Friday, 15 April 2011

A Love That's Lasted

My wonderful parents have recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary (26th March, 2011), and when I found a photograph of them when they had first started dating, I knew it would be the perfect centrepiece for a layout titled "A Love That's Lasted". 
Such a beautiful couple - and they still are! I absolutely adore my Mum and Dad ... they have been the perfect parents, grandparents... and have shown me how a marriage can work and last (I've now been married almost 17 years). I really can't say just how much these two are loved and admired, respected and adored - not just by me but everyone who knows them.
Okay, okay... I'll try and stop tearing up here and get on with explaining how I created the layout...
Of course I used my hand-made flowers - I wanted a rustic, almost shabby-chic sort of look, with lots of little buttons and sewing. I also used some inexpensive foam lettering that I inked with a sage green ink and then stamped over the top with a sepia inked Tim Holtz stamp from the "Love" collection (it's not easy to see, but I liked the effect).
The "Anita's" holographic butterflies were used, but (as always) I cut off the surround, as I prefer the look of these embellishments without the holographic bit. The buttons are so cute - hearts and cupids - and I bought these from Hobbycraft a while ago.
One other detail I added was to "rough-up" some of the edging of the background paper - scrunching it up quite a bit and glue-ing it in place. The space left was backed with the same paper as I used to back the photograph - it's a "My Minds Eye" collection piece. I'm not too sure where the main patterned paper came from - it has a lovely linen-look, and is double-sided with plain green and red polka dots on the reverse.
I stitched around the photograph, and also tied some of the embroidery thread around the "LOVE" lettering.
I like that if I scrunch up my eyes and peer at the layout, the flowers form a heart shape...
but most of all I love that these two people are my fantastic Mum and Dad!

3 comments:

Rachael Elliott said...

Hi, just saw that you are following my blog so thought I would pop over here and say hello :) Gorgeous page love the colour combination works so well with the vintage theme. Loving the little cherub poking its head out from the flowers too!

Sandra said...

Really beautiful layout, and such a gorgeous post. Your stunning layout has done them a great justice

misteejay said...

Wonderful LO, love all the detailing.

Toni :o)