Gracie's Gowns
Follow Gracie's Gowns on Facebook
  • Home
    • Our Story
    • Programs
    • Our Sponsors
    • Contact
    • In the News
  • Request a Gown
    • Sponsorship Opportunities
  • How to Help
    • Donate
    • Sewing Opportunities
    • Shop
    • Events >
      • Crawlin' for Gracie's Gowns
  • Our Angels
  • Giving Back
    • Gown Donations
    • Hem/Onc Donations
    • Fabric Donations
    • Pampering Kits
  • Our Blog

A Little Break in Routine

4/15/2014

0 Comments

 
Picture
Okay - so old picture, but had to use something with the sewing machine. I love sewing these hospital gowns, I love sewing them for your little ones and seeing their smiling faces and knowing how it can literally change a hospital experience from bad to at least tolerable. 

Sometimes though, I have to break the routine of making gowns and work on other projects, just to keep from crying over how many precious little ones are in need of such an item. It breaks my heart in so many pieces at times, that I have to sit back and remember how much of a blessing each child is, how they have changed the lives of those around them...how they fight, just to make it through another day and while yes, the odds are usually stacked against them, they inspire others to do such amazing things - like Gracie's Gowns and so many other organizations!

Picture
One of the items that have been done and still being worked on were these squishy little monsters! We sold them over the course of a couple days in order to raise shipping funds for gowns.

I am happy to say they are almost all done and out in the mail (still have maybe 7 more in total to make I believe). Here is some of the ones that went out last week, as I didn't get pictures of the previous ones made to post. My apologies on that...they are too cute not to picture and post.

These guys come from leftover minky fabric that I have from making millions of blankets over the last few years I have been making for friends and family.

Picture
One of the other items that get worked on in those little breaks are some bags for Beads of Courage - I love making these little bags from leftover pieces from gowns!

They are easy enough to make and still give that feeling of inspiration and fulfillment I suppose in knowing the fabric we use won't go to waste and can brighten the days of so many other children too.

This year we have 17 bags made so far to donate to Beads of Courage and will probably have close to 50 by the time the donation is ready to be made. We are hoping to be able to donate them to our local hospital with a Beads of Courage program. 

Lastly, whenever I really want to venture out into my sewing fun - I go back to making little items from leftover pieces of fabric and working through my own personal fabric stash and creating other items that we will be taking with us for our craft show in October - last year we raised $900 for Gracie's Gowns with items made from leftover pieces and whatever fabric I had on hand - this year we're hoping to meet and exceed that amount...especially with the Christmas Box Program coming up at that time of the year as well. Right now we've loaded the items into an etsy store (which will be put in vacation the Thursday before the show) to try and sell some of the items throughout the year with all the money being put into our shipping expenses. So here is the etsy mini with links in case you want to browse it!
With all that fun being said and shown - no worries, gowns are still being made, still being sent out and Gracie's Gowns is rolling right along like we always do. Sometimes just a little slower than normal, because we are in the process of moving and my health has gotten a little "interesting" for lack of a better word, but we are still upholding and maintaining our mission to provide every child we can a special hospital gown of their own to wear while in treatments, surgeries and hospital stays!

Much Love and Many Blessings,
Jessica
0 Comments

Working Together and Latching On

8/1/2013

0 Comments

 
This is a bit off from my normal blogs for Gracie's Gowns, but I wanted to share an exciting event that is taking place this weekend near us.

The event is called The Big Latch On - and with next week being World Breastfeeding Week, couldn't be a more appropriate time to host such an event. The event in our area is located in Culpeper, Virginia at Yowell Meadow Park.
Picture
As a mother to three children - the importance of breastfeeding is huge, especially when David and Madeline were born, not only did it become important for my own health and wellness, but also to help save our family money on formula costs. I was never able to nurse Aubrey, the NICU at the hospital we delivered at wasn't very helpful and really wasn't on board with breastfeeding, so when we brought her home and I tried to nurse, it just wasn't happening and became very frustrating for us both. It also turned out that she had a milk allergy. When I wasn't able to continue nursing David because he wasn't gaining any weight, I searched and searched for someone that would be able to donate milk, because I knew the benefits for his own health...unfortunately, I wasn't able to find anyone...and the same with Madeline when I had to wean her from nursing because of the surgery I was going to have on my neck.

