A Visit to Grandma's House - Shabby Chic - Crafty Cardmakers DT

It's time for another challenge at Crafty Cardmakers and this one is one of my ABSOLUTE FAVES!! So I hope you will find time to join us this fortnight - prizes up for grabs!!
A big thank you to fellow Teamie BettyC who set this challenge - SHABBY CHIC. Love it!
 I have had soooo much fun creating this project and I used up lots of little bitty things - fiddly, time consuming, messy desk and sticky fingers - just what us crafters love!

 Be warned now before you go any further this is a VERY picture heavy post - I have put 'close up' views at the bottom - please enlarge if you want a better look!

I bought this house shaped box some time ago and had already painted and distressed it but when we moved house it got packed away and I finally got round to making it up.
It gave me a chance to just - well have a 'play'!

My gran was an accomplished dressmaker. She made everyone's wedding dresses, bridesmaids outfits, winter coats etc and all my summer dresses. I was the proud owner of a beautiful red velvet dress with a white crochet collar one Christmas when I was about 8 followed by a luscious brown corduroy coat with a leather collar for my birthday.

So this project is in it's own way a tribute to her amazing needle skills - and of course her prowess with a Singer sewing machine!

Quick run down through the 'storeys' -
Attic - small cardboard box liberally stamped, a little Paris Passport rescued from another project, a hat, parasol, old clock and old sign, a bit of lace thrown in!

First floor - Paris backed Perfume Advert, small parcel of fabric, vintage lace and a teeny pink thimble, some 'rolls' of fabric (done by using cocktail sticks and scraps!), a couple of tiny buttons, sewing machine (stamped on metal) and a 'remember' sticker. Dressmakers dummy covered in paper and some floaty fabric, a mirror made by using modelling paste, acrylic paints and metallic rubs for the frame with the insert from a piece of tin foil, a reel of vintage ribbon secured with a sparkly pin and a small cotton reel.

Ground floor -from the left -  image printed onto fabric (reminded me of the way my hair was done in 'ringlets' when I was small!) edged with vintage lace, a fabric rose and a pearl earring,
Centre - a sewing 'basket' containing some vintage style pins, a safety pin, tape measure and scissors, a button and specs and a candelabra to see by!  

Right - a ladies vintage boot, more buttons and a tiny hanger with a feather bit all sat on some vintage lace.

Challenges -
Natalie & Amy - Shabby Chic
Altered Eclectics - Alter Something
Dream Valley - Buttons
The Crafting Cafe - Anything Goes
All Crafts Challenge - Anything but a Card
Challenges 4 Everybody - Anything Goes
Created with Love - Sewing
ALBC - A little bit Shabby

I hope you have enjoyed my little trip down memory lane - the box is now sat on my work room wall where it evokes memories of my childhood!
Thanks for visiting today - have a great time whatever you're doing. x

Mother and Child

The challenge this week at Gothic Arches was 'Mother and Child'.

Having already immortalised my great-grandmother and my father on ATC's, this was the perfect opportunity to use some more of my relations!

This picture is of my Nan and Mum. Nan was only 17 when Mum was born and this pic must have been taken late 1927/early 1928. I love this photograph.

I used Basic Grey paper for the background, then stuck the lace onto the same paper and cut out following the line of the lace. I mounted the two pieces onto the arch shape to 'frame' the image.

I finished the arch by adding a couple of buttons, a heart button with some organza ribbon and a couple of timy pearls. I added the year on the top of the arch digitally.

I have been researching my ancestry for about 5 years now and it is as addictive as crafting! I have printed this quote ' The Family is link to our past, bridge to our future' onto the front of my ancestry journals.

Picture folder - 6th Album, 6th Picture

I was tagged by Pattie and Anne to do this and will join in the fun, but I hope they'll forgive me for not tagging anyone else to do it....

The idea is you for to open your picture album on your PC and pick the 6th picture from the 6th Album. My 6th Album is the one that relates to my ancestry research and houses all the photos of my ancestors I have acquired over the last 4-5 years during the course of my compiling my family tree.

This photo is a picture of my Great - Great Grandfather who was born in Ireland in 1806 and was a Sergeant in the Royal Irish Constabulary.

He and his wife had 11 children. One died, 8 of the children emigrated to Australia, one remained in Ireland and the other, my Great- Grandfather left Ireland after serving in the 1st Royal Dragoons, moved to England, became a policeman for a short time and then eventually moved to Liverpool.

My Great-Great-Grandfather and his wife lived in great hardship in Ireland until the 1880's when, despite their advancing years, they embarked on the long journey to Australia.

He died just 18 months after being reunited with his children and his wife died 5 years later.