Deliveries

Here are some pictures of recent deliveries made to hospitals!

The first went to Lafayette General Medical Center.This box was our first major delivery to Women's & Children's hospital in Lafayette.
And here is our first delivery being accepted at Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge!

We're making a diference now at 3 different hospitals!

Please don't forget that we also accept and welcome special requests for clothing, so if you or someone you know is in need, please contact us!

December Workday!

Look at all the awesome things made at our December workday!!! Thanks to all who sewed with us!

Donation from Rayne High 4-H

We were very honored to accept a HUGE donation from the Rayne High School 4-H club. This group was able to make over 150 pieces to donate for the babies in the NICU. We thank them so much for their hardwork and appreciate their dedication to our cause.




Thank you so much!

November Workday

We had a very productive workday this month! We were able to finish a lot of our Christmas items and so much more!

The items on this table are bereavement items which left for the hospital the day of the workday. There has been a need for these and we are happy to fulfill that need.Look at all we made!A closeup on some of the Christmas shirts for the babies.
And we were presented with a large banner that some of our volunteers made. Thank you all so much!


Thanks to our volunteers who came this month! Hope to see you again December 5th! And as always we welcome any volunteers who would love to make items for our smallest miracles.

Website Issues

We are in the middle of finding a new provider and host for our website, so TEMPORARILY, it will be down. But, fear not, all of the information you could once find on the website, you can now find here on our blog.

The Homepage

About Us

Our Products

Donations

October 2009 Newsletter

Gumbo Cookoff

In the News

August Workday

August workday was a huge success! Thanks to all who came out and helped us make so many wonderful baby things!

Remember, there is no workday next month due to Labor Day weekend. Contact us if you are interested in sewing before that workday, we do have some patterns for distribution ready.

Look at all we got done!

Blankets.

Shirt wraps.

Shirts.

Frogs.

Snakes.

Thanks again! See you next time!

June Workday

Heartstrings & Angel Wings

Mark your calendars!

Saturday, June 6, 2009 is a
Heartstrings & Angel Wings workday!!

The NICU babies are in need of clothing, blankets, isolette covers, etc and this is an excellent opportunity to get a large quantity of products ready for the babies and ready to deliver in the shortest amount of time! It's also a time to get caught up on what's happening in the organization and enjoy each other's company all while giving to a great cause.

Sewing experience is great, but not required!! (We can either instruct you on how to perform a simple sewing task, or set you up doing something non-sewing related.) If you do sew, we appreciate you bringing your own machine with you if possible.

Please RSVP as soon as possible. RSVPs are very important to make sure we have the right amount/type of equipment and material there for you to use! You can RSVP to heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com.

Saturday, June 6, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Rachel Patin's home
Breaux Bridge, LA
*Lunch/snacks will be provided.

Please pass the information to anyone who may be interested!


Check our blog for the latest updates and see our last workday:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.blogspot.com/

Contact us:
Email: heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com
www.heartstringsandangelwings.com

Kids Zone Sponsor

We were a Kids Zone sponsor for the March for Babies event! This is a result of the fundraising at our Gumbo Cook-Off in March! Thank you for helping us make this possible!

Thank you Missy for the picture!

We Marched for Babies

We walked 3 miles through River Ranch over the weekend to help the March of Dimes and their mission to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth, and infant mortality.

Our team had an amazing turnout for our first walk - this photo is missing about 5 of our team. Thank you to all who joined our team! We more than doubled our fundraising goal! Thank you!

Some other photos from the day.

White balloons were released at the end of the event for those babies no longer with us.

Thanks again and we hope to see you all again next year!!!!!

Amazing April Workday

We had an amazing April workday on April 4th! Around 15 people joined us (our largest group to date), and almost all sew!! I can't wait for our next workday to see what's to come (which is going to be June 6th)! We keep growing and growing which is awesome. The fact that so many care about the babies in NICU tells so much about our community and the wonderful people in it. Thank you all so much for the support, volunteering, and helping us fulfill our mission. I know the NICU parents appreciate it so much! We are all so excited to see what the future is going to bring!

Our big group in action!

It was a real parking lot outside - it was great to have such a big turnout!

Everything on this table was either entirely sewn that day or finished that day. A lot of these things are ready for delivery or went to the NICU the same day with a nurse that came to the workday. We love it when she comes because we get a lot of advice and feedback. It helps us do our job better!

We also had a trio of ladies walk in with amazing quilted blankets, crocheted bereavement gowns- which were beautiful- and some other shirts, hats and things. So much talent! Thank you ladies for your donations and thank you for joining our group! (The bag under the table and the zipper bags to the right on the table are all from these ladies. I did not get a picture of what left though, but there was even MORE. They are so generous.)

