Photo Engraved Jewelry from Jewelry Keepsakes

I was recently contact by Hallie from Jewelry Keepsakes about doing an evaluation of one of their photo engraved necklaces. I was incredibly honored she chose me to do a review of one of their products. I have never gotten one of their pieces before nor heard of their site so I was looking forward to browsing through the selection on their website and seeing what they have to offer. I was quite surprised at the wide variety.
I browsed through the selection of photo engraved jewelry to find one I might like. I took my time in selecting what I wanted because I didn’t want to pick something and then wish I had gotten something else. When I had questions about different pieces, Hallie was very helpful and had all the answers I needed. She helped me to select the pendant that was right for me. Once I decided what I wanted I sent a photo and what I wanted engraved on the back. Hallie said that she would put the order in and it would ship out. Incredibly, I got it the very next day! I was very surprised (and elated) at how quickly I got it.
I opened it up like a kid opening up their presents on Christmas morning. I saw my pendant with Carleigh’s picture and it was absolutely beautiful. I was actually speechless! I was amazed at how well Carleigh’s photo had been engraved on the pendant. The detail was very good.

I flipped it over and looked at the back where I had it engraved with her name, birth date, and the words “Always Loved”.

Included with the pendant was a 22 inch chain. I put the pendant on the chain and tried it on. When handling the chain it seemed very strong and I’m very certain it could withstand any pulling from my kids. The ring holding the pendant onto the necklace is quite thick. Unlike some of the other pendants I have, I know that I don’t have to worry about this pendant falling off my necklace from daily wear or from being pulled on. I actually lost Carleigh’s cross from her necklace this way when it fell off on when we were at a local museum. I was never able to recover it (and I haven’t yet replaced it).

The pendant is a little larger than what I would normally wear but I love it so much that I don’t even care. I did put the pendant with my hand/footprint pendant and her baby ring to see how well they would mesh together and I loved how it looked. Now I can put them all together and switch back and forth when I want to wear a small chain or larger chain. The pendant I chose was available in silver or gold tone. I chose the gold so I would be able to put it with my other necklace if I wanted.
To get an idea of the actual size of the pendant, I put a dime next to it.

In addition to the chain that was sent to me, I also receive a cord to hang it from my rear view mirror in my car. I put it on the cord and tried it out. It looked really nice hanging there. The cord is clear with two magnetic ends, which made it super simple to put on and take off the mirror.

While browsing through the website, I looked at the different price ranges they offer. Everything is reasonably priced. There are cheaper options and more expensive options for those buying on different budgets. I would gladly pay for my pendant what it is currently priced. I think it’s a great deal for a great pendant.
In summary, I am overall very satisfied with Jewelry Keepsakes and would recommend to anyone looking for photo jewelry to check them out. The quality and customer service is great! Their jewelry would make a great gift to yourself, a friend, or a family member. (They even do pets!)

Grace for the Journey Conference

October 13th was the very first conference hosted by Sufficient Grace Ministries. We traveled up to Northern Michigan and the conference was held in the Petoskey area, so pretty far up there!

Kelly, my cousin Jillian, and I left Thursday evening to travel up to a cabin my family co-owns near Gaylord, MI. We got there around 10 pm (maybe later?) and got everything unpacked. We stayed up for a little bit and then hit the sack to get some sleep after being in the car for over 5 hours (me longer since I had to drive up to NW Ohio to get the other gals).

Woke up in the morning to a beautiful view of Bluegill Lake. So much beauty in God’s creation!

After some yummy cinnamon rolls, we got ready and set off for Petoskey as we had a meeting with a hospital in the area to talk about the ministry. The unit was very busy and we ended up having to leave and come back but that was no big deal since we just went and ate some lunch at a small family restaurant with some good food! The meeting went very well with some of the nurses and the manager from the unit and we left some information and items with them from SGM.

The pics below are on the way to Petoskey (such colors!) and driving in Petoskey (you can see Lake Michigan).

On the way to and back from Petoskey we noticed this little shop called String of Pearls in Elmira, MI. We stopped by on the way back and took some pics of it and then popped in to see what it was but didn’t stay long since it was already past closing but we went back the next morning to browse some more. The name of the store reminded us of the organization String of Pearls, which helps families with fatal diagnoses in pregnancy. I ended up getting a really cool clock for my house and also got another for the new space for SGM. :)

On Friday evening (Oct 12th), we ate at a local restaurant in Gaylord, MI called Big Buck Brewery. They have really good food and beer too (so I hear lol). I always get their homemade root beer. It’s good stuff! Kelly and I got 64 oz of root beer each to take home with us!

