19 gowns delivered to Cooks Children's Hospital

On December 17th Heartfelt Couture delivered 19 custom hospital gowns to Cooks Children's Hospital in Downtown Fort Worth. From sock monkey's to English gardens these gowns are sure to make these kids smiles bright. I hope the 19 families that receive the gowns feel hope and love this Christmas season.

If you are reading this and you received a gown from Heartfelt Couture please feel free to contact me keri@heartfeltcouture.com I would LOVE to make you a prayer pillow as well!

Blessings this Christmas,

Keri

Prayer pillows

I made 2 prayer pillows today for some very special boys. One is for a 12 year old boy named Austin. He was in a dirt bike accident. He lacerated his spleen, kidney, and pancreas. He loves Texas Tech so OF course I bought Texas Tech fabric.

The other pillow is for Skyler. To learn more about Skyler please read his blog http://www.crystalandskyler.blogspot.com/ His story will bring tears to your eyes. He loves Superman. I already sent him a VERY cool hospital gown, but wanted to make him a extra cool prayer pillow.

Before I ship each prayer pillow and hospital gown, I pray over the gowns or my girls, husband and I pray over the gowns. We pray for strength for the child, peace for the family, and for the families to feel God's love. I also, pray for the families to feel the hope that is in Jesus Christ.

Blessings,

Keri

Happy Birthday Heartfelt Couture!

This week marks 2 years since Heartfelt Couture has been blessing kids! We have come a LONG way since October 2008. Through hard work, determination, and A TON of help, Heartfelt Couture has been able to bless over 3oo kids! Thank you to all of you who have volunteered! I believe in the ministry with all my heart. I can't wait to see what God's plans are for the next 2 years!

Blessings,
Keri

Testimony

A couple of weeks ago I recieved an email from a mom named Keri(She has a fabulous name). Keri wanted to make her daughter, Becca, a gown herself and had some questions for me. Becca is 5 and has Epilepsy. I just had to make a prayer pillow for this sweet girl! Here is what Keri said about the pillow.

That pillow really was the perfect size for her(Becca). All that stuff for the EEG leads made her head control a little off in the bed, so I was able to either use it as a neck pillow, or prop it up behind her. Or-at times it even helped me when I was co-sleeping with her-to give my arm a place to rest when she was using MY ARM as her pillow!

The pillow got compliments from so many staff! Thank you sooo much for getting it to us so quickly! Keri K

Let me just say that all my pillow are different sizes. They are as big or as small as the name is. What I find amazing is that God knew EXACTLY how big it needed to be for Becca's sweet head! It could have been too big or too small but it was JUST right!! Only God could have known that!

Blessings,

Keri Abshier

Amazing Ladies

In September, an amazing group of women cut out around 20 hospital gowns. They normally play Bunko on the 3rd Tuesday of the month. On this Tuesday they decided to give back to some very special children! They did a fabulous job and I think they had a TON of fun too! I know all the families that receive one of these gowns, will be very appreciative of their hard work!

Blessing,

Keri

New Website

Heartfelt Couture now has a website! After almost 2 years of prayer, God anwered them in the form of my husband. He got a book on web design on Sunday and had a website up by the next Saturday. It may not be the most fancy website, but it was FREE! You can go to http://www.heartfeltcouture.com/ and check it out. We will be updating it slowly.

We also have links on the site to our "friends". Poppylane Photography offers a package year round that gives 1/3 of the proceeds to Heartfelt Couture. At Christmas she runs a special package that also includes a free Custom made Christmas card. Megan is a precious, kind, and generous person. And she takes the most amazing pictures!

The other link is Up in the Eyre Custom Children's clothing. Rachel Eyre is the owner of the shop. She makes and sends out gowns to children all over the country with her own money. Her clothing is fantastic! She is an amazing, creative and kind-hearted woman!

I am so proud of Heartfelt Couture and the lives it is changing. I hope we plant hundreds of mustard seeds in the hearts of these amazing children. Showing someone unexpected kindness and generosity can go a LONG way!

