Lots to Do - Friends / Friendship

This is my entry for this weeks challenge over at Lots to Do which is Friends / Friendship.

I thought long and hard about all of my friends , past and present, old and new and couldnt make my mind up which one of them should be the topic for this layout.

Not wanting to leave anyone out or make anyone feel as though their friendship wasnt as important as someone else i struggled with my choice.

Then I woke on Wednesday morning and my choice was made. Who had been my best friend the longest? who had been there from the beginning? who will be there as long as I live? There was only one person who fit that bill, the answer was very clear, it had to be my Dad.
So I set about designing a page that would try to capture what his friendship had meant to me.
Once i had chosen my photos the rest was easy.





I used a gold dabber to colour some grungeboard flourishes, I had chosen a dark purple dotted swiss paper so I thought by adding the cream and gold it would lighten the layout, I didnt want it to feel too dark and gloomy.



I added the strips of both plain and patturned paper to the 12x12.



Next I added this script , which was taken from the opening scene of a movie and adapted slightly so that it fit in with how I felt.
The first time I watched the film this made me think of my Dad and I found myself watching the beginning over and over until I had a record of the actual script written down.



I added this picture of the two of us when I must have only been a few weeks old.
My Dad worked long hours and I was often asleep when he got in from work. Yet my Mam always said within minutes I would be awake, oddly enough Dad always claimed I woke myself, Mam said she knew better he woke me so that he could spend time with me. He then went on to fall asleep shattered and Mum had to get me to sleep all over again.
I also added the 'Friends Forever ' die cut I think it kinda sums everything up.



Although the theme was Friends / Friendship the title I added was 'Always' as theres not a day goes by that this friend isnt in my thoughts.



The trust tag , because I trusted him totally, his judgement , his opinions, his knowledge, his understanding , his faith , his support, his love and of course his Friendship.



This photo was of his 80th birthday, I made a ' This is your Life' book for him and organised a surprise party , the kids all read from the book for him and we even had messages from his brother in Canada. He enjoyed his birthday surprise. His birthday cake showed a picture of him in his Army uniform looking very smart.













Added to the grungeboard signs I added the words ' From as early as this....All through my life....My Dad was my best Friend.


A selection of photos from days out and in the garden etc when we were together.
I usually try and make a 12 x 12 layout to mark his birthday , xmas and his anniversary etc as I am unable to send him a card, this year I didnt get around to doing his page for his anniversary which was Oct 23rd,
Im happy that this layout covers both the challenge and also it markd his anniversary this year.



My Friend has been gone 6 years now, it feels like yesterday most days , but when friendship is as strong as this one was, he doesnt need to be here physically because he will always be here in spirit , more importantly he will always be in my heart.

My new granddaughter is due any day now , Im sorry she didnt get to meet him , but Im sure in years to come when she is old enough to read through these family Scrapbooks she will understand that her Grani once had a very special friend that was her Great Grandfather, Eddie.

Thank you for taking the time to read this long post this week , I hope you are all lucky enough to have a friend who means this much to you.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend.