My name is Jami and I live in Red Bud, Illinois. I am an Illinois licensed and Nationally certified massage therapist, and I also enjoy painting, drawing, writing, and playing the piano. I've created this website to share my works with everyone.
The Massage section of this website provides more information about my massage business such as where I'm located, what modalities I offer, benefits, and pricing.
The Paint Palette is a little business I’ve created to paint just about anything for anyone who wants something painted, especially murals.
The Portraits page is for you to view my previous portraits, which I have hand-drawn myself from photographs. On this page you are also able to order your own customized portrait.
The Music section of this website is for anyone who is interested in the music I create. I love to compose my own songs on the piano, and I’ve compiled them into an album. On this page you will be able to sample some of my songs and read the poetry I've written to go with them, and you may also purchase your own copy of my CD.
The links section of this site links you to the websites of my friends, family members, things I or my friends are involved in, and sites I want to share with you.
I hope you enjoy my website. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, etc., feel free to contact me.
Previous Blurbs
January 9th, 2010
I have many new and exciting things to report! First of all, I am engaged to Justin Papenberg! We will be married in September of this year, and we are VERY excited!
Second, my massage business is going very well for me, especially just having started out. I am pleased to announce that I will be moving from my original New Athens location to a new location in Red Bud. At the start of February I will be in the 1855 Building, which I know will be much more convenient for everyone who knows about me.
Last but not least, please check out the updates to the Massage site - there is a newly added links section to further your education on massage and energywork. Enjoy!
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December 16th, 2009
Been busy getting the new business going. So far it's going really well for me, especially for just starting out. I am a Nationally certified and licensed massage therapist now! Come see me in New Athens, IL!
I can't believe Christmas is right around the corner... I'm not ready at all, but I'm sure, like every year, I'll get it together at the last minute.
Hope everyone had a great fall!
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September 17, 2009
I've been really busy with school as the year is winding down and I'm approaching graduation. It snuck up on me pretty quickly! My graduation date is set for October 11th, and soon my massage therapy career will be underway.
I took this week off from work to get some work caught up for my new business. This means my website went through some updates. Please check out the massage section - it now has information on what I offer and prices too. Keep in mind, though, that I'm not practicing yet. I won't have my license until after I pass the National Exam sometime in October. Also check out the links section as I added a few to help you build your knowledge on some of the modalities I will be practicing.
Hope everyone had a wonderful summer! Happy Autumn!
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May 10, 2009
Happy Mother's Day! Also, congratulations to my cousin Amanda who just got married this weekend!
Just to let everyone know, my prices have gone up. My freetime is becoming increasingly valuable to me as I am becoming busier and busier with school and work. Also, with the ecomomy and all the other inflations going on, I'm kind of forced to do it. Please see the Info section of The Paint Palette for more information on pricing. Portrait prices have remained the same.
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March 5, 2009
Well, happy belated New Year to everyone! Been busy lately with school and work, but I thought I'd drop in to do some updating. School is going wonderfully, next week I'll be done with Level 2! Then I'll be moving on to the business portion of it.
We had a guest speaker come in yesterday and will be coming in again tomorrow. Jamila Owens-Todd of the Meridian Institute for Naturopathic Therapies, or MINT, talked to us about nutrition. I love the field she works in and I found her lecture on nutrition to be very interesting, so I added the MINT website to my links section. Check it out!
Until next time!
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December 21, 2008
So I finally updated my website, for real this time... Be sure to check out The Paint Palette portfolio, there's a lot of a great new stuff in there! I also updated two new portraits in the Portraits Portfolio.
I finished my first of five levels at my new school! I included a link to their website in the Links section, so take a look!
Happy Holidays!
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September 23, 2008
I've been slacking on keeping my site updated. Just popping in to keep you posted on what's going on. I finally started painting the signs for the City of Red Bud. Painted one yesterday on the east side of town. Plan to do another the next time I have a day off and the weather is nice. Looking good so far though! I'll have a couple of portraits to post in the Portraits section and I also painted camouflage in my boyfriend's hunting room that turned out great - I'll post that in my Paint Palette portfolio. Those will all be up within the week.
I'm starting school in less than two weeks! I'm very excited - I'll be attending the Healing Arts Center in St. Louis for Massage Therapy. Once that starts you'll probably be hearing from me even less... But I'll do my best to stay on top of the site!
Happy Fall!
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March 19, 2008
I've been neglecting my website, I know, but I've finally decided to post something here and do some updating.
Been painting, drawing, all that good stuff, and now I'm selling Lia Sophia Jewelry myself. Check out the links section for a link to their website.
Happy Spring!
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July 30, 2007
Hello everyone,
Been busy lately - I've got a mural project coming up this week and an open house tomorrow. Hopefully there'll be a good turnout, it's at the YMCA here in town and I'll be there promoting Jami's Grotto along with my coworker Robin who sells Lia Sophia and several other independant businesses. Stop by!
I finally updated my Portraits and Paint Palette portfolios, so be sure to check the new pictures out.
Happy August!
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July 2, 2007
It's been awhile! My computer's been having issues lately, though. I think everything's better now.. Hopefully.
I'm going to be incredibly busy this month - family float trip this weekend, vacation to Florida next weekend, and possibly two mural projects (or more) by the end of the month.
I have a lot of pictures to update on the site - different portraits and murals I've been doing, but I don't have time now to do that. So just giving a heads up.
Have a happy Fourth!
