123 Get Scrappy - June

123 Get Scrappy have posed the following tic-tac-toe challenge and I have chosen the first line down; Pearls, Wood grain, Pearls. I have been wanting to complete a page using this photo of my siblings for some time but haven't found the right challenge or papers to do so; the added issue is that I am also trying to use my stash and only allowed myself one sheet of new paper, in this case the piece I used in the background.
This photo is of myself (in pale blue) and my siblings; an older brother and two younger sisters. It is difficult for us to get together; our middle sister (the one with dark hair) was posted in the Eastern States for 20 years, my youngest sister has lived in the USA for 15 years and our brother was in the Northern Territory for many years. I am the only one who has stayed close to home with the same address for all that time. This photo was taken many years ago on one of the few opportunities we have had together. We usually head south to Katanning to visit our maternal families and to pay our respects to our grandparents, great grandparents and other family members at the local cemetery. This time we chose to head north to a monastery town of New Norcia which just happens to be where  my wonderful husband and I met. I don't think we have been together since that day so many years ago. Together and remembering that Families are forever, love it!
Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave.

Once Upon A Sketch - The Best Things in Life aren't Things

Once Upon a Sketch has asked us to focus on what is most important in our lives and it is not things, they are not possessions. For me it has always been these four young men; our four sons. They are my life and they along with my husband are what my life and everything I do is about. This photo was taken in 2001 and is the first of the many photos taken that day and successive photo shoots that have been organised approximately every five years since this one. I don't know what we did right but these four young men, at this time in their teens, have turned into the most wonderful adults, all married, all with families of their own and all successfully employed in their own fields. I am constantly grateful that we got them to this stage without too much worry and very few moments of concern. We are truly blessed; they are the best things in my life and they are not things, they are 'my four sons'.

Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.

Let's Get Shabby - Double

Let's Get Shabby have asked us for a double; it doesn't matter what we double provided there is two of something... I almost always complete a double page as they are almost all for one of the children's albums so this challenge was easy for me. These photos were taken at the 2013 family photo shoot; three of our four son's (one was with us in spirit) and their Dad. One thing I have learned being the mother of four sons is that they don't 'hug' much, they do an odd close handshake or pat each other on the back but often their love is shown through the fun 'rough housing'. Here they were supposed to hug their Dad and it ended up with this stack's-on and the wonderful photographer, captured not only the moment but also the joy and love they share.

Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.

123 Challenge - June

123 Challenge caught my attention this month as the colour Blue is a favourite, Together is what my family is about and masking is something I like to try although I am still well short of being artistic with it!

This is a matching page of another challenge I completed this month from Once Upon a Sketch: the best things in life aren't things. This photo was taken the same day in a small creek side park near our home. We always have our family photos taken outside in natural settings as that very much speaks for the type of family we are. The boys loved being in the bush and were very fit from the many walks, camping, wood chopping and campfire picnics we used to take them on. There were so many different aspects for us to use on this day and so many photos of us together, in groups and individual photos. I was grateful to be given all the negatives by the photographer 12 years after this photo was taken.  Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.

Sketchabilities - 116

Sketchabilities always provide us with a multi-layered sketch and I have always struggled with layering so I make my best attempt. I am sure I have spoken of these photos before; my four sons from the 2009 family photo shoot and sadly, the last one of them all together. They gotten together the night before and planned to wear the atypical Aussie young man casual wear; denim shorts, navy blue singlet, thongs (flip flops for those outside Australia), and dark sunnies. They arrived and exited their all wheel drive vehicles together and waited for my reaction. It was a really cold morning but after laughing (to their relief) I made them stay in those cloths long enough for these wonderful and treasured photos to be taken before changing into their jeans, shirts and shoes for the rest of the photos to be taken. Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.

 

Scrap the Girls - June

I don't think to play with the challenges at Scrap the Girls often but was on a roll this month with completed challenges to decided to see what was on offer. The colours and challenge were interesting so I based this page on the inspiration from the new banner; the deep pink, and the word 'banner'.

This is our only granddaughter; 'Now and then life' sends you a little curve ball just to keep you interested; we didn't think we would every have a little female born to our family! These photos were also taken at our recent family photo shoot. She was a little shy that day and there were not as many photos taken of her as I had expected; the others all have her with apple juice on her face! I love the little cloche hat and the black patent leather boots!

Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.

Scrap the Boys - June

Scrap the Boys have noted the use of the smaller sized photos is growing and have challenged us to use a photo greater than 6x4; this one is a 5x7. This photo is of our second eldest son dressed in a lovely suit and cravat as groomsman for his eldest brothers wedding 10 years ago. I have always made sure even as little ones that they were well presented and our sons have always been careful dressers, they enjoy clothing and don't mind shopping for clothes. I must tell you though; my heart just melts and tears well up when I see my sons in suits for each others weddings. I adore them in a suit. They are all tall from 6'2" to this one at 6'4", they have broad shoulders and trim wait with long legs and have the great bone structure from their Dad. They are a handsome bunch!

Thank you for looking and any comments you may leave, best wishes.