Framing hell

This morning's sunrise.

 I am in the middle of framing hell: ordered frames for some new sunset paintings over the internet.  They arrived about 10 days ago.  They were ugly!  I sent them back and ordered some OTHER frames over the internet.  They FINALLY arrived this morning, and even though they are better than the first batch, I am still not happy with how they look.  (They are so shiny and gold they scream at me.)  So what do I do now, with the open studio event only four short days away? 
Panic?  Never a good option. 
Show the paintings in the screaming gold frames?  No. 
Send the SECOND BATCH of frames back and try again, paying extra money for fast shipping?  ????  AAAAaaaaaaaCK!  (okay, so I had to panic for just a minute there.  I'm better now.)  I still don't know what to do.  I keep thinking if I sit here long enough and stare into space, a wonderful, creative solution will come to me.  Interestingly enough, my muse seems to have left me, just when I needed her the most.  Don't worry, I will figure it out.  It is, after all, an imperfect world.

For those of you who came looking for me and my open studio this past weekend, I apologize for not being home.  I am showing next weekend.  It is confusing, because every year the east end is switched around.  Last year I did show on the first weekend, but this year, I am on the second weekend.  I will suggest to the Art Tours committee to keep it the same weekend, from now on.  It is too hard to remember otherwise.  I hope you won't give up on me, and still take time out of your busy lives to visit my studio next weekend, October 29th and 30th from 9 to 5 pm.  Or, you can stop by Friday, from noon to 5 pm for the sneak preview.

"Comparisons."  Oil on canvas, 20 x 16 inches.  ©Karine Swenson2011.