My Family & Other Animals

Sunday 10 February 2013

"This Is Dedicated..."

 
 
"...To The One I Love"
 
So this weeks theme over at the Kenny K Krafty Krew challenge blog is 'To The One I Love'.
I made the above card for my darling wife Jo using Kenny's image Sexy Cupid but not as a Valentine's day card because we don't really bother with all that. Now I would hate you to think that we are not romantic because I would say we are a very romantic couple, we tell each other how much we love each other every single day, we never go to sleep angry with each other and even though I am only at work for four or five hours at a time we always make a special time during those hours to speak to each other.
I cannot express how much Jo means to me. She was my best friend the very first day I met her and had I not already been married at the time I'm pretty sure we would have ended up together a lot sooner than we did. We stayed friends throughout my marriage and Jo was a good friend to my ex-wife too but it was always me that maintained contact with Jo and we never crossed a line with each other, even though there was always 'something' between us.
After my divorce, Jo and I stayed 'just good friends' for about a year and then one evening while we were in the local pub I made that first fateful move and we shared our first kiss. Now I don't want you to think that this is in any way B.S. but I knew deep in my heart right there and then that we would be spending the rest of our lives together. We very quickly became boyfriend/girlfriend and made plans to get married the following year (I chose Freddie Mercury's birthday of Spetember 5th) but after a few lengthy phone calls to each other it was decided that waiting for a big fancy wedding wasn't something either one of us really wanted, so we decided to get married at Christmas and a date five weeks away was set. With so little time to organise anything we gave everything over to Jo's dearly departed sister Pat to sort everything out for us. As wedding planners go we couldn't have picked a better one, she sorted everything out and we had the most wonderful day ever.
We got married at Leighton Buzzard Registry office on December 23rd (the closest we could get to Christmas at such short notice) 1997 and fifteen short years later we are still together, stronger as a couple than we have ever been and we have put our vows to the test over the years. We've had both rich and poor (to varying degrees!!), and lately we have been pushing sickness and health to it's very extremes but through it all we have grown stronger as a couple and I think we have proved that no matter what lifes throws at us we can get through anything as long as we have each other.
Without Jo's support I would never have had the nerve to go to University, or to learn to drive, no matter what it is she always shows me an unwavering support, sometimes putting my needs before her own and I love her, always have, always will.
 
Now for the the card. It was made using some Bazill Basic and a lovely dotty 8x8 embossing folder, the papers are years old from Papermania and I have used some of my new Memory Box dies with some flowers from WOC. The sentiment was cut out using a Sizzix alphabet set and I finished the whole thing off by adding a lovely little crystal angel. I hope you have a great week and I will be back her very soon (Virgin Media providing!!!!),
take care,
Hugs 'n Stuff,
Andy
xx
Entered Into: Blessings Ink Amusing Challenge - All About You
Catered Crop Challenge - Polka Dot Recipe Swap
Challenges 4 Everybody Challenge #13 - Anything Goes
Come And Get It Challenge - Show Us Your Heart/Love Is In The Air
Corrosive Challenge Blog #167 - Hearts And Flowers
Creative Inspirations Paint Challenge - Inspired By: Valentine's Day
Dream Valley Challenges #50 - Valentine's
Eclectic Ellapu Challenge - Anything Girly
Great Impressions February Challenge - Have A Heart
One Stitch At A Time Challenge #150 - Anything Goes
Pan Pastel UK Challenge #6 - Love And Romance
Scrappy Frogs Challenge - Use Red or Pink
Sentimental Sundays Challenge #141 - Love Is In The Air
Sunday Stamper Challenge #244 - Endless Love
The Hybrid Chick Card Caravan Challenge - Hearts
The Squirrel And The Fox Challenge #37 - Love
Cupcake Inspirations Challenge #197 - Valentine's

26 comments:

  1. Gorgeous card, Andy! Fantastic image and beautiful design details! Really enjoyed reading about your "love story"!

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  2. Hi Andy...... aww that story is so sweet. Amazing what fate always has in store for us. It certainly sounds as if you found your soulmate in Jo.
    Love todays card. That image is great and love the colours you have chosen with such pretty die cuts and flowers.. definitely a card for the woman you love.
    Hope you're having a good weekend
    Eileen x

