On Memorial Day

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved, and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

-John McCrae, 1915

I remember every memorial day weekend growing up my mom would always have a crepe paper poppy attached to the strap of her purse, and I remember that whenever I was with her, she would give me a dollar to donate so i could have one too. I loved those little paper flowers, though I hardly understood their significance way back then. Memorial Day is for remembering, for honoring, and for thanking those who have given their lives, or are risking their lives to make sure that we have the rights and liberties that we have here in America. My grandfather was a veteran, and I remember visiting his and my grandmother's graves every Memorial Day and looking at the flags pushed into the earth of their graves. My sister played TAPS on her trumpet at the cemetery, so it was mostly my mom and I, since it was her parents. I suppose that I'm blessed in the fact that not many of my loved ones (friends or family) are in any branches of the military, I have a couple of friends serving in various branches, and for that, I thank them, but I never have to worry about a family member not coming home, like so many others in this country. Regardless of that fact, I extend my thanks and eternal gratitude to those serving this magnificent, though sometimes flawed, country of ours. In honor of our armed forces, I did the logos for the Marines, the AIr Force, the Navy, and the Army, as well as the American flag accented with what else, a poppy. :) I apologize that the logos aren't perfect, but I did what I could with the space I had. ;)



I used:

Thumb: American flag & poppy

American Apparel Cotton as a base with CND Anchor Blue for the blue, and China Glaze Salsa for the red of the stripes as well as the poppy. for the black I used American Apparel Hassid, and for the green, I used CND Green Scene .

Index: Marines

American Apparel Passport Blue as a base, with China Glaze 2030 from Khrome Collection for the gold, and China Glaze Salsa for the red, over Sally Hansen All the White Stuff, so the red popped.

Middle: Air Force

China Glaze Millennium as a base, with CND Anchor Blue for the logo.

Ring: Navy

Sally Hansen All the White Stuff as a base, with American Apparel Passport Blue, China Glaze 2030 from Khrome Collection for the gold, Sally Hansen All the White Stuff for the shield, with CND Anchor Blue for the blue on the shield, and China Glaze Salsa for the stripes on the shield.

Pinky: Army

American Apparel Hassid as a base, with Sally Hansen All the White Stuff for the star, and outlined in American Apparel Manila.

Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.