HaPpY BiRtHdAy to My WONDERFUL Mom!!

I have a wonderful mother! 

Not only is she my mom, but she is my friend. She has been there for me no matter how awful I was to her as a kid & whenever I need her as an adult. Not too many days go by that I don't speak to her on the phone, get together with her to shop, scrapbook, craft, watch movies or do family stuff!

She is just an amazing woman! She's wise, kind, thoughtful, beautiful, funny, intelligent & Uber-crafty! 

She's what you would call a "jill-of-all-trades!" She dabbles in needlework, quilting, sewing, knitting, mixed media art, watercolors & of course, she is a fabulous scrapbooker!! (Here's one of the albums she's done for sale in our Etsy shop.)

So, the photo above was taken on her birthday many years ago & it has inspired me twice now...I used it for a Graphic 45 DT Call! This time around, it inspired me to create this little printer's box:

As I remembered the gorgeous dressing gown she has on in the above photo, I said to myself, "wouldn't it be fun if I could do something with a vintage child's dressing gown pattern for mom?" And behold!

I found this one from a seller on Etsy & snatched it right up!! It is an actual, used pattern from the the decade mom was born in - the 1940's!! I then bought all those great shell buttons that I have already used in another project (here), from a seller on Ebay!

Then I scoured the craft stores looking for just the right box & found this one at Hobby Lobby for $5.99!! I have to go back & get more!!!

I covered the back, sides & inside with pieces of the pattern tissue using modge podge (not super easy to work with in tiny places as well as it tearing when it gets too wet! But I think all that just gives it a more vintagie feel!) For the lid, I stained it with some FolkArt Antiquing Medium, & used hot glue to put all the shell buttons around it.

After all the tissue paper was in place & dry, I brushed a light coat of varnish over the whole thing & let that dry.

Then the fun began!!! Putting all the nick-knacks inside! I had collected a few things here & there that I thought I wanted to use, but then while visiting family in Kansas over the holidays, I found the MOTHER-load: a mason jar FULL of vintage sewing notions at an antique mall! What luck!!! (wish I'd taken a pic of it while it was full!) So, here's a peek at the interior...

I used hot glue again to put everything inside. For the girl & the other paper pieces, (bird, dress form & little "fabric bolt" are all from a set of "Paper Girl" paper dies by The Girls' Paperie) I used a strip of chipboard as a stand to keep them in place. Isn't it just PERFECT!!! I love that both my mom & the pattern girl are holding dolls & their hairstyles are similar!!!

It just makes me giddy!!! :D

I will give it to her tonight - If I can wait that long!! I will see her in just a little bit - we (sis & me) are getting together to do some crafting with her & then the whole fan-damily will go out for yummy Mexican food (one of her faves!) tonight!

Mom, this day last year!

So Mom, if you are reading this now, then it's probably a day or two after your birthday. I hope that you loved your gift(s) & had a wonderful day with all of us! We love you so very, very much & we look forward to more birthdays to come!!

XOXO

Beck

Her wonderful reaction to opening tickets to see Michael Buble last year!