Cute paper mache idea for Mother's day or any day you want to make special.

     I always thought that blue was blue and black was black.  However, just the other day while watching Studio 5 I learned something new.  Blue is the new black.  That's what they said.  So, I decided I better get right on that and create something black (I mean blue).
     I had picked up this cute frame at JoAnn Fabric and Crafts just the other day when I was on my paper mache kick. 

     I all ready had the blue chevron stripe paper it is propped up on.  My other supplies were simple.

     Delta paint in Tahiti Blue, mod podge, a sponge brush and some iridescent spray glitter I also found at JoAnn Fabric and craft.

     First thing I did was separate the back from the front of the frame and painted it blue.  Next step was to measure the chevron stripe paper to the measurements of the frame and cut it out with scissors.  I than used the mod podge to glue it on to the frame.  I let it dry for a few minutes and then I gave it three coats of mod podge letting it dry in between coats.  Next I took a file and filed off the edges of the frame and chalked them blue.  I added some cute paper flowers I found for $1.00 at Michaels and the frame was done.  The very last thing I did to give it a personal touch was to spray glitter on it.  I love the shiny specks of glitter that add a little bit of spark.  Here's the finished project in under an hours time.

     I had to put a cute photo of my grand daughters in the frame so you can get the full affect.  Aren't they adorable!  These two cuties belong to my oldest daughter.  Both of these girls have a genetic disease called PKU.  Each baby born is poked in the heel at the time of birth to check for this rare disease.  I remember my four children having their heels poked and then never hearing another word about it.  K.K. is my first born granddaughter.  I was helping my daughter when she was a first time mother.  When K.K. was only three days old I was up at my daughters house helping her out.  She received a phone call from the hospital telling her that K.K.'s test came back positive for PKU.  She was told to get Kaitlyn to the hospital right away.  Our family is pretty tight knit.  We try to support one another.  My son Shawn had taken leave from the Marines to be there when K.K. was born.  It was a huge surprise he wanted to give Marie. So because he was able to come home, we were all  together at the time and we all headed to Primary Childrens Hospital.  Marie was in a state of shock.  She had to hand her new-born baby into the hands of doctors, nurses, and other medical technicians to be poked and prodded and tested and held while she wailed and wailed.  This would be the beginning of a life-time journey for my daughter and her two cute little girls.  Gracie was also tested positive for PKU.  These two little girls will have to meet with doctors on a regular basis at Primary Childrens Hospital.  They have had to have their blood drawn and sent into the hospital sometimes on a weekly basis and as they are getting older it is more like on a monthly basis.  Each of them will be on a special diet for their entire lives.  If my daughter is not strict with their diet they can have severe adverse side effects to their brains.  Their little bodies are not able to eat any protein.  They don't have the ability to break it down in the brain like most of us do. 
     I want to tell my daughter how proud I am of her.  She was handed a very scary situation at a young age with a brand new baby girl.  She has handled the situation with courage and with grace.  It was very difficult and is still difficult to be the one who had to poke these little girls with needles all the time.  It is sometimes difficult to have to monitor everything these two little girls eat.  She has to make sure that they are eating the right foods, but, the right foods also have to be counted and journaled to make sure they aren't eating too many or too little of the right foods.
     Sometimes I didn't even think about Gracie having PKU because Marie has become so good at it.  She rolls with the punches and never complains.  Thank you Marie for being the type of Mother so many of us can admire!