Product Critique: Everlasting Memories

I was offered a keepsake of my choice from the site Everlasting Memories and the photo engraved jewelry was suggested. It kind of threw me for a loop for a second. I DO have a photo of Gabriel, but not one that I'd be comfortable displaying. I was intrigued by the gorgeous cremation jewelry that allows you to put a little bit of cremains inside to carry with you but I didn't want to disturb Gabriel's ashes that are currently sealed in a little wooden box.

 After several days I decided on the Stainless Steel Photo Engraved Keychain but instead of a photo I asked that it be inscribed with a scripture.

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven" Ecclesiastes 3:1

The representative was wonderful to work with and very interested in helping me pick just the right item as a keepsake. Shipping was very quick and it is nicer than I had expected. Very solid touchstone- I find myself rubbing it while I'm holding my keys, kind of like a little worry stone.

The inscription is perfect except for the fact that I picked a longish verse and the print is very, very tiny. Except, you know what? Gabriel was very, very tiny. I know what it says and anyone who cares to look closely will too.

This would be a perfect mother's day or father's day gift. I love it, and I love that it can be personalized to be just right.

Personal Shrine Collage

 

I'm participating in a Day of the Dead art swap over at Mother Henna. 

I'm a super type A and it is really hard for me to let go and let the art magic happen. However, I discovered two things. One, I'm becoming obsessed with Day of the Dead. A day to remember and celebrate our loved ones? Bring it on. And, Two, I really love collage. I mean, I love it. I especially like cutting out words from magazines and watch as a message from the universe appears to me.

I made these personal shrines. They are inspired by the tin 'nichos' in Latin American culture where you make a tiny shrine featuring a symbol or item that is special to you. They use mason jar lids since mason jars are all hip and in style right now. Also cheap. And now that I've started I can't stop. I want to make a million of them. My son is getting baptized this weekend (at the age of 8, it's a big deal) and I want to make a little shadowbox shrine to commemorate that. I want to make one with my great grandmother's photo and her broach I have. I want to make one to honor Gabriel with his sandname photo and some shells and a little bottle of sand.

Here are a few photos from the ones I made from the swap- I kept my two favorite. The red one that says, "Dream" and one not pictured that says, "Discover the Path"

Collage. Who knew?

Aloha Remembered- your baby's name in the sand

Aloha means hello, goodbye, love, peace, compassion and mercy- A perfect word for the many emotions a mom feels who has had too short a time with her baby.

My sister wrote Gabriel's name in the sand of a beach close to her home on the North Shore of Hawaii. It is a beach set aside as a ‘quiet place of reflection’. It seems so suitable to me that it is not a permanent thing, but rather, just like Gabriel, it is here for just a minute and then gone. But for a brief moment, the world is a little different because of him.

For the next few weeks we will be accepting names for our Aloha Remembered project. You can request your baby's name by clicking the link and checking out through the sidebar. Please put your baby's name in the 'notes'.http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gif

Please submit your request by NOVEMBER 20. We are going to be charging for this service so that we will able to donate from the proceeds. Thanks for letting us do this for you.

peace-
emily

Good Works and Creativity- April newsletter

If I had a single flower for every time I think about you,
I could walk forever in my garden. ~Attributed to Claudia Ghandi

Chance is always powerful, let your hook always be cast;
in the pool where you least expect it, there will be a fish.
~Ovid

Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. ~Maori Proverb



Have I really not sent an email for almost 3 months! Oh, my. Sorry about that.

I have a hard time in the spring. It is beautiful, with all the trees in bloom and little shoots of hopeful flowers peeking out of the mud. But the change in temperature reminds me that it will soon be May. Gabriel was stillborn the week of Mother's Day. I feel myself wanting to curl up in a ball and go to bed.

And so, I try to look outside of myself. To motivate myself to do some good in the world. At least for the weeks leading up to Gabriel's day I try to give to others. On his day itself I allow myself to shut down and make it all about me, but for the next few weeks I try to give.

I have heard the idea of creating our children's legacy. The idea that our kids are not here to create their own legacies themselves, so we have the responsibility to do it for them. By our kindness projects and acts of service.

I am always amazed by the generosity and creativity of grieving moms. That in the midst of their grief, they are able to reach out and help someone else. Way to go, moms! Your kids are proud of you.

