Blessed are those who give without remembering and those who receive without forgetting.

Valley Children's Hospital

2008-11-16T21:25:00.000-08:00

Below is a letter from a staff member at Valley Children's Hospital. She sent it to me via email the day I dropped off the two baby scrapbooks:

Hello Heather,
We received the lovely scrapbooks for families at Children's Hospital
today. Families with a dying newborn babies lose the future with their
child. The only memories they will have are those at the hospital during
the precious hours to days before the baby dies. These times are so
tragic and sad that any joy in these moments is often eluded. How
wonderful for these families to have a scrapbook in which they can look
back and have something beautiful to remember their baby. Thank you for
your thoughtful blessing. Marie

pic by eleda 1

Thanks to Angela

2008-08-01T19:34:00.001-07:00

My friend Angela is an AMAZING and probably one of the most talented women I know. Instead of donating pages I asked her to create a logo for Heartfelt Blessings. It turned out AWESOME!!! Now I will use our logo for tags to attach to the scrapbooks that we are giving. Thank you so much Angela! Click on the link ANGELA under "Caught Being Good" to go directly to her blog where she has done tons of logos for different businesses.

Upcoming Months CHANGES included

2008-07-13T22:50:00.000-07:00

My sister-in-law Misty is a photographer and did pictures of this beautiful and sweet 3 month little boy who has Spinal Muscular Atrophy. He passed away on July 14th and his mom and family are having a really difficult time. Visit: http://www.legacy.com/recordnet/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=113529414 for Michael's story. I thought it would be awesome to do a scrapbook that Misty can give to Michael's family. She is going to find out some information from the Grandma so we can make it more personal. I would like to get the scrapbook to her sooner than later so, I am going to push the ABC book to November/December. Also, I have been communicating via email with the local chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation and they said they would love a scrapbook. They said most wishes are Disney theme park wishes so I thought we could do a Disney book... that
one will stay for the month of October.
I hope everyone is o.k. with the change :)

Below are the NEW themes and due dates.
........................................................................................................................................................
September: Baby Boy Book

Recipient: Michael's Family

Due Date: September 20th

.....................................................................................................................................................
October: Disney Theme

Recipient: Child from Make a Wish Foundation

Due Date: October 20th

....................................................................................................................................................
November/December: ABC Book

Due Date: December 20th

Most people have emailed me and told me to give them whatever letters I have left so here are the letter assignments:
Stephanie A.: Letter L P
Marissa B.: Letter M
Julie: Letter N
Misty: Letters D Z
Kathy G.: Letter H
Kolette: Letter A
Kim: Letter F
Dawn: Letter T
Darlene: Letter B C E
Michelle M.: Letter R
Michelle S.: Letters J G V
Sylvia: Letter S
Amber W.: Letter W
Heather: Letters X K

I have letters I Q O U and Y left if you would like to do one of these instead of yours or along with yours let me know. If you are unable to do the scrapbook page this month let me know asap. The only thing that I ask to be on the page is the letter... it can be a sticker, chipboard, you can write it or whatever creative way you would like. You can include things that start with the letter if you want it is totally up to you... it is your page :) I know that some of you do two page layouts for me, but this time one page will be perfect :)
....................................................................................................................................................

Thank you again for all your help and support with this project! I am blessed to have so many thoughtful and giving people in my life.

Special Thanks!

2008-07-13T22:38:00.000-07:00

I wanted to thank Judy H. from Turlock for donating four 8 x 8 scrapbooks and some scrapbook embellishments. She is someone who thinks she can't scrapbook, but still found a way to help Heartfelt Blessings!! Thank you!

Last of the June Baby Boy Pages

2008-07-13T22:12:00.000-07:00

From Top to Bottom:
Misty B. - Stockton, Darlene M. - Manteca, Me (Heather) - Fresno

More June Baby Boy Pages

2008-07-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

From Top to Bottom:
Stephanie A. - Fresno, Marissa B. - Rio Vista, Julie - , Kim H. - Manteca, Misty B. - Stockton

June Baby Boy Pages

2008-07-13T21:55:00.001-07:00

From Top to Bottom:
Kolette H. - Fresno, Michelle S.- Fresno, Dawn K. - Fresno, Stephanie A. - Fresno

Upcoming Months

2008-06-12T13:24:00.000-07:00

I am going to give the themes for the next four months so that way if you are one that likes to work ahead you can. Each page will be due on the 20th of the corresponding month.
Here are the details:

June Theme: Baby Boy (If you do not have baby boy stuff that is o.k. do a general page for family pics, etc.)

