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TPN/Tube Feed Backpacks the Process

8/4/2015

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So in June and early July we collected orders for TPN/Tube Feed Backpacks, which isn't something entirely brand new for Gracie's Gowns, but this particular style of backpack is. Not only that, but how they are modified is different as well in comparison to the previous years.

While I had a few moments and am still working on getting all ninety-five, yes you read that correctly, ninety-five backpacks completed from the order. I wanted to show some better pictures of what they look like before and then the modifications we're making to them. Now, I do want to throw out there, any new orders will have a price increase compared to before, since this was our first time using these, first time ever ordering wholesale and so many other new adventures, Gracie's Gowns has absorbed all of the additional costs that were not charged to those who ordered, meaning, for lack of a better phrase, we lost money rather than breaking even, which was the plan. We never intended to make a profit, to break even was the goal, so with the price increase, this should happen on all additional orders placed (more information at the end on ordering).

In the set of photos below, are the more detailed pictures of what the backpacks look like when they come in from the manufacturer. We decided to use the Sugarbooger Kiddie Play Packs from Ore Originals for our backpacks this year because of their size, the prints available, and the ability to embroider them a whole lot easier than before. The specifications on the backpacks are as follows:
  • They are 8" x 4" x 11" in size
  • Waterproof cotton canvas exterior and durable nylon canvas interior
  • Nylon Straps
  • Lead-Free and BPA-Free
  • Non-toxic
  • Machine Wash, Air Dry.

If you clicked on the link in the text above, I promise, we didn't pay $26 a piece for them, we were able to order them at wholesale for around half that cost, but there were restrictions to it. First our order had to be at least $150.00 in total, but what really made the concern was having to order in sets of three for each print. This left us picking up several extras in the various prints in order to make that minimum requirement...the extras are listed below with the ordering information too. This will be a standard as well for all additional orders we place, at it is their wholesale requirement. 

Now here is how they are modified by us (well me) in between working on gown requests and getting our butterfly beads and bead pouches out in the mail...and everything else going on in life behind the scenes of Gracie's Gowns.
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First off, I install a 1" grommet through the back side of the backpack, I have been placing them on the right hand side of the backpack (as if you had it laying on a table, back side up, looking down at it). We cut the hole for the grommet to go through and then snap the two pieces together. Really...this is the hardest part and requires a bit more strength than I imagined it would. They are plastic grommets, in case anyone needs to know the material they are made from.

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Next step is the chest strap, all of the modified backpacks automatically come with a chest strap. If you requested one without modifications, I did not include the chest strap, should you need one though, please let me know and we can get them to you. This step is really the easiest, originally the plan was to make them, but with the time constraints in place, myself being the person modifying all of them, and needing to get these backpacks into their new homes, I was able to find some already made. This is where some of the additional cost came in to play. These chest straps came from Timbuk2 and are adjustable. I had contacted their customer service department about donating some or allowing us to order via wholesale, but was not able to get a response in time based on when the backpacks were to ship. So we ordered them outright, the cost was $5.00/each not including the shipping costs, which on 105 of them (I ordered for the extras as well), was almost $60.00, but they are durable and can even be washed as well. The other area we had a larger than expected cost has been in the shipping expenses, especially those who have multiple backpacks coming to their homes.

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After those two things are in place - then onto the personalizing. I think I've finally found the best system to keep them in place since they are a little too thick to hoop with my embroidery machines' hoops. We have spray adhesive, heavier stitch n' tear stabilizer and then removing the name card from the inside front flap is what happens before it is ready to go. The front flap is then placed on top of the stabilizer and I program the name into the embroidery machine. 

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Which looks something like this, and yes, that is only half the stack of the gowns that need names embroidered on them in the background, no worries, that is on my plans for after occupational therapy for my son today. This isn't the last step, but, they are on their way to being entirely modified and ready to ship once the names are embroidered. While the machine does all the work, this has really been the most difficult part of the backpacks because the color options I was given do not seem to always show up the best against the designs. I am working on getting the best colors chosen, but it really has been trial and error for some, as I cannot tell until after they're embroidered. 

