A surprise development! Sometimes a meeting has unexpected consequences...

While having a drink in the teacher's room on the third floor at the  International Quilt Festival in Houston, some of the more experienced teachers were talking about the items they were selling in their classrooms. I thought I was prepared bringing extra fabrics, scissors and so, but they all agreed that having note cards of their projects was a good memento to have. "Students love to have these", said my neighbor at the table.

I didn't think too much immediately,  but back home again from the wonderful Texas trip, the yearly question popped up: what am I going to give  my friends for Christmas? As a member of a group of 7 friends, every year again I have to come up with something home made for the traditional gift exchange. They all seem to have food recipes that make delicous gifts year after year. They get out their mixers and spices and make the yearly treat. I,  on the other hand,  always need to come up with yet another idea for a little fabric item and then spend hours of making it 6 times. Last year they got kitchen mittens and that was a lot of work!

If I could give them some note cards of my homemade quilt, that would take care of this year and bring my gift to another level.

So I spent some time designing a few 5.5" square  folded note cards of my Abundance quilt  and had them printed.  I made the card square as that  gives it even more the look of a quilt. When they arrived a few days before Thanksgiving I was really pleased how they had turned out. Christmas gift exhange problem solved!

I shared the card on my Studio Facebook page and immediately I got requests from people if those cards were available for sale.

Sure. Why not? I ordered more cards, but then I needed something to hold them together and give them the look of a present....a box, some clear plastic? This resulted in an order with a packaging company and now each set of 10 cards is neatly wrapped in a clear box and each individual card looks so professionally in its nicely fitting super clear bag. Like a museum note card! The customers that had ordered the cards were all willing to wait for the boxes to arrive and the day after Thanksgiving all orders could get mailed.

Next problem: How do you ship a set of 10 cards  with matching envelopes without having them damaged by postal service? Handling is rough. We had some Amazon boxes laying around but they were not the right size. I needed to order some shipping boxes that can hold the card sets and I did that immediately. But letting those first customers wait again? Then it dawned on me that I could use some of my still uncovered boxes that I had made earlier and one size was just a perfect, sturdy wrap. A little unusual, but it would do the job. I explained this to those first card customers and I know many, who are familiar with my fabric journey, understood the giggle I had with my starting card "business" using old boxes. Full circle!

The response on the Abundance note cards was such that I ordered the same size also for my Alzheimer's quilt (official title is "my mother has Alzheimer's. These last five years."). The back of this folded card is purple, the color of Alzheimer's (the inside is blank).

 I contacted the Alzheimer's Association and 100% of the profits of the sales will go to this leading  Alzheimer's organisation.  A set of 10 cards with matching envelopes is $42.50 (a single card is $4.50). That should result in a  donation of around $20.00-25.00  per purchased set of 10 cards. The exact amount I don't know yet as I hope to be able to lower the cost per card once  I can order higher quantities in cards, clear boxes and shipping boxes.  Credit card fees change with the number of transactions. It also depends on shipping cost, as I charge only $5.00 for shipping, but actual cost was almost $15.00 for shipping to the other side of the country! 

To order, just email me what you would like to get. I will send you an invoice with a payment link and you are all set! Cards will go out same or next day.

All this is just an idea that seems worth to give a try. I will keep the amounts of prints reasonable and will see where it goes. Even if the cards raise $100.00 that is $100.00 more than nothing! The Alzheimer's Association appreciates any donated amount and I can make the time for it. Sometimes, you just need to let things have their course...but wouldn't it be amazing if we could really raise serious amounts of money with this quilt? 

I made this quilt as I was dealing with the shock of my mother's decline when I saw her in July 2023. I made it just for myself, as making quilts is my personal best way to celebrate the good and deal with the bad. My  emotions found a way in the colors and my thoughts have indeed given me peace.  When finished, I said right from the beginning that I hope the quilt will do good to others, whatever that good may be. A few months later...cards.

Even though the quilt didn't start as a "Quilt for a cause", it could turn into one....So many people  responded to it, it hit them. "My mom too, my husband, both my parents", you can just read the reactions on social media to get an idea.  I treasure all the comforting emails and messages  people sent me. They all, in their own way, helped me getting to this point. 

To do all this during this Holiday time with my the family, was so special. Clearly my mother was with us in our hearts and minds. We shared the story with her, but she didn't really get it....but I know in the many good days she had as well, she would love it!