diy vow embroidery

Happy Tuesday! So...as an update, my surgery went well and recovery is very slow but steady. I got to spend a whole week with both hands wrapped so big I could've given Rocky a run for his money. Thankfully, my mom and hubby are the two most patient, helpful, encouraging, and amazing people in the world!! Also, it's amazing how triumphant you can feel being able to brush your own teeth after two weeks of needing help. Big stuff!

That being said, I'm definitely in a no-project zone for a while so I thought I'd share a project I finished a few months ago. So here goes.... Have a great week, friends!

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Possibly my longest-running project to-date, I've finally, finally finished embroidering our wedding vows! 

I got the idea from Megan over at Lilac Saloon, who graciously shared a few pro-tips with me before I got started. 

Shortly after we returned from our honeymoon, I went to Hobby Lobby and found a frame I liked for the project. I knew I wanted it to be blue and large enough to hang over our bed. Next, I blocked everything out in a design program and got it printed at Office Depot.

Using a makeshift homemade light box (aka an under-bed tupperware with Christmas lights in it), I transferred the text to a large piece of natural muslin with a thin-tip permanent marker.

Add 7 months of putting it in a drawer and procrastination plus 22 and a half hours of backstitch hoop embroidery and all the lettering was finally done!

Then, I added a free-hand branches and leaves design at the bottom for a tiny bit of color.

With a lot of help from Strider, I wrapped the fabric around a custom-cut piece of acid-free foam board, pinned it, and laced it tight for framing.

Once again with loads of help from Strider, I put the frame together for a FINALLY finished project!

We wrote our vows ourselves and feel very connected to the words we chose. Having them hung in our home, over our bed, is a great reminder for us to never forget what we promised that day. In case you can't read from the distance in the photo, it reads:

"Today I make a covenant, blessed by God, affirmed by those present, and one 

to which I will hold all the days of my life. I covenant to love you as Christ loved us. I will seek Christ 

for myself and as a partner in our marriage. I will choose you and encourage you, support you and 

be faithful to you. I covenant to pray for you and for our marriage. I promise to laugh with you and 

to remember the joy of our love. I will trust you and listen to you, cherishing the gifts with which God 

has blessed you. I will embrace your family as my own, and work to build our family on God's truth. 

Finally, I promise to always remember that our treasure is stored elsewhere. 

All these things I promise, from this day, until my last."

A very long but worthwhile project finally complete!