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The very last step is adding the loop on the inside of the backpacks, this is so those who want to hang their TPN/Tube Feed inside may do so. It is comprised of white webbing, with heat sealed edges to help protect against fraying and then a kamsnap that is placed on the folded edge, but also through the back of the backpack on the inside of the back panel. Once this is done, the back packs are ready to be shipped out. Now onto the part everyone is waiting for, how to order and what extras we have on hand already.

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The above are the designs the backpacks are currently available in, orders placed in September will have the option of a couple additional styles, but as for right now and the ones we have extras of, these are the prints available. Out of the prints above, we have the following amount of extras.
  • Princess - 1
  • Birds and Butterflies - 1
  • Happy Camper - 1
  • Matryoshka Doll - 1
  • Retro Robot - 1
  • Hedgehog - 2
  • Cupcake - 2
  • Skulls - 2 
  • Ocean - 1
  • Lady Bug - 1
  • It's a Jungle - 1
  • Polar Pals - 1

For those that are interested in ordering one of the above, this link (and you can click on the picture above too for the link) will open the order form, from there you will be sent a PayPal invoice. Once the invoice is paid, your order will be added into the mix of ones to be worked on. Anyone who missed out on this order, can place an order as well, once we reach the minimum required wholesale amounts (in gross total and in design sets) we can place another order. I will look at doing so late October more than likely, make sure to follow our Facebook page for the information on it. The new cost will be in effect for anyone ordering one of our extras in additional to all new orders as well, which is the pricing seen on the order form now. 

While I was completely thrilled to offer them at the lower price in the beginning and helping ease the financial burden of making each child's medical journey nicer, we had to increase them so our sponsorship and shipping funds are not compromised. I pray everyone can understand the increase and I believe it is still considerably lower than other folks who make, modify or sell them, I know it is not as low as many would like. 

As my usual, I will continue to update when more have been completed and mailed out. Patience, grace and understanding are always appreciated, as I am but one woman trying to save the world one stitch at a time. 

Much love and many blessings,
Jessica 
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Season of Giving with Gracie's Gowns

12/20/2013

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I don't always get to blog every single thing that I want to for Gracie's Gowns because of our internet situation and the website editor not allowing me the ability to access it, but today I have the moment to share with you something super special we've done over the last couple of days.

Most of you know that I have always been the person to help anyone in need, even in our current situation where we don't have much ourselves, I always try to find a way to help when and where we can. This is just a part of who I am as a person, ever since I was a little girl...it has only been impacted more by making each of the gowns we have to date and just helping make a smile happen.

I feel it is also important to do so because I have children and I want them to see the good in the world, to have a giving and compassionate spirit - to help make the difference just one person's life...so that being said, through Gracie's Gowns we have done a little giving of our own to other groups and organizations. As a few know, my children and I will be moving this coming summer, so it was a concern about where to store and how to keep all the fabrics we've been given that haven't been requested for gowns, or that the length isn't big enough for the age group it is targeted towards - well we found just the place for it.

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45 yards of cotton and flannel fabrics are headed as we speak to Silicon Valley, California to the chapter of Days for Girls International located there.

I have personally been following the main office of Days for Girls International for at least a year, if not more and found their organization through kamsnaps.com when we were added to their charity page. I can clearly remember being in middle school when "mother nature" decided to first make her appearance and being totally mortified because it was summer time, and I of course was wearing khaki shorts - thankfully I had a super long t-shirt on and could cover everything, the rest of the day, but it was just devastating for me because I had nothing - and yet we live in country where it is easily accessible and okay to be in school (we may not want to be) or work when that time of the month comes. Imagine being in a third-world country that you have to stay in a room for a week each month because you have no way to take care of yourself - or taking measures that could cause severe health problems just so you can work. 