There is no way to list all of the good works going on out there, but let me just highlight a few. Click their links to find out more info. If you have a project you are doing, I'd love to hear about it- send me the information and I'll post it on my blog.

Stephanie has the Sweet Pea Project, in memory of her daughter Madeline. She collects blankets to donate to hospitals.

Kathryn at Expectant Hearts blog has her project, Something for Seth, where she is collecting onesies, socks and pillowcases to donate to her hospital. They just remembered Seth's 2nd birthday, but it is my understanding this is an ongoing project.

Lisa's Waterfall Angels started in memory of her son Jasper. I love the gorgeous photo she did for Gabriel.

Lea's Angel Wings memorial boutique, in memory of her son Nicholas. I love the photo of Gabriel's wings she sent me.

The on-going project of my sister and I: Aloha Remembered. If you'd like your child's name written in the sand in Hawaii we'd love to do this for you. We do charge a small amount and then donate from the profits.

And I know many of you participate in March of Dimes in memory of your children. Send me your link and I'll post it on my blog.

((Hugs)) to all moms missing their children today.
peace-
emily

Waterfall Angels

I love this site- what gorgeous photos and what a wonderful idea. I am constantly amazed by the creativity and generosity of fellow angel moms. ((hugs)) to us all.

The secret club none of us wanted to join

I know that after Gabriel died it seemed that I was running into pregnant women everywhere. The grocery. Church. Out running errands. And if they weren't pregnant, they often had little kids and babies. Lots of babies. Everywhere I went, seemed like.

I've heard other moms say they felt this way, as well.

What was hard to remember is that often we are also seeing moms who have had babies die. I have heard statistics that indicate that 1 out of 4 pregnancies results in a pregnancy loss. It may be as high as 1 out of 3. Crazy. Unreal.

So why do people not talk about it? Why must grieving moms feel so alone? What if there was a symbol so that we could recognize each other?

A while back I ordered some rubber band bracelets. They are very similar to the yellow 'lance armstrong' bracelets, but with different wording. The white ones say "Remembering Our Babies" and have little footprints. I have heard that dads are wearing these, as well. When it was requested to make smaller ones for siblings I ordered the pink/blue swirl ones that say "Remembering" with footprints.

I sell these bracelets on my site.

ORIGINAL bracelets are White, and debossed with the words "Remembering Our Babies". They also have a small baby feet symbol. These are an adult size. They are 8.5 inches measured around the bracelet.

PINK/BLUE SWIRL bracelets are SMALLER youth size for women with small wrists or for siblings. These say REMEMBERING and have the baby feet logo. They are 7.5 inches measured around the bracelet.

These are perfect for support groups, mementos for memory walks, or to use in fundraising. Bulk pricing is available, please email me at nickwilberg@hotmail.com. I try to keep a quantity in stock but may need to reorder depending on demand.

peace-
emily

Angel Wings Memorial Boutique

Lea from Angel Wings Memorial Boutique sent me this beautiful photo awhile ago. I absolutely love it. Thank you, Lea!

I want to point you in her direction, if you haven't visited her site already. I'm so touched to see all our children's names.

What a wonderful way to honor the love and memory of her son, Nicholas. And such a beautiful idea to help heal the heart of moms (and dads) missing their children.

peace-
emily

A kind gesture

I opened my email today and found this beautiful photo from Holly (caring4carleigh)



How beautiful! I love it. Such a simple thing that means so much- seeing Gabriel's name and knowing that I'm not the only one who remembers him.

Thank you, thank you
((hugs))

Say It With Flowers

Look at this lovely lovely site!

BP/USA: Butterfly Release

On Sunday morning they had a butterfly release- has anyone ever attended one? The butterflies come in these little triangles of paper and you can feel and hear them fluttering to get out of there. You have to hold them carefully in order not to damange the butterflies.

When you open the papers, some of the butterflies take off- up and away. Some of them flutter and land on nearby people (this less than flattering shot of me is because Eric's mom's butterfly landed on me and I was trying to hold real still) And some of them come out and then land on the ground and kind of flop around for a bit as they warm up and get going. My daughter's butterfly did that- it was pretty traumatic as we didn't know if maybe it was hurt or damaged but we were able to pick him up and put him on the bush nearby and he finally found his wings.