This is all cut and ready for the next workday.

These items are ready for finishing at the next workday.

Thanks again to all who volunteered! You have made a huge difference in the life of a NICU baby and especially their parents! Thank You Thank You Thank You! See you in June!

Reminder: Our next workday is not until June 6th! We are skipping the May workday because we are walking in the March for Babies on May 2nd! It's never to late to join the walk! Or if you just want to donate, you can do so on our Team Page. March of Dimes is dedicated to the health of premature babies and it's an honor to support them.

F.Y.I.

I am friends with the March of Dimes and March for Babies on both my personal Twitter account and my Facebook account. Yesterday March of Dimes made an announcement that a beautiful 17 month baby girl from California passed away - her name was Madeline Alice Spohr. She passed away due to lung complications from severe prematurity. Her story is amazing. They asked that donations be made in her memory to March of Dimes in lieu of flowers. [In one day they went from around 2 or 3 thousand dollars to over 18 thousand dollars. If you google Madeline Spohr you will find a ton of blogs mentioning Maddie. She was very loved, especially so in the blogging world.]

Her mom Heather had a blog, and as I read through it, I came across this article titled NICU FAQ and found it absolutely true and absolutely perfect. (It's something she gave words to that is so hard to put words to.) So much so, that I wanted to share what she had to say, since I think everyone should know this information. [I copied the information since her site is loading slowly because it's having a large quantity of hits right now.]

NICU FAQ
March 26, 2009
by Heather Spohr

Last week I became a March of Dimes Mom (my picture and bio aren’t up yet because I haven’t found a picture I like!). I am so honored to be able to give back to the community that did SO much for Mike and me when we were dealing with Madeline’s gestation and hospitalization. Once a month I’ll be blogging about the issues that Mike, Madeline, and I deal with due to prematurity. You know…pretty much like I already do!

The number one email I get is “I have a friend/cousin/neighbor with a baby in the NICU. What can I do for her/him?” After receiving three emails like this in the last four hours, I thought I would post my advice here. As with all advice, take it and adapt it to your friend. Everything I’m suggesting was what MIKE and I needed - it might not apply to the person you know in this situation. Disclaimer, shmishclaimer, let’s get on with it.

Things you can SAY:

Say Congratulations - this might seem like a no-brainer, but I can count on one hand the number of people that congratulated me on becoming a new mom. A baby is an amazing, joyous event, and should be treated as such.

Ask questions. Just like you would ask a mom with a healthy baby how breast feeding & weight gain is going, ask a NICU parent how their baby is doing. Don’t be afraid to ask what acronyms and medical terms mean. The parents will be happy to talk about their child - it makes the baby more real, more THERE, even when the baby is miles away.

Ask to see pictures - just like you would with a healthy baby.

Things you should NOT say:

“When can I see the baby in person?” No one wants to show off their baby more than new parents. If they are comfortable bringing you into the NICU to see the baby AND the baby is healthy enough, they will practically drag you back there.

“When is the baby coming home?”As soon as the parents know, YOU will know.

“She’s going to be okay.” Do you have a crystal ball? That’s what I thought. You DO NOT KNOW the baby is going to be OK. Believe me. TRUST ME. Infections are the dirty secret of the NICU, and they can hit any baby at any time. They are MAJOR, sometimes life-threatening setbacks.

What you can DO:

Offer to help. Volunteer to: walk dogs, do laundry, bring books & magazines, lend a computer if the parents don’t have a laptop, Google medical terms, print up NICU terms, babysit older kids, send cards, start prayer groups (should you be so inclined), pick up pumping supplies, be another set of ears when the parents need to hear important information - this could go on and on. Just BE THERE for your friends however they need you.

Sit in the waiting room, especially during a procedure.

Meet your friends for dinner in the Hospital Cafeteria. Better yet, BUY them dinner. BEST, BRING them dinner. Most NICU parents forget to eat. This is obviously not good, ESPECIALLY if the mom is breast feeding. If you make an appointment to eat with them, they will have to eat something.

If you can’t be there in person, call or email. You might not get a response, but it will definitely be heard and appreciated.

Offer to be the mom’s chauffeur. In my case, I’d just had surgery and wasn’t cleared to drive. Mike often went to the NICU first thing in the morning, but I had to stay home to pump and recover. My friend Brianne took me to the NICU and I was SO grateful.

