Memories of My Father

Does the pain of losing a loved one ever really go away? My dad had been sick for some time and my mom needed a short break from taking care of him, so we decided he would come spend the week with me and my family. My dad had been here for four days when I awoke on the fifth day to my husband yelling in the phone to 911, “I have someone in my house who’s not breathing!” My husband and I pulled my dad from his bed and began CPR, but to no avail. He had passed away in his sleep. The remainder of the day was somewhat of a blur due to the fact that I was in shock. Here was this man that had been my hero, lying on my living room floor, dead. I was supposed to be taking care of him for my mom. I had let her down, I let myself down, but most importantly, I let my dad down. The pain was unbearable. It feels like it was just yesterday, but it wasn’t. My dad passed away ten years ago.

I remember the pain of that day. I remember thinking to myself, “If one more person says to me that the pain will go away with time” I’m going to scream or even worse, I’m going to hit someone. How is a simple thing like the passage of time, ever going to heal the pain in my heart? And not just the pain, but what about the guilt I felt. Is that ever going to go away?

Well, here it is ten years later and even though I will never forget the events of that day, I can say that day no longer occupies my thoughts every second of every day any more. I don’t carry around the weight of that guilt any more either. Although I still miss my dad all the time, I have learned new ways to honor and remember him. I have taken all of my pain and channeled it into my love of crafting by creating wonderful projects that allow me to remember my love for my dad and his life. Not the pain and heartbreak from his death.

That is exactly what I did when I created this project that I am sharing with you today. But instead of creating a scrapbook page that would be placed in an album, I wanted to create a project that could be placed on a table and viewed by everyone who entered my house. Now when I see it I don’t think about the day my dad passed away, I think about the day the picture was taken of the two of us, how happy we were that day and how much I loved him then, now and always.

If you’re looking for a project to create to remember someone you love, consider using your scrapbook supplies out of the scrapbook album. This project was created using all of my scrapbook supplies but instead of leaving it on a 12”x 12” paper, I adhered the scrapbook papers to two 9” x 12” art canvases. By adding the clock works to the project, it not only creates a wonderful remembrance of your loved one, but also a working clock to any of your home’s table tops.

 Thank you for joining me. Until next time…

Crafty hugs,

Lisa

Stampin’ Queen Creations

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Memories of My Father

SUPPLIES

Fredrix Archival Watercolor Canvas 9” x 12”

Delta Ceramcoat Acrylic Paint- Mellow Yellow

Loew-Cornell 1” Wash paint brush

Paper Adventures Tan Striped paper

White, Tan, Brown and Rust card stock

Manila tag 4 3/4” W x 2 ½”H

My Mind’s Eye paper frame

K & Company 3D stickers

Ranger Distress inkpads- Old Paper, Vintage Photo & Tea Dye

Fresco Chalk Finish inkpad- Vesuvian Ash

Black permanent inkpad

Magic Mesh- tan

Eye Monocle and gold chain

Westrim Crafts Scrabble Letters, Metal Letters and Metal Key

Walnut Hollow Clock works

4 Bronze eyelets and 1 mini gold brad

Gold hinges

Assorted fibers

Straw ribbon

Computer font- Adler

Family Treasures Slotted Paper Punch

Eyelet setter & Hole punch ¼”

Xyron Machine 510 with Permanent Adhesive

Beacon Adhesives Zip Dry Paper Glue

Beacon Adhesives Glass, Metal & More Glue

Rubber Stamps-

Watch Face #H 960 by Stamp It!

Nostalgic Pocket Watch #A2528D by Rubber Stampede

Sybil #P2-923 by Acey Duecy

Large Picture Frame # R 158 by Close to My Heart

INSTRUCTIONS

1)      Using a 1” wash paint brush, paint both canvases with Mellow Yellow acrylic paint. Randomly stamp small and large watches on both canvases using Ranger Distress inkpads. Stamp “Sybil” once using Fresco Chalk Finish inkpad. See picture for placement

Designer Tip: To make stamping on canvas easier, place a book under the canvas before you begin stamping. This will give you a firmer base to stamp on.

 

2)      Using the picture as a guide, tear tan striped paper and adhere to the canvas with Zip Dry glue.

Designer Tip: Because the paper is thinner than card stock, I backed the paper with a tan card stock after I tore the edges. This will help with the paper buckling in high humidity areas. Use a brayer to spread the glue and work quickly.

3)      Print wording out on computer using white card stock. Cut all card stock as follows; for “In Memory of” white card stock- 3”W x ½”H Tan card stock- 3 ¼”W x ¾”H Rust card stock- 3 ½”W x 1”H. For the Name, White card stock- 4 ¼”W x 1 ¾”H Tan card stock-4 ½”W x 2”H Rust card stock- 4 ¾”W x 2 ¼”H. For “Only Time…” White card stock 3 ½”W x 1 ½”H Rust card stock-4”W x 2”H Manila Tag- 4 ¾”W x 2 ½”H.

4)      Sponge ink onto word images on using a sponge and the Ranger Distress inkpads. Layer all word images and adhere together with Zip Dry glue. Use picture for placement if needed. For the manila tag, punch holes around four edges with slotted punch. Slid word image into slots. Punch hole and add fibers.

5)      For large picture frame, cut stock as follows; Rust card stock-2 ¾’W x 3 7/8”H Tan card stock-3 ¼”W x 5”H. Layer card stocks together with picture and large picture frame. Adhere with Zip Dry glue. Lay picture frame down on canvas. Punch holes in four corners of frame. Adhere bronze eyelets with eyelet setter following directions from manufacturer.  

6)      Cut straw ribbon into three pieces, one 10”, one 3 ½” and one 2”. Run ribbon through Xyron machine. Adhere ribbon to canvas. Adhere “My Hero” on ribbon with Glass, Metal & More glue. To finish left side of canvas, adhere word images and 3D stickers with Zip Dry glue. Add fibers to key and adhere to canvas with Glass, Metal & More glue. Use picture for placement if needed. 

7)      To finish right side of canvas, punch small hole in upper right hand corner for clock works. Assemble clock works following manufacturer directions. Sponge clock face with tea dye inkpad. Adhere to canvas. 

8)      Lay Magic Mesh onto canvas, press firmly. NOTE: Magic Mesh is self adhesive. No need for further glues. Punch small hole in manila tag to attach monocle and chain. Lay tag on mesh and adhere with Zip Dry glue. Attach monocle to canvas with miniature gold brad.  

9)       For small picture frame, stamp with black inkpad on brown card stock. Cut out center for picture. Cut Rust card stock- 2 ¼”W x 3 ¼”H and Tan card stock 3 ¼”W x 3 ¾”H. Layer and adhere to picture frame with Zip Dry glue. Lay on canvas and adhere with glue. Adhere metal letters to canvas with Glass, Metal and More glue. Adhere ribbon and 3D stickers to canvas.