From Our Hearts

Talent at William Woods University is Shared with From Our Hearts

Every semester, Professor Terry Martin, art instructor at William Woods University in Fulton, MO gives his art class a class project with specific instruction:  you'll be making cards to donate to From Our Hearts for our servicemen and women serving our country in Iraq and Afghanistan.  This past semester, the results were stunning!

Hand drawn cards.  Exquisite, each and every one of them.

 

One of a kind pieces of artwork.  These students, learning their art, carefully crafted each masterpiece and Terry carefully  packaged up and hand delivered them to From Our Hearts.

Just look at what our younger generation has created for our soldiers.

Terry tells us that when he approaches his students with this project every semester, they embrace it with enthusiasm and it shows!  Thank you, Terry, for your continued support and for involving your students in our effort!

We created a special "slip" and included it with each card so that our servicemen and women will know that your students created these one of a kind, special cards!

Teresa Sends Cards and Much More

Her name is Teresa C. and her box is postmarked Campbell, CA.  Little did we know what we were in for when her box arrived on our doorstep.

As you can see by her note that she included in her box (thank you, Teresa!), she was inspired by Gretchen's plea for birthday cards for the troops this past month.  Teresa has taken her contributions to our cause one step further from one birthday card to Gretchen (which will be on its way to us) to this extensive list (the total count at the bottom of the sheet is 47 items!)

Cards, envelopes, ribbon, grommets, tape . . . some current, some retired, it matters not.  We can use it.

Teresa took heed of our advice and packed her box tightly (red bubble wrap) so that the cards did not shift in transit.  It wasn't until we read the list that we figured out they were wrapped inside the bubble wrap!  They arrived in great shape!

Ribbon, ribbon, ribbon, envelopes....

And cards...

Each listed by type on her note to us.

We found this unique card in among them.  Not stamped, but handcrafted none the less:

Counted cross stitch!  Oh my goodness...how many hours of work went into this special card?  This little beauty is already on its way overseas and I'm certain we'll be hearing from one lucky soldier about this one!

You May Recognize These Contributors

We appreciate them so much!  They send us cards EVERY month!

Who are they?  None other than Ruth C from Norman, Oklahoma, Fran K from Piedmont, AL and Bernadette C from Escondito, CA, and we sooo appreciate their continued contributions.   These three ladies are just three of several contributors who we call our our "mainstay" of our operations - those who, every month, send us a box of cards.  Their cards help to replenish the boxes that empty every 4-6 weeks when we send out our shipments.  And as our chaplain list is growing weekly, their cards are very much needed!

First:

Here is Ruth's latest shipment. Angel Mail with 328 cards - and we thought she went on her much needed vacation!  Notice that it says "box 1"?  She is working on box 2...

Birthday, get well,, thinking of you, love you, miss you, sympathy . . . the list goes on.

Yes, she sent us a list!

Such a good variety of cards.

 
She holds events at her local scrapbook store, sends "kits" home with stampers who make the cards and delivers them to her and held an event on April 24 with the Soul Sisters group. Beautiful cards!!!

Next are Fran's cards.  Fran stamps with two different groups at different churches in the Piedmont, AL area.

Her box eagerly awaited and welcomed as the cards she sends every month (60) are so well made.

She has each church group do each of the card designs, and it is only by turning them over we are able to determine who has made what cards.  She has a custom slip with each card.

Good looking cards!

Many, many thanks to the stampers at St Charles Catholic Church and Sacred Heart Catholic Church taking the time, every month, to create these beautiful cards for our troops, and to Fran, for making this possible.

And then there is Bernadette.  If you recall, Bernadette (from Escondido, CA) always sends a BIG box of cards, always made by her, alone.  And this box is no different.  And Bernadette always decorates the outside of her box for the special shipment.  This one, 4th of July.

Red, white and blue was her theme (it make for a very happy "box opening" for us at the home office!)

Her note to us:  She challenged herself to use "scraps".  Well...

Take a lesson from Bernadette.  You would never know it was scraps that made these cards!

Bundled, everything we found was red, white and blue!

4th of July cards,

Thank you's,

celebrate,

thank you, you name it, all red, white and blue. . .

and we could go on...but wait, there was MORE!  packing tape!  Bernadette ALWAYS adds a little extra to help keep the cards from shifting (and we certainly appreciate the 2 rolls that she put in the box), but wait!  She also included a monetary contribution to help us ship over the boxes, too.  Thank you, Bernadette!  We are funded entirely by contributions and monetary contributions that are received assure that the cards will go overseas.

