...the ladies that could!!

We received a wonderful donation of 120 dolls from the Prayer Shawl Ministry with the United Church of Christ in South Windwor, CT. This great group of women to up the challenge and made 120 dolls, 24 to donated to the Comfort Doll Project and the remained to be donated to a local shelter in Enfield, CT.

Mary Crittendon, Jackie Mazur, and Ira Burnham are busy cutting out pattern pieces

Sheila MacIntosh and Marie Pelton trace pattern and cut out pieces

Nancy Stearns works on clothing the dolls

Sheila Macintosh provides refreshments to Jean Trotman and Marie Pelton

Jean Trotman, Ira Burnham, Jackie Mazur, Marie Pelton and Nancy Stearns stuff dress and fluff the dolls

Ira Burnham looks over all their handy work of the completed dolls

from left to right Shirley Lawton, Ira Burnham, Caro Mattera, Jackie Mazur,Judith Burre, Marilyn Senger, Mary Crittendon, Jean Tortman and Marie Pelton

How wonderful!!

Think of all the women and children this will touch!!

I am ecstatic to add the number of 120 to our current list of donations.

Wishing everyone a blessed Thanksgiving.

Smiles to All,
Brenda

...comfort doll tree...

So,just got back from the post office. Earlier today, I spoke with Peggy from SAFE Haven in CT. We had sent her dolls earlier this year. They loved them, their clients loved them. This year they are participating in a United Way Christmas tree decoration display. This is to highlight their shelter to their community.  Her idea was to decorate the tree with Comfort Dolls. Can you imagine?!? I can just envision this tree full of these wonderful dolls in their variety of dresses, hair and skin color. Of course, she is going to plug our project to get the word out about us also.

I just thought it is a wonderful idea and wanted to share it with everyone.

Actually, this weekend I have a craft show for my work, and I am going to run with her idea and decorate a small tree with the dolls to generate awareness and hopefully some bucks for postage.

I can't tell you all enough how wonderful this project is for me. I swear, I think I'm the one who is getting the most comfort!

Smiles to all
Brenda

...Kindness. Caring. Compassion.

I know I don't say it enough, and I know I can't say it enough, Thank-you.

I am once again taken back by strangers caring, wanting to help and acting on that desire. It is truly a comfort. What every one person does, matters, makes a difference, and it is so easy to get lost and forget that in our day to day life.

 Kindness. Caring. Compassion.

These qualities  still exist, I see them in you. I see them in me. It is so important that we give these qualities away, because for some, that is the only gift they will recieve, and quite frankly, the only gift they need.

Special thanks this week to:
Anne Enright  (a card designer, check her out)
Driscoll  of Massachusetts
Tina Sieja
Ginger Waddle
Your dolls are fantastic!

Big Smiles to All,
Brenda

...to be announced

So, extremely cool, I did an interview with Nancy Zieman, for Sewing with Nancy. They chose to highlight our charity for Nancy's Corner.

Now, I have never seen Skype in action, how fun is that!

The producers sent me a suitcase full of equipment and I got the camera and laptop all set up. Deciding where to set the camera was one of the biggest feats, simply because, as those of you who know me personally, getting a camera angle in my house that doesn't have a pile of dolls, here, a stack of dishes, there,  or a pile of clean laundry waiting to be folded is an art in and of itself. But, being the resourceful gal I can be, I figured out a great angle. What is really neat with the Skype also, is that you can see how the video feed is going to look before you patch through, so, once again bonus for me, I knew exactly what needed to be put into order and cleaned. (piano, rug, steps, and dust the nick-nack boxes)

When it was time for taping, the producer called me, and Nancy was shooting another segment, so I was able to sit, like a fly on the wall and watch that. All so interesting!

I will say, butterflies found there way to my stomach.

When that segment was done, it was 5 minutes til my taping. Luckily I had my drop spindle with me, and had that wonderful soothing act to keep me calm. (I wasn't about to get up from my stool, as the producer had already ok'd where I was sitting).

Then, show time!

Nancy sat down, and put her mic on and we chatted for a couple of minutes, and then it was game-on.
I think it went alright. Before we started, and throughout my waiting, I kept saying two wonderful verses, one I learned from listening and reading Brene Brown: "don't puff up, don't shink, honor your sacred ground", the other " God, please help me speak from my heart and not my head."(I'm pretty sure that is credit to Melody Beattie)

I'm certain I did a bunch of hand talking as I am a huge gesturer.
All in all though I think it went well. They said, that's a wrap, and thanks, so what more can you ask for.
It was a wonderful experience. And it makes me want to get a camera for my own desktop. Eh, come to think of it, that would mean that I would have to keep that angle of my house clean. Yeah, never mind on that.

I don't have an air-date yet, but I will be sure to keep you posted.
I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Smiles to All,
Brenda