped them into my bag, refusing to accept any money for them.

I was surprised and extremely touched by their generosity and helpfulness, it's something quite rare I think, and I was very grateful for their help.

Well I did manage to attach the tags to my frame,by taking out the glass and tapping them into place, and now thankfully my picture is wrapped snugly in bubble wrap and awaiting delivery next week.

But it's very much thanks to the people at Creative Framing, who were so generous asking for nothing at all except, I suppose, the hope that I might return at some time in future and use their picture framing services.

Which I fully intend to do.