Fill Your Time With FLUFF For Good!

Hello Friends!

Praying you are all well and stay that way. 

While you're stuck in the house, there are still ways to bring joy to yourself and others through creating! And, if you would like to help make stuffed friends for children in foster care, we will gladly make sure they get into the hands of those children. 

Our FLUFF Project has been doing this for over 7 years now and has delivered more than 2,500 stuffed friends! #hopehugshealing

There is currently a greater need for items specifically for ages 2 and under, but all are welcome.
You can learn more HERE and feel free to EMAIL ME with any questions!

Grace & Peace to you. 💟

FLUFF Project Delivery SOON!

A brief update and reminder.....

FLUFF Project delivery soon! Waiting on date from Juvenile Court since it is such a large delivery! Stay connected and see photos on Instagram, @hopefulthreads

More soon....

Kristy

FLUFF Project - Collection Target Date Moved AHEAD

Hello All!

I wanted to let you know that I have moved the target date for our current Fluff Project collection to June 1, 2017. We have had several unexpected (and some expected!) things that have delayed my sewing time and I don't have near the stuffed friends finished for delivery that I have cut and in the sewing process. 

We are also hopeful that this extra time will allow more of you to participate as well, and help us reach our goal of the biggest single delivery to date of 500 stuffed friends for children in foster care! Can you help us???

We currently have around 200 friends ready for delivery, so we could use quite a few more to reach our goal! Here's some specific ideas of how you can help....

• Sew, Crochet, Knit, Hand-make a new stuffed friend!
• Spread the word about our #fluffproject collection, locally and through social media. There are share options at the bottom of this message to make it even easier for you!
• Watch for SALES! I've found adorable and very inexpensive stuffed friends to purchase for our collection following holidays like Valentine's and Easter. Keep watch for these opportunities to boost the number of items able to give without busting the budget! 
• Get your GROUP involved! This is a fun and easy outreach opportunity to include family, friends, church, scout and other group organizations. 
• SHIP BY JUNE 1, 2017

Other specifics about this collection can be found HERE.

Further details about the FLUFF Project and how & why it got started can be found here. 

Join Us!

Help spread Hope, Hugs & Healing to kids facing a difficult time!

Kristy

FLUFF Project - New Mascot, Logo and HUGE collection!!!

I mentioned in my last post that we had a new "face" for the FLUFF Project. I've been about to BURST to share him with you!!!! So, without further delay, say hello to Finn!

Finn is the fluffy, friendly face that has been carefully and specifically created to represent the FLUFF Project! I couldn't love him any more than I already do and I'm so very grateful to my incredibly talented and giving friend Samantha, who brought him to life! 

Thank you! 💗

I will begin updating all FLUFF Project information with this new logo, and welcome you to share as well! Finn will adorn all of our outreach information, donations and become an image recognized for Hope, Hugs & Healing. Did I mention how much I love him???

Additionally, this year marks a BIG anniversary to celebrate! This April marks the beginning of our 5th year of collecting stuffed friends for children in foster care! It truly doesn't seem possible. We held our first collection as one of our Monthly Projects in April 2013. April is also the month when our family began our journey into foster care 7 years ago. And, April marks the 5th year since our first adoption through foster care too. April is a very special month!

Will you help us celebrate???

I would LOVE to host our biggest collection and delivery to date! I would LOVE to show up with a delivery of 500+ stuffed friends! I've been collecting for the past couple of months with this in mind, so we already have a great start! I've also been cutting stuffed friend patterns like a crazy woman, to begin sewing this month. 

So here are the basics....

FLUFF Project - April 2017 Details

• NEW items only. First, because these children deserve no less. Second, this may be the one and only personal item they have that they feel is all theirs at this time....let's make it a good one! Additionally, used stuffed toys can cause issues for our children with allergies and sensitivities. Thank you for understanding!
• Any type (sewn, knit/crochet, store bought) of stuffed animal or doll is welcome. Please just refrain from any designs that could potentially be scary or offensive. 
• All ages included. Children in the foster care system range in age from Newborn - 18 years old, that's a broad audience to create for, so lots of possibilities...and everyone can use a special friend! 
• HAVE FUN!!!😊

Items should be shipped by April 15th....thought that it being "tax day" it would be a memorable date to keep in mind! lol! This will also allow me to have them delivered by the end of April.