Our many, many thanks to our many, many regular contributors and to those those have e-mailed us to say that your boxes are on their way!

Brie's 4th of July Donation

Yes, we do appreciate our local stampers.  And Brie L is one who stamps from her HEART!

Brie contacted us to let us know she had a bundle of cards for our 4th of July shipment and hand delivered them to our home office just in time for them to be included in the latest shipment.  And we appreciated her efforts - they were ready for the boxes!  No work on our part - all prepared, with envelopes, with slips, and in clear envelopes (we were doing a happy dance!)

And this is the quality cards that she delivered:

Cute cards!! 

Red, white and blue, all 90 of them!  And while we chatted, she asked "what should I work on next?"  HELLO??  Open the door for us!!  We can always use anniversary, wedding, get well, and those types of cards that aren't the usual ones we receive and that are so much needed - and "general" all purpose cards... so she has ideas for her next 90 cards!

Chris and KTown Stampers Ship More Than Cards

Every now and then we post incorrect information.  And such was with this post from a few days ago.  Chris' group is named the KTown stampers and they are from Wisconsin...not Michigan!

Our sincere apologies to Chris and all the member of the KTown stampers!!!

Here is the post again:

We receive her box:

And we know that she reads our blog daily.  We opened her box, and Chris M from Bristol, WI included a detailed list of what was included in the box.  Detailed by type of card and quantity.  Her note to us says that some of the cards included were collected by the member of the KTown Stampers Lee L, Kathy K, Jo M, Chris M and Lynne S.  Many were also made by Pat St. M and Chris M.

Take a look at the beauties we found . . . 413 cards, total!

And there was more, as we took them out and admired them.

Envelopes.  A box, hidden at the bottom, a box of 250.  We can surely put those to good use!

Chris made sure that each bundle of cards were labeled on the back, by type.  This helps us when we sort them to place them in our "holding" boxes until we are ready to box up our next shipment.  Our many thanks to Chris and the KTown Stampers from Wisconsin for their support.  Welcome aboard to From Our Hearts!  We look forward to your next box!

Speaking of our next shipment, we have just now brought on 3 new chaplains who desperately need our cards and we plan to ship out a box to each on Tuesday.  Our supply of cards is slowly growing, having been depleted, and we thank ALL of you who are sending your cards, card fronts AND monetary donations so that we may continue to ship them over.  The demand is growing, and thanks to all of our contributors to date, we have been able to keep up with the requests!  Thank you, thank you!

Patriot Way Stampers Strike Again x 2!

WOW!!!

One tiny package arrived from Buxton, ME.  We thought "Did they forget to send a handful of cards in their last big box of cards?"  Hmmmm....

 

No!  They sent us a stamp for us to use at OUR events!  Perfect for Father's Day or thinking of you cards.  Perfect!  And take a look at the handcrafted notecard Marilyn Mae sent - George Washington and the American Flag!!!  This package arrived just before Memorial Day as she was wishing us a Happy Memorial Day!

And the back of the card?  Just too precious not to photograph!  God Bless you, too Marilyn Mae!

But that isn't all.  Just 4 days later, this package arrived:

Ohhh, it was a bit mangled...

But the contents arrived in great shape.

All 200 cards! 
The Patriot Way Stampers have been VERY busy.

Christmas, birthday, get well, praying for you. . .

graduation, Father's Day, Valentines Day, Thanksgiving, Easter, Newlywed . . .

Did they LEAVE ANY OUT???

And a cash donation, too, to help us with our expenses (thank you, thank you!)

But wait.  We left something out.

Do you see the "Patriot Way Stampers" hidden among the cards?

A T-Shirt!  The Patriot Way Stampers always add a little something in their boxes for us to discover, this was no exception!   Marilyn Mae's note to us "A T-Shirt for Martie!"

Thank you ladies!  I guess I am now an official "Patriot Way Stamper" and I will wear it with pride (hugs to all of you for such an unexpected and thoughtful gift!)

Card Fronts . . . and Cards Arrive from Texas

They arrived just a few days apart.  We were notified by Regina that this package had arrived in Topeka from Temple, TX, and from a new contributor, Tricia R.

Card fronts!  (Little things make us happy, and card fronts sure make our volunteers in Topeka do the happy dance!!!)

