As some of you may know I paint Memory boxes for the Womens and Childrens Hospital here in Adelaide. When we go away in the van I always take one with me to paint, this is my way of relaxing. The one pictured is my latest one, our group need new ideas. I am hoping all you clever and crafty people might keep a look out for some ideas to paint. The Memory boxes are given to parents who lose their babies or whose babies are born sleeping so the pictures need to be relevant to a new born baby eg teddies, flowers, butterflies, angels, and toys, you may come up with some better ideas. They need to be relatively simple as none of us are experienced artists so the simpler the better as we dont want to spend too much time on each one. If you have any pictures or links to pictures can you private message me and I will give you my email to send them through. Hoping you all can help.
Jude these may not be better ideas but what about unicorns with wings, fairy castles or anything to do with fairies, fairyland waterfalls. It would be a very hard time for these parents and you and the other people involved in this deserve a big yay for the day. Do you put anything in the memory boxes or leave that to the parents?
That box in the photo is just gorgeous and what a wonderful thing you are doing for those parents, we have never been in the situation you describe but I truly believe it would be a great comfort to them, hugs and rainbows to you Jude for a beautiful job. When I get home I will have look for pictures and ideas for you. cheers Capricorn
If you come across any pictures in colouring books etc please send to me and I will put together a little folder to take to our painting sessions.
No we dont put anything in them they are solely for the parents to put their keepsakes in. Although their babies are gone the keepsakes are collected for years and years, it may only be photos of the cemetary or a bauble given to them for the xmas tree or a letter someone has written them on a Memory day or a certificate of a fun run in their Babies name or a piccy of a parcel under the KMart wishing tree. These are little ways the parents can still acknowledge their littles ones many many years down the track.
It is an honour to be just a little part of helping these parents. xx
Jude there are plenty of kids sites on the computer that let you have free downloads - they have great pictures. My little grand daughter always has me looking for something. As I said before what a wonderful thing you and the others are doing.
So nice that you do that, I cant wait to retire in a few months and start doing the things I have been putting off. Love your memory boxes so well done. Cheers Jen
That's a great idea Jude and it's great you can share their grief. My wife Joy makes smocked gowns, bonnets and booties for stillborn babies using doll patterns. It means so much to parents who have to go through all the trauma of burying their child....never goes away. Well done.
Regards Denis
-- Edited by hako on Wednesday 26th of February 2014 08:55:45 PM
Thanks for your reply, a huge bravo to your wife for the selfless hours she spends making the little smocked gowns and booties etc. I volunteer for Pregnancy Loss Australia as a support worker/hospital coordinator and over the 8-9 years Ive been doing that Ive met countless parents who have lost their Babies and many have proudly shown me piccys of their precious babies and many of them are in those little smocked gowns and knitted hats and booties. They are always incredibly grateful for these small gestures and when they have so few chances to create memories these beautifully made baby clothes are terribly important. No parent should ever survive their children its just not natural and you are so right it changes their lives forever and that trauma never goes away. Keep up the great work Denis' wife you are a star
Thank you Jen x