Blessings,
Keri Abshier

Poppy Lane Photography

Poppy Lane Photography is partnering with Heartfelt Couture again this year. Megan has such an amazing heart. Last year she helped raise all the money we needed for our IRS fee. She went above and beyond to help our 501c3 status become complete. She offers a package year round where proceeds benefit Heartfelt Couture, but for the 2010 Christmas season she is also offering a custom Christmas card along with the package. This is an amazing deal! Only $75 and you get a disk with the edited photos from the shoot, custom Christmas card, and signed copyright release so you can print the pictures and card, when and where you want. Book soon so you can be sure to get an appointment.

You can contact Megan at http://www.poppylanephotography.blogspot.com/ or megancarrin@gmail.com.

Blessings,
Keri

Prayers for Beckham

Please pray for sweet Beckham. He is 2 weeks old and is hospitalized for bacterial meningitis. Go to www.beckhamlittleton.blogspot.com for updates.

My prayers go out to this family.

"In the day that I called, you answered me. You encouraged me with strength in my soul." Psalm 138:3

25 hospital gowns delivered to Cook Children's Hospital in Downtown Fort Worth

On May 18th Heartfelt Couture delivered 25 precious gowns to Cook Children's Hospital. We were not able to take any photos of the delivery, but I have a few of them all ready to be delivered. Packaged and pretty for 25 amazing kids.

As a mother I cannot imagine what these families go through, but hopefully this little gown will brighten the spirit of the child and their families.

Thank you to all the volunteers that helped make these amazing gowns.

If you received a gown from this delivery or any hospital delivery please email Keri: keri@heartfeltcouture.com. We would LOVE to hear from you!!!

If you know of a child that would LOVE a unqiue hospital gown email me and I will get one shipped to you!

"We will praise you, O Lord, with all of our heart." Psalm 9:1

Blessings

Keri Abshier

New Donation information

Heartfelt Couture is always in need of donations to send out these amazing hospital gowns and name pillows.

You can mail a check to:
Heartfelt Couture
3101 Mossy Oak Ln
Bedford, TX 76021

All donations are tax deductible and a statement will be mailed out by January 31st.

I am working on adding a donation button but I am not that blog savvy so be patient I should be adding it soon!

Have a blessed Easter! This ministry would not be possible without the help of generous people!

"Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart." 2 Cornithians 4:1
Keri

Heartfelt Couture is now a 501c3 public charity

Heartfelt Couture is now a 501c3 IRS recognized non-profit.

What does this mean you ask(unless you are a CPA or know tax laws)?
It means that I had to go through a LONG process, with a lawyers help, to have Heartfelt Couture be a recognized non-profit with the IRS. Donations were always tax deductible, but by making Heartfelt a 501c3 we are now accountable for all donations with the IRS. We will also have to file tax returns in May.

I will also be posting Heartfelt Couture financial information every year. I will post how much we have made for the year and how much we have spent.

Heartfelt Couture also has a board of directors. We are an extremely small non-profit but to meet the qualifications for the 501c3 status a board of directors had to be put into place. We have no paid employees. Everyone works as volunteers. Just a little glimpse into how Heartfelt Couture is run.

Blessings,
Keri Abshier

Fabric restrictions

I know I have written about this before, but the fabric used for Heartfelt Couture HAS to be CPSIA certified fabrics, and it has to have labels sewn into the gowns. The CPCS has very strict guidelines for businesses/non-profits regarding anything made for children under 12. If you are interested in doing a cutting night or what fabrics you can purchase feel free to email me keri@heartfeltcouture.cm

Blessings,
Keri Abshier

How Heartfelt Couture Started

Heartfelt Couture all started because a little 4 year old Sarah Swan didn't like her "normal" hospital gown. Her mother Sharon Swan contacted Keri Abshier to make her some gowns for her upcoming Heart cath and Heart surgery. Sarah has congenital heart disease and her amazing mom knew that Sarah would be needing plenty of FABULOUS hospital gowns.

With a lot of prayer, Heartfelt Couture was launched October 2008. To read more about what we have done from October 2008 to present go to the post from October 2009 called Did you know?

If you are wanting a hospital gown and name pillow for your child or any other child you know. Just contact Keri at keri@heartfeltcouture.com and she will get one out to you!!!


Heartfelt Couture is really in need of a website that is easier to navigate. If you know of anyone or you yourself can help me out that would be great! I don't have time between making the gowns, name pillows, IRS stuff, financial stuff, gown deliveries, and other things that I don't have time to teach myself how to do a website.

Blessings,
Keri Abshier

About Heartfelt Couture

The hospitalization of a child can be a stressful time for children and their families. At Heartfelt Couture, our mission is to provide pint-sized patients with fun and fabulous hospital gowns that are as unique as the are. Each handmade gown is created to provide each hospitalized child a little joy in their hearts and a smile on their face.

If you know of any child that will be in the hospital and would like an amazing hospital gown. Please contact keri@heartfeltcouture.com

All gowns and name pillow are shipped for free. No cost to patient. We just want to make sure these special children have a little something fun.

Blessings,
Keri Abshier

Gown pattern

I have had many emails about the pattern for the gowns. This is the link to the gown pattern. www.lazygirldesigns.com/hospitalgown.php Please let me know if you have any questions.
Blessings,
Keri

Gown delivery to Texas Children's Hospital in Houston

We had a gown delivery at Texas Children's Hospital on Friday, January 22nd. We took 40 gowns that will be given out to children being admitted to the hospital for heart surgery over the next months or so. Sadly...many children will be admitted for heart surgery. On a good note, these gowns will brighten their day and give them something special and fun on the day of their surgery. Sometimes, it's the littlest things that make a difference for these kids. Kate at TCH is such a sweet child life specialist! She always makes kids feel special and helps calm their nerves at a very difficult time and these gowns will just be one more way for her to achieve that! She did notice that one of the little gowns,for a girl, was the same fabric as the doll she uses when she explains their bodies and what about the surgery, etc. I know that she will end up giving that particular gown to some little girl who is uneasy and that she will see that her little gown will match the doll and it will hopefully make her smile.

Kate is going to send us some photographs of some of the patients modeling their gowns later after passing them out. I can't wait to see the smiling faces in their Heartfelt Couture gowns! Thanks to Beth and Dr. Justino also for the nice comments about the gowns and for the photo opportunities! Texas Children's Hospital showed great appreciation for the delivery of the gowns!

The gown delivery would not have been possible without the help of Susan Tanner! She lives in the Houston area and volunteered to sew gowns for us! She came to the hospital where we met for the first time and helped deliver the gowns. Several other have helped sew gowns in Lufkin, as well! Kelly Wayland of Lumbermen's Insurance has been such a blessing as well! Also, thanks to Corrine Davis of Lufkin, Heartstrings Support Group, Jan at Bessie Mary in Highland Village, She donated some of the fabric, and Southside Baptist Church ladies who all pitched in to help with these gowns. Without the help and donations of others, this would not be possible.

We are in need of donations to continue this work. If you or someone you know would like to know how to donate, please contact Keri. Her email is keri@heartfeltcouture.com. She can give you the details of exactly how you can help! We would greatly appreciate any help you can give

Sharon Swan

http://www.mommysharon.blogspot.com/

http://www.inretrospectphotography.blogspot.com/

New Year

It's a New Year, a fresh start, and it's super exciting to see what God will do with Heartfelt Couture in 2010. Last year basically blew my mind in what I thought God could do with this ministry. If you are new to Heartfelt Couture go down to the Did you know post and read about the amazing things that happened in 2009.

I am also happy that I will be devoting all my time to Heartfelt, besides taking care of my family.

If you know of a child in the hospital or one that will be in for surgery, please contact Keri. My email is www.keri@heartfeltcouture.com. I will be happy to make a hospital gown for that child and ship to them at NO COST!

Blessings in 2010!
Keri Abshier