You can drop off or ship donations to the following address:

Kristy Smith

c/o Echelon Florist

1260 Rocky Hill Road

Knoxville, TN 37919

**business address provided to prevent any packages from being left unattended. 

If you are looking for inspiration for handmade donations, be sure and check out my "Stuffed Friends" board on Pinterest HERE.

It's bursting with ideas!

I will also post progress updates and donations received throughout, on my Facebook and Instagram pages, so you can follow along. I'm super excited to share this with you and look forward to all the HOPE, HUGS & HEALING our stuffed friends will bring to the children who receive them. Thank you for being a part! 

#SewToShare & spread the word with me!

Kristy

#SewToShare - Personal Progress: June 2015

Well, I'm trying to chip away at my summer goals list.....slowly, but surely!

Cook more, especially with my children.

Sew curtains for my youngest daughter's room. (FINALLY!!!)

Fresh paint for several rooms in our home. In Progress....and more added!

New skirts for my girls.

Sew "Busy Bags" & Totes for the foster closet. In Progress, A BUNCH!!!

Read some chapter books aloud to my kiddos.

Gifts for our local Animal Shelter.

Participate in library events.
Sort my patterns. ALL of them! 

Visit the zoo.

Help my youngest daughter, now 5, sew her first "something".

Create a pattern/tutorial for a special medical comfort item.

Sew some adult sized bibs for my grandfather.

Make new oven mitts, potholders and such for our kitchen.

Go on a picnic.

And, take a few naps! ;) Never Enough!

Hmmmm. 

Seems I've added waaaaay more than I've finished! ;) Oh well!

Update my 10 year old's scrapbook.

Rip the carpet from my stairs, sand and paint them. 

Take of the giant mending pile. 

I'm sure it will continue to grow....

Here's a few pics to share with you of my cutting progress. Since I tend to do my donation sewing in "batches", I've done a BUNCH of cutting!!!! These are the piles prepped and waiting for me to stitch...

A few remaining ballerina dolls I found under some other items.

A bunch of bibs.

I got carried away cutting "Busy Bags" for the foster care closet and these are the ones all set to start sewing. 

The below stack still needs a bit of fusible fleece interfacing....I just ran out. TWICE! lol!

A nice stack of security "blankies" that I'll get to at some point to maybe go with the bibs. 

 And more Teeny Tears diaper gifts than I can count! I think I may end up doubling my original goal of filling 1 bushel sized basket! :)

A bit more family sewing is on the list for the day. Prepping some PJs for my girls headed to camp, and some super hero pillowcases & valances for my boy's newly painted and decorated super hero bedroom. The fun never stops! ;)

How's your summer sewing going? 

Any "Sew To Share" goodies to tell us about?

June. Off to a great start + summer goals!

We have had a great start to June & our summer break so far!

Monday, we had the privilege of delivering 166 stuffed friends to our Juvenile Court to be gifted to children in foster care. I've already received warm and encouraging messages about how well received our FLUFF Project donations are too! 

 That's right, to date, we have delivered 1,189 stuffed friends for children in foster care! 

Sooooo exciting! And I can't wait to make more! 

I have several stuffed friend patterns on my "To Sew" list for the summer! It's always hard to narrow down which one to sew next, I love them all! 

That's just one of the many things on my goals list for the summer though...in no particular order, here are some of the (maybe a bit lofty) things I hope to accomplish over the next few months.

Cook more, especially with my children.

Sew curtains for my youngest daughter's room. (FINALLY!!!)

Fresh paint for several rooms in our home.

New skirts for my girls.

Sew "Busy Bags" & Totes for the foster closet.

Read some chapter books aloud to my kiddos.

Gifts for our local Animal Shelter.

Participate in library events.
Sort my patterns. ALL of them! 

Visit the zoo.

Help my youngest daughter, now 5, sew her first "something".

Create a pattern/tutorial for a special medical comfort item.

Sew some adult sized bibs for my grandfather.

Make new oven mitts, potholders and such for our kitchen.

Go on a picnic.

And, take a few naps! ;)

Whew!!! I'm already tired just planning it! :)

We shall see just how much I'm able to get done.....I always tend to over estimate. 

How about you? Any great summer plans?

Any new patterns or recipes you hope to try?

Would love to hear, so feel free to share in the comments, and hope you have a GREAT summer whatever you choose to do with your time!