thrifted {treasures}
today i thrifted to my little heart’s content. i haven’t done that in far too long!
3 thrift stores, many finds. Finds for crafting things for my Esty store, some for personal decor, some for chase, some for momma. here are some of my thrifted {treasures};
finds for crafting to sell on my Etsy store. each piece above price range from .25 – .50
bought to use the frames and re-design them for my store and for personal decor! thrifted price, from .50 – $2
i am a lover of lace, if you haven’t yet noticed :) lace, .25 vintage fabric, .50
wreaths for store and one personal decor, $1 total
thrifted pier 1 mugs to design and sell. thrifted price, $1.50
it is so so so so tempting for me to want to keep these beautiful treasures, but i bought them with the intention of selling them. thrifted price, $1.25 total!!
this one is for myself, it’s going to be transformed into a cute little recipe box. a DIY post will come later when i finish this.
a doily that reminded me of my sweet little e. had to have it and will someday soon create something beautiful with it.
for chasey-boy, a vintage dinosaur (.25) and a vintage ninja sweater ($1)
these i just had to have, for myself and probably borrowed by my lovely sisters ;) paid a whopping $1.50 for them!
but perhaps my favourite find of the day;
(please graciously ignore the outfit which consists of ted’s sleeping shorts ;))
i have {finally} found a vintage suitcase (with extra travel bag inside) that i adore. annnnd it’s {teal} which i’m sure by now you’ve notived it’s in the top 5 of jami davis’s favourite colours!
i hope you’re inspired to thrift! spend the time searching and you will find treasures!
blog post coming soon with a little DIY inspirational book!
for her.
for eisley.
the visual ways to keep her memory alive really help me right now. Not that we could forget her, we never will, I hope I am making sense. These reminders of her life are so precious and sweet to me.
she is and forevermore will be apart of our family.
she is a treasure we will never ever forget.
missing you baby girl.
x0, momma
the problem & resolution with resolutions.
I see a new trend going around this year. It’s the trend to ban making new years resolutions. I’ve gotta admit at first I was pretty confused, because personally I love to make resolutions and I thought “who wouldn’t?”, but then I realized it actually makes sense. Resolutions have been given such a bad name. You make resolutions and you break or give them up within the first few months. Or statistically maybe so. But does is have to be that way?
Since I was around 16, I started doing “New Years Resolutions” and over the years, I have definitely failed some of those resolutions miserably. But the upside is I was inspired and also encouraged to start the year afresh and to set new goals to better myself and my passions and I did accomplish a lot.
I was talking with Ted about resolutions and the new trend I’ve seen and we decided to look up the word resolution. Here is the definition we found and liked;
1. a resolve or determination: to make a firm resolution to do something.
2. the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc
Here were synonyms for resolution;
resolve, determination, perseverance, tenacity; strength,fortitude.
Yes, yes, yes!
I think the problem with resolutions is the lack of what is put behind them. Actions. Perserverance, determination, strength, etc.
It could just be my personality, but I personally love lists; goal lists, to do lists, new years resolutions, etc. I’m inspired by lists and usually find myself even more inspired as I began to accomplish something that I’ve longed to or needed to do.
(SIDE NOTE: You could be the opposite and that is totally okay! This is by no means a post to bash or ban those who don’t make lists!! It’s to share how I think we can accomplish our lists and resolutions, for those who are inspired by lists!)
I have things I would love to better or improve in myself. I have things I would love to accomplish in 2011 and on a daily or weekly basis. I have habits and thinking patterns I would like to break. I have dreams, goal, visions, a new hope for this new year. But how do I accomplish these things? Am I setting myself up for failure?
I took the time to journal out what I hoped the year 2011 would be like and with an action plan. I was specific in my action plan and tried not to be so abstract. Maybe try that?
I also made a little book of resolutions for myself because I know I am more visual and that would help me to see everyday. It’s also colourful and creative (I’ll be sharing soon on the DIY for those interested) which I know will help inspire me (another personality thing I think). Maybe you just need a notebook or a journal and to write it out.
