Broken Dolls Healing Hearts A Canadian Project To Pay Attention To

Today I wanted to share about a wonderful Canadian program that is very close to my heart. Broken Dolls Healing Hearts in Ontario Canada is making a difference in the lives of children in Canada.
Today I have asked them to share with us a bit about their program and how and why it is so important. Growing up in a Foster home myself this is truly a needed and important project. I am currently filling my own box to send to Broken Dolls Healing Hearts. In my own experience and after more then 40 foster children that were in my own life I can tell you first hand that it is true, the trauma and stigma has not changed in years. I invite you to read on and learn more about you can help these children.

"What made me start Broken dolls Healing Hearts ...? My life has been one that has been travelled. There were times the loneliness hurt beyond what a child should ever feel , the pain unbearable that at the age of 10 you pray to God to end it ...Imagine if you can : the unloveable child ..even your own mother did,not love you, abused in every way imaginable,, moving from home to home ..owning nothing ,only really wanting someone ,something to hold or to hug."

"The life of a foster child in Canada ..I do what I do. Many years ago I promised that little 10 year old girl if I lived to be an adult I would try and save just one child, I would make one child smile to make a difference. I grew up and she became a foster parent. Being a foster child had not changed that much from when I was a child. As every child that came to my home a Teddy Bear or a doll was placed on the bed before they arrived...Broken Dolls Healing Hearts was forming. Almost 3 years ago I started growing the program. The first year we did up over 60 packages at Christmas that went to foster Children.

"Around that time I started Trish's Corner which are care packages that we do up for children who have suffered some sort of Trauma whether medical,or death of a family member.Trisha is a 6 year old who has Cerebral Palsy our countless trips to hospitals ,doctors ect opened my eyes to the trauma that children with medical issues go through... This is a huge passion to put smiles on a child,s face if only for a moment , The medical packages are quite large , they are everything a child needs or may need for trips to the hospital all items in these care packages are new due to medical issues, these are done once a month a child is nominated and their nomination stays open for a month ...after a month they are picked up ,or delivered locally , or the package is boxed up and sent through the post office."

"Foster Care packages are done up at Christmas and delivered to Foster Care Agencies...this year over 100 Foster care packages were delivered and 17 medical care packages ..we also nominated a young family, with 3 boys who's dad is going through Cancer. "

"Most of the dolls I work on are soft bodied dolls ( they are more huggable ) journey dolls, our generation , American girl, our life , basically anything with a soft body. We also take build a bears and New teddy Bears. It is an amazing feeling watching a child smile ...making the world a good place even for a minute."

"The first care package I was involved with was a 6 year old girl that had a brain tumour. Her 10 month journey was a painfully one , but when this little girl received her doll in the mail, it brought the biggest smile to her face and for that moment she was just a little girl ! Anyone,anywhere can nominate a child ... We will find a way to get it to them .Right now we have a big shortage of quilts and blankets for children, quilts and Blankets for dolls, pillows and pillow cases for dolls ,dolls clothes for 18 inch dolls.We need all the help we can get, however we do not take money only doll items. If you are moved to join our journey and feel you would like to help in anyway it would be appreciated."

You can find them on Facebook by clicking here.
Donations can be sent to Broken Dolls Healing Hearts 42 Strathcona Ave Thunder Bay, Ontario P7A-1R9

I would like to thank the Broken Dolls Healing Hearts team for joining us today and for the work they do. Thank you for reading today's post. As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Dolls For A Cause Auction Now Live!

Come on over for the latest Dolls For A Cause Auction Which Is Now Live!
This auction is to benefit Laundry Baskets of Love

There are some very adorable outfits from some of the most wonderful Etsy shops and the auction is currently live!

To bid you will simply put in the comments of that image your bid amount (must start at at least $15 and be upbid by at least $1) You can either put your paypal email address in the comments with your bid or message us with your paypal email address. Be sure to refer back to our billing rules in our notes section or ask if you have questions. Dolls are not included in the auction items and shoes are not always listed. Read the discription carefully. If it is not mentioned in the discription it is probably not included. Thanks everyone I am so excited for another amazing Dolls for a Cause Auction!

