Remembering Peter: Peter's Gifts

For Christmas I got a large print of one of our family pictures (from Walmart-online) and had it as a gift to us from Peter.

I love having photos of Peter around. It is a visual reminder to stop and let yourself think about him for a moment amid the rush of the daily business. 

Seeing his sweet face always makes me smile.

To: Dad, Mom, and Lucy
Love from, Peter

I also made glass ornaments using this idea and combining it with this idea.  I gave one to Zach, our parents, and a few to people who were special to Peter during his time with us as a thank you for their love and support.



Baby's First Christmas Ornament
Materials:

1. Glass ornaments w/o decoration on them
- I found some at Walmart, and some iridescent ones at Hobby Lobby that were round and flattened

2. Embossing ink (usually clear with a light tint to it)

3. Embossing powder- we used light blue on some, and dark blue on others. If I did it again, I would use white with glitter in it to go more with my tree decorations- which are snow themed.

4. Embossing gun
- Basically a really high heat and low speed hairdryer used for crafts

4. Strips of paper with information you want to share
- Ours had Peter's full name, birth date and time, weight, length, and death date.

5. Silver bell and pearl for decoration

6. Paper doily- for gift tag

7. String- for tying on gift tag, silver bell, and pearl

8. Clear glitter- for inside the ornament

9. Infant hand- preferably when asleep


Directions:
1. Open infant's hand and press onto ink pad. This is easier to do with two people. One to hold the hand open, and the other to press the ink pad onto the palm

2. Keep the baby's hand open and press the ornament into the hand. I found it was easier to press the palm first and then let the baby's fingers go and tap the glass.

3. Pull the glass away carefully so you don't smear your new hand print.

4. Have a piece of paper down where you are working and gently pour embossing powder all over the inked hand print. The powder sticks to the ink.

5. After the entire hand print is covered with powder, use the paper you are working on to make a funnel and pour the excess powder back into the container.

6. Put the ornament in a little bowl or cup hand print side up (the glass gets hot) and use the embossing gun to slowly heat the powder up until it melts and becomes liquid. Be careful to read the instructions on the powder and not hold the gun too close or it can start to burn.

7. Let cool.

8. Tie on a bell, pearl and gift tag

9. Awesome present ready to give away!

We mailed ours USPS and I made sure to package them in double boxes with bubble wrap between to protect them from breaking. All of them made it to their destinations safely!

I love our ornament and only regret not making more since I had so many unused ornaments left over! I love that Peter's little right hand print shows his syndactyly of the middle fingers- a common occurrence for babies with Trisomy 18. It is him. And I love him. 

Ours