So we were more than thrilled to help!! On their website is even patterns with instructions on how to make the personal hygiene kits and where you can mail them too once completed! You can have a whole sewing day even!  There are chapters all over the world you can join your local one and help out too if you sew, donate fabric and so much more. 


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Another organization we donated fabric to was to Cindy's Tubie Pads and More! Cindy contacted me about what we do with our scrap fabric from gowns and if we would be interested in donating some of it to her.

Cindy is the Great-Aunt of Karing for Kyler who inspired her project. So we loaded up a box of our flannel remnant pieces and sent those off to Maryland (only a state away from us) - the box was 11 lbs in weight!! There are a LOT of g-tube pads that can be made from that!

So we have a little more space now to keep the fabrics that we have and of course more scraps for other purposes later on. We do use a lot of our scraps for preemie and newborn gowns, but also for when we do the craft show in October to help raise money for Gracie's Gowns (fabric and shipping expenses mostly), but we always have pieces that we can't use or we just have a lot left over from.


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Last but not least in any means - we mailed off the box we were collecting stickers in for Maggie's Sticker Box.

So many stickers were mailed, picked up, dropped off to us - 10,540 to be exact! Once again we are so thrilled to be able to participate in so many efforts to just make a child smile, especially in a situation they cannot control. It is the little things that have the biggest impact and this is definitely one of them.

Miss. Maggie is so precious to our family, being the first ever recipient of a personalized gown and her courageous battle with cancer twice! She is a diva and a superhero! In November Maggie donated 30,000 stickers to Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio to the pediatric hematology and oncology pharmacy where they are used to decorate the chemotherapy bags! These stickers will be going to the same place - this is where Maggie has received all her treatments and procedures. Keep up the awesome work Princess Maggie! We look forward to sending another box soon!


There you have it folks - just a few more ways we give ourselves! We definitely always appreciate the love and support we receive here at Gracie's Gowns, but it fills our hearts so much to give back in return. I know the work we do gives back in so many ways and touches so many lives and hearts in a way I never dreamed would be possible, but I still love giving beyond that and spreading the love and support where we can. Each organization is connected and intertwined, just like each of our families are in so many ways.

Remember, especially during this time of year, to reach out to others around you and let them know you are there with them, helping them get through the next minute, hour, day, week or even month...that they are not alone in their journeys and that they are special to you! Sometimes all it takes is a little post on Facebook, a private message, an e-mail, or even just a little card in the mail saying that you're thinking about them.

We look forward to what is in store for Gracie's Gowns in 2014 and all that we are able to accomplish in the many years to come. Have a great Christmas and New Year in case I can't get on the blog before then!


Gracie's Gowns
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CureFest 2013 

11/2/2013

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On September 1st, 2013 - Gracie's Gowns participated in CureFest for Childhood Cancer on the National Mall in Washington D.C. with 52 other organizations. We banded together for the day and there on out to advocate for pediatric cancer awareness, research, treatments and cures.
The event was co-hosted by Journey 4 A Cure and theTruth365 - both have done amazing things for children battling and surviving cancer. They not only bring awareness and research funding, but they get to you on a personal level - they tell each child's story, I'm sorry I need to rephrase that - they have each child tell THEIR story, each family share their experience in ALL aspects of the cancer world, the successes and even more heartbreaking, the losses. They show the real statistics of the pediatric cancer world and if you read each of them...it will change your life forever.
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At CureFest they had several speakers - parents, siblings, organization representatives...but the ones that shook you the most were the children.

Gabriella was one of those children - her speech had you laughing at one minutes, inspired throughout and in tears over the reality of what cancer does to children. Her speech was beyond motivational - there was no way you could hear her give "the cold hard facts" without making it your mission to do something to make a difference. 

