A Mom and Her Chick-a-dees Scrapbook Layout...

 When my mother and daddy came to live with us in 2008, my mother brought with her all her photographs and all her recipe clippings. I spent quite a bit of time organizing them all and have pulled a few photos to put in 12x12 pages for shadowbox framing for my home instead of the 8 1/2 x 11 cookbook scrapbook I am doing with the rest of the collection. This is one of those photographs. It is my grandmother Dissie Heath Newell and all her daughters. Sitting is the oldest, Betty Rosetta "Etta" Newell Garrison who just celebrated a long life a few weeks ago. Then my beautiful grandmother who celebrated a long amazing life in June 1999. Then standing is my mother Thelma Newell Hutcheson, born with the first name Coleanor but changed her name to Colena Newell Winstead, Dean Newell Mancine and another aunt who also celebrated a beautiful life and has joined my grandmother and her bothers with Etta, Ellean Newell Kimbrough.

 As you can see from some of the pages I create for shadowboxes, although I am certainly not limited, I love to add shabby chic, pretty vintage embellishments. These starched fabric yo-yo's were a purchase from ebay, however, you could easily make your own. I thought of adding buttons or bling to the top of them but keeping with the elements of the past, I decided to stay with the necked wholes as in the quilting days of my grandmother's time.

 Butterflies are my mother's favorite. I can't see one without thinking of her. She has blossomed into such a precious and beautiful creature in spite of her memory diseases and even in the loss of family members and a dear son-in-law whom she loved. Seeing siblings pass on it very hard for her and those that she was close to as a child. However, I have teased her that with all the butterfly jewelry and pins she has, I could easily give every single person that comes to her celebration life time one and still have plenty to cover her Heaven Chariot with all that remains. She laughs at that.

 Often you will see that I add tags to my pages. This is for extra journaling or more photos. I use my favorite tab punch for the pull on my tags. I have made many tags by recycling soda, cracker and cereal boxes to cover with pretty papers and cardstock. They are sturdy and durable for pulling in and out of the pockets.

 This paper packet came with a lovely boarder, perfect with it's own journaling of sorts. I added another trim layer that came with the paper kit. I don't recall where the kit came from, but it was Close to My Heart or Stampin' Up.

 The kit included a delicious set of stickers, two sheets, of wonderful fun elements that I could use on several pages and even a couple of cards. I added this small decor element just under the photo to give it a sense of creativity that didn't "cost" me much. =) Then I layered ribbons with lace to increase the vintage, shabby chic, and 3D feeling which will be perfect for the shadowbox.

When I first placed this lace trim it was too thin for the bright design of the paper. So, I double layered it, altering each piece so that the edging was visible from the top. I secured both layers with the red tape while using my ATG gun to secure the ribbons, but used the red tape on the yo--yo's and butterfly.

I really had fun creating this page and look forward to displaying it in my home. I want to add some small things inside the shadowbox base that reminds me of these lovely ladies. Also, I found some lovely photos of my aunts in "shorts" so I thought of doing a page of Nair...remember the shaving ads? I have to find one and create a couple of layouts in that style and those colors lol...it was funny reading their minds, who can get the shorts the shortest, who can be the skinniest by summer, who can have the deepest tan...but Etta and my mother...they were the oldest of the sisters and can you guess who looks the youngest?! My mother. At age 82, she has the softest skin, the prettiest white hair and the fewest wrinkles. I appreciate that she has taught me how to care for my skin. What do you appreciate from days gone by that you have been taught? Who taught you that one thing? I can't wait to hear...let's get a cup of tea or coffee and share some time together...

Hugs, Rita