This has been an exciting week for me.  I have finally got around to clearing out the junk room that I used to call an office and creating a useful workspace!

I found a beautifully restored table which fits perfectly and I have organised all of my tools and fingerprint jewellery making equipment so that I know where it all is! (I don’t know how long it will stay like that, but it feels good for now!)

This feels like the next stage in growing my business, I am actually beginning to feel like I have a proper business, rather than just something I do to fit around my family, and it feels good!   Finally, no more working at the kitchen table! Having to get everything out to be able to work and clear it all away again to eat!

I really hope that this will also help me define my work/life balance.  Until now work and life have pretty much merged into one, but now that business is getting busier and more keepsakes orders are coming in it is getting more important to define the time that I am working and the time when the office door is closed and I am spending time with my family.  The benefit of having my workspace at home is that not only is it helping to keep my costs down, it also means that I can plan my working hours to fit around my family.  I can work early in the morning or late at night while my children are asleep, which is something I could not do it I had to travel to a studio or workshop.

By having a dedicated workspace I won’t mind so much if I leave a job half finished,I I start a piece of fingerprint jewellery in the afternoon, it will still be there when I get back in the evening. I no longer have to clear all my work away into order to resume family life!

This is a really hard subject to approach,  but one that I feel I have to because if I avoid it, someone may miss out on having the most beautiful keepsake possible.

I am thankful that I have never experienced the loss of a child, I can only try to imagine how devastating it must feel. Ever since starting my keepsakes business it has played on my mind that I really wanted to be able to do something nice for parents in such a sad situation, something that would offer even the tiniest amount of comfort has got to be something worth offering.

But how does one approach the subject the subject without coming across that I want to make a profit from such a tragic situation?  I do need to be paid for my work, but I certainly do not want to exploit grieving parents, it is a very awkward situation.

An item of silver hand or footprint jewellery would make the perfect keepsake. If looked after well, it will last a lifetime and unlike most keepsakes, handprint jewellery can be carried with you always.

From a personal point of view, although I would never find it easy, I would find it greatly satisfying to know that I have been able to help keep a memory alive and offer something incredibly special that can be treasured forever.

For very small babies I do generally recommend footprint or handprint jewellery rather than fingerprint jewellery.  This is simply because tiny babies often do not have a defined fingerprint.  Also often when a baby dies or is born sleeping, the hospital will take handprints and footprints to give to the parents as a keepsake.  These can be used to create jewellery if they are available, and can be photocopies or scanned so there is no need to part with the original.

If your hospital doesn’t offer this service, I can send inkless wipes and paper so that you can take the prints yourself, or a member of staff will usually be happy to do it for you.  It is a very sad time and I expect that keepsakes are the last thing on a grieving parents mind.  If you are reading this and you know of a parent in this situation, a gentle suggestion that they may want to have prints taken may be something they will really appreciate in time to come.   My inkless wipe kits can be purchased as a stand alone product with no obligation to have a charm made, however they do come with a voucher so that the cost of the kit can be redeemed against any item of footprint or handprint jewellery (effectively making the kit free) if you should want one.  These make a comforting gift for someone who has lost a baby and a single print can be used to create as many silver jewellery items as you like. Each item is completely handmade so please feel free to contact me with special requests.

I hope I have dealt with this post sensitively, it is a difficult subject, but I hope that by posting it someone will be able to hear about the service and have a beautiful item to treasure.