Here's the symbolic part- I thought of these little butterflies struggling, confused, trapped in the darkness and then released to fly free and beautiful.

This and That

I just wanted to point you in the direction of the SHARE newsletter for this month. It is really quite excellent on making memories, including memorial gardens, journaling, creative arts and my own Aloha Remembered site

I hope you'll get a chance to check it out.

Also, speaking of SHARE, my friend Rose sent me this in an email this week:

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you Come to the garden alone,
while the dew is still on the roses...




FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING,
PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:



1. Peace of mind
2. Peace of heart
3. Peace of soul





PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH:

1. Squash gossip
2. Squash indifference
3. Squash grumbling
4. Squash selfishness





PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE:

1. Lettuce be faithful
2. Lettuce be kind
3. Lettuce be patient
4. Lettuce really love one another




NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS:


1. Turnip for meetings
2. Turnip for service
3. Turnip to help one another




TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:


1. Thyme for each other
2.. Thyme for family
3.. Thyme for friends


WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE
AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE.
THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN BECAUSE
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.
NOT BAD, HUH?!

Sweet Pea Stones

My friend Stephanie over at the Sweet Pea Project has a new project called Sweet Pea Stones

The Sweet Pea Project started when Stephanie's daughter Madeline was stillborn at 41 weeks. Stephanie has been able to do great good by returning to the hospital where Madeline was born and speaking to the staff about what she appreciated and what she regretted. One of her regrets was that she did not get to keep the blanket Madeline had been wrapped in during the time she and her husband held their daughter.

The Sweet Pea Project has been collecting blankets to donate to grieving parents who will leave the hospital without their babies. Her newest project is the Sweet Pea Stones- sweet little garden stones sculpted with your baby's name.

I hope you will visit her site and help support this wonderful cause. There are so many regrets when you lose a baby- not having a blanket to remember your time with your baby should not be one of them.

peace-
emily

Aloha Remembered

I was invited to write about my sand site for the next SHARE newsletter, so I decided to also post here in the event that some of you may not know about this site.

I was recently invited to send in photos of my kids for a slideshow presentation. That stopped me for a minute. Gabriel was stillborn at 21 weeks and while I do have a photo of him, it is not one I often share with just anyone. And then I remembered his sand photo.

My sister wrote his name in the sand of a beach close to her home on the Windward Shore of Hawaii. It is a beach set aside as a ‘place of quiet reflection’. I love how the photo turned out- and it seems so suitable to me that it is not a permanent thing, but rather, just like Gabriel, it is here for just a minute and then gone. But for a brief moment, the world is a little different because of him.


At times it seems he was just a figment of my imagination. I am always looking to find ways to remember him and it is a comfort to see his name in print as another verification that he DID exist.


If you'd like us to write your child's name we'd love to do it. Please visit our site www.AlohaRemembered Aloha means hello, goodbye, love, peace, compassion and mercy- A perfect word for the many emotions a mom feels who has had too short a time with her baby. Aloha Remembered is a place for us to remember all our babies gone from us too soon.


peace-

emily

Aloha Remembered

You may know I have taken down my sand-site-that-shall-not-be-named but you may not know we are still taking photos of our babies names in the sand.

Check out our new site Aloha Remembered

My sister lives on the windward shore of Hawaii- there is a beach there designated as a 'quiet place of rememberance' and she will take photos of our babies names. I will post your baby's photo on our site, and you can choose to either receive the high res image by email or an 8x10 by snail mail.

We have decided to start charging for this project, so we are able to donate from the profits. Some places we have donated so far include March of Dimes, SHARE and my hospital's bereavement committee.

I picked the name "Aloha Remembered" because the photos are taken in Hawaii and the word Aloha means both hello, and goodbye. Actually, it means quite a bit more than that, including peace, love, compassion. So fitting. All these things I said and felt to my baby as I said both hello, goodbye, and 'I love you' to Gabriel all at once. 7 years ago this Sunday

If you have a button on your blog from my other site, THANK YOU. But be aware that site is no longer active. I'm working on a button for our new Aloha Remembered site and hope to have it up soon.

