Friday, January 4, 2013

Gifts "from" Vienne

The best way for me to cope and stay distracted is to delve into projects.  So, for all of December that is exactly what I did.  Instead of purchasing Christmas gifts, I decided to make some special gifts, centered around Vienne...keepsakes and mementos.

I might've gotten a bit carried away with the ideas that run rampant on "Pinterest" but it surely kept me busy and distracted...so it served it's purpose.  The gift baskets I put together for our family members and very close friends included:  2 mugs for adults; travel mugs for the kids; Mark's homemade biscotti; my homemade peppermint-chocolate Christmas popcorn; homemade peppermint chocolate marshmallow sticks; Mark's home brewed beer; Vienne's favorite story book- "Dinosaurumpus"; a snow globe; and a custom made tea towel.

(one of the baskets)

(candy canes stuck into a marshmallow, dipped in melted chocolate and then rolled into crushed candy canes for swirling in hot cocoa or coffee.....YUM)

(homemade mason jar snow globes with a tree and dinosaur.  Custom mug with Vienne's signature and a green heart)

(the other side of the mug has an outline of Vienne's handprint)

(the other mug included was an awesome mug we found online - this Disappearing Dinosaur Mug.  The dinosaurs turn into museum skeletons when hot liquid is poured into them.  We bought two for ourselves, as well - they are so awesome)

(the kids' travel mugs - I traced Vienne's handwriting onto them along with a dinosaur stencil)

(with transfer paper and fabric paint pens, I made these darling tea towels (which did get ironed before gifted! ;)).  This is one of the very FEW drawings of Vienne's.  This is her first drawing of a baby while I was pregnant with Ivy.  The shape in the middle is the belly button.
  The stars are very significant to us, as well.  She drew those two stars on top of each other when she was just 14 months old (I just repeated it 3x across the towel).  When she was 14 mo. she found my sketch book and pencil.  She picked up the pencil and put it to the paper and left these two stars drawn on top of each other.  It was one of those weird amazing flukes!
And, then finally, her very own signature.  This is a blown up and traced copy of her very first signature, on her own, without tracing.)

(This gift was for Ivy.  It is a custom recordable bear.  There is a special video that I have that we are just not comfortable sharing, publicly.  She is singing in the shower, so she is naked.  But, she is singing "Jingle Bells".  It was taken last year.  It is the flippin' cutest video EVER.  So, I decided to find a recordable stuffed animal for the song.  I found this perfect bear that is patched with Vienne's favorite colors of blue and green!  It is a very sentimental bear to us now.)




5 comments:

  1. We cherish these gifts more than you know. They are dear precious memories and momentos that remind us of Vienne everytime we see them. I could have thought of anything better.
    We especially love the bear. <3

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  2. What great ideas Jenny. They are all so thoughtful and personal. I bet your family was thrilled to receive them.

    I woke up the other night with you vividly on my mind. Prayed for you until my mind slowed and I was able to fall asleep. Not sure what that was all about. Maybe just a reminder to keep praying. Vienne "came with me" on my run the next day. I just couldn't get her off my mind and just thanked God for the life she lived. The joy she brought to all of you. I just kept picturing her enjoying the fresh air, the beautiful scenery, and the coldness of it being a clear, winter day.

    I also prayed for healing and even that peace you referenced in your earlier post to invade you. I think you can grieve and hold onto Vienne's memory AND let Jesus bring peace to your soul. With that said, I understand (to the degree that I can since I don't have personal experience) that it must be terrifying to allow yourself to receive any form of comfort. One day at a time...

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  3. Your grace and strength are astounding. In the face of heartbreak, you manage to create beautiful memories of Viennne AND bless others. Praying for you in 2013.

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  4. I heart those gifts!!!!

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  5. these are amazing! I love love love them all... we should do something crafty together sometime :)

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