Don’t focus on what you didn’t accomplish last year. Don’t focus on the statistics of how many people fail their resolutions. I’m choosing to focus on the new hope and inspiration I have as this new year has begun. I’ve seen other’s personal opinions for and against “New Year Resolutions” across the social networking world and it was both discouraging and inspirational. I found it was discouraging to read things about banning or bashing resolutions lists because it caused me to doubt mysef but I was also encouraged when I read of others who were choosing to be inspired by a new year.
I see hope and inspiration in starting the new year afresh, with new hopes and dreams (goals, actions plans, resolutions, etc) for 2011. I encourage you to think about what it is that you would love to see change, or challenged in your life, how would you want to better yourself and your passions, Go for them with all of you, and forget about the statistics and what others say about your silly resolution lists or whatever you choose to call them ;)! You can do it. I can do it. Whatever “it” is for you/me.
Here we go.
A new year with new {hopes} for 2011.
New Years Giveaway Winner!
Happy New Years Day friends!!
I, in front of my sisters, Abie and Chelsea, my sister’s boyfriend Caleb (who was on skype) and my hubby, used the random.org generator to “draw” a winner!!
Congrats Jess Alley who said,
I love it!!
One new years resolution is to keep up having good quiet times!! I can be lazy and I want to be disciplined in this area!!Jami-
You are amazing and I love you!!!!!
You are the winner of the winter coaster set!! I will get them to you ASAP!!
I kind of had too much fun with this giveaway and I will definitely be doing more giveaways throughout 2011!
I hope you welcomed in 2011 safetly and with {hopes} and {dreams} for this new year.
2010: beautiful, tragic.
I’ve been reading around on blogs lately, asking you to sum up the year 2010 in a few words or even just one… and I truly feel like I can’t sum it up in just a few words. Or maybe it’s more that if I do sum it up in one word, I would be leaving out so much that I really don’t want to. If that makes sense? Anyways, I guess this is my end of the year post, I’ve already unloaded 15 pages into my journal so don’t worry I won’t be doing that here! ;) I’ll try to sum it up the best I can.
(just last year)
When 2010 came around, I remember being so excited, maybe more so than any year before, for a few (summed up) reasons;
One, because we were beginning the year as new parents. Each new month with Chase was exciting, watching his little personality shine more and more with each month, learning every little thing about him and who he was. Figuring out how we wanted to parent as each new step came, what we wanted him to learn, what kind of traditions we wanted to establish and what traditions just came naturally, and of course documenting everything (I realized early on I am one of “those moms” :)) etc, etc, etc.
Two, we had so many exciting plans as we were beginning to take steps towards our dream as a family and for our life. We left our positions on staff at Youth With A Mission Denver to pursue our dreams. The first step towards our dream was for Ted to head to college and I had planned to join him (just a few classes though, not full-time) at some point in 2010. We also each had little plans and goals individually and together for the new year.
We left YWAM in March and moved from Arvada to Fort Collins (where most of my family lives). Our plans slowly began to change as we found out, less than a month after moving, that we were 2 months pregnant with Eisley. We were so surprised and very excited. We would have two kiddos, just shy of 17 months apart, at Christmastime this year. What an adventure!
We spent April and May doing things as a family and spending a lot of time together because we knew our life was about to get crazy-busy again. What we didn’t realize at the time was just how crazy it actually would get. Our life first began “turning upside down” (even that feels like an understatement) as I first started bleeding at 13 weeks.
Ted began a full load at college and was working in between classes, just as I was put on light bed rest for the first time. Our summer was a whirlwind of emotions, new fears, loss of innocence to a healthy pregnancy, hoping, praying, praying, praying…etc.
We all know the story and to be honest, repeating it all seems overwhelming suddenly.
