WWI Family

During 'The Great War' (World War One) my great-nan, Winnifred, was in the Women's National Land Service Corps - the equivalent of the Land Army in WWII. She and her sister Estelle must have been so proud of their contribution, as they posed for a professional photograph in their uniforms.

I absolutely love this photograph - Winnie is on the left, Estelle on the right. They both have a cheeky look on their faces, and despite the hardships and worry they must have suffered, they look happy. My Great-Nan was such a beautiful woman in her youth, and I think both she and her sister even manage to make these unflattering coats and bulky boots (as well as that hat!) look quite fetching.

So this was the photograph I chose for my next layout. I was supposed to be using the flowers and birdcage I had made, but when it came to putting the whole thing together... well, to be honest it looked better without.  I inked up the background paper using a stamp I had recieved in one of those £15 goody bags and one from La Blanche. I sanded and distressed the edges of the paper and then used Ranger inks (shabby shutters) to distress the edges a bit more. Lots of stitched swirls (as always!)  and hand-made flowers. The tiny fabric flowers were just picked off of some sprays I had spare from making my daughters wedding bouquet, and I simply sprayed them with Glimmer Mist.

The title of the page is stamped directly onto the paper. I was so nervous - I didn't want to make a mistake, and yet I didn't even mark out with pencil where the letters should go. It was made easier by the card stock being lined. The clear stamp set I used was bought from Tesco for about £5 - alphabet and numbers as well as the dotty swirls and some butterflies and flowers are in the pack - and you even get an acrylic block - quite a bargain I thought. The stamps are by a company called "Craft Creatives".