scrap rendezvous | guest post

When I began thinking about creating a project using heritage photos for my guest post at Scrap Rendezvous, my mind immediately went to gift ideas for my Mom's birthday which was on September 22nd.  Never one to do "just a card" I decided to use photos of my brother and I as youngsters as a fond memory for her. 

Having just purchased the Big Kick die cutting machine from Sizzix and the Top Note bracket-shaped die from Stampin' Up!, I wondered how it would do cutting felt? Beautifully, of course, so I went from there.

That's the result...a felt mini book with old-fashioned hand stitching to boot! I freehanded the script as I stitched along, no pre-planning, therefore the imperfection of it all.

After cutting all my felt page pieces, I rummaged through my embroidery floss and chose two rather subdued tones to add to the vintage, heritage feel I was hoping to create. And that number ribbon, well, it just seemed so fitting for a birthday. Don't you think so, too? Now for a peek {and some giggles} at my heritage photos with those oh, so vintage clothes and my, "Oh, Mom, do you really have to cut my hair yourself?" haircuts. Did your Mom do that, too?

And on the inside front cover, I stitched the year and a heart! I used tacky craft glue to adhere the two felt pages back-to-back and time will tell if it holds up to being handled. The photos were adhered using foam squares and I have no doubts that those will hold well...they are stuck!

Here's my gorgeous and uber-stylish 70-year old Mom and her reaction to her mini book. My brother got a kick out of the heritage photos, too, when Mom showed the mini book to him.

And while we're at it, I'd like to share this photo {via a mirrored window} of Alexandra, my Mom and me during a mini-trip to Chicago this Summer - for Zach's Navy boot camp graduation. Alexandra is like a breath of fresh air, so full of historical knowledge of her adopted city and such a pleasant lunch companion. Tres chic is but just one way to describe this lovely lady.

I think I just might need to do more of these, it was fun!