I will just say, when 2010 first came around, we never imagined that we would walk through such a tragedy. We never imagined losing a child. We had planned on trying to get pregnant in September. Instead, this September, we were 6 months (almost 7) pregnant with our little girl and we were fighting, hoping and praying for our daughter’s life and for a few ounces more. I had worried about someday having a miscarriage, but never imagine that we would instead be a family who had a still born baby. …
2010 is both beautiful and tragic. Beautiful in that this year held the only time that I would have with my daughter, Eisley Antalya, here on earth and tragic in that we said our goodbyes to her this same year.
Ted and I are so different than we were even just one year ago. I don’t know how anyone could walk through what we have and not be changed honestly. We’re changed in really difficult and hard to explain ways, like in that we now know, even more so than ever before, of how fragile life is, of how much of a miracle it really is to have a healthy pregnancy, we’re changed in that we’ve lost our innocence and will, maybe forevermore, worry whenever I am pregnant with our next children, etc.
We have new fears and worries but also we have a new out look on life and new inspiration and drive. Our precious Eisley taught us so much in her short time with us. We are both so inspired to carry on her legacy in our own ways. For me, I am creating in a much differnt way that Iever was before and finding beauty when it seems impossible to find beauty. I also give just a tad credit to God for that one ;) He’s really carrying me right now. I really wouldn’t make it through this without Him. I couldn’t, I would have no hope.
We have aching hearts, shattered dreams and an Eisley shaped hole as we enter 2011, yet we also have dreams and hopes for the future.
I hope I will carry on my daughter’s legacy and share of the love and hope and trust I have for and in of my Saviour.
Ted’s really challenged me to challenge my abstract thinking and words with ways I can put actions to them. So how am I hoping to do the above? … a bit of the way I hope to carry on Eisley’s legacy is through creating and through opening my Etsy store. I hope to share her story with those I come across and as I share her story, the love and hope I have in my Saviour will also shine through. I hope to share of how trustworthy He is, even still.
{2011}… we know that no matter what we might face in this new year, with all of the anniversaries of our times with Eisley and memouries, we can cling to the Hope we have that is carrying us through now. It’s hard to welcome in a new year while aching so much, and I can’t say for sure that we’re ready, but it’s time… and we have hopes and dreams for 2011, so here we go!
I personally love and am inspired by goal lists and resolutions, so I make one every year and each month sometimes, I don’t think I’ll share all my resolutions here (some are more personal) but I will share something I am making! It’s a pretty cute resolutions/goals craft thingy that will inspire. I will be sharing it sometime after the first of the year.
Much love to you, as you welcome in the new year!
A Giveaway! (my first ever)
So I thought it would be fun to start the new year out with a giveaway!!! Mostly for fun but also for a tangible way to say a {huge} thank you for reading my blog and following our journey. (I often have over 400 views a day, so even if you haven’t commented, just knowing that someone stopped in to read really blesses me!!) If this turns out well, I might just be doing giveaways more often!!
I am giving away a set of winter coasters and magnets I made specifically for this giveaway! If you want to win them, just read below!
To enter giveaway, simply comment telling me one New Years Resolution you have for 2011.
One of my New Years resolutions is to help my little family live a healthy lifestyle holistically.
On New Years Day I will be using Random Number Generator to decide the winner! Stay tuned!
Comment away friends/readers!
shatter, shatter, pause, repeat.
(Eisley’s ornament for 2010)
Shatter, shatter, pause, repeat.
Sometimes the “shattering” is so deafening I just want to climb into bed and sleep the days away so not to deal with any of this. This probably seems incredibly dramatic, but it’s the honest-to-goodness truth.
Before our sweet girl passed away, I would have break downs, but never fully shattered because I had {hope} that she would live. September 14th so began the shattering …and it didn’t end there. It follows me and sneaks up on me as I’m reminded of dreams we had for Eisley, or even in the little things, like today when I watching Chase play by himself in the bath.
There is an Eisley shaped hole everywhere I look, in everything we do.
