Swirlydoos "Vintage Traditions" Round Robin

 At Swirlydoos, we have a Round Robin Challenge every month. It is the perfect challenge for those who have misplaced their MOJO, want a reason to Scrap lift without the ramifications, or just need a jump start to scrap. This month, I was in week 2 following Cheryl. Great inspiration!! Using this months kit was perfect for the black and white picture of my Grandmother who just passed away a few weeks ago. Lord knows I miss her more than anything!! She was a seamstress and taught me how to sew at an early age.. I was making Barbie Doll cloths when I was 6 or 7 years old. She would always save her finest "scraps" in a brown paper grocery bag, and when we went to Brooklyn on Sundays, she would always have that bag ready for me. Complete with cones of thread and a stash of needles. Laces, silks, organza, zippers and buttons...oh my...But the treat was to be able to sew on her Singer Factory Machine!!! Loved working the treadle as she fed the fabric through. When I was 16, my parents bought me a Factory Singer at a factory closing down in Brooklyn. My grandmother made sure one was reserved for me.  I still have that Machine, it still works, but I use it in my foyer as a conversation piece. My sweet husband attached a beautiful mirror that he stained the same color as the wood on the sewing desk surface and I have my family photo's displayed on it. It will always remind me of my grandmother. I wonder if her machines are  still in her house in Brooklyn. She lived with my parents the last few years of her life. I never asked her, as she stopped sewing years ago. I would love to have them. The photo below is one of the last I took of her a few months ago. She was tired. At 97 years old, she was so tired...♥
 

I cropped the photo and turned it black and white for this layout.

I love the Kaisercraft flowers in the kit. I enhanced them by creating my own flowers and just putting the Kaisercraft flowers in the middle. I used my trusty old Tattered Florals die. 

 The dress form represents the years I spent sewing with my grandmother. She taught me everything I know about sewing. In high school, I failed the final in my HomeEconomics class because I didn't

know how to thread the school machine. But I could sew a complete outfit better than anyone in my class!!

 

  
Just a close look at the Kaisercraft flowers. I die cut the leaves with white card stock using one of my favorite Spellbinders dies. I spritzed them with Glimmer Mist in Olive Vine and a pinch of Suede.

The white photo mat was cut with my Cricut Expression using the Ornamental Iron 2 cart. The butterflies are from the file I created for this kit. This time I used Rock Candy Distress crackle paint on them.