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May 23, 2007
Late update - I've been really really busy lately. I've got a lot of updating to do on the site but no time tonight but I thought I'd give you a heads-up. I've done another mural, another bit of wall decorating, and five portraits since my last update so I've got a lot of posting to do.
I'm heading to Dallas this Friday, but not to paint, only to visit. I'm very excited! I'll be back Monday night then that week I'll update the site.
A new business might be on the horizon for me... I'm signed up to sell Mona Vie juice so I'll put a link to that site up on mine as well.
Happy Memorial Day, everyone!
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April 9, 2007
It's been awhile since I've said anything here, so I thought I'd drop by to say hello.
I'm swamped this month... Work all the time, odd jobs here and there, plus I've got a sketch for the cover of a class reunion program to do, finish a portrait project I've been working on, do a portrait for my coworker, work on my friend's website, get a scketch to a lady about painting her office, and get back to another person about a laundry room. It's going to be a very full month!
I might be going to Dallas for Memorial Day weekend! I'm pretty excited about that.
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Mar. 21, 2007
I've been busy lately! I just updated the website though, so now you can see my latest projects. They're in the the Portfolio section of The Paint Palette. Still working on the portrait project, but it's coming a long nicely.
I might be setting up a new section of the site. My friend Phyllis and I are working on starting up a little business for backdrop rentals for proms, homecomings, weddings, assemblies, or any kind of occassion where a decorative background could be used or where a photobooth will be present. I'll keep you posted on how that's coming along.
Also, I need to work on prices. I've had some run-ins with how I charge for my work and I can understand where it's coming from, but at the same time if I altered the price then painting the project wouldn't be worth my time. I might be adding a service fee for any projects under a certain amount of money. More on that later.
Happy Spring, everyone!
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Mar. 5, 2007
Just updating for the heck of it...
Got a few jobs lined up right now - canvas paintings for a nursery, a bedroom border project, a quote in a bathroom, and a really cool portrait project.
So that's all for now...
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Feb. 28th, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!
Well, I'm home from Dallas! I went this past weekend, painted, partied with my cousin, visited my ADORABLE baby cousins, ate great food, and had a very great stay in a very short amount of time.
So, now that I'm home, I have pictures up of the completed Classic Hundred Acre Wood in the nursery, so go check it out! Also, I added a portrait to the Portraits section.
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Feb. 17th, 2007
I just updated the Links section of the site. Nothing too exciting, but check it out anyway.
One more week til my trip to Dallas! I can't wait to finish the mural and post pictures of it!
That's all.
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Feb. 12th, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BECKY!!!
I'm loving my new job! It's so nice to be able to say that now... So I'm gonna shout it - I LOVE MY NEW JOB!!
And I love being 21... ;) I had a fun weekend with friends celebrating my day. On the 24th of this month I'm going to Dallas to finish painting the Hundred Acre Wood mural at my cousins' house. I'm really excited for that weekend!
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Feb. 5th, 2007
I got a new job! Starting tomorrow I'll be a bank teller. It's a full-time job, but even though that's the case I've got great hours which'll allow me to spend a lot of time at the auto body shop where I've been learning a lot lately.
No word on the mural at the tanning salon yet, but I did line up a project to paint a border in a bedroom.
And, just so everyone knows, my 21st birthday is coming up on the 9th - this Friday!!!
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Jan. 22nd, 2007
I finished the portrait! It turned out great, but you won't get to see it for awhile. It was done as a gift for someone and I have to wait until they've gotten it before I post the picture. I'll let you know when it's up.
The tropical scene has been sketched and approved. Now waiting on the floor to be redone in the tanning salon before I can start painting.
I'm starting out small with advertising so I'll be posting fliers up soon. Then I'll move to putting an ad in the Clarion, the Belleville News-Democrat, and the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Newspaper ads are costly though so that might be a little while. I'll wait until my job situation looks a little clearer.
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Jan. 17th, 2007
Sketching mural ideas and drawing a portrait. I need to look up more ideas for the tropical mural.
I just updated both portfolios for The Paint Palette and Portraits. I came across two old pictures I needed to put online and now they're there so go check them out!
Again, if anyone has any advertising ideas for me, I'd be glad to hear them! Just drop me an email.
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Jan. 16th, 2007
New mural project coming up! A tropical scene at TanFastic in Red Bud. I'm going to sketch ideas tomorrow.
Everyone's been telling me to contact local contractors and work something out with them as far as painting murals in spec homes or having them get my name out there in whatever way. Looks like that's a new project for me.
If anyone has any advertising ideas for me, I'd be glad to hear them! Just drop me an email.
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Jan. 15th, 2007
Working on lining up more murals. And finding a full-time job... not too worried about that at the moment though - it just feels good to have moved on from where I was before.
I'll be posting another potrait probably tonight, so you'll have to check that out.
Hope you all have been enjoying the improved website! Don't be afraid to send me feedback on what you think of it.
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Jan. 14th, 2007
I just finished the mural in the children's room and pictures are posted on the Portfolio page in The Paint Palette. Check it out!
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Jan. 13th, 2007
Welcome to the improved Jami's Grotto! My best friend John and all of his genius mind created this for me and I am so excited to share it with you all now! Send me an email to let me know what you think of it.
I will be posting little blurbs here frequently to give you updates and to just ramble about whatever sounds good at the moment. Check back whenever you want to see what I have to say.
Currently I'm working on a mural for another children's room. Painting begins today (Saturday) and should be done early in the week. I'll have pictures up when it's finished.