July Challenge Day #22

I had another request for Hope Hearts (click on the tab at the top of the page to learn more) and, since I've already posted some in this challenge, I decided to try to make these a little different. Normally I embellish all the hope hearts the same way; that makes them quicker for me to do, and gives them a degree of standardization (as much as something that is handmade can be standardized!)

These are the changes I made: the small heart usually just has the word "hope" on it, but I added seed beads all around it this time; the medium heart has more variety in the fabrics than I usually use; and on the large heart I embroidered flowers instead of sewing on buttons, and I used a patchwork of yellow fabrics for the base heart. This unique group of hearts will be heading off to Kathy in Australia later today.

July Challenge Day #7

After Thursday's post of a patriotic heart, I received a request for one of my hope hearts kits. Since this is an on-going project of mine (click on the tab above marked "Request a Hope Hearts Starter Kit" to learn more), you might think I have a big stockpile of hearts ready to send as soon as I get a request. Not so! I find myself lacking the motivation to work on the hearts if I don't have a request for them. Here are the hearts I just made, and will send out tomorrow.

Crafting Challenge, Day #4

Happy Independence Day, America!

For today's challenge item, I made one of my Hope Hearts in patriotic fabrics. You can read more about these hearts by clicking on the tab at the top of the page labeled "Request a Hope Hearts Starter Kit".

Filling a Jar of Hearts

I'm sending out a bigger-than-usual package of Hope Hearts today.  Suzy, whom I know from the Craft Gossip blogger's meet-ups  in Little Rock, Arkansas, asked for my help as she assembles a jar of hearts for her sister who will be having surgery in November.

In addition to the three hearts that come in every Hope Hearts kit that I mail, there are three extra hearts from me to her sister.  Two of them have faith-related messages, and one is made from the damaged  vintage quilt I have been repurposing.

When I was thinking of how I could best help Suzy with this jar, I had the brilliant idea of making some extra hearts with a blank piece of white fabric on the front and leaving them unstuffed, so non-crafty family members or friends can contribute to the jar by writing a message on a heart.  Suzy will then stuff them and sew them closed.

Suzy, I hope for all the best for your sister.

Call for Suggestions--CLOSED!

This has been a very exciting day for me! I just found out that the "Hope" Hearts Project (which some of you helped me with in November) has been recognized TWICE on Craftster:  first, as inspiration for the current "Random Acts of Crafty Kindness" Challenge; and second, as one of the "Best of 2011" winners!  (That's what the new badge on the top right of the page is for.)

These are the hearts we sent to Amanda, remember?

Now I would like to ask you, dear readers, for your suggestions for a "random acts of crafty kindness" project.  I know some of you are Craftster members yourselves, and you might be planning something--care to give us a sneak peak?  What I would really like would be any suggestions you might have as to how I could use this blog for a random act of kindness.  A giveaway of some kind?  A contest?  If you have an idea for me, please leave a comment below.  Thanks!

UPDATE 1/29/12:  I have decided upon my project for the Random Acts of Kindness Challenge and have started crafting for it.  Submissions are due on Craftster near the end of February, so I will post all the details of what I am doing, at that time, here on my blog.