...a new delivery...

Good morning to all!! I just opened up a new package that arrived on my doorstep yesterday from Karyn in Colorado, what wonderful little gals. I have been meaning to write about how much I appreciate that some of you have reduced the pattern size so that the dolls are smaller. A GIANT thank-you on that account.
It's funny, when Lucy contacted me over a year ago and asked if she could make a pattern that could then be published in sewnews, I just said, "sure, that'd be great". eh' and that was that...but then she ACTUALLY came back with a pattern, and it was fantastic. It met all the specs, cute as could be and user-friendly. Wonderful! Sure!
Now, I have to admit that behind the scenes, I'm encouraged, but, once again, eh' people have asked before, and I've gotten a couple of dolls...so, I naively thought, eh' It will be nice to have our project written up again and receive a few of these dolls....oooooohhhhhh, how naive I was!!!
Facts are, I have received HUNDREDS upon HUNDREDS of these wonderful dolls.

40 Comfort Dolls from Karyn of Firestone Colorado

That's is why the request for reducing the pattern size to 75% or smaller if you like. I'm able to combine the sizes in my packaging which keeps the weight of the package 13 0z or less, which greatly reduces the postage.

So, thank you, thank you all!!! for helping me remedy my postal conundrum!!
Smiles to All,
Brenda

...sharing their journey

This Sew News support has been truly amazing. The dolls just keep coming!! The outpouring of support is incredible. I'd like to share with you a letter which accompanied 60, yes 60 comfort dolls.
Dear Brenda:
I have been a subscriber to SEWNEWS for some time. Each issue brings new ideas and many useful projects. The Operation Comfort Doll project really caught my attention.
I showed this project to my good friend and we decided this would be our Lenten project this year. We worked on it from just before the beginning of Lent and finished on Holy Thursday.
Enclosed in this box, you will find sixty Comfort Dolls. Each is bagged ready to receive your tag and be delivered to someone in need of encouragement at an unsettling time in their lives.
When we stared this project, we were both recovering from foot/ankle injuries. Out of our pain, we gave "birth" to these sixty "girls".  We send our love and hope for a better life for those who receive our "girls"
Sincerely yours, Rebecca and Andrea


I can't tell you how much joy and hope it brings me hearing how these dolls have been created. I also received a donation from Tammy this week. It was only the second time she had used her sewing machine. She spent a week practicing and preparing her stitches and craftsmanship to transform her materials into 4 wonderful Comfort Dolls!!
Kudos to everyone for such wonderful inspiration and caring!
Smiles to All,
Brenda

...TEAM 71 HAMMOND ROCKS!!!

ok a quick personal update. My DH made it home from the hospital last Friday so he has been home for a little over a week. His strength increases daily, which is wonderful. Every day does show a new challenge, whether it is accepting the fact that recovery is slow, or coming to peace with the torturous sounds of the Harleys coming thru our open windows...March in the Midwest NEVER has 80 degree stretches and my DH loves to ride his Harley. (which he can't, yet...sometimes he feels they ride past the house mocking him) As I said, each day presents it's challenge, but thank God it does, as the alternative would have been much worse.
NOW, onto Team 71.

This Sunday I was invited out to watch the Hammond Indiana Robotic team demonstrate their Robot. Team 71 participate in FIRST  robotics which is a nation wide technology competition. Let me say, these kids are AMAZING! Not only do they build a working basketball playing robot to specifications in just 6 weeks, they do community charity work throughout the year. Dee, one of their coaches, had read about CDP in SewNews and thought is was a wonderful project that the kids could participate in and would also be fun. Then, she noticed that I lived just 45 minutes away and contacted me to see if I could come up to accept their generous donation. GENEROUS!! The kids made 180 dolls to be distributed! Amazing! I also got to receive one of the team shirts, I was pretty stoked about becoming an "honorary member."

Now, if that wasn't enough, the kids give a gift to all the members of all the other teams, their subject was "safety" so, the switched up the pattern a bit, changed the hair to a hardhat, the dress into a t-shirt and then attached a lamenated card about safety!! I really admire their creativity and their "can do" attitude!!

The Comfort Doll Project gives a giant THANKS to the hardworking kids and mentors of Team 71 Hammond!!
I hope everyone has a wonderful day,
Smiles to All,
Brenda

...I don't like heart attacks!