Recipient: A family at Valley Children's Hospital

Due Date: Please have scrapbook pages to me by June 20th.

July Theme: Veterans (anything with the American theme)

Recipient: A Local VFW or Veteran's Hospital

Due Date: Please have scrapbook pages to me by July 20th.

August Theme: Does anyone know of a family that would appreciate and is in need of some encouragement and happiness?

Recipient:

Due Date: Please have scrapbook pages to me by August 20th.

September Theme: ABC Book - Please send me 3 letters you would be interested in and you will get to do one.

Recipient:

Due Date: Please have scrapbook pages to me by September 20th.

If you are in the Fresno area you can drop off your completed 8x8 page at my house or if you prefer to mail it, email me for the address.
If you are in the Stockton area you can drop your page off at Misty Brandow's house:
Please email me for the address.

Other Details:

*Each month the due date will be the 20th.

*If you know anyone that is in need of some hope and would touched by one of our scrapbooks please send me their information.

*For those who do not have scrapbooking as a hobby you can donate supplies or 8x8 albums. Also there will be a month we where all get together and try to get a lot of pages completed, so if you want to learn that would be a great time :)

*Please spread the word to friends and family about Heartfelt Blessings so we can get more albums to people who are in need of some encouragement.

*After I have all the pages to complete an album I will take pictures of each page and put them on the Heartfelt Blessings Blog found at: www.hfblessings.blogspot.com

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at anytime. I look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with all of you. I really and truly appreciate your kind and generous hearts :)

Thank You

2008-06-12T13:21:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all those who participated in the May "Baby Girl" Album! Each page was truly creative and beautiful. Since June's theme is "Baby Boy" I am going to wait until that album is complete until I go to Children's Hospital. That way i can deliver both albums at the same time.

The Rest of the Pages for Baby Girl Album

2008-06-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

From Top to Bottom: Kathy, Kim, and Misty - Stockton (6 pages)

2008-05-21T09:09:00.000-07:00

From Top to Bottom: (2nd half of page layout) Sylvia - Ripon, Stephanie - Fresno (4 pages)

More May Pages

2008-05-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled that there has been such an awesome response!! Thank you so much for your beautiful pages. There a 3 more people that will drop off their pages this week and then I will put the album together. By the first of the month I will have June, July, August, September album themes to everyone. I thought this way if you were already working on June's you may be motivated to do more and that way those who like to work ahead can do just that :) From tog to bottom: Marissa - Rio Vista, Marissa's Friend (sorry can't remember the name :)-Washington, Dawn - Fresno, Michelle - Bakersfield, and Sylvia - Ripon

May HB Scrapbook Club

2008-05-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to be receiving our first scrapbook pages for the Heartfelt Blessings Scrapbook Club!!!
Here are the name of the scrapbookers who have turned in their pages in order of the pictures shown: Amber W., Michelle S., and Me. We have until the 20th to turn those pages in. Thank you so much for all your support!!

Heartfelt Blessings Scrapbook Club

2008-04-21T16:50:00.000-07:00

Here are the details for the May HB Scrapbook Club:

Theme: Baby Girl (If you do not have baby girl stuff that is o.k. do a general page for family pics, etc.)

Recipient: A family at Valley Children's Hospital

Due Date: Please have scrapbook pages to me by May 20th.
If you are in the Fresno area you can drop off your completed 8x8 page at my house or if you prefer to mail it, please email me and I will give you the mailing address.

Other Details:

*Each month the due date will be the 20th.

*If you know anyone that is in need of some hope and would touched by one of our scrapbooks please send me their information.

*Please spread the word to friends and family about Heartfelt Blessings so we can get more albums to people who are in need of some encouragement.

