Come Dress Yourself in Love - Day 6 - It's done!

I have had this sterling silver charm for years.  I always loved the chai symbol below the doves.....but it just was a bit too big for a necklace.  It's perfect in the center of the bodice with the smaller Star of David just below it.

Positioned above the "title" of the project - it's perfect!

They didn't have swarovski crystals 33 years ago.   It they had - this gown would have cost me a fortune.  As it is, I hand set over 100 crystals throughout the collage.

I embedded tiny crystals in the leaves - 3 per leaf.  The lt blue pearls were on the original dress.

The buttons that were on the sleeve cuffs - across the top of the bodice. I think you can follow where the bodice was...and where the filler is now.

I made several silk roses.....just to get the right size for the bottom corners.  Had forgotten how beautiful silk roses are.

And then I remembered the pattern to make these roses and put them on the top corners, to anchor the 5 strands of silk ribbons coming down each side.  Of course, there's a wooden dowel stitched into the top back to keep the center top from sagging.  Part of "engineering" a piece like this.

When you put all the pieces together, it looks like this hanging on the wall.  I do think I will have it framed in a shadow box.....but for now, my wedding collage is done.  Click on any of the images to enlarge them.

Original gown took 3 months to create at the cost of about $200.00

Today's wedding collage took parts of 6 days and an additional $150.00

Preserving memories in a creative way.......PRICELESS!!!