On the way back to the cabin I stopped by a little area on the other side of Bluegill Lake so that Kelly could take some pictures. The sky at dusk was very pretty over the lake. By the time we got home Friday evening we were pretty tired! We just put on our pajamas and relaxed the rest of the night before turning in.

On Saturday morning (Oct 13th) we got up and had some more cinnamon rolls and took off to Walmart to grab some more last minute things for the conference before heading to Petoskey. (Oh yeah, and we stopped by the String of Pearls too before heading up.)

Once we got to where we needed to be we unloaded and started setting stuff up. The time went by really fast and it seemed 5 pm was right on us and we were still trying to get things the way we needed but we ended up making it. The most trouble we had was with the computer for the powerpoints (of course).

Kelly spoke first and shared about SGM and her family’s story, Jenny spoke second and shared about her story and what to say and what not to say to families who are grieving. Kelly also threw some giveaways in the mix.

After Jenny spoke, we had an intermission and went downstairs to eat some BBQ pork, chips, and cupcakes. Holy cow that BBQ pork that Kelly brought was DELICIOUS!! And the cupcakes were so yummy too! When our bellies were full enough we came back upstairs and some of those who were in attendance had to leave. Then it was my turn to speak! I spoke about how to incorporate your baby’s memory into your family’s everyday lives and in celebrations.

Next on the agenda was a sort of discussion on sibling grief. Kelly, Jenny, and I sat at the front and talked about the subject but we also talked about other things too and interacted with those who had attended. We also had more giveaways too! (Oh, and in case you didn’t notice Evanee came with me for the weekend trip!)

We had planned on doing a lantern release but it was raining the whole day and we weren’t able to. Instead we had a candle lighting ceremony and remembered our babies that way. As we lit our candles individually we spoke the names of our babies. Mine ended up blowing out prematurely since I was bouncing Evanee the hot wax spilled out and took out my candles and got all over my hand and over the floor. Nice! lol

Once our candles were out we all took some time to talk and even goof off a little. And take pictures!!!

By the time everyone left it was after 10 pm and we started packing up. It was I think after midnight when we got back to the cabin. (Amazing story to tell in a post coming soon about the drive home!) We were all really tired but stayed up a bit once we got there. I think I ate like 3 or 4 of the cupcakes that were leftover!

The next morning on Sunday Kelly and I left for Petoskey one more time to go to Jenny’s church to set up a table for SGM with our info. Once the service was over and everyone had pretty much gone we loaded up and went back to the cabin and packed up all our stuff there and loaded it. We made sure all was tidy and then we took off to head back to NW Ohio. We prolly got back in the area close to 10 pm. I definitely had enough driving once it was all over!!

Day 21 ~ Capture Your Grief ~ Altar/Shrine/Sacred Place

Day 21 of Capture Your Grief wants us to share a photo of your special place in your home/garden for your baby.

A special place we have in our flower beds is beneath our weeping cherry tree. The concrete statues and bench we got from family members as gifts after Carleigh was born. Aside from the hostas, I haven’t really planted anything else in that area but would like to.

In our home, I don’t have one specific place yet for my babies. Things are more scattered around the house. Carleigh’s memory chest and Jordan’s memory box are up in Lainey’s bedroom. Carleigh’s belly cast, funeral flowers, and a canvas of her picture is in our bedroom. There’s a couple pictures and her baby board in the living room. I am hoping sometime in the near future to be able to set aside that special place.

Day 8 ~ Capture Your Grief ~ Jewelry

Day 8 of Capture Your Grief has us sharing a piece of jewelry we have in memory of our baby/babies.

I have quite a few pieces of jewelry in memory of Carleigh and one that includes both Carleigh and Jordan.

The piece that I wear most often is very special to me. The necklace is the cross necklace that Carleigh wore for her visitation and service. On that necklace is her baby ring and a pendant (from My Forever Child) that has one of her handprints on one side and her footprints on the other side. I am sad to say that the cross on the necklace fell off and I wasn’t able to find it. I have been meaning to replace it but haven’t yet. I know it won’t be the same since it didn’t touch her but a replica is at least a reminder of it.

Another piece I have for Carleigh is a charm necklace (from My Forever Child). The charms say “imagine”, “dream”, and “believe”. There is a gold star charm and also 2 purple gem/stone charms.

I had a copper necklace made (from Mama Mia) for Carleigh since it was something different than what I normally would wear. One copper disc has her name and the larger disc has “My Shining Star” and it has a gold star charm.

