Now that I have other projects under control, it is time to host the Safelight Project for the third year.  This is a blog event to benefit the domestic violence shelter here with prize drawings for those participating! The shelter is constantly providing a refuge for new people, so the need is ongoing.  The previous two years we have come together as a community to assemble spa bags for new residents of the shelter.   The spa bags go a long way to making a difficult transition a little better, providing much needed support for residents who are going through a horrible time in their lives, betrayed by someone they loved, fleeing abusive situations with their children and virtually nothing else.  Residents said the bags helped them feel special and cared for, at a time when support was needed most.  You can sew, stamp or donate money to the project to be entered to win prizes.

The canvas bags hold some nice pampering items, handmade cards and sewn cases. There was enough participation with the 2018 project that we made 70 bags!! Even so, they ran out over two months ago.

We even made some guy bags, as yes, sometimes men are at the shelter too.

I would like to do the bags again including items that are little extras like sunglasses, suntan lotion, nail polish and pedicure kits, and personal care items like hair treatments and lip gloss.  They are placed on the bed as the person arrives, a gift that makes them feel like someone cares as they run from an old life and look towards a new beginning.

There are three ways you can get involved!

First, again this year each bag will cost $10 to put together, and I am asking for your help in funding the cost. If we have 100 readers fund just 1/2 a bag at $5, we can make 50 bags for the residents. I’ll be purchasing the bags again wholesale to make them all the same size and design, and adding the items inside. To donate, click on  Donate Via Paypal, you can check out using your account, or check out as a guest with a credit card.  Just fill in the amount you’d like to give the project. Or, you can mail a check (made out to me not the project) to my post office box –

Carole Carter
The Safelight Project
PO Box 524
Mountain Home, NC 28758

Second, if you like to sew and have a lot of scraps lying around, you can make matching cosmetic bag and sunglasses cases.  The residents loved these as part of their gift bags, and the extras from last year sold like hot cakes in the Safelight boutique.  I created a free pattern for both of these last year that you can download by clicking on Omiyage for Safelight. It is a wonderful way to use up some scraps of fabric and batting. They can be all the same fabric on the outside, or you could piece them if you liked. Just make them so it is clear they are a set. You can see the detailed instructions on the post on Omiyage. Please mail by July 24 to arrive by the end of July to the PO box address above. I’ll be filling them with sunglasses and cosmetic items.

Note that the cosmetic bag is made differently than the sunglasses case. The cosmetic bag closes at the top to hold small items inside, while the sunglasses case folds over the top to keep the velcro from scratching the glasses.  Last year a few readers wanted to do them with zippers, and yes, you can if you would rather do them that way.  Just be sure the dimensions are the same.

Third, once again I want to include special handmade cards with inspirational messages in each bag, so I need my stamping readers to make cards again. In my mind, and the counselors at Safelight agree, the cards are really the most important part of the gift. The cards provide encouragement and support as these women (and sometimes men) take a big step to getting their lives back. The cards can be read over and over as residents need lifting of their spirits.  To get us started, I ordered these wonderful stamps from my new affiliate Impression Obsession, Inc.  I was very pleased with the quality of these stamps, and they have a nice price point if you get the cling mount or unmounted to use with acrylic blocks or your Stamping Platform.  They can be as creative as you like, from very ornate to clean and simple, whatever you like.  You may use whatever stamps you like, but I hope you’ll look at Impression Obsession’s offerings.  Inside, the message should be one of encouragement.

The only request is to keep them uplifting in tone, and not to use a religious theme as there are many different religions represented in the residents, and we won’t know who is getting what. Inside the card you can hand write, stamp, or use your computer to make an uplifting message. You could copy a poem, or make up your own sentiment.  I made the first one this year with one of my new stamps, layering the sentiment on two frames on a base of printed paper and added a butterfly sticker.

It is nice to decorate the envelopes as well, just address them generically, such as “For You”, or  “Wishing You Joy”.  Add stickers or stamped motifs as you like.  Last year, I used a stamp “To Someone Special” on some of mine. You might have something similar to use. Please mail your cards with envelopes by July 24 to my PO box address above.

I will collect donations of money, cosmetic bags and sunglasses cases, and cards until July 31st. The bags will be delivered in early August. Everyone who participates in any way will be entered into a drawing for one of these fabulous prizes!

First, from Quilter’s Dream, a queen size Dream Green batting!! Dream Green is made 100% from recycled plastic bottles! With a high standard of quality, Dream Green is soft, wrinkle resistant and can be machine-washed and dried with little to no shrinkage. Each pound of Dream Green Batting keeps 10 plastic bottles out of our landfills! It quilts beautifully and you will never guess it is made of recycled plastic. I have used it myself and am totally sold on it. After all, we need to buy recycled goods wherever we can if we want recycling to be profitable enough to do and help keep our planet clean.  QD can only ship in the US.

The Fat Quarter Shop will give one lucky winner a $50 Gift Certificate! That is enough to get some goodies and cover the shipping too, even for international winners!!  This week Fat Quarter Shop has 20% Off Moda Grunge, June’s Basic of the Month, and 30% Off Dritz, the Notion of the Month, and check out the Daily Flash Sale – something new at clearance pricing every day!

Impression Obsession, Inc. will give one lucky stamper a $25 gift certificate to their online store.  They have a wide variety of wonderful images and sentiments for any occasion.  Stamp and die sets are available as well, and the site has a blog of card ideas with monthly challenges where you can win products!

Moda Fabrics has given the project a Sweet Violet Layer Cake, a beautiful set of fabrics by designer Jan Patek!  (Psst available now at FQS – Sweet Violet Fabrics)

And for the cooking enthusiasts, three lucky winners will get two issues of Milk Street Magazine, recipes and lessons from Christopher Kimball’s newest cooking show.  I’ve been getting these and really enjoy the articles and new recipe ideas with international flair.

Gardeners can win a copy of one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch gardening and crafting books, For Bees and Me.  It is chock full of wonderful garden essays, recipes and crafting ideas, and just simply fun to read.  I got this one at a used book sale and it looks brand new.

To enter, just participate in this project in any way you feel moved, make cards, sew cases, make a donation. Makers of cosmetic bags and sunglasses cases will get one entry per item (two entries per set). Makers of cards will get one entry per card. Monetary donations will get one entry for every $5 donation. International participants welcome! Yes, you can participate in however many ways you choose. Yes, you can make a bag set, and make cards too. Yes, you can make cards and a donation of money. Every participation will enter you in the drawings. Be sure to include your name and email address in any donations mailed, along with your first and second choice of prize if your name is drawn, and the country you live in if outside the US. If you donate through Paypal, put a note on your donation with your prize choices and if you are US or another county.  Most of the prizes are available to international winners.  I’ll draw all the winners in early August at one time, and distribute the prizes guided by your choices. I will try to ensure that a stamper wins the Impression Obsession, Inc. gift, and someone who quilts gets the batting.

If you’d like to help spread the word, here’s a button for your blog.  It links back to this post.  Please share this post wherever you can, on Facebook, and Instagram, and with anyone that may be able to help.

Can you help with this project to support the victims of domestic violence so they feel treasured and encouraged as they try to change their lives for the better?

To donate, click on  Donate Via Paypal, you can check out using your account, or check out as a guest with a credit card.  Just fill in the amount you’d like to give the project.

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