Come in – it’s safe to walk through the door.  No hard sales here but you will find carefully selected gifts for people experiencing loss.  Our unique inventory includes music, books, movies, journals, scrapbooks, flowers, gift baskets, and more.  Our featured item — one we offer with pride –  is the Touch of You Quilts.  They’re one-of-a-kind quilts that come in three different sizes and a customized pattern made only for you  from the clothing of someone you love.

Our loved one may not be with us physically, but we can still wrap ourselves in his or her love.

“I can’t wait to tell my clients about this,” one therapist said.

I wish that I could have found A Touch of Love Quilt when Shane, my son, died.

Please understand – I don’t mean to commercialize grief.  The products here, and the quilts, are items I’m genuinely excited about.  I checked out the few other sites offering somewhat similar (but not the same) quilts.  Some quilts were not quilts I would order; some sites I wouldn’t trust Shane’s clothing with.  (Understand I’m not doing site-bashing.  I’m honestly reporting my response to what I found.)  One site looked excellent but the woman making the quilts is booked through the end of next year.

Besides the above products, I’m also offering home meal delivery programs and exercise equipment.  Many grieving people put on extra pounds.  I did. My metabolism (once I started eating again),  slowed down.  Our bodies become vulnerable after a severe loss.  Illness is a possibility.  Please remember to check with your doctor on any serious problems or before dieting or exercising.  Also, if you choose to use a Diamond Willow Walking Stick in place of a cane, check with your doc on that too. This site is not responsible for choices you make.

This site is not about professional therapy or medical help.  Seek professional help for emotional or physical problems.  This site is where you can find unconditional acceptance and friends helping friends.

Nothing here will make your pain go away.  But support helps.  So does knowing you’re not alone no matter what you’re going through.  Some people fear they’ll “catch” our pain, or they feel awkward because they don’t know what to say to make our pain go away.

Occasionally people may try to blame us for our loss or make it our fault.  If it was our fault, they think, then they’re not vulnerable. Whatever happened to us won’t happen to them. It’s unrealistic thinking, but a way people maintain the illusion of being immune or safe.   Most of us don’t get over our losses as quickly as friends would like us to.  What they don’t know and we’re already learning is that our “normal” has changed.  We’ll never be the same.  Whatever loss we’re going through will mold us into who we’re becoming, and that person is “new.”  Our losses may multiply; most serious losses have secondary and multiple accompanying losses.  People get tired of asking how we are and hearing the resonse, “not too good.”  We get tired of saying it too.

Anyone who visits this site is already learning the lesson of how truly vulnerable we all are.  We’re already getting comfortable feeling uncomfortable with pain, missing someone, grief, and our vulnerability to all kinds of loss and unexpected change.

A quick reminder:  all products except for the quilts and walking sticks are sold through affiliate advertisers.  When you click on their products, you’ll go to their site.  At that point, their policies rule so familiarize yourself with them. I know it’s not fascinating reading but it’s important to do.  We don’t need any more surprises.  When you go to a site and begin reading it, you’re “using” that site.  That means you’re agreeing to that site’s rules.  It’s a contractual arrangement.  Know what you’re agreeing to.  When you order a walking stick or quilt, you’ll be dealing with Pam Lee.  She also has her own set of privacy policies and rules.  Familiarize yourself with them too. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Many people haven’t purchased or shopped much on the internet.  It can be intimidating at first.  I’ve been doing it for a while now (buying on the internet).  I’m comfortable doing it.  Know that if you familiarize yourself with policies of the site you make purchases on, and then use a credit card or go through PayPal, you have a significant amount of protection.  PayPal is very good about ensuring that each party lives up to his or her part of the bargain and that nobody gets “taken.”

Also, before purchasing a product — if something catches your eye and you can afford it, good.  But please don’t spend money you don’t have or buy something you can’t afford.  Going into debt can seem trivial after a major loss.  But later on, it becomes important.  It will be one more loss that complicates your life.  So please don’t spend money you don’t have.

For years, everything I did, I did to heal. It took years before I began doing things just because I wanted to.  The products you’ll find here are either items that helped me or others heal, or items that I wished I could have found to help me in my process.

I’ll post coupons, specials, and discounts as often as I can.  I’ll strive to offer quality at reasonable prices.  But buying the cheapest items can  become an expensive experience.  Expect quality here, too.  I’m not marking up the prices on anything sold directly through this site. (I’m not marking up ANY prices.)  I offer these products as a service, with no expectation that people who use this site need to spend one penny here.  This entire site’s mission, and that includes this store, is serving people who hurt.

Please let me know titles of books, songs, or movies that help you.  Movies that bring us to tears can be a healing experience.  Some people don’t cry about their own losses, but will cry about the loss of someone else, especially a fictional or real character in a movie.  (At least they think they’re crying about that person’s loss.)  What they’re doing is finding a safe way to release some of their pain about their own experiences.  Whatever works!

Let me know if you have a  problem with any advertiser.  I care and will help you solve it (if I can).  I also want to know if anyone is spamming you or harvesting your name for solicitation purposes.  One way to avoid that is:  don’t use your real name and don’t give it (or your email address or any personal contact information) out on this site unless it’s through PayPal or a trusted affiliate.  Spamming and harvesting aren’t allowed and I’ll enforce those rules.  If anyone registers for the purpose of selling products, they will be “unregistered” – and quickly.  You will be treated with respect here.

Again, welcome to our Gift shop.  Come in.  Feel free to look around and before you buy, ask questions.