As I approach my own birthday this week, and Angel Mae's day next month, there are two things I need. Want. Crave.One. A cross-stitch birth sampler with Angel's dates. Maybe with some strawberry vines in the corners. I don't have a photo of her to hang on my wall, but I am a sucker for a sweet baby cross-stitch, and she deserves it.
Two. A watercolor or colored-pencil drawing of me holding my baby. We have only four pictures of her, taken with a disposable camera given to us by the nurses. It briefly crossed our minds to take cell phone pictures. But then that thought ran away, with so much else. We were in such shock.
The four pictures are bad. Grainy. Blurred. We can't see her face. The guys at the photo lab made a remarkably discrete and valiant effort to salvage them, but didn't have much luck.
Of course I've kept them anyway, and there is one I really do like. You can see faintly, through the blur, that it is me, in a hospital gown, cradling my baby in my arms. That's my mommyhood photo, right there. Beauty, dimly.
I've heard that there are artists out there somewhere who can work from photos and do recreations. Could anyone work from that very faint image, and from our ultrasounds of her, and create something... even just a slightly clearer impression...?
These are the times when I wish I could stitch. Or paint. But I totally can't.
So, your advice please: Can you recommend anyone who can stitch? Paint? Draw? Who does this kind of work for babyloss parents? Any names? Any links? I'm much obliged!
6 comments:
On Etsy, when I was doing research for my business, there are a ton of people who will sketch from a photograph. here is one that I think does nice work: Etsy. I just did a search for Custom Sketch. I also think there is a setting in Photoshop in which you can take a photograph, and turn it into a watercolor, or line drawing. Actually, I just looked, and I have the same settings on a graphics program I use. I don't know if it would work, or how it would look, but it might be worth a try first. And I would imagine that on Etsy there are also cross stitch people who would custom work. Just an idea if you don't find anyone else. I know for our store, we love custom orders, even if we do not advertise them, so you could find a cross stitch you like and ask for a custom work.
Just an idea or two. Good luck, can't wait to hear how Angel Mae's work turns out.
Jenni, I'm not of much help here, but your post reminded me of one I'd read where a bereaved mom received two drawings from photos of her daughter. The post doesn't include contact info, but maybe you can email her? (http://thespohrsaremultiplying.com/2009/12/gifted/)
I'll be thinking of you as your birthday approaches and Angel Mae's birthday soon after. And sending much love.
i would do either of those for you jen. i can cross stich and do color pencil work. i would be honored if you'd like me to try either, but also if you find someone else's work you prefer that is great too.
I'll second Angie by looking around Etsy.
Good luck.
xoxo
Both of these ideas are beautiful.
I do cross stitch (badly) and I'm still working on the sampler I started when I was pregnant with the twins. It's massive, I can't imagine why I started it now :)
I would be honoured to try and stitch a strawberry for Angel Mae but I wouldn't want anything less than perfect for your little girl. And I warn you, I am SLOW!
Do you read 'Little Bluebirds Fly'? Bluebird has an absolutely beautiful sketch of her sweet twins on her blog. I'm sure that Bluebird would be happy to let you know who the artist was.
And no matter how dim the photograph might be, I bet it is absolutely beautiful. xo
Etsy is definitely a tremendous resource for crafters....If you don't find someone to sketch your photograph, Merium at http://poppiesandpawprints.blogspot.com/ had a nice, simple pencil sketch done of her baby by a woman I think here in BC. Otherwise, I know some other artists in Canada and could put the word out through them if you wanted me to do that. I hope you get both of these for Angel. I'm sorry your photographs aren't better, but I'm glad you have something. No one told us about Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep photographers when George was born and I wish they had because we only had my crummy digital camera and were too shell-shocked to take the photos I wish we had. xo
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