A very special gift to celebrate Teresa's parents' 50th wedding anniversary

Teresa B. from Jacksonville, Florida recently stitched An Emblem of Love as a gift for her parents on their 50th wedding anniversary. 

 Teresa wrote,  I finished "An Emblem of Love" for mom and dad's 50th wedding anniversary. They both love it and were completely surprised. The first time they saw it was when we picked it up from the framers and then took it to our county fair for exhibit. I'm excited to say that it won a blue ribbon! (Mom thinks it should have gotten best in show but she's a little biased.) I stitched it over 2 threads on 36 ct. V. Lt Examplar from Lakeside using a single strand of Belle Soie in Eggplant for the purple and Florimell Silk Floss from Gloriana Threads in Old Gold also using one strand.

It was such a pleasure to stitch this project. It's my first Quaker and I just loved working the motifs, seeing the whole piece grow with each one completed. I did make a few changes that you might noticed. I took out one of the motifs to allow me to put the year they married in as well. Plus instead of just using one color I wanted to pay a little homage to this being for the "Golden" anniversary so I stitched some of the hearts in gold along with the years.

Thanks so much for such a wonderful pattern. Ellen I've loved so many of your pieces but I have to say that this one means more to me than all the others. I'm sure you understand why. The pictures don't do it justice, but they'll give you an idea of how it all turned out.
  
Look at the touches of gold on Teresa's frame and the gold thread she added when she stitched the hearts and her parents' wedding and anniversary years. Wow--just beautiful!

Teresa and I first met at one of Rae Iverson's A Stitchers' Gathering seminars. In fact, she was in the first class I ever taught. It didn't take long for us to both discover that we were both Florida State Seminoles. (I have to admit that Theresa graduated quite a few years after I did.) Teresa and I have been able to stay in touch through needlework seminars and emails and occasionally I see her when I'm down in Jacksonville visiting Tom's family.

Thanks, Teresa, for sharing photos of your beautiful work.  Your thread color choices and framing are wonderful!  I'm honored that you chose one of my designs to stitch for your parents on their very special anniversary. I know they were thrilled!  Hope to see you the next time we're down your way.