I’m walking a road I’ve never walked before this year; the road of mourning the death of a loved one. I’m 23-years-old and this is the first time I have lost a loved one. I was still in the womb when my biological father passed away and even though it did affect me growing up, I still didn’t feel loss in such a way as I do now. I lost my great-grandfather when I was 2 and honestly I don’t remember much. I’ve stood beside my husband as he grieved the death of his friend Phil, which was heart wrenching for me but in such a different way. I still have all my great grandmothers, all of my grandparents, my siblings, my friends, etc.
My first time ever losing a loved one and I’ve lost my daughter, my Eisley. It’s completely overwhelming that I sometimes wonder how people survive after loss. Some days I struggle wondering if I will ever be able to move forward. I struggle with not letting my mind go to the “what ifs”. There is just SO much that swirls through my mind, so many questions…. Will I always grieve? Will this ache ever cease? Do I really want it to? What would life have been like with Eisley? Should I even go there? Will I be the voice I want to be for my daughter? ETC.
Or things like, How do you cope with seeing reminders so often? How do you rejoice in others joys as you ache so deeply? How do you respond with someone downplays what you went through? How do you respond to people who wonder why we’re still grieving, as if Eisley wasn’t a life?
Or things like how I’ve overreacted; to people who didn’t say a word to us throughout everything, like how I, the very day I got home from the hospital, deleted a lot of people from my friends on facebook just because they didn’t say a word to us. Or how I’ve allowed reading/hearing things affect me to the point I was in tears. Or how I’ve taken certain things people have said directly/indirectly to us when their heart intentions were probably pure.
I’m learning a lot right now, in my first time walking through loss.
It’s. so. so. so. overwhelming.
My mom just called me as I was blogging this and asked me how I was doing after the let down after the holidays. Oh…that might partly explain the sudden overwhelming I-don’t-wanna-get-out-of-bed feeling I had this morning.
I’ve been so busy making gifts for the past month at least, I’ve had a dear friend visit me and my mother-in-law come to town for a week, 3 Christmas celebrations, etc. It’s been busy, busy, busy and now it’s all calmed down. I never once felt completely okay over the holiday, but I also kept busy (sometimes intentionally) because I knew it would be hard to just sit still. I didn’t really think of after the holiday. I didn’t expect waking up this morning to be so difficult.
Bleh.
In November, I found myself in this pivotal moment where I knew if I didn’t pick myself up… I might never. So I began creating things for fall and Thanksgiving, and suddenly realized how therapeutic it was for me. I can’t explain it fully but it was so very healing. I realized that it was helping me and kept going and decided instead of giving up my goal of creating handmade Christmas gifts, that I would try. And I did it and it was {so} good for me.
All that to say, I’ve decided I am opening a Etsy store because creating is so very therapeutic for me. I feel like this is a really good outlet. I am hoping to get my Etsy store going soon. I think I need to because it’s healing. (Maybe it was perfect that I didn’t get the 2 nanny jobs I interviewed for?)
One thing that will help me immensely in the area of creating are a few of the gifts I received this year… I was pretty shocked to get a Cricut and a sewing machine plus Hobby Lobby and Joann Fabric gift cards! It’s so perfect and the best timing!
Please pray for me all around?
Thanks for loving me, even in my all over the place state.
Love, Jami
p.s. I’m doing a small giveaway on my blog this week. I will be posting it in the next two days and will announce the winner on 1.1.11!
A Christmas Photoshoot.
Hey friends, I hope your Christmas was truly blessed in whatever way you most hoped it would be. I know this is {super} late but here is our family’s greeting to you this holiday season.
I wasn’t up to doing family Christmas photos this year. I think it makes sense why, but that’s not really why I’m blogging. Well we ended up having a spur-of-the-moment photoshoot today which turned out pretty cute. My “baby” brother (15 years old) took most of the photos. Enjoy a few photos from the today.
Little Christmas Stud.
My boys; a combination of many things, mostly that which is both cute and crazy.
Love him so.
This was seriously our best family photo and honestly, it fits our family {perfectly}. At first I was bummed but its so fitting! We’re pretty different ;)
Handsome boy. Sportin’ a thrifted outfit.
