CHACB - Challenge #8 - Show Us Some Metal or Glass

Chances are you are coming here from the Craft Hoarders Anonymous Challenge Blog - Challenge #8. Thanks for visiting, and I hope you will leave me a comment because there are a couple of questions I'd love savvy answers to.

I've been following the fabulous Gloria Stengel for quite a while, and this new venture is so exciting. The talent displayed by the DT and participants just blows my socks away, and it's taking some guts on my part to add my entry among your projects.

Fresh water pearls and gold stitching on background.

Let me ask my two questions now, so if you have any ideas, they can percolate while you're perusing. Normally, I would finish off a fabric postcard by adding a ribbon or buttonhole stitching, etc. around the sides. If this were your project, would you bind it, and if so, what might you use as a "frame"? And second, I have a small grease spot transferred from my embroidery hoop (residue from a label?) and I tried powder to remove it, but no luck. It was too late to start again, and the lace is about 100 years old. Any ideas on how to remove it?

Detail of metal butterfly and beads.

This fabric postcard grew out of wanting to use ribbon in a unique way. (Remind you of the last challenge on this blog? Yep, I'm that late!) I also wanted to use my gold butterfly and gold beads too, which satisfies this week's challenge of using metal.

These ribbons are large enough (NOT embroidery sized), that I needed to find new ways to help them pass through my fabric base. If anyone is interested, I would love offer more details about my journey with this technique. Pretty much it is like silk ribbon embroidery, but special consideration should be given to the background chosen, and opening areas for the ribbon to pass through.

One inch wide light-weight ribbon forms the flower head.

I bonded my 100 year old lace (the backing of the lovely but faded, pillow front) in the picture below.

Some of the supplies I used on top of the lovely (very old) lace pillow that adorns the background.

These unbelievably small cross stitched flowers are on the pillow front. Doesn't it just blow the mind how diligent artisans can be?!

This stitched flower center is just over an inch wide!

My gold stem stitching is a bit off because I was not able to see well enough on our dour rainy days. (Yes, I did put on the light...not good enough.... or my eyes are starting to get old along with the rest of me.) I will blame the grey weather for the lighting in my pictures though!

Here I have my grease spot circled. Your answer? "I don't think that grease spot makes your hips look big."

Now it's your turn if you have any helpful suggestions about spot removal, finishing the frame, or any other comments. Thank you so much for visiting and  sharing your thoughts. Learning from other artists is just "the berries". Now I'm off to see all of your takes on the challenge, and be wowed.

NOTE
I'm updating this post to include a picture of this postcard framed by a beaded picot edge. 

Many thanks to those of you who suggested this might look better with some sort of frame around it. I AGREE!