Won't these make the cutest cards?  They just need the finishing touch and they will be ready to be shipped.

And then we opened the door for Stephen just a few days later and he handed us this package:

(same return label, Temple, TX, must be Tricia!)

Yes, Tricia it is, sending us a small package of cards, and very nice ones, too!

Our gratitude to Tricia for sending two packages, card fronts to Topeka and cards to our home office in Jefferson City!

Mother's Day Cards From Kavi

Where does she find the time?

Our very own card designer sent us 206 cards, Easter and Mother's Day - designed/prepped by her and made by the Papershakers - and all the while we keep her very busy with designing cards for our events we hold here locally!

Among the cards, this one stood out as one that we just had to take a shot of and share:

The picture may not show the detail, but each flower is dotted with crystal effects - and it SHINES!

Simplicity in design, but the result is a stunning card.

And her personalized slip in HOT PINK!  No wonder the troops are thanking the Hillsville, VA stampers for their cards!

 

Some Bunny Loves Our Troops

 

Hee hee hee, we got a chuckle out of this !

All the way from Escondito, California - just imagine the smiles it must have put on each postman's face who handled this box!

Bernadette strikes again!

This time, 230 cards "they are 'stuffed, slipped, and sealed' and ready for you to put in your boxes" (her words).

Her cards are just more beautiful than the last ones she shipped to us - is it the California sunshine???  Oh, wait, her note says she was "stuck inside during the "deluge" and made these cards.  Wow, could we use a little "deluge" here !

And a bonus - and our heartfelt thanks to Bernadette for enclosing funds to help us to send these cards on their next journey to Iraq and Afghanistan -

Hugs to you, Bernadette, for your continued support of our efforts, with your cards, envelopes, clear envelopes, slips, having them bundled, sorted, ready for the boxes AND for the monetary support as well.

And, for giving us a chuckle when Stephen handed us the package at the door!  Yes, some bunny does love our troops!!!

Some Silver, Some Gold . . .

And what we mean by this is that we have been receiving boxes and boxes of cards, some from new contributors such as Lois B from Columbia, PA (and expect to see more from her in the near future as many more boxes have been arriving from her) . . . and some from names you will recognize.

Lois sent us not only beautiful Easter cards in this box, but "Packing Material" - 100 clear flat envelopes!  What a wonderful surprise that is most welcome and will be used, for sure!

Here are some more of her cards - just top notch . . .

 

And she had them ready for the boxes, with her own personalized slip included as well.

 
Next, for our "goldies".

First in line is Juliana B from Philadelphia.  One small package, but small doesn't mean anything to us at From Our Hearts.  It's quality that matters.  And Juliana's cards fit the bill.

Just take a look at what she sent us this time:

We imagine, when we open the packages and boxes, what the servicemen and women think when they receive our boxes of cards and start looking through them.  This is an example of what they have to choose from!  What a treat it must be for them, so far away from the amenities that we take for granted here at home.  We are giving them a taste of home, and more.  You just can't find the quality of cards we provide to them in a store, and it cost them nothing!

And more boxes arrived - Angel Mail - from . . . you guessed it, Ruth C, our Volunteer from Norman, OK.  Ruth has been very busy, holding numerous events regularly.  This time, it was a total of 567 cards that she mailed our way - all types, including Mother's Day cards.

Picture #1 above, a quick shot,

And another shot, to show the variety of cards that the Angel Artist from Oklahoma sent our way.

She always sends us notes in her boxes, detailing what is sent, with counts in each box.  This is a tremendous time saver for us at the home office.  Imagine getting 7 boxes in one day, and having to count the cards, sort them, match them with an envelope and a clear envelope, insert a slip . . . you get the picture . . . sometimes it takes a week just to finish one box!  Ruth makes it easy as hers come "ready" - all sorted, bundled, sealed, with slips, we simply record what is in her boxes and place the cards in the appropriate "holding" boxes until it is time to ship them off. 

Next in line is a package from Rhonda P and her Patriotic Papercrafters from our home state of Missouri.  Located in the "bootheel" region, they have been stamping their hearts out for our troops:

Rhonda's group of ladies have sent us cards in the past and she tells us they meet regularly to make cards to send our way.

They made a variety this time, all just very nicely made.

We thank all of our contributors, both new and on-going (no, we don't call you "old"!!!), your support of our effort and of the troops is very much appreciated!