Trying to calm the craziness :)
{adore}
Rosy red from being outside :)
At some point, when we feel ready and up to it, we’re planning on doing a family photo shoot for Eisley. Hopefully by this spring we will have done one. It’s been on my mind and my heart for the last few months but I want it to be perfect, if that makes sense.
But for now, here is a photo we took and thought of our Eisley girl as we did.
Our family’s feet. <3
Okay, well, Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!
{love} Jami
handmade stamps & packaging ideas
Here is a “quick” blog to share a handmade stamp DIY plus a few packaging ideas for those of you who, like me, are just now wrapping the gifts for loved ones. If you’re ahead of the game, maybe save these ideas for the next time you have a gift to give. One of my new year’s resolutions is to blog the things I say I’m going to blog and blog them on time. Not a few days before the holiday :) I keep doing that, I’ve noticed!
I was in Barnes and Noble reading some magazines as Chase played with their Thomas the Tank train table. I found this idea to make handmade stamps in one of the magazines and to be honest, I can’t remember which magazine to give credit to! And I’m sorry but I am pretty sure I butchered their idea terribly, but here are my not-so-perfect-but-pretty-cute handmade stamps and how I made them.
Supplies needed;
Foam paper- (colour doesn’t really matter) You can get the sticky back and then you won’t have to use the hot glue gun. It was more expensive to buy a pack of sticky back foam paper so I ended up going with the plain foam paper and using my glue gun.
Hot glue gun (or sticky back foam…)
Xacto knife or scissors
Ink pad
Wooden block – (if you’ve got extra wood lying around, just use that, it doesn’t really matter what kind of wood. I got mine from Wal-mart for less than $1)
I tried a few different ways to make these stamps. With this stamp I just drew a bird with a heart directly on the foam.
It turned out pretty big, but super cute.
For my second stamp, I cut out a few paper snowflakes and then traced it on the foam and cut it out.
Perhaps my favorite stamp though was the owl stamp!
I googled “cute owl” or something like that and found this image. I drew this cute little owl , cut him out and wa-la!
Packaging Ideas;
Fabric wrapping :) Especially for a loved one you know would use the fabric! It’s like a gift wrapped around a gift!
I stamped the owl and used the sewing machine to add an extra something and made a packaging tag which will have the name on the back.
I like brown paper packaging because you can decorate it yourself but I’m also a huuuuuge sucker for super cute wrapping paper.
Anyways, this one is for a gift card. I would sew the edges of this one, but honestly, tonight I’m just too lazy tired to get up and do it.
When I have more time, I’d love to try to do some more intricate stamps for handmade cards. But for now… hope you enjoyed and give it a try yourself.
{Forever Imprinted}- the full meaning behind my tattoo
While on bed rest I decided that I wanted to get a tattoo representing Eisley’s life and this season in our lives. I truly thought I would be getting a tattoo that meant or represented healing, because I truly believed our little girl would survive.
One week after we said our goodbye to her, I knew without a doubt, I wanted her footprints on me forevermore. I originally planned that I would wait until what would have been her first birthday to get this tattoo as well as one under my collar bone, above my heart (not literally) that represented her life and our time with her. It’s hard to tell you the reason behind why I did her footprints sooner that I had thought, but I will just say, I needed the daily reminder to be inspired by her life and the reminder to not let what we’ve walked through to ruin me.
I was afraid to share that I was getting this tattoo and even after I got it, I had to be encouraged by Ted to share it. I guess I was afraid that some people might call this an emotional whim tattoo. It truly isn’t there is so much meaning behind this tattoo. Here is the full meaning in the best way I can explain.
Her footprints:
The words to describe how healing it is for me to have her footprints on me are so hard to find.
Her tiny little footprint mold.