I am posting her here, because this past weekend, Gabriella lost her battle very suddenly to a brain tumor. She was diagnosed in November of 2012 and passed away October 26, 2013. She made the last year of her life a mission, a legacy even...to show Virginia and the world they HAVE to do something to improve the lives of children battling cancer, to "give them their childhood" to not only treat, but cure the cancers and in a way that doesn't rob them of the life they deserve. She raised funding for the Make-A-Wish foundation after she was granted the wish to go to Paris, France with her family - she knew that other children deserved the chance to have that one lasting memory with their families. She helped raise over $250,000 for Make-A-Wish in just one campaign. 

Gabriella - know that you are deeply missed, but never forgotten! You have impacted and changed so many lives that can only be counted by God. Your parents will continue your work, those that are touched by you have been inspired to do the same as well. We may never do it as great as you did, but we will always try our hardest.

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Throughout the day we gave away 50 goodie bags to those that stopped by our table - here is a collage of the items that were included. Knowing we were headed to this event, simply because it was local enough to us to do so, I invited other organizations and businesses to contribute to our bags and help spread the word about who they are and what they do.

Healing Helpers participated with their Heart Key Chains that they also embroidered a Yellow Ribbon on.

Socks4Surgery participated with their information and magnets.

Pink Door Fabrics sent some quilting bundles of fabric - Chelsea and Charlie have been amazing with donating and letting me purchase fabric at a lesser cost for gowns.

Bee Brave sent their mini stress relievers - which if you remember from our blog on them, they were made from scraps of fabric from our gowns.

We of course included our bracelets and information.

Hollie is a Thirty-One Consultant and contributed her information and nail files from Thirty-One Gifts, she also contributed our raffle item for the day too!

The Hensons contributed their information about Zeal for Life (will update this with their website, once I have it again, it is not with me right now).

Tricia contributed her Pediatric Cancer Awareness bows! One of which was given to Gabriella when we met her. She wanted it so bad and decided it looked great on her dress for the day!

THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to our bags! I know each item was well received!

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One of the best moments was meeting The Beltran family! We had been working on these freckles for his siblings and when I found out that they were going to be at CureFest, I just knew I had to get them done. 

Dominic was a local little guy that passed away from cancer - he loved superman so the fabric was made with superman and each one had a different color for the eyes, arms, legs and stomach and then we embroidered his name in gold.

This is the page they created for Dominic on Facebook and they are continuing their efforts for pediatric cancer research, awareness and advocacy!

https://www.facebook.com/Staystrong4dom

Here are the rest of our photos from CureFest for those who want to see some of them. I hope you enjoy them and check out all the amazing pages and organizations we've posted on the blog.
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Busy Buddy by Bee Brave

8/18/2013

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This amazing tray with a removable pillow that also becomes an amazing storage keeper is called a Busy Buddy - the amazing mother, daughter team behind it is called Bee Brave!

Our son David, was a recipient of a Busy Buddy - he is autistic (you can read back through the blogs and find his full story) and we spend two hours in the car every trip to therapy, every appointment, every specialist and every testing...which this summer was three days a week...for him, it is boring and frankly he hates it!

I cannot tell you how much he LOVES this - he can use it at home on his lap to color (we don't have much table space, and he can take it away from the girls), he uses it in the car, he can hide his most treasured possessions inside the pouch for the pillow (it has a zipper)...and well it worked great for mommy when I was laid up in bed and I was able to write out the new requests for gowns even.


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David is pretty picky about what he likes - what child isn't right?! I had just made him a special little bean bag seat/ottoman thing...lol. And this was the fabric he picked out for it. The amazing part of his Busy Buddy, was I was able to send in this fabric and her mother made the pillow with it! David was so excited to see his "moo cows," "piggie" and tractor on the fabric.


Melissa went one step farther and matched the painting on the tray to the fabric as well! Once again - he was in HEAVEN! It was so great to see his face light up when it arrived in the mail and it was perfect timing as we had therapy the next day! But he wanted to take it outside to play with his trucks in the sandbox instead...lol.

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So we compromised - he is David with his Busy Buddy!

