For the Community – Page 2 – Whispering Woods Gallery

“Vintage is Now” Day 9-Purple Heart Certificate, Photo and Medals

Posted by Susanon April 10, 2018February 21, 2025in Custom Framing, For the Community, Photo Restoration, Vintage, Vintage is now

Custom Framed WWII memorabilia — We won’t forget this soldier who was killed in action in Europe during WWII.

Day 9 of “Vintage is Now” is a sad one. We framed an original military photo with a Purple Heart certificate and medals all in one frame. Our young US soldier was killed in action on December 25, 1944 in Europe during the Battle of the Bulge.

This was a gift from a niece of the deceased to a nephew of the deceased. She chose a tasteful Larson Juhl Biltmore frame. Although it does not show in the photo, the frame is deep enough to accommodate the thickness of the medals. We used Museum glass and solid color core matboard. The mat opening around the medals was embellished with a classic corner from our computerized matcutter. We were honored to win a Larson Juhl Design Star award for this several years ago.

Custom framing keeps our memories alive. Thanks to all that served our Country. We won’t forget you.

“Vintage is Now” Day 3- World War II Group Photo Restoration

Posted by Susanon April 4, 2018February 21, 2025in Custom Framing, For the Community, Photo Restoration, Vintage, Vintage is now

Photo restoration is a service offered at Whispering Woods Gallery. This group photo from Fort Bragg 1942 came to us without a mat and in an old frame. It had been stored and it sustained water damage. The photo was adhered to the glass in some areas. If we tried to separate the photo from the glass, it would rip. We scanned the photo through the glass, fixed the blemishes digitally and then printed a new copy for our customer. A solid color core mat and new frame were selected. This was a gift for our customer’s son who also served in the Armed Forces.

Peter Keating – Bucks County Poster

Posted by Susanon January 26, 2018February 22, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community, Vintage

Whispering Woods Gallery offers local art and custom framing. This is a vintage Peter Keating Poster from 1986. It’s a classic and timeless. Peter Keating, an artist who lived in Bucks County in the 1970’s and 1980’s, painted beautiful rural scenes of Bucks County. We offer this poster in your choice of custom frame. It would look great in a home or office. If you are looking for local traditional art, give us a call at 215-364-4321.

SS Leopoldville-December 24, 1944

Posted by Susanon October 17, 2017December 21, 2019in Custom Framing, For the Community, Vintage

SS. Leopoldville tragedy — A vintage postcard of the SS Leopoldville, which was torpedoed in the English Channel December 24, 1944. Seven hundred US Soldiers were killed.
Miraculously our father, Harold Gittlen was rescued.

The SS Leopoldville was a passenger ship converted to a troopship in WWII. It was torpedoed by the Germans on December 24, 1944 while transporting US Army soldiers of the 66th Infantry Division across the English Channel. 763 of the 2223 soldiers died that evening. Also 56 crew members perished.

Unfortunately the horrific event was kept out of the media. The survivors were not allowed to talk about the event and they were told that they would lose their Veterans benefits if information leaked. Many of the families did not find out how their loved ones died until years later. Clive Cussler claims to have discovered the wreck in 1984.

This vintage postcard has great importance to my family. My father Harold Gittlen was rescued on a lifeboat in the 48 degree waters on that Christmas Eve, 1944. Growing up he never spoke of this event. Until recently I did not know the importance of this part of WWII history. Allan Andrade wrote an extensive book on the Leopoldville, published in 1997. It is called SS Leopoldville Disaster, December 24, 1944.

Allentown Paper and Book Show

Posted by Susanon October 16, 2017November 6, 2017in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community

I recently attended the Allentown Paper and Book Show in Allentown, PA. As a first time attendee, I had no idea that it was such a large show. I could have stayed for the two days. I went to search for a few vintage postcards. I found booths filled with all types of old photographs, magazines, advertising, sheet music, posters and more. Vintage cameras, World’s Fair items, romantic Valentines, toys, old maps, matchbooks and original drawings were plentiful. The original vintage signage was fun and bright. There was even a booth with display supplies for collectors and dealers.

Ketubah Handling Tips

Posted by Susanon May 28, 2017November 6, 2017in Custom Framing, For the Community

Your gorgeous Ketubah has just arrived in time for your upcoming wedding! Here are some considerations for handling so that it stays in perfect condition for a lifetime of enjoyment.

Try not to excessively handle it before the wedding. It is easy to put a dent in it, so take it to a professional framer as soon as possible to open it.
A framer can put a temporary fomecore backing behind it for the ceremony. Many framers put acetate over it to prevent damage. Other options include matting and/or framing it with out glass for the ceremony.
Be sure to read any recommendations from the artist or Ketubah supplier.
Check the spelling of your names in English and Hebrew. It’s rare that there are mistakes, but it can happen!
Colored nail polish can leave permanent marks on your light colored Ketubah.
Use a special fade proof pen for signing. Ink can fade over the years if exposed to UV light rays. Test your pen if possible to see that it writes smoothly on your Ketubah.
Will you display it at the ceremony? Make sure that there is an easel available.
The wedding day can be hectic. Appoint somebody who will make sure that it is carefully wrapped to come home. Don’t leave it in the trunk of the car for an extended period of time. Take it to a professional picture framer as soon as possible for archival framing to last a lifetime!