I hope you will stop by and bid! To learn more about our auction please click here.
To visit Laundry Basket's of Love on Facebook to learn more please click here.

The Much Anticipated Pink Ladies Dolls For A Cause Auction Is Now Live!

I am so excited to share that The Dolls for A Cause Community is celebrating the release of the Pink Ladies Auction! Come take a look and bid on each of the 20 Items up for auction by clicking here.

Some of the most wonderful Etsy shop owners and designers have put together a wonderful auction for you all and I love Bee's contribution don't you?

Terrie of All Dolled Up has a really cute outfit entered! I love the glasses!

These are just some of the amazing outfits offered in The Dolls For A Cause Auction! Click here to bid on Facebook.  I am so pleased to be friends with so many of these amazing doll lovers and designers who make these auctions possible! If you can pop over and like Dolls For A Cause or even bid we would be so grateful!
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karemowen@gmail.com

Uniquely Me Dolls For A Cause Acution Is Now Live On Facebook

The Dolls For A Cause Auction is now live on Facebook and you can bid on any of the outfits in this auction by commenting on the photos on the Dolls For A Cause Page you can find the Auction by clicking here. 

As with all our posts we would love to her from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

Dolls For A Cause April Autism Fundraiser Is Coming Up!

This year for our April Autism Fundraiser Out Dolls For A Cause Charity Fundraiser will support Uniquely Me, http://kulturecity.org  Toys AUcross America.

To get us all into the spirit Dacia of Mini Me Dolly Divas has done up 5 shirts for our fundraiser. These limited addition shirts are 20 and 100% of the donation will support our fundraiser!
Click here to order

Here is a sneak peek at my donation for the Facebook Auction. I have made up an Apron & Chef Hat. The Auction will run on our Facebook page April 12-19th! I will have more info as we get closer!
Thank you to all who have helped make all our auctions and donations possible. I am thrilled to be apart of this wonderful doll community and to have been able to work with so many wonderful and talented doll designers.

Uniquely Me Dolls For a Cause Charity Auction to support Autism.
Mark your calendars April 12-19th and Join us on Facebook by clicking here.
Beneficiary- http://www.kulturecity.org/ ToysAuCross America
https://www.facebook.com/kulturecity
https://www.facebook.com/ToysAUcrossAmerica
Theme-Uniquely Me

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Dolls For A Cause Auction Is Now Open!

Our Dolls For A Cause Auction is now open click here to place your bids on the wonderful outfits 

 More then 20 wonderfully created outfits and items for dolls benefiting a great cause on our Facebook page.
Going to go place a bid right now!
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com  

Sneak Peak At Some Of The Auction Items For Dolls For A Cause A Breath Of Fresh Air Outfits

This month Dolls For A Cause is creating items that we will be auctioning off on our Facebook Event February 15th to the 22nd. Dolls For A Cause is a group I am thrilled to be apart of and humbled by the amazing talented ladies who create and donate for such worthy causes. Here are some of our outfits for this months Fundraiser that will benefit the Lung Cancer Alliance.

A trip to Paris is one of the items created for the auction by Bee of A Bee Line Etsy Shop
This is sure to be a popular item!

I love this outfit by Momo Couture!

love the colors in this one by Kooky Kardinal Etsy Shop

Spring Air, by Cupcakecutiepie!

Amanda of Diva Kitty Dolls created this wonderful nurses outfit for Kit!

 Holly of New York Doll Designs and Holly's Doll Couture Etsy Shop's donation in beautiful ice blue!

 Gale of All Dolled Up created this pretty princess dress.

From Tari at Kitt's Kloset  I love the colors and print of this dress!

Stacy of Starabella Doll Design has me in awe of this outfit!

 I am in Awe of Greta's contribution! I love this rag quilt! Check out her new FB Page by clicking here.

Here is my submission of "David's Sock Monkey Pj's" there are some more wonderful outfits to come which I shall feature later this week but be sure to attend our on line auction and find out more with our updates by clicking here.

