Keepsake Jewelry FAQs & Policies
Ordering & Turnaround Time
To place an order, visit the "SHOP" tab to pick out a design. Currently online ordering & payment are not set up. Once you have your piece picked out, use the "CONTACT ME" tab to send me an email with your information & product choice. An email will be sent to you explaining the mailing or drop off process to send your inclusion item in for processing (see shipping instructions below as well).
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Turnaround time for each piece varies depending on the inclusion type & piece being ordered. Generally for all breast milk pieces, allow 4-6 weeks from the time the milk is received. For all other inclusions, allow 2-4 weeks from the time the inclusion is received. Custom pieces can take an additional 2 weeks, depending on the piece.
Inclusion Amounts Needed for Keepsakes?
Breast Milk: 1-2 oz, depending on the size of the piece. 1 oz is plenty for most, but due to packaging & leaking, 2 oz is best. Milk does not have to be fresh for keepsakes. It is not for consumption, so frozen, thawed, & even expired milk are fine.
Placenta/Cord: if it is already powder-2-3 capsules, depending on the size of the piece. If the placenta needs processing, details will be discussed. Umbilical cord/stump: 1-2 teaspoons of dried cord or the whole stump piece. If cord needs processing, details will be discussed.
Cremation Ash: 1-2 tablespoons, depending on the size of the piece. It is possible to work with less, just note that the ashes may not be as noticeable.
Hair /Fur: one small lock of hair/fur, minimum of 1 inch long. Please tie together with a string before placing in bag to send.
Please do not send the last of any item, in case of packages getting lost in the mail. In most cases, I can work with smaller amounts. In these cases, the keepsake may show less of the inclusion.
Keepsake Variations
All keepsakes are made with love & care by hand. No two pieces will ever be the same & each is one of a kind. Example photos are to show the design & give an idea of the finished product. There is no guarantee that your piece will match exactly or match multiples in the same order. Breast milk color varies dependent on the color of your milk when you send it. This means that pieces can have hues of a variety of colors, including green, blue, pink, yellow, white, & even semi-clear. Cremation ashes may also change color during the process. This is because of the chemical makeup of the human body & each piece will be different.
It is important to know what it means to have a handmade keepsake made for you. This means that slight variations may occur and evidence of being handmade may be evident. This means that there may be small air bubbles, mold seams, placement variations or other minor imperfections. Although perfection is the goal, sometimes these things are unavoidable. Locks of hair may lie differently than expected & the color may seem darker since it is wet from the resin. Bead caps may be a little off center or not 100% flush with the surface or other evidence of being handmade. This is not grounds for a refund or return. There is only so much that can be done to make pieces perfect & that is the nature of handmade pieces. Every piece is hand sanded, hand polished, & handled with care by me & only me. If you think there is a flaw that could have been avoided, please email photos & explain your situation. I will work with you as best I can to solve the issue.
Caring For Your Keepsake
It is very important to follow care instructions with any jewelry item & we advise you to treat your keepsake like fine jewelry. Please do not swim, do housework with chemicals, wash hands other than with mild soap, while wearing your keepsake. Avoid cleaner, essential oils, & various other topical products while you wear you keepsake. Do not exercise with keepsakes on as excessive sweating and body oils can cause tarnish to the piece. This also helps to ensure the integrity of the chain. Although the jewelers grade resin that is used has a UV protectant to keep your from piece yellowing, excessive heat & sun exposure will cause the resin to yellow. Daily use is fine, but do not store in direct sunlight.
Policy on Breast Milk Keepsakes Turning Yellow
The preservation process for preserving milk is very precise to ensure that your milk stays the same color as it was sent. You milk keepsake should not become discolored if properly cared for. Since all preservation is done by hand & there is room for human error, there is a small chance that a piece could become discolored. This usually happens within the first 6 months. Jewelry grade resin is essentially a hard plastic & improper care will lead to discoloration or even warping. I offer a 6 month guarantee on all breast milk keepsakes. If for some reason your milk keepsake becomes discolored within the first 6 months I am more than happy to examine the piece for you. I always keep a little bit of the breast milk/resin mixture as a control piece just in case something like this happens. This helps in telling if the piece was made improperly or if there was an error in keepsake care. If it is determined that the proper care instructions were followed & it was indeed manufacturer error, then I will remake the piece for you at no cost. This is why I ask for more milk than needed, so there is a small reserve in case of error. If your piece discolors after the 6 months, it is because of improper care (please see our care instructions) & that is not a manufacturer error.
