My Grief & Healing Journey. This is the story behind the sign above my desk in the studio.

Keepsakes are so personal and sacred. It's time to get personal and candid with the face behind DNA Keepsakes, Allie.

Working with meaning is an honour. It's deeply personal to me, rooted in my values, and not something I take lightly.

For I am not exempt from grief, and I truly know how hard it can be.

Until now, I haven't felt ready to share parts of my story publicly. I'm stepping into a new chapter of life, thriving and not just surviving anymore.

On Boxing Day, 26 December 2019, I tragically lost my person. My best friend (sometimes 😂 IYKYK), my pain in the butt, my yin to my yang. The one who knew me better than anyone else in this world, my sister - Dani. At the time, my second baby was only three months old. The stress was so immense that my abundant milk supply completely stopped. I developed shingles. PTSD followed. Grief has no timeline. It has no mercy. It is all consuming, heavy, and relentless. Six years later, it can still feel heavy. The difference is that over time, you learn how to carry it. I was a hairdresser on maternity leave when she died. Losing her changed the way I looked at life. I needed time to heal. I needed to stay home and I needed to be present for my children. (Little did I know 2020 had its own plans to make us all stay home!) 
Because of her, my hairdressing skills found their way into the bereavement space. 
She was only 24. Drop dead gorgeous and incredibly fussy (again, IYKYK). Naturally, I knew it was only right that I did her final glam. I had to make sure the brows still slayed and the red lipstick was absolutely on point. 
While I was doing her hair and makeup, the funeral director said, "Wow, you're really good at this." My response? "Of course I am, I'm a hairdresser." He asked if he could call me to help again sometime, and without giving it much thought, I said yes. Before losing my sister, I'd never seen a deceased person. But after seeing her, I realised something.. Most of us think we could never do something like that. I truly believe we all could. We just haven't been exposed to it. Since then, I've been called in countless times to do hair and makeup for loved ones. Every single time, it feels like an honour and a privilege to help someone look like themselves one last time. 
When the opportunity for DNA Keepsakes came along, it felt completely aligned. Deep down, I knew this was what I was meant to do. Six years on, so much work has gone into healing. I can now think about that time without my heart racing. I have compassion for the version of me who lived through it.

Sometimes an event changes the trajectory of your life and creates a clear BEFORE and AFTER.

We can grow through what we go through, even when we don't want to, and even when we don't get a choice.

I can't tell you how much I miss her. I still wish she was a phone call away. Learning who I am without her has been one of the hardest parts. But now, I live my life because of her. She's my North Star, my daily reminder that “we can do hard things”. Her beautiful face now sits beside my sign. Losing her is hands down the most painful thing I've ever been through. But because of her, I know I can survive hard things.

When we lost River, our 3rd baby during pregnancy at 18 weeks, my very first thought was, "I know I'll get through this because I've survived losing her."

Not because it was easy. Grief changes you forever.

But because she showed me that even in the darkest moments, we are capable of carrying more than we think.

If you're carrying grief too, I really, truly do see you.

This is my why.

Every keepsake I craft matters so much to me. Because behind every order is a person, a story, and a love that deserves to be remembered too. Please know, there is a knowing hand, now holding yours. 🤍🤍 Allie x