Be the spokesman. The parents will have MANY people that want to know how the baby is doing. Offer to be the point person. Answer questions, email updates, keep everyone else informed.

What you can BRING:

FOOD

Comfortable clothes, especially for the new mom who just gave birth. NOTHING fits her. Bring her yoga pants, sweats, anything she can be comfortable in.

Button-down shirts and hoodies. These are AMAZING for when parents practice Kangaroo care.
A disposable camera to leave at the baby’s bedside so the nurses can take a picture of the baby when the parents aren’t there.

Gifts for the nurses. Nurses run hospitals - doctors just drop in. The parents will soon realize this, but they will have a hard time getting out of the hospital to get stuff for the nurses. Help them by bringing cookies, cakes, etc.

A NICU Parent Care Kit. These are some of the things Mike and I had, or wish we had:

kleenex
hand lotion (EXTREME CARE)
chap stick
antibacterial lotion
energy bars
gum, mints, mouth wash
tooth brush & toothpaste
hairbrush
gift card to baby store
hospital parking pass (most hospitals offer long-term parking options, but it’s still pricey)
wet wipes
energy bars
oatmeal cookies (oatmeal is good for breast milk production)
a notebook & pen to be a journal of thoughts, treatments, etc

ALWAYS REMEMBER:

The Dad. Mike heard countless times, “Oh, your poor wife.” As if he wasn’t also suffering! The dad’s baby is sick, too.

The NICU is a roller coaster, and just because you got good news from your friend yesterday doesn’t mean you’ll get good news today. Be prepared for any kind of update.

Be the kind of friend your friend needs. Some people want optimistic friends, some want realistic, some want silent pals, some want comedians, and some want all of the above. Know your friend, and LISTEN to what he or she needs. And then BE what s/he needs. Even if that means being the realistic friend when you’re normally Pollyanna. Even if you have to make fart jokes when you’re normally quoting statistics. Even when you have to admit that the baby might not make it. Especially then.

Don’t tell the parents how scared you are. THEY ARE MORE SCARED.

Saying something is always better than saying nothing. Get over yourself and contact your friend. They will remember that you didn’t. Yep. THEY WILL REMEMBER.

In the end, you know your friend/cousin/neighbor the best. Do what feels right. But do SOMETHING. The NICU is a hard place to spend time - do what you can to make a few minutes a little brighter. You’ll be glad you did.

Did I forget something? Let me know!!!

Madeline Alice Spohr 11/11/07-4/7/09 born at 29 weeks.

Join our walk

March for Babies... It's extremely important.



And here is another...



The 2009 Ambassador.




Join our walk...

Click here.

April Workday!

Heartstrings & Angel Wings

Mark your calendars!

Saturday, April 4, 2009 is a
Heartstrings & Angel Wings workday!!

The NICU babies are in need of clothing, blankets, isolette covers, etc and this is an excellent opportunity to get a large quantity of products ready for the babies and ready to deliver in the shortest amount of time! It's also a time to get caught up on what's happening in the organization and enjoy each other's company all while giving to a great cause.

No sewing experience is necessary!! (We can either instruct you on how to perform a simple sewing task, or set you up doing something non-sewing related.)

Please RSVP as soon as possible, and we'll send you more information (and directions if needed)! RSVPs are very important to make sure we have the right amount/type of equipment and material there for you to use! You can RSVP to heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com.

Saturday, April 4, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Rachel Patin's home
Breaux Bridge, LA
*Lunch/snacks will be provided.

Please pass the information to anyone who may be interested!

Check our blog for the latest updates and see our last workday:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.blogspot.com/

Check out the website for more information and please continue to spread the word:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.com/

Contact us:
Email: heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com
www.heartstringsandangelwings.com

*****Please note that we will not be having a workday in May, as our workday falls on the March of Dimes, March for Babies walk! But please join us in Lafayette for the March for Babies!!!!!!!! If you are interested in joining our team, please contact one of us, or go to our Team Page and sign up there. Thanks!!!!

Cook-off Pictures

Here are the pictures from the cookoff. To view descriptions of the pictures, go to my flickr stream - click here.



Thank you so much to everyone for the continued support!!

~Jennifer

Cook-Off

More information on the cook-off coming soon (including lots of pictures), but for now...


The cookoff was a huge/major/super success and we appreciate all who were involved. We hope to have all of you again next year!!!

Again...

March Madness!

Lots of updates to post today!!!