By the title you can see that something is up in my life! Unfortunately my husband was having chest pains last Friday, had a Cardio Cath on Saturday, quickly followed by 4 stints and then complications that then led to a heart attack! Needless to say, I've been even more distracted than usual.
The positive, he was already in the hospital so it was dealt with swiftly.
He spent 5 day in the ICU,  a regular room for the past 2 (one of which, his birthday) and he will be coming home today!!!
YEAH!!
and another YEAH!! You guys are rocking it out!!!
So far, since the beginning of the year, we have received more than 400 dolls!! I kid you not, that is an amazing total!! So, great job to everyone.
I will be getting to those patterns soon, but luckily, I understand that I cannot get to everything that needs to be done at this time..."patience (or patients) grasshopper".
I'm looking forward to spending a quiet weekend with my DH and kids.
Feeling completely blessed!
Smiles to you All,
Brenda

...time to down-size...

First off, let me just say that, WOW! I am completely floored by the response we have gotten from the SewNews article. We will continue to be their charity of the years, so I can only guess how many more dolls we will receive. Now, the down side of that, the pattern is just too big. I really thought that I would have plenty of individual dolls to go with the sewnews dolls. An insight to how I pack, I collect the dolls, and then when I have a variety, I package. Doing it this way creates a package full of variety. Wonderful right? sure, but...we have received such an influx from the pattern that I'm now out of the other individual dolls.
So, what to do? One solution is to print off the pattern at 75%. If you do that, the pattern is still user friendly, but, it will conserve a ton of space, which will allow more of the dolls to fit into 1 package. I am currently placing 4 of sewnews dolls in each package.
The other solution...make more patterns accessible for our artists!
In the next couple of weeks, I will be working on doing just that.
I can't believe how fortunate we are to be having this as a problem!!
Now, I'm off to the drawing board.
Smiles to All,
Brenda

...and the answers are...

I have to say that I am overwhelmed and GIDDY with the response our project has gotten thanks to Lucy and sewnews making us their charity of the year. Phenomenal!
I have been getting a few questions, and I'd like to share them.

Q. Do CD's have to be people? Can they be animals? and do they have to wear dresses?
A: CD's do not have to be people, they can be ANY form that brings you joy.(a beautifully embellished triangle is a fantastic CD) The only requirement is that we keep them 6" or smaller. We chose this for 2 reasons, 1, because it keeps them very portable for the recipient, and 2) it keeps our shipping down to a minimum.

Q: We are knitters and would like to create our own doll to send, is that alright?
A: Yes. Do not limit your creativity by thinking that only stuffed fabric dolls are acceptable. Feel free to use your imagination - heck I can't wait to see my first steampunk CD!

Q: Our guild would like to make some CD's, but we have a local shelter. Can we donate them there?
A: That is a wonderful idea to keep the connection with your local community. I would love it if you would copy the card and the inspirational quote and attach it to each doll. Then, take some photos of your dolls, the quantity and where they were donated. By doing that, I can post them on the blog and keep them included in the total number of CD's donated.

Please feel free to ask any questions you might have.
Once again, thank you for your support.
Warm Smiles,
Brenda

...and they just keep coming!

Last week was a difficult one. My ex-husband, the father of my 3 boys past away at the age of 49. It has been extremely overwhelming at times. I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who empathises with what the boys may be going through as he lost his son a few years ago. We are all now part of, what is described by Melody Beattie as "The Grief Club."  The layers of pain are complex. My boys are amazing, and I know that God is with each of them. I am truly blessed to have this life that I have...thanks folks

 On a brighter note, as life does go on, look what keeps arriving at my doorstep.

Thank you Richard M. from  New Jersey

 I enjoy laying out the dolls, I like to guess which ones were made first...they always seem to morph and take on just that much more character the more you make them...

Thank you Virginia M. from Auburn MI

 an added bow here...maybe some dreadlocks there...I LOVE that everyone adds their own little touch...or big touch, in some cases...what did I say?  I L O V E IT!!!

Peek-a-Boo box thank you to Patricia R. from Chisholm MN

 My friend and I say, "let your freak flag fly!!! The larger, the higher, the better"

What we mean by that is simple: Be proud and embrace the wonderful differences that make you, you!

Thanks to Jane E. from Montara CA

 aren't these bags too sweet!

Thanks to J. Olson of St. Paul MN!

 awwweee, is all I could say when I opened the box!

Once again, your outpouring of support, and the sharing of your creative caring is so warmly appreciated. I know that the love that was put into making these wonderful dolls is given out 10 fold to those who receive them.
Warm Smiles to All,
Brenda