For Those Special Things

Hi, another Friday night - best night of the week!  I haven't posted much over the last couple of weeks, or visited the blogs as I'd like, so I do apologise.  We're house hunting at the moment and it is taking up soooo much time.  I hope we find something soon.

This little creation has taken me all week, doing just a little each night.  As some of you know, my daughter is pregnant.  Well, she commented last week that next year will be her first Mother's Day, so I decided to make her a little surprise gift for this year.  I've created a few pockets here and there, so she has a special place to keep her scan photographs etc safe.  I've tried to theme it around her becoming a mother and having her own family.  Grab a coffee because there are a few photos!

The front and back covers are made from mountboard and the pages are made of doubled plain Kraft cardstock.  I have mounted printed & embossed Kraft cardstock onto the front and back covers, which has been spritzed with a home made mix of Walnut Ink and perfect pearls.  Tags have been used to show 2 of the 3 pockets in the photos.  Will try and get a good pic of the top pocket between pages 3 & 4 and add it later.

The Front Cover

 

Pages 2 & 3 - a photo can be slipped between p3 & 4, in the top,  for safekeeping

Pages 4 & 5

Pages 6 & 7

The Back Cover

Stamps used are The Stampsmith (from Portrait of a Lady), various Crafty Individuals ones, and Creative Expressions Vintage Sewing.  I've also used Websters Pages & Melissa Frances dps, and a whole mixture of other things, such as various Tim Holtz bits (button, ornate plate, salvage stickers, ticket), trim, flowers, distress ink, distress embossing powder, a button, sewing thread (around the cotton reels), dyed seam binding, and more!  All stamping has been done in Coffee archival ink. 

This is the first time I've made one of these, and I'm really happy with how it's turned out.

There are a few challenges I'd like to enter this into:

The Stampsmith have a theme of "Flip and Fold,  
The Stampman is looking for Vintage creations, and  
The Fashionable Stamping Challenge are playing Bingo (I have the bottom line across, 3rd line down, both diagonals, ).
My Mum's Craft Shop have a theme of Mum's The Word
Bunny Zoe's Crafts - Shabby Chic / Vintage
Creative Card Crew - Vintage

I hope you like it.  Don't forget that Craft-Room Challenge have a Shabby Vintage theme at the moment, and Lets Ink It Up would like to see your flowers.

Have a great weekend!

Maria x