*After I have all the pages to complete an album I will take pictures of each page and put them on the Heartfelt Blessings Blog found at: www.hfblessings.blogspot.com

If you have any questions please feel free to email me at anytime. I look forward to sharing this wonderful experience with all of you. I really and truly appreciate your kind and generous hearts :)

Love,
Heather

Cell Phones for our Soldiers

2008-01-15T16:38:00.001-08:00

I got an pre-paid envelope to send our old cells phones to support our troops... still not sure where the envelope came from, but on it was the website So, I went to the site and wanted to share it. You can click on the link and it will take you to a page where you can print off a free shipping label and then send in your old unused cell phones. We have a few just collecting dust so what better way to do some cleaning. Phones can be any condition or brand and do not need to have batteries. Money raised from recycled phones is used to purchase calling cards for our troops. Pic by rustybrick

People Being Nice at the Movies

2008-01-05T20:03:00.000-08:00

O.k. so Dougie and I actually got a babysitter tonight and went out to the movies. That is one of my goals this year...to have more date nights. Anyway we showed up 10 minutes before the movie and it was packed like sardines. The only places to sit were in the very front row, you know the kink in your neck, never going to the movies again seats. We sat down and I was already getting motion sickness by watching the previews when a nice woman approached us and said that they were sitting in the top row and moved over so that there were two seats together!! HOW NICE WAS THAT! I just had to share! (pic by Brandon Cirillo)

Tie Someone's Shoe

2007-12-27T21:30:00.000-08:00

A couple of days before Christmas I was picking up some medicine at Target. There was an older man walking with a cane and his other hand was full. I noticed as he passed the pharmacy his shoe was untied. I watched him as he passed and thought, "Oh I should tell him his shoe is untied." He walked a little further and then I decided to go and tell him his shoe was untied. When he finally heard me saying, "Excuse me". I told him his shoe was untied. He said he knew and was just trying to make it to the car so he could tie it. I bent down and tied his shoe. He smiled and said thank you and we went our separate ways. Pic by boskizzi

Bring Christmas to Our Troops

2007-12-18T12:54:00.001-08:00

Sent to Heartfelt Blessings from Misty Brandow, Stockton, CA

SOMETHING COOL THAT XEROX IS DOING for our troops

If you go to this web site, www.Letssaythanks.com
you can pick out a thank you card and Xerox will
print it and it will be sent to a soldier that is
currently serving in Iraq . You can't pick out who
gets it, but it will go to some member of the armed services.

How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone
we know to send one!!! This is a great site. Please
send a card. It is FREE and it only takes a second.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if the soldiers received a
bunch of these? Whether you are for or against the
war, our guys and gals over there need to know we
are behind them.

Thanksgiving Service Project

2007-11-26T11:47:00.000-08:00

I can't believe Thanksgiving already has flown by and we are on our way to Christmas faster than ever. A friend of mine decided to head up a Thanksgiving Service Project. She made flyers and distributed them among friends and church members and then on Thanksgiving day families were able to come to the church building and put care packages together for the Fresno Rescue Mission. We were excited to partake in such an awesome activity on Thanksgiving day, but my little guy was sick so we just dropped off some donations. Dawn did an amazing job organizing such a fantastic way of showing gratitude. They were able to deliver quite a bit of things to the Fresno Rescue Mission as well as make 20 humanitarian kits for the church. I hope to be involved in more amazing acts of service...soon!(pic by craftygoat)

Coupons for our Troops

2007-11-12T14:46:00.000-08:00

Here is another "heartfelt blessing" that you can do over time. Time and time again I look in my coupon envelope and notice I didn't get to use a coupon before it expired. Has this happened to you? Well, don't throw that coupon away. Our troops can use those expired coupons. Coupons that are up to 6 months expired can be used by our troops. We have been saving coupons for a little over 3 months and it is amazing how many we have collected. We will be sending ours off to the troop we have adopted. Here is a great link that gives all the details about this simple "heartfelt blessing". http://www.ocpnet.org/

I thought today was the perfect day to post this since it is Veteran's Day. Happy Veteran's Day to all the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our freedom!

Just Because...

2007-11-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

My brother works at BIG 5 Sporting Goods while trying to find a job in accounting. He hates his job, but tries to deal with it. On Saturday, I was in town so I decided to go to RiteAid and buy my bro a $10 gift card and a soda. (He goes into RiteAid often for snacks when he is on break). I wrote on the gift card, Just Because, I handed it to him and left. He asked what it was for, and I said, "Just because." It felt good to surprise my little bro with a simple gift card.

Box Tops

2007-11-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

This is such an easy way to do a "heartfelt blessing". Start saving those box tops on the different products you are already buying: cereal, diapers, gogurt, zoo pals, fruit snacks, boxed foods usually by Betty Crocker, and the list goes on. Then once you have a good handfull give them to your child's school or if you don't have kids in school donate the box tops to your local school.
I save mine in a drawer in the kitchen where I keep the ziploc bags (another place to find box tops :) then I put them in a ziploc and give them to my best friend Deborah who teaches at a low income school.