I got her footprints in the exact size, shape and imprint at are in the mold they created for us the day she was born. I saw my (amazing) tattoo artist 4 times beforehand to get it perfected. When she tattooed the footprints on me, she had the mold next to her to make it as similar as possible. {I love that she did that}
I got it on my right foot which was actually is important to me. I lead with my right foot. I hope to let her life inspire me and to be a piece of what helps me keep going. To keep moving forward and to live life fully.
The words;
“You are my sunshine” … I sung the words to this song over and over to her during my time with her. I could cry even now as I think about my time in the hospital with her and how, in those moments when all seemed hopeless, I’d lay with my hand on my belly singing her this song and also the simple song I wrote her, “Grow Eisley Grow”.
I combined the two meanings into one for the tattoo. I used the words “you are my sunshine” and wrote them in the exact, broken handwriting I used to write her the “grow Eisley grow” song.
The handwriting is broken and isn’t perfect and that is what I {love} about it. It represents that time when I wrote to her, broken and afraid, yet believeing and holding onto hope. It represents where I was and am at now. Broken, yet moving forward holding onto hope and truth.
It also represents inspiration. The way I was inspired with her inside of my womb, I want to continue to be inspired, in an even greater way, by her life and the imact she had/has on me.
It represents my children. Eisley and Chase, they are my sunshines. That might sound dramatic or even cheesy, but Chase in his enthusiasm and joy, encourages me so very much on a daily basis. Eisley and Chase are my little sunshines. I’ve never yet called them my prince or my princess and maybe someday I will think of them like that but I’ve {always} thought of them as my sunshines from day one in the womb. I sung this same song to both of my children every night they were in my womb. I now still sing it to Chase but usually find myself in tears before the end of it. He still finds it comforting and I do too.
My tattoo as a whole:
I wrote before about her impact on my heart and my life, and now it’s even a physical reminder of the impact she had on me.
It’s a reminder; It’s a reminder to be inspired by her life and how deeply she touched and changed mine. It’s a reminder to keep pushing forward in that inspiration instead of letting this overcome me.
I want to look back years from now knowing that we grieved and mourned the loss of our daughter yet that we didn’t let it overcome us. I want to look back and see that we we were inspired by her little life and her impact on us. I want to look back and know we became better people because of her. I long to be her voice, and to be inspired and find pieces of her in how I create and look at life.
I want, in a very good way, to be changed and to never ever be the same again.
The date:
December 17th- the date I got the tattoo also has significance. I felt it would be healing to get it on the day she was supposed to be due. The pain of getting the tattoo was both healing and significant. There were moments it hurt terribly, but more than anything it was emotionally painful and healing all at once. There was a part of me that kept thinking that I should be feeling the pain of labor instead and then there was that part of me that sat in awe of Eisley’s little footprints on my foot. The size of her tiny little feet on mine… I am crying even now. It’s hard to put into words the moment when she first placed the outline of my little girl’s footprints on me.
My tattoo artist told me that the tattoos she had that were linked emotionally were actually some of the more painful tattoos. She was right. It was a lot more than the physical pain that caused the tears streaming down my face. I also shared Eisley’s story, I spoke it aloud, which was hard and healing simultaneously. Two times Ryan, the tattoo artist, had to stop and put her face in her arm to cry and even that was healing. Eisley’s life and story and legacy was touching another person. …I can’t find the words to tell you how much that means to me…
One thing I didn’t think about when I got this tattoo was of how it could impact the life of another. Ryan was the first and already, less than a week of having this tattoo, I have shared her story with a bank teller (seriously) and Eisley’s life touched her as well… the first of many, many more times to come I have a feeling. I will always share her story and it will probably always be painful yet healing.
I keep looking down and seeing her little imprints on me forevermore. It blesses and heals my heart more than I can find words to share. The physical reminder that she is with me is very healing. I had a hard time finding the words to express fully what this tattoo means to me and I hope I was able to clearly portray the meaning. Thanks for “listening” and caring and loving us like you do.
Baby girl, do you see? I’ve got you now physically on me forevermore. You’ve impacted and inspired my life so deeply. …………..
