The Story Behind the Evelyn James Shop: A Movement Rooted in Grief, Built on Love
Grief & Healing | Motherhood | Pregnancy Loss Support
Hi, friend. I’m Vallen—mom of five, bereavement doula, pregnancy/baby loss and grief educator, and the heart behind Evelyn James & Company.
But long before I became a trainer or a business owner, I was a mom whose world stopped spinning on July 20th, 2019. That was the day my daughter Evelyn was stillborn at 40 weeks and 5 days. The day my breath caught in my chest and my identity cracked in half. The day I walked out of a hospital with empty arms—and no map for what came next.
I founded the Evelyn James Shop because I never want another family to feel as unsupported and unseen as we did.
From Heartbreak to Healing: How the Shop Was Born
In the fog of grief, I remember holding Evelyn’s tiny body and thinking: What now? How do I keep her memory alive? How do I survive this? Is this morbid? God, please give her back to me. The begging and pleading.
No one to say: “Here’s how to honor your baby, your birth, your grief, and your life moving forward.”
So I started creating what I needed. First, for myself. Then for others. And then, for the world.
The Evelyn James Shop was born from that ache. From the belief that grief deserves beautiful things. That every bereaved parent deserves tangible support, not just sympathy.
This shop isn’t just a store—it’s a love letter to every family who's had to say hello and goodbye in the same breath. It is a safe and special place to honor our babies, our lives, and our families.
What You’ll Find in the Shop
We offer remembrance gifts, healing tools, guided journals, affirmation decks, grief resources, and care packages that are gentle, actionable, and trauma-informed. Many are created by fellow loss moms, doulas, or grief professionals who have been through it, love people who have been through it or support people who have been through it. ( BTW, we are always accepting new vendors who create products, services, and free resources for loss families.)
Everything in the shop was created with the question in mind: What would have helped me? What helps now?
💛 Our most popular items include:
Personalized Jewelry and Apparel
Pregnancy-after-loss affirmation cards
Printable keepsakes for birthdays and due dates
Guided e-books for grieving families and partners
Tools for doulas and professionals responding to loss
More Than a Store—A Movement
The Evelyn James Shop is part of Evelyn James & Company, a grief-informed organization training professionals to support loss families with the compassionate support they deserve. We offer certifications for bereavement doulas, hospital grief tools, and our signature Pregnancy & Baby Loss Education Training.
This isn’t just a shop. It’s a revolution in how we approach pregnancy loss—with presence, compassion, and options.
Why the Name Evelyn James?
Evelyn was real. She was perfect. She changed everything. Naming this business after her wasn’t just about legacy—it was a reclamation of my motherhood. Of love. Of what it means to grieve out loud and build something beautiful from the ashes. I had never experienced grief that came close to this, a grief that tore my soul into pieces. So being able to look at and see her name every day, meet and befriend other loss families who become lifelong friends, these things have supported my journey towards healing.
The name Evelyn James reminds me every day that our babies mattered. That our grief is real. That our stories deserve to be honored and held.
My Promise to You
If you’ve lost a baby, I see you. If you’re a doula, nurse, or professional trying to figure out how to show up for families in their darkest hour, I’ve been there. That’s why every product and training I create is grounded in real-life experience, heartbreak, healing, and hope.
You don’t have to do this alone. Whether you're shopping for yourself, a client, or someone you love, know that what you’re holding came from a place of deep empathy and lived experience.
Join Us: Be a Part of the Story
We’re not here to sell products—we’re here to shift culture and provide a safe space for families.
If our mission resonates with you, here’s how you can help:
👉 Join our email list to receive stories, tips, and first access to our healing resources.
👉 Share this shop with someone who may be searching for hope.
Join the email list and community and get 10% off your first order!
Thank you for being here. Thank you for remembering our babies with us.
With tenderness,
Vallen 💛
Want to Help Transform Grief Care?
Sign up today and get our free Loss Support Starter Kit, plus tools, discounts, and exclusive behind-the-scenes as we grow the Evelyn James movement.
