Wednesday 22 January 2014

12 x 12 Layout – Family Memories


Before Christmas my friend Sue and I had another day together making a Finn inspired layout for a shadow box frame. These look lovely under glass and on the wall. I need to do a few more to get a collection together for the dining room.
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This is my beautiful Mother who sadly passed away 2 years ago on New Years Eve. She loved butterflies so of course I had to add one to this layout. The one you can see is metal and was silver but with some distress paints and treasure gold was transformed into something quite different.
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As in the Finnabair workshop I did last year, I used lots of metal embellishments mixed with paper flowers, card flourishes, lace and some wooden elements too, and I used several different sprays over the top.

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 My Mum was an inspiration to me in many ways, hence the choice of word to use.
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 These are very much her colours, she loved oranges and browns mainly so her autumn garden was a joy to see, but she also loved her fuchsias in the summer so some pinks and magentas were also evident too.
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Here you can see the dimension of the double wings on the butterfly and the conical silver bead that became it’s body.
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Just one little heart to represent my love for her.
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This is Sue’s finished frame. She used a photo of her and her sister when they were young and gave the finished frame to her sister for Christmas. It made a very lovely personal gift and was very well received.
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This frame holds the layout I did at Finn’s workshop last year but it held a vintage photo of someone I didn’t know. Luckily I was able to remove it and add one of me when I was about 9 or 10 years old.
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Thanks for looking, enjoy the rest of your week. I am teaching my Vintage Tag Journal at Flitwick in Bedfordshire tomorrow and looking forward to meeting a new group of people. Susan from Country View Crafts is coming along too so I am sure we will have a fun day.

Take care.

hugs {brenda} x0x

43 comments:

massofhair said...

LOVE how you have created your double winged butterfly, it is beautiful. So many things to look at and depth and texture and oooh getting quite carried away as everything in your frame is so stunning. Must have taken you ages to finish, can understand why you would want more of these on your walls.

Your Mum would love this i am sure :-) xxx

Valerie-Jael said...

Both LOs are lovely, so many beautiful details, and a great tribute to your beautiful Mum! Hugs, Valerie

Joanna Wiśniewska said...

Beautiful layouts. Especially the one with your mum. Beautiful photo. Love all details, doilies and butterflies and flowers and touches of pink too I love gardens.

froebelsternchen said...

my gosh - such beautiful layouts! Gorgeous Brenda!

Anonymous said...

What lovely layouts! That's a beautiful tribute to your mum Brenda.
Alison xxx

Jane said...

What a wonderful way to remember your dear Mum Brenda, such a beautiful project. I agree that it's even more special to have our family photos in our creations...can't wait to create tomorrow...get the kettle on ;0) Hugs xx

Redanne said...

Oh Brenda, these layouts are so beautiful and how special to have photos that mean so much. The one with your Mum is so special. Hugs, Anne x

Silvia(Barnie) said...

Wow, these are wonderful layouts, so many fantastic texture and details.

Rossella said...

Lovely layouts, the one for your mum is really special
Rosie x

Netty said...

The LO's are beautiful and a wonderful way to celebrate your dear mother. Hugs Annette x

Margreet said...

Beautiful layouts Brenda..enjoy your class!
Xxx Margreet

Gram's Treasures said...

These are beautiful, Brenda! You have such a way with all of those different elements.
Joyce xx

Kathyk said...

Gorgeous layout and a wonderful way to preserve such a treasured photo memory

Kathyk

Asia King (aka Joanna K) said...

Both layouts are absolutely stunning Brenda! Lovely nostalgic look but in a delicate, elegant way - I love them! xxx

Jenny Marples said...

First off good luck for tomorrow (not that you need luck!) I'm sure it will go fantastically and everyone will have a ball.
These layouts are fabulous. The one with your Mum is so touching and beautifully coloured. The second really shows how you nailed that strip layering effect and how much better to make it more personal too. And Sue has made a lovely layout too. I bet she was thrilled with how it turned out and thoroughly enjoyed spending that special creative time with you.
Enjoy tomorrow, Jenny x

PetraB said...

Fabulous layouts, very Finnabair like! Good luck with your workshop, wish I could come.

Words and Pictures said...

It's an utterly beautiful layout, and a wonderful commemoration of your mother, and her love for the colours of her garden, and that delicious butterfly... Wonderful photo of her, and the one of you two - how lovely that you've replaced the "found relative"(!) with something so personal.

Beautiful work from Sue too - I'm not surprised it went down well with her sister.

Hope you have a wonderful time at the class tomorrow - I know your students will!
Alison xx

Scrumplescrunch said...

Hello Brenda
The layouts have all the elements that give wonderful dimension and interest to the pages, but it is the elements that have the sentimental value to the creator that make the pages special, you related the love for your Mum through your post but it is all there visually as well. Both layouts are just gorgeous.
Smiles:)
Sue

2amscrapper said...

