Name: Anita Astle
Organisation: Unique clay creation babies
Award Category: Cherished Keepsake
Sponsored By:
Voting Is Now Closed
My Plea:
I sculpt little angel babies to resemble little Angel’s lost with as much detail as possible in which I gather from the parents and photographs. To not only bring comfort but little keepsakes to , many parents have said it’s the closest thing they have to bringing there babies home again.
The big question “what made you start sculpting”?
On Monday 25th September 2006, @ 19:35pm I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl called Alyssia. Alyssia was born asleep at 26weeks gestation weighing 1lb 3oz due to a cephalic disorder called Holoprosencephaly (HPE) in which the prosencephalon (forebrain of the embryo) fails to develop into two hemispheres. Normally, the forebrain is formed and the face begins to develop in the fifth and sixth weeks of pregnancy . Although this was the case Alyssia looked perfect in every way and it just seemed so unfair.
I remember leaving the hospital without her the following morning and my life was never to be the same again, a long awaited for little girl just GONE!
We wasn’t aware of her condition until our 20+ week scan they picked up some abnormalities but wasnt sure what so we had to go back for more specialists scans which is where they detected the forebrain was infact missing. 2 days later I was to give birth naturally to my baby. We didn’t know the baby’s sex until she was born which in a sense made it so much harder if that’s even possible. I always longed for a little girl and she couldn’t stay.
So in 2014 I took up a little hobby playing around with clay and moulding and started making little babies. I shared my little creations on my Facebook page and they become very popular and loved by many. So I decided to go for it and push myself and my skills further, the better they become the more popular they were reaching an audience overseas.
I was so overwhelmed so I set up a page specially for my little creations so people could see my work. I have made so many tiny babies each being so special and made with so much love and dedication. Or as I often quote “Most will see just a ball of clay , but to me its someone’s baby”.
I have worked with so many beautiful little Angel’s and there families over the years , We have shared our stories and memories, tears and sometimes just chatted away. I like to be there for them through the journey of there baby being made, I send photos at each stage so they have that magical experience sometimes I even listen to the babies special songs as I make them to build that connection and it’s just magical from start to finish. I must admit it can be emotionally draining and hard at times but Its so worth it I wouldn’t change it for the world. Helping these parents heal also heals me at the same time within my journey of grief, I’m so truly thankful to all the wonderful parents and the little angels I’ve met you have all healed a tiny piece of my heart in which I’ll be forever grateful.
So it brings us back to the question “what made me start sculpting babies”
I started sculpting as a therapy to self heal and as they grew parents also wanted to heal through my work, my inspiration is my angel baby girl Alyssia she is who pushes me and gives me the love and strength I need to help bring comfort and little keepsakes to you. I take no credit for my work as I pass it all to her. And through her UNIQUE CLAY CREATION BABIES was born.
In 2017 I went on to doing angel portraits SKETCH FROM THE HEART which has been another comfort to many as I sketch there little darlings into family portraits they were never here to sit , I made a family complete just how it should of always been.
Reflecting back on it all now it’s just so overwhelming and I can never thank you all enough for how much you’ve helped me over the years, and then to be nominated for the butterfly awards has blew me away, I guess you never think your worthy but hearing and reading the nominations was so heart warming. Seeing the love and appreciation for my work and me as a person just means so much.
Working and meeting so many strong inspiring parents and Angel’s over the years is the best reward I could ever be given. And I thank each and everyone of you I’ve had the pleasure of working with for allowing my little inspiration to live on through my work.
Much love and strength to you all.
Thank you
Nita.
Xxx
What Others Have Said
Anita is an amazing hard working angel mummy, the work that she puts in to make us angel mummy’s feel a little better is incredible, Anita makes beautiful clay babies, they look exactly like our own beautiful angels, it’s something we can keep forever, she has made so many angel mummy’s happy including myself! Anita also makes beautiful hand drawn pictures of our angels, for us to keep and frame, they are stunning she works so so hard.
Amazing and wonderful lady anita deserves to win
Thank you vickey xx
Much love and strength to you x
I have many babys that nita as made she is a very talented lady some of my babys as been so comforting as for members if lost ones she is so spot on with all she does I love mine and would recommend having them she works so hard on them .
Thank you Debbie means alot xx
Much love x
Anita is a beautiful compassionate lady who puts her heart and soul into her lovely work. <3
Anita puts in alot of hard work and love into every baby or drawing she does. She loves a challenge and enjoys helping people with their loss. She’s an inspiration
Thank you Zoe x
Anita should win
Thank you so much jen xx
Much love x
Anita is an amazing person and mum inside an out couldn’t think of anyone better for the award xx
Thank you Leah means alot xx
Absolutely amazing lady goes above and beyond to make sure others have something special for there angel
Thank you amy xx
Much love x
I sadly came across Anita’s page on fb because I had lost triplets. From the moment we first spoke she was so very understanding and created exactly what I was looking for, keeping me involved at every step of the way as Anita wanted to make sure what she was creating was going to be perfect as she knows how much these sculptures are cherished. When my parcel arrived in the post and I unwrapped my angel babies, I had a sense of my babies being finally home. I really hope that Anita wins as I felt she helped with some sort of closure for myself and helped me get to the next part in my grief. Good luck Anita xxx
Thank you for your kind words Roxanne, it was a magical journey I’ll treasure forever x
Anita really works hard comforting others even through her grief thinking of others as well.x
Nita is a very talented lady with a big heart. She makes beautiful, unique clay babies for bereaved parents, bringing some comfort at a very difficult time. She deserves to win this award and I hope that everyone will vote for her.
Thank you so much Mary xx
Nita is a true inspiration, when she creates an angel for you, she takes you on a little journey throughout the process, she makes every detail so real and makes your angel so special. And when they arrive you are never disappointed, because it is just like your angel. Nita is a very special lady. Lynn XX
Thank you Lynn much love to you x
These are absolutely stunning! Honestly, such a beautiful tribute to the mommas who have lost their little ones. Always remembered and never forgotten.
Thank you Amanda hun much love x
Anita is an amazing lady who makes her Angel and living babies very proud the hard work she puts into everything and everything she makes is amazing
Nita deserve to win
Nita puts her heart and soul into lots of different ways to help us honor and pay love to our angel babies.
Her work is outstanding and blows me away.
Definitely a winner in my eyes
A hardworking mum who loves with her very soul her Angel’s are a reflection of her and her babies.