Something Pretty for a Sweet Lady

I am linking this project to Use it Tuesday's Challenge #47 "Make it Sparkle."  There is a ton of bling and sparkle in this project so I think it qualifies for sure.  I am also linking it to DL.ART's most recent anything goes Linky Party.  These are two of my favorite challenge blogs.  Check them out.  There are a TON of great projects featured there.  You get so many ideas and meet some new crafty friends along the way.  :)

I just HAD to have this tray when I first saw it at Hobby Lobby almost two years ago.  My hubby and I were on an anniversary weekend away in Daphne, AL (one of my favorite places in my small world), and I had printed out coupons for each of us for each of the 3 days of our stay.  I know.  We're wild and crazy and can't be trusted when we go off together. ;)  lol!  Anyway, I got it.  Then promptly become too intimidated by it to do anything with it.  It has been in my craft room causing all kinds of mischief ever since.  It always seemed to be covering up something that I needed, or sliding off the shelf onto my head when I tried to look for something.  Sometimes, it would be in a place other than where I thought I had left it.  Not as creepy as that weird clown doll in the USPS commercials, but it definitely had to be used.  

There is this sweet lady that works at my school, who lost her mother several years ago.  I got some pictures from her to make a memorial candle and decided to make this as well.  The candle will be in a future post since I am out of wax paper.  

Her mother loved the color burgundy, so I used the Mirabelle mat stack from The Paper Studio.  The papers are SO pretty!
 

 In this frame, I used some great epoxy brads from The Paper Studio that seemed made for this paper stack.  

I cut the letters from a lighter piece of paper from the paper stack and from a Cheerios box.  I used the Mod Podge to adhere the paper and box layers together and sponged the edges with Walnut distress ink.  Then, I spread Crystal Effects by Stampin' Up on it and sprinkled a tiny bit of Dazzling Diamonds over the letters to dress them up just a bit.  This was a first for me, and I'm so happy with how they turned out.

I used the "Faith, Hope, Love" stamp set from Stampabilities on a scrap of paper.  The ribbon is also from The Paper Studio.  (I'm thinking I should be president of their fan club.)  I can't remember the name of the company for the pendant, but I got it from the jewelry section at Hobby Lobby.  I originally did it with Crystal Effects over the picture, but I didn't like it so I pulled it out and redid it with just the picture.  

Sorry about the blurriness.  I didn't notice it until I had already taken the photo tray to school.  This is a scanned copy of something my friend had written on the back of one of her mother's photos.  I was so touched that I decided it needed its own tray.  I printed it on vellum and layered it over one of the papers from the stack.  The lattice punch is one I've had for a month or so.  I was so excited to find that punch and get it 50% off that I came home and punched out a piece of my favorite paper just to see the effect.  Then, I couldn't decide what to do with it so I set it aside to wait for the perfect project.  It was buried under other things, and I stumbled upon it looking for my adhesive eraser.  Perfect project indeed!  The die is from Spellbinders.

This is the most recent photo of my friend's mother.  I embellished with a brass bottlecap that I covered with a circle cut out of the same paper as the tray background.  I stamped the word "adore" and covered with Crystal Effects.  

 

I think the stamp is from Stampabilities, but I'm not sure.  (Packaging gets in the way so I usually toss it.)  The pearls are from Stampin' Up!

 

 

This is a really good picture, but I'm afraid I might have ruined it with too many pearls.  I used permanent adhesive to keep them from falling off in the humidity of our summers so I can't change it.  I hope she doesn't think I over-blinged.  :(
 

 The love my friend had for her mother was so obvious that I thought this sentiment would be perfect.  It's from the "Faith, Hope, Love" set.  I stamped it in Bravo Burgundy by Stampin' Up!  The tag is from Stampendous "Timeless Tags."  I stamped it in River Rock by Stampin' Up! and then sponged the edges with it as well.  I got the jewel from Hobby Lobby, but I can't remember who it's from.  I refer to it as "big, honkin' bling."

I meant to sponge the edges of all of the pieces with the Walnut distress ink, but I was so nervous and excited about this project when it all started to come together that I forgot until I had most of the pieces adhered down.  Oh well, I think it still turned out pretty.  :)

I hope it brings her comfort and she knows what an impression she has made on the lives of others as a result of her mother's love and nurturing throughout her life.