In the beginning of the month, I was blessed to be part of West Hartford's Spring Stroll and partnered with BK&CO, a beautiful women's boutique, to showcase what Dress a Girl Connecticut and Dress a Girl Around the World has been doing. I sold some of our dresses to raise money for supplies, shipping and labeling dresses! I was so touched at how many people came out and not only learned more about what we do, but donated by purchasing a dress for $25. That money will make at least another 13 dresses and get them to the girls around the world! The best part is, so many were touched by this and were thrilled to be able to help and share with whomever the dress will go to what it means and that with their support, many girls will be blessed. I owe a huge thank you to Barbara and Karen, owners of BK&CO for promoting and supporting our mission. Thank you ladies!
In late April, I was in Kansas and met up with a friend that I hadn't seen in 2 years. When we brought each other up to speed on what we'd been doing, I learned she has started going to Haiti with a mission group called HUT OUTREACH. Joni told me that these kind folks were an organization that aims to help with basic needs of the people in Les Cayes, Haiti. (Yes, clothing is a basic need-like a dress for a young girl!) I told her all about my involvement with Dress a Girl and we discussed how God has worked in each of our lives to help us by helping others. We agreed that it would be great if she could take some of my dresses to Haiti in the end of May with her group. When I returned home to Connecticut, we emailed each other and she asked me if she could have 1,000 dresses for Haiti!!!
Of course I said yes and set right to emailing, posting and pleading with everyone who helps us in sewing to send me their dresses. Fortunately, we are an organization that is growing! Everyone was so helpful and eager to get their dresses sent to Haiti that I was overwhelmed with offers to send dresses to me. At the time I had to send dresses off, I counted and recounted and was only 53 dresses short! Amazing! One month and 1,000 dresses! God is good! I emailed a few other reps and found that the Chicago rep could send Joni the additional 53 dresses. We made our goal! Thank you all who helped in any capacity! Joni has promised me TONS of photos and a few have already showed up on her Facebook page. I am dying to see more! I have many requests from those who sewed to see photos. I am sure they are hoping to see their dress on a little girl! What a great feeling that is!
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| Nicole of HUT OUTREACH on left and my friend Joni on the right with girls blessed with our dresses! |
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| Look at that smile! Doesn't it speak VOLUMES??? All girls are all smiles when they receive our dresses! |
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| Nicole and Joni holding some of our dresses! Smiling in anticipation of blessing little girls with them! |
In May I also did a Girl Scout event with two troops in Kensington. Daisies and Brownies gathered donations from local churches, schools, the senior center and other organizations prior to our event. Then I went to speak to them and explained we'd be painting designs on the hems of the pillowcases. This would add something special to the dresses we would make out of their pillowcases. I will send them photos when the dresses are finished. I just love girls helping girls! Sew sweet!
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| Daisies and Brownies hard at work embellishing with fabric paints. |
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| Daisies and Brownies hard at work embellishing with fabric paints. |
This month I also was contacted me by a lady named Donna. She was teaching her 8 year old granddaughter Addi to sew. They decided to sew a pillowcase dress for Dress a Girl and Addi set out to buy bandanas to sew into a "pillowcase" dress. She insisted on purchasing the materials with her own money and with Donna's assistance and guidance, she made her first dress-nearly entirely on her own! I emailed back and forth with Donna and she told me this:
"The dress is now in the mail to you. Thank you so much for this. Addi is such a wonderful little girl. She has a heart of gold. It is so sweet to see her realize children are not as blessed as she is. She calls it lucky because at 8 years old she doesn't know there is no luck, it's blessings. I did take a photo when she finished the dress, I'll send you a photo tonight.
The dress isn't perfect. I started to re-do it but my husband said that wasn't right, that Addi had took so much time with it. There is a card in the pocket. If you feel you can't use the dress do what you must. She has fabric picked out for her next dress."
I told Donna that of course we'd use it as Addi poured her heart into it! I asked Donna to take a photo of Addi with the dress before she sent it to me. She did that and I first received the dress. I was shocked when I opened it. It was beautiful! My daughter was standing nearby and saw it as I opened it. "I LOVE THAT!" she exclaimed. I told her about Addi and she was shocked it was made by an 8 year old! She is about to turn 12 and couldn't believe an 8 year old could make it! And so cute too! I opened the card in the pocket from Addi and was brought to tears by it! Two days later, I received the picture of Addi holding her dress. Could she be any cuter??
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| Addi (8) holding the dress she made. |
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| Beautiful! Made by and 8 year old girl! |
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| Sweet note in the pocket! |
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| Sew pretty! |
In May I was also contacted by a woman whose mother had passed this past winter. Carolyn was a nationally acclaimed quilter and had a house full of beautiful fabrics and notions etc. The daughter asked if I would be interested in fabrics and of course I said YES! She delivered to me a car full of boxes all sorted and full of fabrics, notions, tools and more. There was a miscommunication, however, as she looked at a website and thought we only took in white materials for dress making. Knowing she was donating materials to be made with her dear mother's fabrics into darling dresses for little girls, I couldn't say no and happily accepted them. We will lot dye and tie dye the materials and make dresses with it all. It may take a few years, but we will use it all.
With that being said, I would like to say as a general rule:
WE DO NOT USE WHITE MATERIALS OR ANY THAT ARE SEE THROUGH!
We test for sheerness by holding our hand behind a layer of fabric-
If we can see our hands outline-IT IS TOO SHEER.
Let's respect the modesty of all age girls and
provide dresses they will feel comfortable in and not self conscious.
After all, we want to provide God's best for the girls!
HOST A DRESS A GIRL TIE DYE EVENT WITH YOUR
FRIENDS, CHURCH YOUTH, GIRL SCOUTS OR SCHOOL!
On the same line of thinking, if you have a group or organization that would enjoy hosting a tie dye event for a good cause, please consider taking a box of material from me and dye it so that it becomes a useable fabric for us to make dresses with. Lot dying is also a possibility. Please contact me at dressagirlct@gmail.com for more information. Remember, I am in Connecticut and we would need to find a way for you to come and pick up the fabric. I can provide direction in how you can obtain good and vibrant dyes to use. The dyed dresses are really cute!!
If you would like to get involved and sew for us, please contact me. I have supplies that I can provide to you and instruction as well. The dresses are quite easy and quick to make and have a HUGE impact on the girl that receives the dress!
Keep up to date by following me on Facebook. Please "like" my Dress a Girl Connecticut page to hear what we are doing and see recent pictures! If you like what we are doing, share it with your friends. The more people that hear about what we are doing, the more that may get involved and help us to bless little girls!
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