Hanami Prints

I just discovered this site and wanted to share it with all of you- so many beautiful items. They have gorgeous jewelry, angel announcements, candles, and so many rememberance items. They are offering free shipping until 4/30

They also have a page with quite a few quotes. Some of my favorites I found there include:

The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough
— Tagore

There are no goodbyes for us. Wherever you are, you will always be in my heart
— Gandhi

Hanami Prints

Hanami Prints Quotes Page

Remembering Our Babies Bracelets

In the early days after Gabriel's death, it was very difficult to go out in public. It seemed there were pregnant women and babies everywhere I looked. What took me a while to realize is that I was also probably seeing women who had experienced loss, too. But although a baby dying crushes you inwardly, there is no outward sign or symbol.

An orphan is someone who has lost their parents. A widow or widower is someone who has lost their spouse. But someone grieving their child? Our language has no word for that particular person. Just mom. Grieving mom. Or dad.

How awesome it would be if we could recognize each other. If we could walk into a PTA meeting, or church, or grocery store and know that the other person we are talking to knows our particular pain. That they understand.

These rubber band bracelets were created to be just such a symbol. The white ones say "Remembering Our Babies" and have a little baby footprints. Dads are wearing these, too.

The smaller pink and blue 'swirl' ones just say "Remembering" and also have the baby footprints. They are for women with smaller wrists, or for siblings.

Because none of us should feel that we are alone.

peace-
emily

To order bracelets, please visit PregnancyLossRibbons.com I do donate from the profit from this site.

Sparrow Farm Creations

Heather from It Only Hurts When I Breathe blog posted this gorgous print her cousin made for her with little plants from her garden. I love love love it. Fantastic.

You can get details on:
Sparrow Farm Creations site

I'm going to run right over there and order one for Gabriel.

Thanks for pointing me over there, Heather!

Beautiful Bracelets

Rose from SHARE emailed me about these gorgeous bracelets

She writes:
I’ve been making these for years. The first one I made was several years ago as a gift to my friend Barb (whose baby’s name I had your sister write in the sand) on the 3rd anniversary of Hannah’s stillbirth. I had just started making jewelry as a hobby, and it sort of snowballed from there. I ended up making 15 of them that we sold at the Angel Ball that year, and I have given them often as gifts and donations to silent auctions, etc. I usually don’t sell them as it’s such a special bracelet to me, and I feel guilty making money from it.

Any money made is going to benefit SHARE. Take a look. If you click on the photo to make it larger it shows even more 'sparkly'- the photo doesn't really do it justice.

Thanks, Rose!

peace-
emily

I Heart This

If you have never heard of Etsy you have a treat in store for you. Get a beverage, turn off your phone and settle in for some serious browsing and drooling.

Etsy is kind of like Ebay, but everything is handmade. I super love handmade.

Etsy is where I first came across Lindy Longhurst and her Serpent Mandalas Shop. You've heard me rave over her stuff before. Take a look again. Love love love the colors and characters. They speak to me.

But THIS is the shop I can not stay away from today. I keep going back to press my face against their window and drool. I so want one of these bangle bracelets for Mother's Day this year. Or THIS Mother's Circle PendantAnd you know what? I might just order it.

Mother's Day is always a toughie for me because Gabriel's anniversary falls that week before. But this year Gabriel's date is on Sunday. Mother's Day. Yeouch. So if I want to spend some money on myself I just may do that.

Anyway, back to shopping.

How about these delicious looking cupcakes? How cute are these? I have heard they are wonderful. I can't vouch for them myself because I can't justify spending $8.50 per cupcake. So I keep going back and looking at their shop. And licking my computer screen. But if anyone wants to know I'd like one of each. Especially the New Nut Job, Plain Jane in a Party Dress, and a PMS/Chocolate Overload. Thank you.

I'd love to hear what your favorite etsy sellers and items are.

Off to browse some more

peace-
emily

Storybook Keepsake Blanket

I wanted to show you this beautiful Storybook Keepsake Blanket How lovely! What a precious way to tell your baby's story.

I'm sorry I haven't posted much lately. I've been on a deadline from work and busy busy busy. Then I try to get on the computer and my husband has the nerve to ask where dinner is! (or clean clothes, or why the dishes haven't been done all week or was I thinking about maybe picking up around here a little bit??) Ok, he doesn't actually ask that. But he should. That guy is a saint.

I talk to you all day, in my head. Kind of scary. I'll post soon. And don't forget you've still got a few more days to enter the giveaway.

Hope you are being good to yourself! You deserve it.

peace- emily