Friday Freebie - Moved to Saturday this week

Here's this weeks finds as part of my regular "Freebies" post.  Hope you are enjoying them.

Kayla Aimee (journal cards)

Eva Kippler (journal cards)

Mr Printables (alphabet flash cards)

Design Editor (Day of the week labels)

Cathy Zielske (photoshop, photoshop elements template)

The crafting chicks (Family subway art, other colour options via link)

Don't forget if there is anything you want to see in our freebie post, make sure you leave me a comment. 

Mel x

Loved Ones and Grief

To cut a long story short, 5 years ago in April my Aunty passed away after a long battle with Breast Cancer.  She was 47 & left behind 3 beautiful young men. At the time of her passing Lachlan had just turned 3. 

Since that time he has struggled with her death, asking many questions at the time and in the months & years since.  At times some of the questions have not been easy to answer but we have done so with the best of our ability.  We often talk about her and how much we miss her.  

Over the past few weeks Lachlan has been talking about her more and more.  He even asked if he could take a rose from our garden to put at her grave.  I was not sure what do, as he is not quite 8 years old and I was worried it was to much for him. Towards the end of last week I decided he was still asking, it was time he & I go and visit my auntys grave.

It was a beautiful morning on Sunday, the sky was so blue & the sun was shining, so we set off on our 1/2 hr drive.  Not much was said between the two of us, both lost in our thoughts.

We arrived at the cemetry & I found her grave with not too much problem, the memories of the day almost 5 years ago, came flooding back.  I remember throwing a beautiful long stemmed red rose, down onto her coffin.  

With me holding Lachlan's hand, we walked over to see the grave and we sat and talked and talked a little more.  Loch asked me questions, which I answered thru tears, we both cried, but it was what we needed to help heal our hearts just a little more. Oh I miss my beautiful aunty, but am thankful for the gift she sent in our beautiful twins. Just near the end of our time there, Lachlan wrote her a little note, which we left for her. 

It was such a worthwhile visit, which will hopefully help in the process of Lachlan's grief.  On the way home he said I really miss her, I'm so glad you took me mum, cause I was starting to not remember what she looked like.  Boy did that bring tears to my eyes.

So my promise to my boy is that we will visit her grave as much as you want & that I will print a picture of her taken not long before she passed. She will always be spoken about & remembered with much love.

I tell you being a parent is hard at times, but I am lucky I still get to parent, and be here to see my beautiful children grow up.  Its moments like Sunday that make me cherish my days just that little bit more.  I should also add I have also found some peace about her passing, thanks to this visit, its only taken almost 5 years. 

Mel x

Project Life - Weeks 5 & 6

I will just say I am loving Project Life more and more as they weeks go on.  I am starting to want to add  a few embellishments here and there, so this weekend I am going to go thru my stash and get out the things I think I will use to add just a little to my pages.

I've also decided trying to get my layout completed each week with allowing time to go get my photos printed is not working, so I am going to aim for fortnightly.

Week 5 - Saw the end of the school holidays and Loch return to school and go into Year 3.

I added an "L" embellishment to this photo, so it didn't look so plain.

The sun was shining so much when I took this photo. Added a sticker I also found in my stash, summed one of the emotions of the morning.

I had so many photos I wanted to use, I summed up our week in a a bifold journalling card.

Week 6 - Was a pretty standard week, with a a few firsts thrown in, with me starting to toilet train the girls and I did "A day in the life" project via Ali Edwards' blog.

Front page of "Day in the life" in 8.5x11 page protector (collage done in Picasa)

Back page of "Day in the life" in 8.5x11 page protector (collage done in Picasa)

label at the bottom was cut off a bifold PL journal card from my amber kit (2011 album)

label was cut of a PL journal card from my amber kit (2011 album)

I like this week's layout with the addition of the collages, just adds that little bit extra.

If you have any questions regarding my layouts, photos, products I use, etc.  Leave a comment below& I will do a blog post shortly answering them.

Mel x

Photo a day - Week 2

I have to say I am loving this challenge.  Its great to capture photos I wouldn't normally think about taking.

Here are the photos taken over the past week

8 - Sun - such a rare sight in Sydney at the moment.

9 - Front door - the door to my home, my heart & my family

10 - self portrait - this is me!

11 - makes you happy - the special bond my twinnies share, makes my heart sing everyday.

12 - inside your closest - thankful this photo was after a recent clean out!

13 - blue - can't believe this blue sky yesterday on my way home from school drop off.

14 - heart - not a heart as such, this was from hubby.  He has my heart each & every day.

I look forward to this weeks photos, and remember to keep sharing yours on my Facebook page. :)

Mel x

A day in the life Project

When I saw Ali Edwards post on her blog about doing "a day in the life" project last week, I knew I had to do it.  It is simply capturing your day thru photos.  Last year when Ali did a "week in the life" I jumped on board, it was a fantastic way to capture our family right there in the moment, a week we won't have back again. :) 


I thought I would share with you some of the photos I captured across our day (Thurs 9/2). From first thing in the morning to the kids asleep at night. 

Below, I have done two 8x10 collages to add to our Project Life album, so that we can see our day at a quick glance.

If you are thinking I'm not sure if this is for me, I encourage you to give it a go. I promise its great fun and a fantastic way to look back at your life & family and the everyday.

Mel x