A meaningful map project

On a personal note:
Let me be honest, I am having a hard time dealing with my upcoming move....I love the lake house I am living in, I love the memories I have made here in Michigan, I love my friends that all live HERE.  At the same time I am also crazy excited to be living in the same state, same city and same house as my husband in just a short two weeks time...  So my thoughts and emotions are everywhere on this topic!

Anyways, on to my inspiration:
Those of you who have been around this blog for awhile know that I am totally head-over-heels in love with MAKING MEANINGFUL art and avoiding all things store bought...why buy something without meaning when you can make something that means the world to you?!?

So todays project was inspired by my wanting to reflect upon my time in Michigan while at the same time trying to remind myself to have good perspective when I am once again living with my husband.

I just started with a printed quote that I love on a page of my beloved encyclopedia paper.

I then I went to town with a heart puntch and a vintage Michigan map....

I picked all of the towns and cities that remind me of my time here----I have had sooo many great memories here and many of them were during road trips or antiquing adventures, some were on weekend getaways with hubs, and others an friends homes in other cities.

I taped all of my hearts to vellum so they would be a bit more noticeable than if they were right on the encyclopedia paper.

I then practiced my sewing-on-paper skills before trying it on the real deal! ------I LOVE sewing on paper, it will for sure be my new thing.....I love the detail it adds even if it is only noticeable to me...  Watch out I shall be sewing all of my new paper projects!!!

I sewed each heart individually right down the middle because I knew I wanted to fold them up a bit when I was done.  ***I didn't just do one sewn line down the middle of my hearts (like I had originally intended) because I realized I didn't make them perfectly straight when I taped them on....I think I like how they turned out this with this method any ways.

I then sewed my vellum onto the encyclopedia paper----has anyone else noticed that it is no easy to attach vellum to regular paper without having the double sided tape show through????

I must note I only sewed 3 sides of the vellum to the encyclopedia paper because I wanted the top open just in case I want to stick some memorabilia inside the pocked I made down the road.

Then I distressed my super cheap (we are talking six dollas here) shadow box because plain black just isn't my thing at the moment and because I am in love with distressing EVERYTHING. 

I added so burlap that I picked up this week at a garden shop for .75 cents a yard---is that good or bad, I don't even know?  But I love the stuff and knew I wanted to used it for some things so I just went for it.  At least my compulsive shopping only cost me .75 cents a yard right?!?  

And I added clips that I found at Hobby Lobby (pack of 16 for $2.99)

I just secured everything with pins because you never know with me....I might decide tomorrow that I would like to change everything....I have a hard time committing when it comes to crafts!

So this is my project as it is right now, what do you think?

I chose the quote because I wanted to remember each day how grateful I am to be living with my husband instead of 7 hours away.  I also want to remember that I am beyond grateful for my memories and moments in Michigan.  I want to remember specific places that brought me joy and the friends that were with me during those moments. 

I really like this project becasue,

I am REALLY GOING TO try to have a grateful heart each and every day for the journey that has been my life and is my life---for the blessing each and every day.

{Horrible photo I know---gotta love the flash, but I wanted to show you how it looks on my door!}

{By the way---I got sooo many compliments on my door from my last door post that I think it might stay around just like this....we shall see!  Buttt I must say how did no one tell me that I have the thing upside down?!?!  oopppss!  I didn't even notice and now I am feeling a bit lazy so I will not be taking new photos}

I am linking up here.