It was depressing for me to stop nursing Madeline because she was so great - and healthy and the bonding time was amazing! I loved every second, but I was also working a job that wasn't near as supportive in allowing me time to pump between transports or even the right environment. I lucked out in comparison to my fellow co-workers that were also nursing mothers, but it was still rough.

Anyway - one day while surfing Facebook I came across Pink Cocoon and was just blown away. Cindy is an amazing woman and actually helped Culpeper Regional Hospital become the first Baby Friendly Hospital in the Commonwealth of Virginia. I was working at the hospital when the announcement was made they received the accreditation, it was amazing! Cindy has gone above and beyond in the region since then holding meetings, breastfeeding consultations, Douala services, childbirth classes and so much more...all while working in the birthing center at Culpeper Regional Hospital. And this weekend she is organizing The Big Latch On event.
Picture
So where does Gracie's Gowns fit into the picture? Well most know that I have sewn for several years now, and before the last 18 months of sewing our precious hospital gowns I sewed everything from quilts to burp cloths, nap mats to i-spy bags and several reusable items - reusable snack and sandwich bags, organic hot/cold packs, cloth diapers, un-paper towels and reusable nursing pads. This past weekend I was going through my containers of items I have sewn for sale at craft shows, and found a couple nursing covers and several sets of reusable nursing pads. I gathered the items and messaged Cindy on Facebook offering them to her for The Big Latch On this weekend to use a raffle items/goodie bags, whatever she'd like to use them for.

The other amazing part is Cindy also asked for a sample of our Newborn gowns for use at Culpeper Regional Hospital in the birthing center. We've already donated some 2-4 size gowns to the hospital for use in their Step-Down unit. They are reused by the hospital because they don't have that many children admitted, and when they do they don't stay very long. We will also be making them some 6-10 size gowns as well this year.

Here is the package we sent over to Cindy for The Big Latch On event this Saturday - anyone that is in or around the area is welcome to attend. Groups of breastfeeding women coming together at registered locations around the world to all latch on their child at a set time. All the breastfeeding women and children are latched on for one minute at the set time and are counted by the witnesses. The numbers are added up and we see if we can beat previous Big Latch On records or maybe even the world record! 
Picture
Good luck to all participating in The Big Latch On event this weekend and enjoy nursing your babies together! Hope those that win the items we donated like them!
0 Comments

    Archives

    October 2020
    January 2020
    May 2019
    March 2019
    August 2018
    July 2018
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    September 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    June 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012

    Categories

    All
    Angel Love Boxes
    Autism
    Awareness
    Bake Sale
    Bead
    Beads Of Courage
    Bee Brave
    Big Latch On
    Blanket
    Brain
    Brayden
    Breastfeeding
    Build A Bear
    Build-a-Bear
    Busy Buddy
    Butterfly
    Caringbridge
    Cathedral
    Chartres
    Chd
    Christmas Box Project
    Cope
    Cure
    Daysforgirlsinternational
    Donations
    Dreams
    Drug Dependent
    Drug-Dependent
    Event
    Fabric
    Facebook
    Faith
    Family
    Fear
    Feeding Tube
    Fingers
    France
    Fundraiser
    Goals
    God
    Gracie's Gowns
    Gracie's Gowns
    Handful Of Hope
    Harley
    Healing Helpers
    Healing Helpers
    Heart
    Hope
    Inspire
    Invisible
    Juvenile Dermatomyositis
    Kamsnaps
    Karingforkyler
    Lia Sophia
    Lilahroo's
    Loss
    Love Monster
    Madelyn's Hats
    Maggie's Sticker Box
    Mothers
    Mps
    Mucopolysaccharidosis
    Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
    Neuroblastoma
    Neuropathy
    NICU Smock
    Nursing
    Nursing Cover
    Nursing Pad
    Pampered Chef
    Payitforward
    Pediatric Cancer
    Pink Cocoon
    Prayer
    Pregnancy
    Promise
    Quilt
    Raffle
    Record
    Remembrance
    Scentsy
    Selvage
    Sensory
    Siblings
    Socks4Surgery
    Special Needs
    Special Needs
    Sponsor
    St. Jude
    Sugarbooger
    Surgery
    The Gocf
    Timbuk2
    Toes
    TPN/Tube Feed
    Travel
    Treatment
    Tubies
    Weighted Blanket
    World
    Worry
    Yard Sale
    Yowell Meadow Park

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly