Still collecting!

So many blankets and beanies brought by today - 

THANK YOU 

- if you still have some to bring, it's not too late! We will be accepting them through Tuesday the 18th.  

On Monday I will do an update on numbers!!

You all inspire me!!

I have lots of people telling me thanks for doing this - but just so you know - it is purely selfish!!

I do it because it gives me opportunity to meet great people like you! I do it because you inspire me! I do it because I know how it feels to serve and I want to feel that more! I do it because I want to surround myself with goodness and good people - and that is what you all do for me! I do it because then I get to associate with the greatest people on earth - those that want to lift others!

Thank you everyone for indulging my selfishness!! You inspire me!!

Blankets today from - small families, big families, activity day girls, Young Women groups, older ladies that spent countless hours crocheting, and knitting and tying and sewing.  One person bringing over one blanket or 3 beanies, and 2-3 people bringing 20-30 blankets.  We have tiny baby blankets, and big fuzzy warm blankets and everything in-between.  AND baby beanies and Dad beanies, cute beanies and warm fuzzy beanies and beanies for every kid size out there!  

My heart continues to grow and I hope that yours does as well!! It is a good thing :)

12 bags of blankets!

12 bags of blankets came today! It's a glorious site!  Thank you everyone who delivered bags today. Blankets and Beanies getting rolled, ribboned and counted tonight! You are all fabulous!!!

FYI - If you are planning on delivering to our Utah address they are heading down to Arizona on Friday with all of the blankets they gathered. So make sure you get those delivered tomorrow.  IF that is going to be a problem be sure to let us know. THANKS!
  

Santa himself . . . .

Today it was as if Santa himself pulled up in his mini-van, carting 3 darling girls in their dance outfits, and 2 huge bags full of blankets, hats, and scarves, 86 in all.  Of course it wasn't a jolly old round man with a red nose, but a cute Tiffani Wright a petite Mom, with bags almost bigger than herself stuffed in the back of that van. I'm sure, for a few fun moments, she probably felt a bit like Santa as she handed over those gifts today.  
Tiffani reported that a group of women where she lives in Maricopa, AZ, who usually get together at Christmas time to exchange gifts, decided this year instead to all bring blankets, hats and scarves to send to those who are in much more need of gifts this year than themselves.  Thanks Tiffani and all those wonderful women who caught the Christmas spirit and understand that its much more fun to give than to receive.

The project is moving onward and upward -  our current totals - 278 Blankets, 297 Beanies/Hats, and 24 scarves, with a grand total of 815, not including the 20-30 that have already arrived in New Jersey. 
For the purpose of making things a little easier and saving a bit of money on shipping, we decided to ship everything at once instead of in two shipments.  We will be shipping probably the 17th or 18th of Dec. so keep 'em coming!!!

If anyone has relatives in NY or NJ that would like to help distribute, we would love to have them join in. Please contact me and we will get it all set up for them to help!

It's finally getting cold here in AZ. (lol) we might even dip all the way down to 37 tonight.  Just kind of hard to imagine from our warm point of view the 1000's who are still living in shelters in freezing conditions.  Thanks everyone for sending both comfort and warmth their direction!  Wish we could send a little bit of this warm Arizona sun!

Hope everyone is having fun getting ready for Christmas - it is such a fun time of year!

"The real joy of Christmas is found from making the Savior Jesus Christ the focus of the season. We can keep Him in our thoughts and in our lives as we go about the work He would have us perform here on earth."

Thomas S. Monson

We're growing!! Yippee!!

A HUGE thanks to everyone out there still plugging away at those blankets and beanies!! We are growing here and around the country.

Jodi our (adopted) daughter in DC went again to NYC to help do clean up last weekend.  Jodi said while they were walking towards their first location to start helping a lady driving down the street stopped, rolled down her window and said "Oh my gosh your back again! Thank God you are here to help us! Thank God you all come every week.  We love you and we are so happy you come to help us every week." 

The clean up continues and we thank all of you for helping us make a small difference in their lives.  I think one of the greatest benefits of giving like this for the receiver, is the mere fact that someone else is thinking of them.  I know that whenever someone does something for me, no matter the gift, just to thinks someone cares is what keeps me going!

Every beanie and every blanket does count! To be honest we probably won't even come close to our 10,000 goal - BUT that's okay! Because if we send 250 or 10,000 we can make a difference to at least that many - and that is always a good thing.

Keep em' coming!!!

Where Do You Stand? With Growing Hearts!

Lots of cold people - needing our warmth!
Thanks to everyone who has given and shared and sacrificed - BUT we have warm beds and houses to go home to every night!!

WE NEED MORE - please spread that word and get all of your friends and families to give! 

He puzzled and puzzed till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more!

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say

That the Grinch's small heart grew three sizes that day!

And then the true meaning of Christmas came through,

And the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches, plus two!

And now that his heart didn't feel quite so tight,

He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light

With a smile to his soul, he descended Mount Crumpet

Cheerily blowing "Who! Who!" on his trumpet.

He road into Whoville. He brought back their toys.

He brought back their floof to the Who girls and boys.

He brought back their snoof and their tringlers and fuzzles,

Brought back their pantookas, their dafflers and wuzzles.

He brought everything back, all the food for the feast!

And he, he himself, the Grinch carved the roast beast!

Welcome Christmas. Bring your cheer,

Cheer to all Whos, far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to grasp.

Christmas Day will always be

Just as long as we have we.

Welcome Christmas while we stand

Heart to heart and hand in hand.

How the Grinch Stole Christmas
Written by Dr. Seuss, published in 1957
Cartoon debuted December 18, 1966

Where do you stand???

Updates of Sandy and our very own Mustache Mama's

Just browsing the web and came across these articles on damage caused by Sandy. People suffering in varying mental and physical ways; from the cold resulting in the "Sandy cough", cuts and scrapes from clean-up work, mold and several locations still without power!!
Sandy's Health Issues


Liberty and Ellis Island suffered serious damage resulting in several hundreds without work until the damaged islands can be repaired. 
Liberty Island still closed


On the bright side we received a fun package on our doorstep today from: 

The Mustache Mamas!

We are so happy to have been MUUstached!  Their faces are cleverly disguised by their neatly trimmed mustaches! Although we tried to figure out the cute faces behind the mustaches, we failed.  We can only say - kuddos to you and all the anonymous good you are doing!! 

Thanks Mustache Mamas - you have spread your 

goodness and warmth!

It's getting cold outside!

Hey everyone - so we had a pretty good Thanksgiving weekend! I have received blankets and hats in the mail, left on my doorstep, made at reunions and the fun continues! BUT it's just not enough.  With so so many people that are gearing up for the cold and so many that have nothing after hurricane Sandy we need more!! 
IF you are the kind of person that doesn't enjoy or know how to make blankets and beanies thats okay! Be the one to spread the word and start gathering for us!!!   Email, share our blogs, write your own blogs, FB, tweet and talk!  Christmas is such a great time of year to Give! So let's give more people the chance to send some warmness out East!!! 

Totals that are finished, bundled and ready to ship - 
     Blankets - 211
     Beanies/hats - 187
     Scarves - 9 (got these in the mail with beautiful beanies) sure to keep some wonderful people warm!

Please let us know if we can help arrange shipping to any of our locations. 

For it is in giving that we receive.

Francis of Assisi

I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.

Rabindranath Tagore

Have a joyful Christmas holiday & Give!

Long way to Go!

Just a quick note to send a HUGE thanks to everyone that has made and continues to make blankets and beanies!  

I haven't finished counting yet what I have in Arizona but probably close to 300 blankets and around 200 beanies.  This is fabulous - BUT we still have a long ways to go to hit our mark.  

Please spread the word!!! 

We will be accepting them until Dec. 15th, so there is plenty of time to make and/or purchase a blanket or two and send our way.  I will do a count and post pictures within the next few days: in the mean time - keep 'em coming.  
If you are located in a State that is not a drop-off State, please let me know and we will see if we can figure out how to get yours shipped as well.

THANKS everyone!! I know our Sandy friends will certainly be so grateful for your kindness and sacrifice!

Fleece Sale = Blankets for 1/2 price = Warm hurricane Sandy kids

Love Black Friday - 
Joann's has almost all of their fleece on sale today for $2.99/yd. which equates to blankets costing just under $5 each if you are getting 1 1/2 yrd.  WOW that is a great deal!! Hurry in today and have fun this weekend making more quilts for more of our friends affected by hurricane Sandy!!

Happy black Friday!!

Link to Joann's

Giving - Thanks for Divine Favours

Thanksgiving Day -

Sitting here just contemplating the word Thanksgiving. It's kind of a funny word if you think about it!!  So the first thankful thought of my day is for Google - I opened my browser and looked up the word - thanksgiving -

World English Dictionary

thanksgiving  (ˈθæŋksˌɡɪvɪŋ, US  θæŋksˈɡɪvɪŋ)
— n
1.	the act of giving thanks
2.	a. an expression of thanks to God
	b. a public act of religious observance or a celebration in acknowledgment of divine favours thanksgiving  1530s, "the giving of thanks," from thanks (n.) + giving.  The noun thanks is attested from mid-14c., from the verb thank.  In thespecific sense of "public celebration acknowledging divine favors"thanksgiving  dates from 1632 (the first one in America was heldOctober 1621 by Plymouth Colony Pilgrims in appreciation of assistance frommembers of the Massasoit tribe and celebration of the  firstharvest); though Thanksgiving Day itself is not attested until 1674.

I wonder how many people actually know the definition is: an expresion of thanks to God and/or a public act of religious observance or a celebration in acknowledgment of divine favors!  

I think most of us get that it is the act of giving thanks!! And really how awesome is that, that we have a national holiday that is completely centered on being thankful.

Today I am thankful for way to many things to list! BUT one of the top: I am thankful for people like all of you - People who have an innate desire to do good, to lift others, to share your blessings and Give!!  Thank you to all of you, YOU enrich my life and give me greater reason for hope and goodness in this beautiful world! 

Above all I am thankful for a loving Father in Heaven and our Savior Jesus Christ.

I know They love us, watch over us, guide us and bless us, and that they grant us divine favors!

Happy Thanksgiving and have a great day Giving-Thanks!!

~ Liz

Bearing gifts of goodness!

I've had several wonderful people coming by the last few days bearing gifts of goodness!!   My dining room is filling up and it just keeps getting better! 

Yesterday some of my angel neighbors brought over this bag full of 67 adorable hats.  When their niece Kari Jensen who has spent hours crocheting these cute hats, heard about our project she loaded up her hats and said "I have made all of these hats in the last three months for a booth at a local craft fair and these are what I have left over.  My aunt told me about the donations for hurricane Sandy victims and I decided there would be no better purpose for my hats!"  I know that most of these cute hats she could probably sell online for $20-$30 each, they are that cute!  We are grateful for Kari and her willingness to give of her goodness, to bring some comfort and warmth to our friends on the East coast.  

ALSO - we would LOVE for anyone that would like to, to add a note to your blankets or beanies.  Maybe just give a word of comfort and hope, and you are welcome to put your names and where you are from on them.  Put your note in a small baggie and safety pin it to your blanket or beanie.  I'm sure those that receive would love to know who was thinking about them.  I certainly would.  

A few of my favorites! 

Giving thanks by giving!

Give some warmth and stay warm!

First thanks to all who have joined our sending comfort to the families movement. AND welcome to all who still want to help!

We have had a great response with people all over the US making blankets and beanies. My heart is full as I talk to many of you through all of the fun social networking possibilities.  Thank you to the few who have already dropped off blankets. They are beautiful! Keep em' coming!

A quick update on what is happening out East:

Our great friend Jodi Cantrell (and one of our organizers) spent last weekend in New Jersey helping with Sandy clean-up.  I talked to Jodi today and she was visibly moved by the destruction, by the clean-up process and especially by the families needing help.

They spent all day Sunday moving trash, cleaning out houses (or what's left of them) and giving a little comfort to the families still trying to figure out what to do next.

Here are a few pictures Jodi took.  

Jodi reported that everywhere they went the residents would stop and thank them. Walking down the street, stopping their cars and leaning out the windows and obviously in each house they went in to help.  People saying "thank you so much for taking the time to help us".  

Not sure there are many things on this earth that can bring more joy in our lives than when we are doing good for others.  Maybe this Thanksgiving we can be grateful for the opportunity to share our blessings with those in need.  Sometimes the best way to recovery is just knowing that you're not forgotten and people from all over are thinking about and praying for you.


 A couple of Blankets and Beanies info:
If you are not located in a state where one of our drop-off location is, and you have several blankets to send please message me on my FB - Liz Porter and I will see what we can do to help.  If you just have a few and don't mind mailing them, please send them to the New Jersey address in my previous post.

ALSO: We would love for you to add a personal note to your blanket if you wish. We will post some templates for you to download and use, OR you can just make your own fun note, let the family know who you are and where you are from. Place your note in a plastic baggie and safety pin it on the blanket.

Happy Blanket & Beanie making this week!!!

Please remember to tweet, post, blog, facebook and share the fun!

Time to Serve: Join our Comfort Movement!!!

Join us in giving some comfort and warmth to the families affected by hurricane Sandy! 

Our Goal: To Comfort Sandy’s Kids with 10,000 blankets and beanies for the families displaced by hurricane Sandy by Dec. 15th!

Join us in helping these families by sending them homemade or purchased blankets to help comfort and keep them warm as they rebuild and start the winter. 

What you do: 

1) Make or purchase a blanket or beanie. 

       If you would like to make them, below are some links to find some fun and easy ways to make a comfy blanket and a warm beanie.

2) Write a note - 

      Write a quick note to the family that will receive your blanket and/or beanie. If you want, you can also attach a picture of you and those who helped you.

3) Mail or drop off your blanket/beanie to one of these several locations:

Comfort Sandy's Kids

52 Featherbed Lane

Flemington, NJ 08822

Comfort Sandy's Kids

3917 E. Des Moines St.

Mesa, Az 85205

Comfort Sandy's Kids

343 W. 300 N. #4

Provo, Utah 84601

Comfort Sandy's Kids

54 Maplewood st.

Watertown, MA 02472

4) Continue to pray for all of those families who are displaced from the devastation of hurricane Sandy. And get your families, communities, and schools involved in helping us comfort Sandy's Kids!

So here are some tutorials to help you as you help others! 

We made our own plus found a bunch of links to other quilting and crafty blogs in case you want to get really crazy. 

Remember, we would love all kinds of blankets, including big ones, small ones, quilted, tied, or fleece. Anything to help our fellow Americans stay warm and feel your love. *But please no used blankets or beanies, only homemade or newly purchased. 

Blankets range from 54x60 for the fleece and 54x36 for cotton

Blankets can cost from $10 - $20 depending on where you get your fabric. The fleece I just bought at JoAnn’s fabrics was 50% off @ 12.99/yd. so I paid just at $10 per blanket.

My cotton blankets are made from fabric purchased at Wal-Mart they have lots of cute fun prints at very reasonable prices.

Fleece Blankets

1-½ yds. Fleece

Make sure your edges are all nice and straight.  Cutting off all rough edges and salvages. 

There are lots of ways now to do your ends. You can tie all 4 sides of your blanket or you can choose to only tie 2 ends.

Cut 4 inch fringe about 1 inch thick on each side you plan on tying. 

Options: tie each individual fringe by itself.

Or: tie two pieces of fringe together in a square knot. (right over left and left over right – so that when it is washed the knot will stay.)

Either method is cute and fun.  You can also find great tutorials on how to sew 2 pieces of fleece together to make a thicker blanket.

Super easy Cotton tied blankets

1 ½ yd. cotton print

1 ½ yd. cotton solid

crib size batting

yarn

Quilting needle

 Wash and dry fabric (to prevent shrinking after blanket is made.)

On a flat surface lay the back side of your fabric with right side up.  Next layer on top of that your top layer of fabric with right side down. On top of that lay out your batting, pin all three layers together.

Trim all three layers so your edges are all straight and even.  Can use a straight edge and rotary blade if you have one.

Sew all three layers together leaving a 5 inch opening on one side.  Remove pins.

Turn blanket inside out.  Your batting should be in between your fabric now with the right sides of your fabric facing out.  Be sure to push out each corner from inside so you have nice defined corners.  Press

Sew up your 5 inch opening carefully on the machine or by hand. Be sure your fabric is tucked inside along that seam.

Time to tie your quilt.

Begin by marking your quilt with a 5x5 template. (I cheat and usually just stitch according to the pattern on the print.) The purposes of the ties are to keep the fabric together and the batting in place.  

In the blanket shown we tied in the middle of every other fish, skipped two rows of fish and started again.  Use your best judgment and just make if fun, cute and consistent.

Thread your quilting needle with about a yard of yarn, pulling your yarn through until both ends of the yarn are even.  Make a small stitch at your first marking, making sure you go all the way through both fabrics.  Pull your yarn completely through until you have 3 inches left on the end. 

Next there are several ways you can tie your yarn.  The most important part is that you make a square knot at each mark. 

Here are two ways to tie:

1)    Continue on stitching your yarn through each mark, making sure your 3 inch end stays secure and doesn’t get pulled through.  When you get to the end of your yarn, cut in between each mark, and tie at each stich point the yarn in a square knot.

2)    Tie as you go: after each stitch cut your yarn, tie your square knot and continue on.

3)    There is also a method to tie before you cut your yarn, but it is hard to explain.  If you would like to know how, send us an email and we’ll help walk you through it! 

Finish up: look at each tie and make sure it looks nice and clean. Check the back side of the fabric to make sure it also looks nice and clean leaving no crazy yarn pieces back there.  Trim each tie to about 1 inch long.

Viola – you have a fun warm blanket to send to a Sandy family and everyone gets to be warm inside!

We are also accepting beanies!! Follow the tutorial links below to find some fun ways to make adorable beanies to help warm up all those kids and families!!

Go to these great links to get some more ideas and inspiration!

For blankets

Imperfect Homemaking

Tip Junkie

U-create

Exploring Womenhood

Quilting In The Rain

Quilting In The Rain 2

Connecting Threads

Mary Quilts

See Kate Sew

Honey Bear Lane

If you want to make beanies go here.

Fleece Beanies

Knitted had with a Loom 

Free Hat Patterns

Info. about us: In 2001 we started Comfort the Kids, and with the help of several hundreds of amazing people delivered over 2500 handmade red, white and blue blankets to children who lost family members in the twin towers on 9/11. To keep the fun going, we delivered over 500 blankets to victims of some of the California wildfires in 2003, and in 2006 sent over 500 blankets to Houston, Texas to a children's burn unit affected by hurricane Katrina.  As a family we are grateful for the blessings in our lives and feel it a privilege to share those blessings with those suffering.  Please join us and share your warmth and love with the families that are bracing for a very cold winter on the east coast. Please give a blanket, so you AND those who bundle up in your blanket will feel some comfort, warmth and peace this cold winter season. 

Making Loom Hats