Metal Types & Tarnish
Most pieces are made with sterling silver, but almost any piece can be ordered in white gold or yellow gold, along with some options for rose gold & other options. Please note this will change the price of the piece. Metal tarnishing is not a sign of low quality, but is actually a natural chemical reaction to various factors. Proper care can help keep your keepsake tarnish free, but sometimes it is just something that happens. The good news is that a basic polishing cloth can be used to remove the tarnish & return your piece to its original shine. Never use tissue or paper towels to clean silver. These products can cause scratching on the surface.
Refund/Return/Cancellation Policy
Return Policy-because of the nature of the order, returns are not accepted. I will always consult you along the way of making your keepsake if I have questions, but I go by your order. Please let me know if anything is going wrong in the process. Please see the "Keepsakes Variations" section for handmade jewelry to see what to expect.
Cancellation/Refund Policy-once your inclusion item is received the process begins immediately. Cancellations are not accepted once inclusions are received. If you change your mind & wish to cancel, this must be done before drop off & payment. Hardware is ordered at time of payment & therefore cannot be returned. If you feel there is an issue with the final product that could warrant a refund, contact me so the issue can be discussed. I strive for happy customers & high customer service. Please feel free to reach out to me with any issues so that I can try my best to correct them.
Shipping & Drop Off
Once you place your order, you will find the mailing address in your order invoice. It is not public information due to privacy reasons & safety concerns. I can only start the process for your piece once I receive the inclusion, so prompt sending insures timely turnaround. The estimated wait time begins from the time I receive the inclusion item, not when the order is placed. Please do not send me the last of your inclusion item (i.e. last ounce of breast milk, last lock of hair) in case of lost/stolen packages or other mishaps.
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Breast milk-milk keepsakes can be made with fresh, frozen, expired, & donated breast milk. This milk is not for consumption & it does not matter how old it is or how it has been stored. As long as there is no visible mold, your milk is perfect for preserving for custom keepsakes. Please place 1-2 oz of milk into a labeled breast milk storage bag, labeled with your first & last name. Then place that bag into a Ziploc slider bag, labeled with your first & last name, date, & phone number or email address. Place the double bagged milk into a padded mail bubbler envelope. Mail the package to the address provided in your invoice. Milk is not for is not meant for consumption so it does not need to be kept cool during the shipping process. Please declare the package contains liquid, but it does not need to be stated that it is breast milk.
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Cremation Ash-please send 1 tablespoon of ash sealed in a Ziploc slider bag, labeled with your first & last name, date, & phone number or email address. Place the bag into a padded mail bubbler envelope. Mail the package to the address provided in your invoice.
Placenta-placenta powder- 2-3 capsules are needed or about 2 teaspoons of powder. Place the capsules or powder into a Ziploc slider bag, labeled with your first & last name, date, & phone number or email address. Place the bag into a padded mail bubbler envelope. Mail the package to the address provided in your invoice. Please note that if dye was used for a placenta print, then residual color will be in the powder and may show with the keepsake. If you are sending in raw placenta, contact me for more information.
Umbilical Cord/Stump-1 teaspoon of dried cord or whole stump. Place into a Ziploc slider bag, labeled with your first & last name, date, & phone number or email address. Place the bag into a padded mail bubbler envelope. Mail the package to the address provided in your invoice. Please note that if dye was used for a placenta print, then residual color will be in the powder and may show with the keepsake. If you are sending in raw pieces, contact me for more information.
Lock of Hair/Fur-please send a lock of hair 1 inch or longer, tied together with string, in a Ziploc slider bag, labeled with your first & last name, date, & phone number or email address. Place the bag into a padded mail bubbler envelope. Mail the package to the address provided in your invoice.​
If you are local & want to drop off, please follow all instructions above, per your inclusion, minus the mail bubbler. Drop off anytime to the address provided in the invoice.
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I am not responsible for lost packages & it is recommended that you purchase insurance & tracking.