Jeannette’s Shoppe in Montreal — more than needlecraft. (Photo by Hayley Juhl)

May is the month we honour our mothers. When people can’t think of what to buy, they often fall back on the usual flowers and/or chocolates, both of which are delightful and yummy, but fleeting.

Why not create or find something special and have it framed, so every time Mom passes it, it will put a smile on her face and in her heart?

Or perhaps Mom creates her own art—you can have it framed for her.

Put on your thinking cap to find out what might delight her: a photo of a former house, a souvenir from a wonderful vacation, a funny but meaningful cartoon, an ancient photo of her grandparents, an award, a picture of her or her children or grandchildren in a sporting activity, or of course, a grandchild’s work of art. Objects can also be put into deep frames called shadow boxes.

If you’re really a last-minute person, at Galerie d’Art Pointe Claire, you can bring in your art in the morning and have it ready by the end of the day. All work is done on the premises. Since 1983, besides framing paintings, prints, diplomas and needlepoint, Galerie d’Art Pointe Claire has framed coins, medals, awards, sports items, religious objects, souvenirs, keepsakes, family heirlooms and hockey shirts in shadow boxes.

Mats in popular sizes are stocked, and custom framing is done at reasonable prices. The frames are from such companies as Larson Juhl, Roma, Verbec and Omega Moulding Co. There are 2,000 samples to choose from.

The other half of the store is mainly art supplies (lots of how-to books). There are special deals (40 per cent off) on stretch canvas all year long. Paints you can buy here are: Liquitex acrylics, Lukas oil colours, Holbein oils and watercolours, and Winsor & Newton artist’s watercolour and oil colours.

303B St-Jean, Plaza Pointe-Claire. 514-695-7760.

Marche du Cadre is in bright new premises. Wholesale and retail framing (more than 5,000 samples) is done here for at least 20 per cent off the list prices of domestic and imported mouldings. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch one of their 50-per-cent-off sales on framing or on standard frames. They also carry lengths of moulding, have a chop service, do joined frames, offer contract and museum framing and sell oil paintings.

The popular Rose Corbeil art school is on the premises, selling a wide variety of art supplies.

2146 Transcanadienne, Dorval. 514-683-5921.

Jeannette’s Needlecraft Shoppe is for needle work, but you can get all kinds of custom framing expertly done there, too. They have been happily serving four generations since 1958. One-on-one help is available from this husband and wife team.

The shop has DMC 6 strand cotton floss, knitting yarns and patterns, as well as a large selection of painted needlepoint canvases from Margot and Royal Paris, including hand-painted Judaica designs (talit bags, tefillin bags and kippahs).

They also specialize in upholstering with your needlepoint (especially chairs and footstools), the finishing of cushions (trimmings included), mounting tapestries and finishing talit bags and needlepoint kippahs.

5015 Coolbrook. 514-486-2800.