My friend Erika Lindquist, avid dog lover, crafter, and author of the blog Sew DoggyStyle came up with the amazing idea to set aside July 21st as "National Craft for your Local Shelters Day". Our plan in Fresno is to get a group of crafty people together that day and make useful crafts for our area animal shelters, such as adopt me vests and bandanas. What better way to help a dog find a new forever home than by showing him off in a fancy handmade 'adopt me' accessory? When Erika told me about her idea I jumped at the chance to participate. I hope you will do the same! Let's band together and make this a huge national event. Check out Erika's Blog for more information!
I got my dogs to help me spread the word! George wasn't being very cooperative....
Peabrain!
George!
Dora!
A few years back I made some 'adopt me jackets' for Lost Our Home Pet Foundation in Phoenix. Hopefully they will give you some inspiration!
More information and ideas from Sew DoggieStyle:
We are calling all fellow blog friends, pet lovers, and crafters around the Nation to join us on this special day. Please help us spread the word!
What is National Craft for your Local Shelters Day?
It is a day set aside to recognize that we can give back to our local shelters in a crafty way. This includes making beds, toys, vests and bandanas that say "adopt me," leashes, and sew much more. What better way to give back to a shelter than the best way you know how - and for us, it's crafting.
How can you join the force?
We've come up with a list of things to think about to help everyone interested
1. Decide on a shelter to donate to - contact them and make sure they want to receive your
donation.
2. If you are not sure what to make, ask your shelter of choice what it is they could use the most - besides money and food of course.
3. Decide what materials you are going to need. Utilize what you know you are great at and make sure your "game plan" is realistic. Do you need a pattern? How long does it take to make one of your items? Etc. If you decide on "adopt me" items like vests or bandanas, make them bright and eye-catching.
4. Set a date to craft and also think about organizing a craft night with your crafty friends just for this project. How fun would that be?!
5. Don't forget the cats and other animals in shelters. Cats could use bandanas for adoptable pictures and to help attract attention.
Extra things to think about
1. Do you know anyone with connections or access to materials (i.e.
screen printing, embroidery)? When Sebastian and I donated vests in the past, we called up our savvy embroidery girlfriend for help so we could add a beautiful "Adopt Me" message. You can see photos
here.
2. Don't know many crafters or people with "skill?" No problem! If you throw a craft party, you can set up "stations." For example, a few people can cut out pieces while others pin them together for sewing.
3. Sponsors! It never hurts to ask. Does your craft store have product they'd be willing to donate to your project? Are friends willing to donate money for supplies? Do they have supplies they don't need that they could give you, like extra fabric? Think outside the box to make it happen.
Taking your handcrafted items to the shelter
You are all done and ready to donate your finished handcrafted items (the most exciting part). Call your shelter of choice and ask when a good time to donate the items would be. Ask if you can take a picture with one of the dogs utilizing the item so you can later blog/share it and help spread the word.
1. One girl makes 110 vests for 5 of her local shelters in Texas as part of a Girl Scout project. Wow! And she also shares instructions/ideas. See them
here.
3. Pet bed tutorial link
here
4. Fabulous collar and leash tutorial
here
Would your shelter benefit from any of these handmade items? We are starting a list of shelters in need of specific items so please email us at sewdoggystyle@yahoo.com to be added to the list. Make sure you let us know what item(s) you need.
Take the Pledge
I know I'm a lot more likely to do something if I write it down or talk about it to others. So Sebastian and I are asking you to leave a comment on this page saying "I take the pledge!" and include a link to your blog or facebook if you have one.
