At our wedding, we had our guests sign small white paper hearts instead of a standard guestbook. There was also a promise that pictures would be posted of the intended craft when completed.
So here we are, two year later:
That’s nice, you say, but how on earth did this project take you two whole years?
WELL.
Before the wedding, I didn’t really know how much space all the hearts would take. The person-to-heart ratio wasn’t clear: some people signed as families, some took more than one heart. In preparation, I selected a blue paperboard for the background (Brazzil Blue) and purchased two sheets in case I messed one up. I purchased one white, square shadowbox to contain all the hearts.
But the shadowbox was too small. I needed another. I’ll split the hearts between the two boxes and wouldn’t two look cute together as a set? Back online to the scrapbooking warehouse from which the first shadowbox had been obtained.
But they don’t carry that model of shadowbox anymore. This caused much hand-wringing and gnashing-of-teeth. I wanted the shadowboxes to match! On the computer, it’s tricky to find another brand carrying a perfect replica of the first shadowbox. Rather than take the version I had to our local JoAnn’s and find a mate, I put the project on a shelf for a few months. Our JoAnn’s it tricky to get to by public transit so I generally avoid it unless the crafting straits are dire indeed.
Ok! Some time has passed and the brand of shadowbox is back in stock!! I actually have a google alert for a shadow box. An order is placed and crafting fingers eagerly await completion of this project.
The shadowbox arrives. It doesn’t match the first because it’s “this year’s model”. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? After modgepodging my exploded brain back together, I order another. I must have two that match.
The new one arrives! I get out all my supplies and set to crafting.
Only I can’t find the second sheet of blue background paper. Of course I can’t. If I could, this project would be over and clearly THIS PROJECT WASN’T READY TO BE OVER.
I go sit in a dark room for awhile.
I order new paper. I find the old paper before the new order arrives. I envy people who have better craft organization systems.
I finally have EVERYTHING and I assemble the project you see above.
(and then the shadowboxes sit on a shelf again for about 6 months before I hang it on the wall so really, this project only took 18 months from start to finish)