Sneek Peek...

So my last few posts have been about a very special thing I am working on. Finally I have a little something to reveal (with Gretchen's permission). This drawing means so much to me I cannot even begin to put it all into words... but here goes. Gretchen wanted to help NieNie. I wanted to help too. I love Gretchen's work so it made sense for me to help her help...get it??? I won the auction and sent my donation to the Stephanie and Christain Nielson Fund and the forwarded Gretchen my receipt. She asked what I wanted and so I explained.

I want something special for my daughter. She turns 21 in October. I am so very proud of the young woman she has become. We are very close and she loves stamping and scrapbooking like I do. We both fell in love with Gretchen's fairies on Stamping Bella. I wanted something to celebrate that special bond between mother and daughter. I also wanted something that would in some small way honor Nie Nie because her view of motherhood has inspired so many and after all she is the reason for the design. I emailed Gretchen my ideas along with some pictures of Ashleigh and I and she got right to work. I knew I would love whatever she came up with becuase I so love her style...but I had no idea. Here is what she sent me originally.



I love her sketchy sketch, obviously an artist at work. I am not sure what I had in my mind. I have one of her images of Lottie and Gussie and I asked for something along those lines. When I opened the email and saw her interpretation of my ideas I cried. This was much better than anything I had ever imagined. She even hid "Nie Nie" in there...can you find it? She also included little hearts that say, "my mother", "my daughter", "my soul" in French. How perfect is that?? Now Gretchen asks for changes or additions. I only have a few, Ashleigh's hair needs to be curlier, she needs to be wearing a hoodie with her hand in the pocket (anyone who knows her will get that). Another idea, maybe hang the hearts from the branch of a tree...a family tree.


Again she went to work and here is her final draft....I am in awe.




Now she will hand paint this just for me. I cant wait to see it colored. We also talked about another idea...a way for this image to keep on giving...more details on that to come.