I am so thrilled to have been asked to be apart of this group and that there are so many of you getting excited about our auctions as we are! I hope you will join us on our Facebook page at Dolls For A Cause by clicking here.
As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

Today I am so very thankful for each and everyone of you.

So recently I have been thinking about when I started this blog and how much has changed since I began writing about the dolls and crafts I was work on. Looking back on the past few years I am more then surprised and shocked at how much has happened in my personal life and professional life as a Mommy Blogger. Today I wanted to take a moment to reflect and thank you all for stopping by.

There have been so many amazing moments over the last few years that make me so very proud of how far this blog has come and how many people it reaches. I have to tell you when my blog hit 100 views I was amazed, when I look at the number today, well it blows my mind!

Thank you Springfield Collection!

I want to take this moment to thank each and everyone of you who has taken the time to read my blog, left a comment and to those of you who routinely visit. I have a very special place in my heart for those of you who have taken the time to write an email to me sharing your lives, experiences and thoughts about my blog. It is for those of you that I sit at this computer day after day writing and publishing dolly world news.  I would also like to thank our many sponsors, doll companies, craft companies, designers and Etsy shop owners who have contributed to our give away contests, behind the scenes tours and with whom I have a wonderful working relationship.

For those of you who maybe new to my blog you may not realize just how much I have come to love this Online Doll Community that each one of you has helped create and contribute to. Thank you to my amazing team, To Madelon, who keeps my in box full of wonderful ideas, crafts and fun finds, Jessica for her amazing links and pattern finds, Brandy for sharing her wonderful crafts and ideas with us. A special thanks to  Lauren for designing my logo last December and for fitting me in to her very busy schedule!

  A huge thank you to Char at Doll Diaries for believing in me and giving me a weekly place to share my crafts with an even larger and ever growing audience, to Daydream Doll Boutique for giving me another wonderful home to share more doll play fun. To Laura Kelly thank you for inspiring me and the wonderful surprise packages! To my family who put up with my over flowing dolly area and craft supplies all over the house, thank you for tolerating the creative chaos even though you are all boys. Lastly Thank you all who have stopped by, commented and shared I really, really appreciate it. Please know that when you send me an email I will do my very best to personally respond to each and every one, hearing from you makes my day!

 As with all my posts and especially this one, I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com

DOLLS FOR A CAUSE AUCTION LIVE NOW!!!!

 

I am so happy to announce that our Dolls for A Cause Auction is now live! Click here for our Ebay Listing!

 

I am so happy to have been able to participate in creating the hairband shown in the photo above and providing the "Mac Book Computer" Compact that is perfect for doll play! So many of my wonderful friends and Designers from Etsy have also worked tirelessly to put this auction together. I hope you will click on over to see what our Auction has to offer.

The Auction Ends on April 18th! All proceeds from this Auction will be donated to  Autism Speaks.

This is a cause very close to my heart as I am a mom of two children with Autism. A huge thank you to the team behind Dolls For A Cause for all you have done to help make this years fundraiser a sucess!
Please click on over to Ebay by clicking here, to see it all for yourself!
As with all our posts we would love to hear from you so please leave us a comment here or email us at karenmowen@gmail.com

The Auction includes items from:

  Bee Jacobs - A Bee Line on Etsy 

  Messenger bag with inside divider - my custom pattern. The outside is made of light weight denim. The inside is an artsy butterfly print in quilt store quality cotton.  It closes with velcro and has an adjustable denim strap that is long enough to wear crossbody.   

 Shoes - my Basic Flats in the matching butterfly print.  The sole is edged in a pretty gold trim.    

Baseball cap - awesome hat in the matching denim fabric. It's a perfect fit!    Two red/orange butterfly accessories - a hair clip and a tack pin.   

 Lee and Pearl  on etsy    

Donated their Baseball cap pattern - L & P Pattern 1008 - Classic Ball Cap and Big Fat Trucker Hat for 18" Dolls   

 Dacia Hostetter - Mini Me Dolly Divas     T-shirts, yellow - Machine embroidered lettering onto quality people t-shirts used as fabric that was hand painted by Amy.  They close in the back with velcro.    

