I love my job. I love being able to stay home with my daughter while still working. I love the availability to meet with clients in the comfort of their own home. I love being a witness to some amazing first hand stories.
THIS story I think takes the cake, and it actually set the tone for the whole design.
It was just an ordinary day, but my heart would be filled with something special by the time the day was out. A month or so ago I was asked to help with a 60th Anniversary & 80th Birthday's Party Invite for Mr. & Mrs. H. The quests of honor actually live close me so we decided to meet at their house to go over ideas and lay out what they wanted for their invite.
We piled the table high with old photos, memories, paper samples and LOTS of ideas... Mrs. H had a particular photo she wanted to use for the front of the card, not her first pick, but she kept saying that it was her husbands favorite photo from their wedding. It was just a quick snapshot of them leaving in a vehicle.. nothing special.. right???
UNTIL, Mr. H came over to see what us ladies were working on and suddenly he smiles and pulls his wallet out from his back pocket. Slowly, carefully, he pulls out a little folded up piece of faded, falling apart paper. With well worn fingers he carefully unfolds it and spreads it out on the table.
My eyes did not believe what I saw before me, for this crumbly piece of paper was actually the original newspaper clipping from the day they were married 60 years ago! With the exact same photo of them leaving in the car. WOW!
Awestruck, I now understood why this photo was so special. Through all these years, even during his time serving our country overseas, he had kept this newspaper clipping of his bride with him. I knew right then and there that we HAD to feature this priceless heritage on the front of the invite. How memorable and honoring... what an amazing legacy of love for a 60th Anniversary! I was truly blessed to witness the unveiling of such a crumbly little paper which had stood the test of true love!!!
Here are the Before and After images of the article, fortunately for us they still had the original photo so I was able to clean up the article and fit a new scan of the old photo in for a more polished look.
Here is the Invite... complete with news clipping, wedding photos, childhood photos AND even photos of the high school sweethearts before Mr. H left for war. Ya that's right, young love celebrating 60 years together... I LOVE IT!!! (
Oh and Mrs. H's photo also was tucked away in the wallet with the clipping)
AND now, last but not least, since they loved the invites so much they decided to continue with the look of the Invite and had me create a set of 4 Bookmarks that served as little trivia party favors on the tables at the party. YEP, I am a total matchy, matchy girl and this project was just so fun for me to work with. Not only did I get to be creative with my designs and think out of the box, I was honored to meet one truly amazing couple who's testament of enduring love will continue to inspire me for years to come!
Happy Birthday's Mr. & Mrs. H. and congratulations on a very Happy 60th Anniversary!!!
You have blessed me beyond belief!