The square bracelet is the first piece of jewelry that I received. It was a gift from my good friend Sue at My Forever Child. I received it the evening of Carleigh’s 1st visitation and it was so, so wonderful to get it. It has Carleigh’s footprints on one side and her name and birth date on the other side.

In addition to the bracelet above, I received the Always in My Heart pins too from Sue. Sue has also given me the butterfly charm. It has Carleigh’s name on one side and her birth date on the other.

My most recent jewelry are fine silver angel wings (Sue-Ella Signature Designs). One wing is for Carleigh and the other is for Jordan. On the back of the wings are both Carleigh’s and Jordan’s names in the sand that were written by Carly at Christian’s Beach. A little bit of sand from the beach is sealed in each of the wings.

The angel pin is one my MIL gave me from Angels From My Heart. It has Carleigh’s birth stone on it.

The small baby feet pin is one that is pretty common. It is the supposed size of the feet of a 12 week gestation baby, which is when we lost Jordan. I had the pin before but then it must have gotten lost or misplaced. So happy to have it again!

The cross necklace is one I had made from The Vintage Pearl. On the back of it it is inscribed Psalm 73:26, which is the verse below my header.

Day 5 ~ Capture Your Grief ~ Memorial

Day 5 of Capture Your Grief has us sharing anything we have had done in memory of our baby.

About 2 months after Carleigh was born I got her tattoo. I got one of her handprints on the back of my right shoulder. It felt right to have a piece of her on me. It was my first tattoo. I haven’t gotten anymore since but I would love to get another memorial tattoo. Also, the one I have needs touched up. The red heart has since faded and is no longer visible. I would like to get it replaced with a purple star. I may even add more to it but I have not decided yet.

I have a small memorial that is set up at the National Memorial for the Unborn in Chattanooga, TN for Jordan. The items placed at the wall below the plaque is the poem that I wrote, a certificate of life, a momma bear holding a baby bear, and a yellow rose. All the items were placed there in October 2008 except the rose, which was placed in February 2012.

Grace for the Journey Conference

Grace for the Journey ~ A Day of Encouragement and Remembrance

Hosted by Sufficient Grace Ministries

Saturday, October 13, 2012
5:00pm-9:00pm

Harbor Light Community Church
8220 Clayton Road
Harbor Springs, Michigan

We are excited to announce plans for a day of remembrance and encouragement for mothers who have experienced the loss of a baby, and for anyone who wants to better understand how to minister to those who grieve. We all face trials and loss in this life, so our message of hope is relevant to anyone, regardless of whether you have experienced the loss of a child or not.

There will be a few speakers to share about the following topics:

Finding Hope Through Grief's Journey
How to Minister to a Bereaved Parent
Making Precious Memories ~ Incorporating Your Baby's Memory into Your Family Celebrations
The Effects of Sibling Grief and Ways to Support Grieving Siblings

We will also have a time of sharing, prayer, and a remembrance/candle lighting ceremony honoring our babies in heaven. We will be bringing some items to share with the mothers, from the Dreams of You Shop, and some other gifts to encourage. There will be refreshments, and a time to share with one another in the telling of our stories. This special retreat will be hosted by Sufficient Grace Ministries with no set charge for the participants. Free will donations are appreciated to help cover the costs of this event and to support the outreaches of this ministry. We are hoping to spark interest with the mothers in the area, as we believe this event could be a great comfort to those walking this path. October is national pregnancy loss awareness month, and a special time to honor these precious lives, and encourage the mothers with grieving hearts.

To register for the event, please send your name and contact information to either Kelly Gerken at: sufficientgraceministries@gmail.com or Jennifer Ross at: hoster777@live.com

Kelly Gerken (http://blog.sufficientgraceministries.org) has experienced the loss of twin daughters (Faith and Grace), who were born still at 26 weeks and the loss of an infant son, (Thomas) who died shortly after birth from Potter’s Syndrome. From her own family’s journey of grief and healing, Kelly has created the Dreams of You Memory Book and other beautiful support materials to help families form a precious memory for their babies who leave this earth too soon. The ministry has expanded to include a team of individuals offering an array of products, online support, hospital seminars on compassionate care for grieving parents, and a speaking/singing outreach to encourage churches and women's groups. Kelly and her husband, Tim also have two sons who fill their days with golf, baseball, and lots of laughs. You can read more of the Gerken family's journey through loss to hope and healing here: http://sufficientgraceministries.org/the-story-of-faith-grace-and-thomas/