 PJs - The white top is made from a quality people t-shirt and closes in the back with velcro.  The embroidered applique design incorporates the puzzle print fabric. The design was originally created by Audra Kohut of kraftymistress on etsy. The PJ shorts are an All Dolled Up Doll Clothes by Terrie pattern and would be great as girl jammie shorts or boy boxer shorts.  

Dawne Ester    Puzzle jeans made from Milo Mila free pants pattern. Machine embroidered puzzle piece outines with random puzzle patches cut from fabric and fused with iron-on adhesive.     Puzzle skirt is from the LJC Harajuku skirt pattern with 2 layers of tulle.   

Gale Sicard - All Dolled Up   Pajamas - a cute pair of rainbow colored pajamas in a colorblock style.   

Karen Owen - Karen Mom of Three's Craft Blog    Headband - an adorable headband made with puzzle piece printed ribbon and silvertone buckle.   Laptop computer - this is actually a pocket mirror that looks like a laptop, but it is perfect size for a doll.   Postcards - donated three dolly postcards that are great for use as dolly posters.   

Annette Boos - With A Cherry On Top   Bean Bag Chairs - Two perfect dolly size bean bags, one is done in all puzzle piece fabric and the other is puzzle piece and purple fabrics. Pattern from Doll Tag Clothing.    Fleece Blankets - two soft blankets in a large puzzle piece print.   Pillows - two pillows with pillowcases - one with yellow trim and one with dark pink trim   blue sneakers - donated Springfield brand doll sneakers. Nadine, Annette's 9 yr old daughter - made two Rainbow Loom fishtail bracelets for dolls.   

Amy Bray (mom of Avery and Ryan) 

Confetti Doll Designs on Etsy   An upcycled denim skirt made from the Liberty Jane Jean skirt pattern with an iron-on applique on the hemline.    Puzzle Print cotton skirt made from the Liberty Jane Jean Skirt pattern.   Red socks sewn from a brand new human pair.  

Lemonhead103 on storenvy and eBay     Painted the butterflies on the t-shirts.      Three necklaces are also included,  a silver tone puzzle piece on a silver tone chain,  a butterfly on yellow cotton cord with bead charms and a silver tone clasp, and a silver tone butterfly charm with multi colored faceted stones on a black cotton cord with a silver tone clasp.  

Avery- an 8 Year old boy who is on the Autism spectrum     Painted the 4x4 mini canvas with a puzzle piece design and donated the mini easel to go with it. Perfet for your dolls to have a piece of art to display in their scenes.   

Ryan, his brother made a rainbow loom style bracelet for a doll as he is supportive of his brother.

Dolls For A Cause Auction Now Live!

 

For those of you following the wonderful group of ladies with whom I make and donate items to called Dolls For A Cause, our latest Auction is currently up and you can view it by clicking here. 

 For more information on our fundraiser here is my friend Dacia of Mini Me Dolly Diva's:

Dolls for a Cause Leukemia Charity Auction

 38 piece historic collection to fit your 18 inch American Girl or similar dolls

Dolls for a Cause puts out a new auction every 2 months to support various causes that are close to our hearts. We are made up of 14 members of very talented doll artists. This collection was inspired by my sweet sister-in-law Crystal. She has suffered from Leukemia for years and just this week joined God in heaven to end her suffering. It pains me that she never got to see the complete collection but I know she is looking down at what all of these amazing women have done and is very proud.Crystal's favorite color was purple and had a true love for the charm and style of days gone by. Yes, this collection is exactly what she would would have wanted if I was sewing for her and I am very proud to offer this to you in her honor and for help with research that may save someone else's beloved sister. I love you Crystal.

It is such an honor to be apart of this amazing group and I hope you will all click over to see the amazing photos Dacia did of the work the ladies of Dolls For A Cause put together. 

As with all my posts I would love to hear from you so please leave me a comment here or email me at karenmowen@gmail.com