Wordless Wednesday- Made to order

A little bespoke box I have recently just made.

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Wordless Wednesday

Soggy! 

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Monday maker- A new box for a new little boy

In addition to my 4 week series of blogs, here is my NEW product.

Made especially for my new nephew Freddy.

A little field mouse called Felix.

Felix the field mouse lives in the field next to Freddy's house.

He has a job. A job to look after Freddy and keep him safe.

He'll watch from afar as he grows bigger, plays with his brother Henry 

and learns to walk, talk and explore.

He'll make sure all his dreams are sweet ones, 

and all his giggles are hearty ones.

Best of all, this box with a little picture of Felix on

 will help treasure all the the fun he has with his family.

And keep it safe.

Freddy Arthur this is made especially for you with MUCH LOVE

A x

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Flutterby and Stormy weather

*exerts taken from a blog written in 2011 just after Sam was born.

**Additional bits added today after a week of arrivals of a new nephew and sad news of tiny and old friend departures.

I don’t mean this blog to be sad or depressing, as all these things make me smile. 

And I mean with a BIG smile!

I find comfort and happiness in the weather and symbolic things that surround it. Call me weird, call me a hippy, and call me bonkers! I don’t care. It makes me happy and makes me smile. It’s the simple things that make the world go round after all.

Ida was born very early on a beautiful Wednesday morning. I have a lovely memory of the sun streaming through the hospital window as Ross held her beside my bed for the first time.

When my Dad died the weather was stormy and muggy. Then the rain came and fell and fell and the sky was suddenly full of beautiful rainbows. I funnily find comfort in rain like that. Firstly it reminds me that my Dad is around me everyday and secondly I love puddle jumping!! Something I am yet to introduce my two naughties to. The summer he died my Mums garden was filled with Red Admiral butterflies. When ever I see one I always think it’s my Dad fleeting past to say Hi!

When my naughty Nanny died (she was very naughty!), there was a storm with a whirlwind. No word of a lie. I remember chuckling to myself that she was reunited with her sisters and they were probably all fighting the way siblings do. They always fought!

The day I went into labour with Sam it was a beautiful hot day. The evening he was born it rained and rained. As we left the hospital in the early hours of the morning (i'm not a fan of staying long after baby arrives) with our new baby, there was a gorgeous fresh smell that comes from refreshing rain after it’s been just a little bit too hot.

The Crazy Davies and the Italian Stallion’s family descended on us at the weekend to fuss over Ida, as friends do, and glimpse at baby Sam and have a cheeky cuddle while Ida wasn’t looking. Sarah being the keen gardener she is, reminded me that I have an abundance of caterpillars on my growing Cabbages. I noticed them the other day with Ida and took great pleasure in thinking that in the first week of Sam’s life caterpillars were happily munching my vege’s just outside our bedroom window. We three, Sam, Ida and I are taking pictures of the lovely Caterpillars tomorrow. We hope that one morning we’ll be able to catch a photo of one of the caterpillars as they emerge into butterflies and fly away. Then I will finally finish the treasure/memory box that I am making for Ida and Sam and we will add the photo’s to it as a gift of Butterflies that Granddad Allan sent to them the week Sam was born. A very special gift indeed!

For me certain butterflies flying by at appropriate times are incredibly poignant. Butterflies are beautifully formed and beautiful to watch flying.  They are wonderfully comforting to me and my Mum. One or many (??) Red admirals have been visiting me this week, normally perfectly timed with an nostalgic tune on the radio. Always a great moment to make me smile and contemplate what is on my mind. 

For me fluttebys and stormy weather to match a mood have an incredible strong message. Perhaps like a placebo it simply makes me contemplate and feel reason for an emotion. One thing is for certain for me, Butterflies are more than beautiful living creatures. They are sweet souls either joining or departing us. Being free or being happy. Being weightless and able.
I think that perhaps many people will disagree but I think whatever gives you comfort and whatever makes  your smile

Almost 2 years after I wrote the above grey words, I am still to make Sam a memory box as I have always struggled with what animal, or being to make for him. Ida was easy, she has the over grown, wild garden fairy with past grandparents smiling and hiding like angels. Not to scare but to protect and make sure she is safe. 

I have made many memory boxes for babies since making Ida's first box, I am in he process of making a new nephew one as I type. 

It's funny, until I was visited this week by flutterbys. I had totally forgotten of the promise to myself to make Sam a box. It's on  my "to do" list but I had forgotten about wanting to make a caterpillar/butterfly box. 
Of course it will need to be a very handsome butterfly indeed.

A gift to make him smile x

Monday maker, Memory boxes

Memory & Treasure boxes

As unique as your little one

To help capture every moment

 

Loving thoughts, Happy times 

& Personal treasures

Made to order

Have fun making memories 

To cherish in your treasure box.

Made for magpies,

Made for treasure collectors,

Made for Mums,

Made for infants,

Made for loving memories

always WITH LOVE

Made by me.

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Monday Maker- Magpie & Treasure boxes

I help capture memories of infants and children by creating Memory & Treasure boxes. 

By personalising them into a persona that reflects the child and all that makes them unique.

It all started with making one for my daughter, Ida, my nephew Joseph, a lovely friends little boy and my niece Elsie Pru.

Neutral Teddy box

Made for my nephew Joseph. Each teddy I have since made has had it's own character and naughty stance.

Bunny Rabbit Box

Made for a lovely friends little boy when he was born to capture every important memento.
I have since made for girls with cream boxes.

Woodland fairy

The first box ever made for my biggest naughty. A mix of woodland treasures in the undergrowth, important people who would have loved her had they still been here and beautiful flowers.

Three little birds box

The original made for my sweet little niece, Elsie Pru. She's a cheeky wotsit with lots of character and I designed this box to replicate her sweet strong characterful nature.

This box is coming soon to the website.

Using decoupage I am able to incorporate family photos or a page depicting a name from a baby naming book into a design. My latest book was especially personal, capturing a special Cat, a frog and a snake amongst Teddies, Bunnies and birds. 

Each box is made from sustainable alder wood and has a fabric lining cloth that can also act as a burp cloth. Boxes can be made extra special with more personalisation and each design is available in green, off white and pale blue.

I am a little bit of a Magpie so collecting treasures and memories is something natural and inherent to me. Making a box to capture my daughters treasure and memories is something I needed and LOVED doing. Now all I have to do is fine time to make my smallest naughty one!

Within my biggest naughties box is Birthday cards, shells collected from our first holiday, first paintings, first letters written and little things she classes as her treasures.

I love making them and love the little ones i make them for.

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