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  3. Oooh gorgeous as always Andy...and lovely love story too...:o)

    biggest of hugs Vicky xx

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  4. Oh Love the card for your wife and your story touched my heart, its so sweet, Love Hazelxo

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  5. Gorgeous card and you color so beautifully. Thanks for playing this week at Come and Get It.
    Karal GDT

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  6. This is so cute I just love your cute little cupid,
    Thank you for joining us at Creative inspiration paints.
    CI design team member
    DIANA L.
    http://dianamlarson.blogspot.com

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  7. Gorgeous card Andy, wonderful design & embellishments .....your honey is gonna love the card!

    Thanks for joining us at Come And Get It Challenges this week....good luck!

    ¸..• ´¨¨)) -:¦:-
    ¸.•´ .•´¨¨))
    ((¸¸.•´ ..•´ Shell in Alaska♥

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  8. awww, Andy, that is a beautiful story, thank you for sharing how you met and fell in love with your Jo, she is a lucky lady to have a chap who is so open with his feelings... and making fab cards too! Thanks for joining in with the Sunday Stamper x

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  9. I bet Jo loves this! Fab card, super design and layout. Love your story. Thank you for joining us at OSAAT. Good luck.

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  10. Totally amazing Andy love it. So glad you joined us at CI Paints cant wait to see your next challenge entry

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  11. I bet Jo will be very happy with you when she reads this Andy - a beautiful story and she will love her card. Your card has wonderful colouring, very lovely floral embellies and dies and a fantastic cupid.

    Thank-you for sharing with us this week at Eclectic Ellapu. Good luck in the draw and we hope to see you again soon. Nicola (Eclectic Ellapu Design Team)




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  12. What a gorgeous card and an even prettier story!!!
    Thank you so much for joining us at Cupcake Inspirations this week! Good luck and I hope to see you back soon!
    Rene :D

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  13. Very cute card. I love combo and stamp. Thanks for playing with us at Dream Valley challenge.
    Nathalie

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  14. Very pretty card thanks for joining this week at PanPastel Uk.

    Kerry DT Leader

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  15. Great card Any with a big sentiment and a wonderfully colored image. Thanks for joining us at Sentimental Sundays.

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  16. Fabulous card!

    Thanks for joining us at One Stitch at a Time this week, and good luck!

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  17. Fabulous card. Thank you for joining us at Dream Valley Challenge this fortnight. Marlene DT

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  18. Beautiful card and your love story is so sweet! I know your wife will love it! Thanks for joining us this month at Great Impressions Stamps!

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  19. Thanks for sharing this awesome card at Catered Crop. If you'd like to, feel free to enter here as well:
    Word Art Wednesday - Anything Goes
    www.wordartwednesday.blogsot.com
    V's Sweet Ideas - LOVE
    www.vssweetideas.blogsot.com
    Blessings,
    Karen

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  20. Beautiful card. Love the colours and image is awesome. Thanks for joining us at Sentimental Sundays challenge this week.
    Hugs,
    Archana

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  21. Aaaah! How romantic ;)
    xoxo Sioux

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  22. I love everything you do. You're my idol. LOL. Thanks for joining us for this fortnight challenge at the Corrosive Challenger. Good luck and I hope to see you again real soon!

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  23. Aww Andy how sweet is your card and what a lovely story.
    Thanks for joining us at Challenges 4 Everybody. Good Luck!
    Sandy :) DT

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  24. Lovely card Andy, perfect image for Valentines. Love the lace and the flowers, really completes the card. Thanks for joining us at Scrappy Frogs Challenge in month.

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  25. Beautiful card Andy, such great attention to detail and your colouring is awesome. Sure Jo is going to love it . Many thanks for joining us at the OSAAT challenge and good luck. Hugs Jane

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  26. Wow! I'm touched by your dedication...so happy that you did indeed find someone so special. I'm sure you are equally dedicated! Best wishes. PS Thanks for playing along with my Amusing Challenges all about "you" challenge last week!

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