Naming children is a compromise and Suz chose to create her page around what her children might have been called had either herself or their father been left alone to name them – very different options from where they ended up. Now of course she can’t imagine them being called anything else.
Suz has used an eclectic mix of Sassafras Lass, SEI, Hambly and Pink Paislee in colour-blocked areas for her page and the ever-versatile Been There Done That alpha rubons work in perfect harmony with the brand new Paper Trunk alpha stickers.
Caz has wanted to get the reason why she chose each of her children's names down on a scrapbooking page in a long time and this challenge has given her the ideal opportunity.
Starting with her eldest Darcy, this is what she has written -
Darcy Rae McLachlan -
Being our first child Daddy and I went through a book on baby names to try and work out what we wanted to call you. Daddy came up with Matthew, Luke and James for a boy, I had to double check that he hadn’t been going through the Bible by mistake. If you were a girl Daddy liked the name Kelly after his favourite character in married with children, I had no idea what I wanted to call you but I knew it was anything but Kelly.
Someone out our work had a little girl and called her Darcy. At first I just thought it was a weird name but the more I heard it the more it grew on me. A year and a half later when I realised I was pregnant that name was still in the back on my mind. I liked it because it was a unisex name that I liked for either a boy or a girl.
When I was in labour Mum came over to keep me company while I waited it out at home. She told me that she thought I was having a girl as the song Little Ray of Sunshine came on the radio when she was on her way over. And so when you were born, you became Darcy Rae, our little ray of sunshine.
Next it was on to her middle child Jordan.
Jordan Elaine McLachlan -
When I was pregnant with you we decided not to find out if you were a boy or a girl but to have another surprise. This meant the choosing of two names again. I have no idea what names Daddy chose for you. I think he was still hoping to get a girl called Kelly but that was never happening.
At the time my favourite movie was still Cocktail starring Tom Cruise and Bryan Brown. Tom Cruise ends up getting married to a beautiful, rich girl called Jordan. She has it all, money, looks and Tom Cruise (when he was young and cute and wasn’t jumping on couches).
Plus it was another unisex name. I liked it for both a boy and a girl, it was unusual without being too way out and it went well with the name Darcy. Now look at you, stunningly beautiful with the world at your feet. I don’t care if you are never rich, I just want you to be happy, and find your Tom Cruise to sweep you off your feet one day when you are ready.
And finally her youngest child, Jesse.
Jesse Michael John McLachlan -
Our surprise baby. Having two small girls I really wanted to know what you were going to be before you arrived. There was no way I was washing a mountain of tiny pink clothes if you were going to be born a boy. Daddy did not want to know so I had to keep it a secret from him for about 6 months. Talk about hard!
I was overjoyed that you were a boy. Not only because I knew Daddy would be wrapt but because I was all out of girl names that I liked. I did however have a name I liked for a boy. Jesse. I wanted to name you Jesse after Jesse Martin, the young Melbourne boy who became the youngest person to sail non-stop, single handed and unassisted around the world. A boy who knew what he wanted and wasn’t afraid to go after it. Jesse also worked for a boy or a girl with the added bonus that Daddy still wouldn't know what you were.
Daddy still had no idea right up until the minute you were born. I had purchased a tiny West’s Magpies football jersey and a little football and hidden them in my bag to give to him. You are lucky enough to have two middle names, Michael is Daddy and Poppy’s middle name and John is after my Dad who died before you were born.
Mel decided to use a photo of her two children for this challenge, journaling who each child was named after around the outer edge of the layout. The layers on the page were created using a combination of patterned paper, Jenni Bowlin crepe ribbon, Heidi Swapp black velvet flowers (and leaves) and Queen & Co felt fusion (jungle). To create the centre of the flower, Mel scrunched up a piece of the crepe ribbon and machine stitched it into position. The title was sprayed with glimmer mist before also being machine stitched into place to complete the layout.