He was allowed to take it outside with him, but it had to stay with mommy, I wasn't about to have sand start coming out the zipper pocket...lol.



He doesn't always smile, but he wanted to say "mooooo" as his picture was being taken. The boy loves cows, what can I say? He wants to be a cowboy when he grows up.


When I sent in David's fabric for his Busy Buddy we also went a couple steps farther and created a wonderful bond and work relationship on the Gracie's Gowns end with Bee Brave.

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We sent all this amazing fabric over to Bee Brave to help make the pillows for other children, teens and adults that end up being on their sponsorship list!


Of course, it is mostly all scraps from gowns that have been made for children by Gracie's Gowns. Some of our gowns we have lots left over, and this is the case with these fabrics, but we also sent lots of smaller pieces to use as well for their mini stress relievers!


We filled up a diaper box of fabric and mailed it out to Melissa and her mom and something even more amazing is stemming from this too!

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We are participating in CureFest 2013 in Washington D.C. - it is an event sponsored by The Truth 365 to bring awareness and support for Pediatric Cancer.


The event is on September 1st, 2013 and all of the participating organizations, work with children who have cancer, fund pediatric cancer research, promote awareness, etc.


Bee Brave - is sending us 50 mini stress relievers for our goodie bags to distribute throughout the time of the event! We wanted to help promote other organizations that are small like us, but work with children who have cancer, and just chronically ill children as well and let them not only put informational materials in our bags, but include a little item too!


Melissa sent me this picture of some of the ones heading our way here soon! All I can think of when I see this is the precious kiddos that received gowns from the same fabrics and it makes me tear up, knowing they have inspired something so amazing in my own heart and really and truly are the heartbeat that keeps Gracie's Gowns running!

If your organization isn't attending CureFest and would like to include an item and informational materials in our goodie bags, we are putting together 50 bags. The items need to be at my house no later than the 29th of August so I can get them put in the bags.


Direct sales companies are allowed to include an item, but I am only taking one representative per company - and you must include a sample item with your information. Please contact me BEFORE sending anything, just to make sure I don't have another representative already - and that I need to keep my eye out for a package - same with any organization.
To learn more about Bee Brave you can visit their 
Facebook Page at (stop by and send them some love, Gracie's Gowns style of course):
https://www.facebook.com/beebrave2013



And their website is:
http://www.beebrave.org

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Gracie's Gowns Meets: Piper

1/2/2013

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Also tonight I am going to introduce you to Miss. Piper.


Piper is now 13 months old, but was born with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. As when we talked about some of the other little ones born with this ~ the left side of her heart is not functional (well when she was born it wasn't) and the ultimate fix for this is a heart transplant.


Piper received her second chance at life when she was 4 months old ~ she received her perfect heart.

During her short life so far, Piper has had multiple heart caths done, 2 open heart surgeries, her transplant and a feeding tube placed. She is on anti-rejection medication (so her body doesn't reject the heart), which is a life-long medication.

She has developmental delays and due to the prolonged intubation, she has feeding problems (hence the feeding tube) and a chronic lung disease. She will have heart caths in the future (an annual check) and have her g-tube closed (feeding tube) and a strabismus surgery (eye muscles) here very soon.

I wanted to quote this from her mother, because it is something I remember hearing from a dear friend of mine who's little girl has a congenital heart defect as well...just hits home.

Almost everyday prior to transplant was terrifying because she was doing so poorly, we didn't think she would make it to transplant. And every time we handed her over to the thoracic surgeon was terrifying, not knowing if we would get our baby back. The most exciting was first seeing her PINK after her transplant. Even with all the tubes, lines and wires, you could see her bright pink lips from the doorway to her room. Also, Christmas 2012 was her first Christmas home and it was wonderful to finally have a holiday with our whole family.
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Piper also receives her care and treatments at Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago, Illinois.



You can follow and support Piper through Facebook at:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Prayers-For-Piper

And for more information on Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Visit:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0002096/


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