These tips are provided by Whispering Woods Gallery in Holland, Pennsylvania. We have been professionally framing Ketubot in the Philadelphia area since 1986.

West Coast Art and Frame 2017

Posted by Susanon January 30, 2017March 10, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community, Photo Restoration

Every year framers from all over the world gather at the West Coast Art and Frame Show in Las Vegas for five days of classes, vendor exhibits and networking to strengthen our industry. I just returned with fabulous new ideas and a few awards too.

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Sunday at the Met

Posted by Susanon October 7, 2016March 10, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community

On September 30, the Metro Atlantic Professional Picture Framers Association met for a private tour with frame historian Suzanne Smeaton at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Framers and vendors from three states attended the event. It was inspiring to be with others in the industry, discussing art and framing and I came back to the shop with many fresh ideas.

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The Power of a Photo

Posted by Susanon August 7, 2016November 5, 2017in Custom Framing, For the Community, Photo Restoration

Vintage Photo — What a meaningful photo of our Dad!

As a 30 year veteran of the picture framing industry, I understand the power of a cherished photo. It stirs up emotions, brings back memories, shows love, and shares pride. My clients rely on me to create a display of their favorites in the best way possible to preserve, enhance and enjoy. Let me share one of my favorite photos. The original is stained and tattered but brings back so many precious memories.

My Dad, Harold Gittlen, loved to pitch horseshoes. Spending our summers in Atlantic City, Dad enjoyed setting up matches with friends, neighbors and sometimes a few guys just passing by. At the end of the summer there would be a championship with trophies. Pre man-cave, this was his “guy activity.” No worries, he was always there for us.

Ok, so let me tell you about this photo. It was taken in the early seventies on the Boston Avenue Beach. In the mist, you can just make out the “pipe” which marked our place on the beach. As you can see, Dad has just pitched a ringer! That just didn’t happen, it took much practice, patience, determination and dedication. This is how Dad lived his life. In addition he probably had a bit of marksmanship skill too.

To everyone who knew my Dad, this photo just shouts out, “Harold!” I don’t know who took this photo, but the photographer captured my Dad and the moment perfectly. I’ve framed this for both of my siblings and they display it proudly.

Do you have a special photo? It’s more than a small image to view on your phone now and then. Stop by Whispering Woods Gallery to have your photo preserved and protected to enjoy every day.

Welcome to my Etsy shop, “Greetings From Susan.”

Posted by Susanon June 28, 2016March 10, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community, Vintage

Visiting Etsy Headquarters in Brooklyn.

Our PPFA Group visited Etsy Headquarters in Brooklyn.

New York City Skyscraper Vintage Postcards

Philadelphia Art Museum postcards custom framed.

Philadelphia Museum Vintage Postcards custom framed. See you on the Art Museum steps!

framing for Wildwood Crest vintage postcard

Wildwood Crest Vintage Postcard with Fabulous matting for a shore home.

Vintage postcards at Whispering Woods Gallery

Ask about our extensive vintage postcard collection.

Welcome to Greetings From Susan, my online Etsy store. For those of you who are not familiar with Etsy, let me explain. Etsy is an e-commerce website where you can shop for unique handmade, vintage and craft supply items. There are over 1.6 million individual shops selling on Etsy and over 25 million buyers worldwide. It was launched in 2005 and the headquarters are in Brooklyn, New York.

In 2014, after being in a storefront location for several decades, I felt that it was time to expand our audience from just the Bucks County/Philadelphia/NJ location to a greater area. I chose Etsy because many of my customers were coming to me to frame items that they had purchased online. Etsy had a great reputation, so I thought that I would give it a try with one of my passions, vintage postcards. I had been framing many vintage postcards for family, friends and my customers and I enjoyed creating unique projects. Vintage postcards and ephemera bring back happy memories, taking us back to our youth, a fun occasion or a place that we lived.

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Selling online has a little bit of a learning curve, but it’s exciting and gratifying. I can be open 24/7 instead of just regular business hours. I routinely ship all over the US and even overseas now and then. Initially I only wanted to sell matted vintage postcards, but I tweaked my shop to include both matted and unmatted postcards. Soon I will add greeting cards. It’s been a great opportunity and I look forward to seeing “Greetings From Susan” grow. If you are in the area, stop by our shop at 295 Buck Road, Holland, PA 18966.

Check out www.GreetingsFromSusan.Etsy.com

Here’s Lucy

Posted by Susanon April 10, 2016June 26, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community, Photo Restoration

If you have ever visited Margate, New Jersey you probably passed by Lucy the Elephant. Built in 1881, Lucy is a six story structure that attracts thousands of visitors each year. As a framer, opportunities to frame Lucy are plentiful! Here are a few of Whispering Woods Gallery’s projects. Contact Sue for more about prints, vintage postcards and framing. 215-364-4321.

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What’s New at Whispering Woods Gallery-Spring Edition

Posted by Susanon April 10, 2016March 10, 2018in Art, Custom Framing, For the Community

Susan Gittlen showing framed vintage postcards.

Greetings! I have been busy creating new vintage postcard items at Whispering Woods Gallery. Look below for a preview before they are offered in my Etsy shop. They are a great gift for Mom, Dad or Grad. Add a stunning “ready to go”frame and UV filtering glass for only an additional $50. Visit our shop in Holland, PA to see hundreds of your favorite places.