Displaying images and memorabilia...

[Cheryl Haggard]

I would like to share with the parents how I have choosen to display some of our images of Maddux and personal memorabilia throughout our home. As a mother, it is so important to me to display my childrens portraits and art work. I am one of those (extremely) proud mothers. (Can a mother be too proud?) I have no other pictures hanging in my home, except those of my children. When Maddux was born, and going through everything we went through, he was NOT going to be the exception. His portraits were going to hang right in the middle of it all. He deserved that much!

Please know, that this is my personal experience, and I am not suggesting to anyone to do things my way. (or else) This is just what has helped me and my family, our experience only.

If what you see here, gives you ideas, gives you hope, and you choose to try them, good for you. All of us here, would like to hear suggestions or ideas from other parents that have experienced the death of a child. We need to be a support for eachother, and all parents and families that are experiencing this heartache.

We are shaping and molding the minds of the next generation, and how our children view life and death. I don't want my children to fear death, or life. I want them to live their lives to the fullest, and enjoy the gift of life they have been given. Maddux is a part of their daily lives, and will always be.

**Below, are just some of the ways I have choosen to display the images of Maddux. I want people to walk into my home and feel comfortable with seeing his images. Just to see the beauty of his being.
**Other ways I have choosen to display Maddux, are through the casts of his hands and feet. I have a wall of just artwork that I display of the children. He is in the middle of it all.
**In another area are the prints of his hands and feet.
**As you enter our home, there are the large portraits that we personally purchased through Sandy Puc' of Expressions Photography. (Please know-that we chose to purchase additional portraits of our son. We were not forced, or coerced into doing so.) (All images are given to NILMDTS parents on a printable CD file at no cost.) Nothing has to be purchased through the affiliated photographer.
**Finally, I have a Willow Tree family. Each piece represents a member in our family. Chase and Mike are represented together, Natalie (blondie) and I are represented together, Anna (dark hair) is holding the gray cat (our cat is named Macy Gray - he looks like a russian blue shorthair) and then Baby Maddux in the middle of all of us...

I hope you enjoy...
Cheryl

[Tammy]

Cheryl~
I really like how you have your memories of Maddux displayed in your home. Very beautiful. One day I hope to be to the point where the things we have for Chase can be displayed too. We are slowly working towards that.

[Andrea Hillis]

Cheryl, you did a great job. I am a fan of large wall portraits, they are beautiful!

A.

[erinm]

Cheryl,
I was wondering how you did the picture with all the pictures. If that makes sense. The one on stairs in your house, on the left, with all the little pictures. I would like to do that.


Erin

[Cheryl Haggard]

Erin,

I purchased this collection through Sandy Puc' with Expressions Photography in Littleton Colorado. It normally is a collection of 9 images, but I special ordered for 16. If you are interested in a collection like this, talk with Jen, and ask her for a price quote. This would need to be purchased through her.

When we started NILMDTS we started with the thought of just donating one 8x10 image and a DVD/Slideshow presentation of their images to music. But after having had sessions with a few families and knowing how important it is to the families to have EVERY image of their child, we decided to release all images on a cd file for their personal use. That way parents can print to an 8x10 size and any quanity they want. This had to be available to all families, and not just the families that could afford to have professional photographs taken. We understand that some families will be able to afford to purchase additional product, and some will not, but straight across the board, all families receive all images on file and at no cost. (I personally would have paid any amount of money for Maddux's images.)

I would love to see what you eventually decide to do with the images of Tyler. I found it so important to have Maddux's images displayed in our home. He is and will always be a member of our family, whether he is physically with us or not. I am glad you are taking this first step. Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Later today, I will post a few more images and ideas that I did for Maddux through out our home.
Blessings,
Cheryl



**Please know, that all affiliated photographers donate their time, services and all images on a printable cd file to our parents at NO cost. We ask that they hold no image back for required purchase. Parents are not required to make additional purchases from affiliated photographers. If a parent wishes to purchase larger images , matting or framing for their personal use, they may do so at normal studio costs.

[erinm]

Cheryl,
Thank you for the reply. I do want to start having pictures of Tyler displayed. He is my only child. I have all these little memorabilia like hats, footprints, recorded heartones, ultrasound pics, ultrasoundvideo, and now wonderful pictures. I dont know what to do with all the stuff, but I want to something very thoughtful. Right now it sits in our living room on top of a little entertainment center kind of like a shrine almost. All of Tyler's little things. I would love to see more of your ideas ofr displaying stuff.

Erin

[Cheryl Haggard]

Erin, Have you thought of scrapbooking Tyler a baby book? That would be a wonderful way to display Tyler's images. Also see the post regarding preserving your ultrasound photos. It's important that you copy them on good photo paper. Those images will fade with time. Also what about a shadow box with his little hat, and an image. Maybe with a piece of ribbon tied onto a special rattle or toy that you purchased for him. I have Maddux's foot and hand casts in a shadow box with a little bear. Best place to purchase these are at Hobby Lobby or Michaels-they have a wider selection. Make sure if you use any product (like stickers for his name) that these items are acid and lignin free. That way they won't fade or damage anything next to it.

Another idea is to make stationary out of his hand or foot prints. If you don't know how to do this, I would be more than happy to help you. (I am going to try to scan an image-Maddux's foot print is really light on this, so I don't know if it will show up too well-here goes...)

[erinm]

Cheryl,
Those are all great ideas. I think I may do some of those.
Also, I would like to make some stationary. I will let you know when I am ready to do that and I would love some help.

Erin
Mother to Tyler Joel born to heaven 3/3/06

[erinm]

Cherly,
Where is the post about preserving ultrasound photos? I couldnt find it

Erin

[Patrick_Hutchinson]

Here ya' go, Erin.

http://www.nowisleep.com/showthread.php?t=4

Regards,
Patrick

[Erica Stone]

This is above our bed... we've got some others around the house, but this is the biggie.

1517

[BreManley]

Erica,
That is beautiful. Matthew must just love that collage, it is truly beautiful! Love It!!

[Sandy "Sam" Puc']

Wow, Erica,
The images and presentation looks amazing...Little Matthew will forever be in my heart.
peace-
Sam

[CMatros]

Tears come to my eyes after seeing what everyone has....all we have are our two little ornaments...a collage of Anna's one good picture, folder from the funeral home and the program from her funeral that our neighbor made for us...she put in a lot of time and energy to make something like this, which we actually have in our living room now and I can look at it without crying. I have pictures that the nurse in the nursery took after Anna died, but nothing even close to professional like you guys have...believe me...I would never want to go through all this again, but I now believe that I would have done things differently and had someone take more professional pictures. Obviously what's done is done, but I just wish that I could have one more chance.

[Sherry Petri]

Carrie,
If you are interested, try sending your pictures that the nurse in the nursery took of Anna to babyangelpics.com. If they weren't digital, try to find a good scanner or contact them and they might give you an address to mail them to. The program is free for 2 photos. The man who owns the business felt compelled to start this program. They can do what you may think is impossible(they did for my Jonathan's pictures). I was able to show my 8 year old what his baby brother looked like after I had his picture touched up. I was surprised at his surprise that I had seen more than Jonathan's feet. Anyway, I just wanted to share the info with you in case it might help.