_________________________________________________________________

First, our First Annual Gumbo Cook-Off is this weekend!!!! If you haven't signed up to cook and would like to, you haven't run out of time yet, the deadline to sign up was extended to March 12th. Call Colt ASAP to get signed up. His cell # is 277-6745. If you don't want to cook, there's still a lot of things to come out for. First, we will have a raffle for gift certificate donations that we received. (Awesome!) You must be present to win. Second, we will have a silent auction with lots of awesome items that have been donated to us. (You can view a partial list here.) Third, GUMBO!!! A public tasting will be held as soon as judging concludes.



At the event we will have information on hand about Heartstrings and you can sign up for updates and volunteer. We will also have information about March for Babies, and if you want to walk with us in May, you can sign up at the Cook-Off.



The gates open to the public at 7pm. Gumbo tasting and Lil Nathan and the Zydeco Big Timers begin at 8:00. The silent auction has 2 tables; bidding ends for Table 1 at 8:30 and Table 2 at 9:00. Award ceremony is at 9:00.



Please come join the fun!!!

___________________________________________________________________

Our March workday was a huge success! We got a lot of items completed! They are being washed and packaged and getting ready to be shipped off to the NICU.
So cute...
There are 2 ribbons per shirt, so this is a lot of little shirts!A few St. Patrick's Day bibs.Our next workday is April 4th. For more information about the workday, please see our newsletter on the website. Go HERE.

__________________________________________________________________________

Our March for Babies team is growing! You can join us by going to our team page, or contact one of us and we'll sign you up. March of Dimes is a great organization that works to prevent premature birth, birth defects, and infant mortality. With our help, maybe one day all babies will be born healthy.

__________________________________________________________________________

We're in the newspaper!

___________________________________________________________________________

Our brochure is on the homepage of our website as a pdf. Anyone can print it out now if needed.

Mark your Calendars!!! First Annual Cookoff!

We are also having a silent auction with lots of awesome items!

Please plan to attend!!!

March Workday!

Mark your calendars!

Saturday, March 7, 2009 is a
Heartstrings & Angel Wings workday!!

The NICU babies are in need of clothing, blankets, isolette covers, etc and this is an excellent opportunity to get a large quantity of products ready for the babies and ready to deliver in the shortest amount of time! It's also a time to get caught up on what's happening in the [*non-profit*] organization and enjoy each other's company all while giving to a great cause.

No sewing experience is necessary!! (We can either instruct you on how to perform a simple sewing task, or set you up doing something non-sewing related.)

Please RSVP as soon as possible, and we'll send you more information (and directions if needed)! RSVPs are very important to make sure we have the right amount/type of equipment and material there for you to use! You can RSVP to heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com, rachel_patin@yahoo.com, or cbccrafts@centurytel.net.

Saturday, March 7, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Rachel Patin's home
Breaux Bridge, LA
*Lunch/snacks will be provided.

Please pass the information to anyone who may be interested!

Check our blog for the latest updates and see our last workday:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.blogspot.com/

Check out the website for more information and please continue to spread the word:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.com/

Contact us:

Email: heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com
http://www.heartstringsandangelwings.com/

February Workday - Feb 7th

Heartstrings & Angel Wings

Mark your calendars!

Saturday, February 7, 2009 is a
Heartstrings & Angel Wings workday!!

The NICU babies are in need of clothing, blankets, isolette covers, etc and this is an excellent opportunity to get a large quantity of products ready for the babies and ready to deliver in the shortest amount of time! It's also a time to get caught up on what's happening in the [*non-profit*] organization and enjoy each other's company all while giving to a great cause.

No sewing experience is necessary!! (We can either instruct you on how to perform a simple sewing task, or set you up doing something non-sewing related.)

Please RSVP as soon as possible, and we'll send you more information (and directions if needed)! RSVPs are very important to make sure we have the right amount/type of equipment and material there for you to use! You can RSVP to heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com, rachel_patin@yahoo.com, or cbccrafts@centurytel.net.

Saturday, February 7, 2009
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Rachel Patin's home
Breaux Bridge, LA
*Lunch/snacks will be provided.

Please pass the information to anyone who may be interested!

Check our blog for the latest updates and see our last workday:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.blogspot.com/

Check out the website for more information and please continue to spread the word:
http://heartstringsandangelwings.com/

Contact us:

Email: heartstrings_angelwings@yahoo.com
www.heartstringsandangelwings.com

January Workday

Another successful workday for Heartstrings & Angel Wings!!!!!

We had a couple of new faces working with us for this workday and we thank you very much for being a part of our group.

Item Inventory:

83 pieces including shirts and blankets made Saturday

150 total pieces ready for delivery including 1 unit cover, blankets, shirts, and loveys

Next workday is February 7th!