A very special project

A year and a half ago, when I was oh so very pregnant, I got a whim to create a mini album from a pile of pictures I had of my Grandparents when they were first married and all the special days of their 50+ years together.  My grandparents not only helped raise me when I was very small and my father was navigating the trials of being a single dad, but they were also the single most defining presence in how I hoped my life would turn out.  They had decades of love and commitment under their belt, 6 fantastic children with 6 equally as fantastic son/daughter-laws, 9 grandchildren, a few bonus grandchildren as some of us married and 3 beautiful great-grandchildren.  We were spread from one end of the country to the other, but when Grandma called and said there would be a party (there was always a reason for a party with Grandma!) we all knew better than to not be there.

The day after I printed these photos and less than a month from the day I was due to give birth, my grandmother unexpectedly passed away.  It is the single most devastating loss I've experienced in my 32 years.  Every time I tried to pull out the pictures since, I've been overwhelmed with the loss all over again as I try to wrap my head around the fact that my youngest, Allie, will never have the bond with my grandmother that my other two babies can always cherish.  Then a few days ago I received a very special package in the mail.  I'd won a give-a-way sponsored by OohLaLa Vintage Treasures  and when I opened the HUGE package of goodies, out spilled a beautiful little pin that reminded me of a piece of jewelry that my grandmother passed down to me.  I just KNEW that this was the push I needed to pull out these pictures again and start work on this very special-to-me mini album!  A few of the pieces are also from an embellishment explosion of a package from my friend Tanya just sent me!  :)

I'd like to share 3 pages so far that I've completed.  The cover was inspired by the DT project at Paper Hoarders.  It is to scrap something you are thankful for.  Thankful doesn't begin to cover how I feel towards my grandparents for showing me just how good life can be if you stay committed to nourishing family bonds.  This is a new look for me, I've never worked with vintage/shabby chic scrappy supplies and still not entirely sure I'm pulling it off LMBO!

The next page was inspired by sketch #180 at Creative Scrappers.  I really ran with the sketch so hopefully it's close enough to still count.  I was working with 6x6 size instead of 12x12 so I had to trade the big circle elements with smaller embellishment clusters and I didn't have room for a title at all.  Plus I gave glimmer mist a big ole' workout on this one!!!

The third page (there are more to come in the next few days) was inspired by sketch #58 at Sketchabilities.  I tried to add a few more of the fun details I see in the vintagey layouts online, but not sure I've got the knack of it quite yet.  I'm getting there though!!! :)  I'm also sharing this one with the StuckOnUSketches diecut challenge of the week: Leaves!  The leaf tucked into the cluster is cut out of green mulberry paper from my Cindy Loo cricut cart.