Beautiful layouts, Brenda. A great tribute to your mom. Loved the layout and seeing a pic of you as a young girl. Sue's is great too!

Ink Art Designs said...

such a beautiful tribute to your mum Brenda! And such gorgeous colours!!! The single heart and its placement is so special.
Dot x

Inkypinkycraft said...

Yur layouts are gorgeous and will look absolutely gorgeous onthe wall I am sure ....truly beautiful and a style I would love o try sometime....but not sure I will ever make such beauties as these! ope the workshop is a huge success! I am sure it will be wonderful and would lve to take one of your classes one day! Hugs trace x

Unknown said...

These are so beautiful and lots of thought and work gone into them. Love the colours you have both used. I'm sure your Mum would be proud of the inspirations she as given you. xxx

Astrid Maclean said...

Oh Brenda, this is so beautiful, and such a wonderful tribute to your mum! A stunning LO, it brought so many memories back to me of that wonderful weekend! I absolutely love those double butterflies! Tour friend's LO looks fantastic too and what fun to work together like that! Love the revamp of your first LO too, makes it so much more meaningful! Good luck with your workshop!! Hope you'll have loads of fun!!

Von said...

Truly beautiful Brenda ☺
Von ♥

debby4000 said...

Oh what stunning and truly beautiful layouts.
luv
Debby

Anneke said...

Beautiful WORK OF Art.
Lovely, the layout of your mother.
Thanks for showing Anneke.

Sam & Poppy said...

So beautiful Brenda ♥

Linda Coughlin, the funkie junkie said...

What a beautiful layout, Brenda. The colors are just gorgeous and all the metal bits are positively yummy. I love the idea of framing the page in a shadow box so you can enjoy showcasing your beautiful mum all the time!

Hugs,
Linda

Deborah said...

Amazing, Brenda. You've really got that Finnabair look down to a t. Absolutely love the one of you, with its pinks and yellows.

Meggymay said...

Stunning projects, and a wonderful way to remember your loving mum.
Yvonne x

Anonymous said...

Dear Brenda,
Your mother was so beautiful and imagine her delight if she could see this exquisite creation with a photograph of herself as the focal. What a special way to honour your dear Mother.
You and your friend Sue have created the most beautiful collection with such attention to detail.
Wishes
Lynne

Terry said...

Why do I have tears in my eyes?? Brenda, your most beautiful tribute to your Mum is so heartfelt. What a gorgeous and detailed treasure and she is so lovely, just as is her daughter! Love the one of you as well and that of Sue's! Big Hugs!

hazel said...

Stunning layouts Brenda, I love how you've put all the beautiful elements together.
xxx Hazel.

Paper Profusion said...

Serious WOW from me for the whole post Brenda. The first one with your Mum is ver beautiful and so precious. The doubled butterfly and its 'body' are stunning as is the whole warm colour scheme. Next, Sue's piece is gorgeously pretty too - you must have had a happy day together. Then the Finnabar one is fantastic you haven't changed one iota)! Oh I remember a bow in my hair like that too! Sorry for my absence, I've not been well but hope to catch up soon. Hope your class went brilliantly. Nicola x

Cocofolies said...

Wow WOW.. Brenda! What a wonderful set of layouts by yourself and your friend Sue... All are AMAZING. I love especially the first one, but the one with the photo when you were a child is really lovely too!! Hugs, hyou will have a good week-end, here it's pouring of rain all the time!... :) Coco xx

Junibears said...

Dear Brenda your work is always beautiful but I think this one as a tribute to your dear Mum is special. She was lovely and the love and care you have put into this piece shows!!
Your friend's piece is wonderful too and I love the piece with you as a girl. You were/are so beautiful!
Big Hugs xx

Gaby Bee said...

Wow, beautiful layouts Brenda! Very creative with lots of fabulous detail to explore. Love all the delicious embellishments you've added!

Gaby xo

vic said...

Hi Brenda wow your layouts are just gorgeous and I love your shabby/vintage style :)
Hugs
Vic x

Karin said...

wow beautiful layouts!
have a lovely sunday!
Groetjes Karin

Martina said...

Fantastic and extraordinary creations and a tribute for your dear mom! I love the colors and the complete design. Wonderful, Brenda!

Marjie Kemper said...

These are gorgeous, Brenda. I'm so glad you were able to swap out the stranger with a photo of yourself. The tribute to your Mum is stunning. What a wonderful idea to create a collection and put them under glass!

Jools Robertson said...

Beautiful, gorgeous colours and layouts
Such beautiful photos of you and your mum
They are going to look strumming when framed and displayed together

Jools x

Juls said...

Beautiful vintage pages, love them all hugs Juls