Holly Haas serves on the SGM board and blogs at www.caringforcarleigh.com, where she shares her family's journey as they carried their daughter Carleigh after receiving a diagnosis of anencephaly, cherishing the time they were given with their sweet baby girl, and beautifully honoring her memory ever since. Holly and her husband are the parents of two babies in heaven: Jordan and Carleigh, and four adorable girls on earth. Carleigh's story is told here: http://www.caringforcarleigh.com/p/carleighs-story.html

Jennifer Ross has been sharing about the loss of her son Isaiah, on a personal blog that she created in the beginning of 2009. Her health turned for the worse, when a placental abruption took place and from there she suffered a condition called Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, (D.I.C). The loss occurred on August 3, 2008. On her blog, His Grace Is Sufficient, she has poured her heart out into words, bringing healing into her own life, and praying that the journaling of her loss will help other woman who have experienced the loss of a child. Jennifer and her husband, Christopher, are the parents of one precious son in heaven, and five handsome sons on earth. You can read more about her journey through the loss of her son Isaiah, at http://hoster777.blogspot.com.

More information about Sufficient Grace Ministries:

Sufficient Grace Ministries for Women, a 501 (c ) 3 non-profit, non-denominational Christian organization, was founded in 2004 by Kelly Gerken with the purpose of reaching out to women and families to offer comfort, encouragement and hope. The Dreams of You division of this ministry was created specifically to provide comfort to women and families who have lost a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death.

Bereaved parents are never asked to pay for the materials provided by SGM. We are supported by donations from individuals, churches, and businesses. Today, more than 300 packages a year are mailed all over the world to grieving families, fulfilling the mission of SGM to offer the same comfort to others we received from the Lord in our time of need. (2 Corinth. 1:3-4)

For more information about the products and services provided by Sufficient Grace Ministries, please visit:  www.sufficientgraceministries.org

Blessings,
Kelly, Holly, and Jennifer

The FB event can be found here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/427422877293918/?ref=ts

The Truffula Tree

Carleigh and Jordan’s names were added to the Truffula Tree. You can see their post with their pom poms here. You can read how the Truffula Tree came about here and you can also go to the blog to request that your babies be added to the tree.

Visit to NMU

President’s Day weekend my friend Kelly and I (along with the girls) made a trip to Chattanooga, TN. Anthony and I didn’t get to make a trip down in October like we usually do so one was planned for February. The plan was to visit the National Memorial for the Unborn (NMU) and meet up with some BLMs. We wanted to try and meet up with some hospitals in the area to for Sufficient Grace Ministries but that didn’t end up happening. We also only ended up meeting with one BLM, our friend Cecilia. It was a little disappointing not being able to meet up with more but we certainly enjoyed our time with Cecilia. (Thank you for coming!)

On Saturday morning we went to NMU and met up with Cecilia there. We got there a little before 10 am and the girls certainly enjoyed exploring around.

After Cecilia arrived and some more time outside we all went inside the memorial where the wall of plaques are located. All of my stuff that I left for Jordan is still sitting on the wall and it’s so nice to see it still there. (Eventually they remove items that have been there for a while to make room for new items.) The poem that I wrote is on the left beside Jordan’s certificate of life. On the right of the certificate is the momma and baby bear I left. On this trip I brought a yellow silk rose for Jordan. All of the items sit below Jordan’s plaque on the wall.

There is no doubt when you visit this place that you know it is sacred ground. You can feel it. I knew at some point I’d prolly get a little teary eyed and I was right. It’s hard not too in a place such as this. Every plaque you see on this wall (and there are many more that you don’t see) is a plaque placed for a baby or babies lost to abortion. This is such a healing place for so many who live with such terrible pain.

Of course before we left we had to get some pictures together!!

Kelly and I had hoped to be able to place the brick pavers that we ordered in the garden during our visit but sadly our pavers were not in yet and Katrina, who does work for NMU, wasn’t able to meet up with us that morning to do a tour either due to a family emergency. She said to go ahead and pick the place that we wanted our pavers placed and this is where I selected for mine. Kelly picked spots to the right of mine. The pavers in the garden are for children who are lost to stillbirth and miscarriage.

After our visit to NMU we went to eat lunch at a local Olive Garden. That whole meal was sort of a blur for me and I didn’t get much conversation in with having to tend to the girls, which was a bummer since I would have liked to talk to Cecilia more but we mommas know how that goes!

Kelly and I spent the rest of Saturday in the area and we went out to dinner later that night and then left Sunday morning to come back home.

Overall, the trip was really great and we had a good time. Thanks to Kelly for making the trip with me!