Candle Making & Etsy

Making votive candles for Memory Boxes.

For part of The Harper Project Memory Boxes I handmade some small votive candles, I had never done any candle making before but I found that I really enjoyed doing it. So I started making more; different scents, colors, and containers. I decided to add them to my Etsy shop. I've had the shop for a while under a different name selling other items (I say selling very loosely) I've made and hadn't really done much with it so I changed the name to reflect the project (and also because I had to register The Harper Project as a "doing business as" name with the Secretary of State and I never did that with my old Etsy shop name) and decided to sell everything with the idea that a portion of the proceeds will go towards the The Harper Project Memory Boxes.

Making candles for the Etsy shop.

Not every item in the shop is for The Harper Project or babyloss but some of the items are. But for every item I sell a portion of the *proceeds will go towards the Memory Boxes. I have candles available now and I hope to have different scents available soon. I'd also like to sell other items geared toward babyloss. I'm hand making some bracelets for the Memory Boxes and if I get them figured out well enough I'd like to sell those too. I know that I have looked on Etsy for items specifically designed for babyloss that I can wear or have in the house as a memorial for Harper. 

Here is a breakdown of how much money will go towards the project for each item sold:

4oz candle tin ($6) or jar ($8) - $3 will go towards The Harper Project.
8oz candle tin ($7) or jar ($9) - $4 will go towards The Harper Project.
Nursery Art - $5 will go towards The Harper Project. 
(If you checked out my shop within the last few days, check it out again. I've adjusted some of the shipping prices. I'm still new at this and just got my mail scale from amazon yesterday.)

etsy.com/shop/theharperprojectshop

Any items bought before April 30th will have the donation go towards this years project. Sales after the 30th will go for next year.

It is a way to spread the word about The Harper Project all year and maybe babyloss families can find them on my Etsy shop and use them for their memorials while helping this project as well.

Click here --->The Harper Project Shop to go to the shop.

If anyone in the Elk River, Hastings or Mankato/Janesville area is interested in making a purchase and isn't in a rush for the product contact me first because *if* I can deliver you the items I have a code I can give you for free shipping.

Needed Items for Memory Boxes

Donations and items I've collected for the Memory Boxes and Mommy Care Kits.

I've had a lot of people ask me what items are still needed for the Memory Boxes. I have 10 "boxes" put together at this point. Because this project is so new there is a big learning curve for me, so I thought I would list each box and what it has and what it still needs to give people an idea of what I'm still in need of. 

Box #1
Has: Figurine, candle, journal, picture frame, headband, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Bracelet, Blanket
Box #2
Has: Figurine, candle, journal, picture frame, headband, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Bracelet, Blanket
Box #3
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, headband, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, bracelet, blanket
Box #4
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, headband, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, bracelet, blanket
Box #5
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet
Box #6
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet
Box #7
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet

(Apparently, I can't count because I went from 7 to 9 in my inventorying, so please ignore)

Box #9

Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet
Box #10
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet
Box #11
Has: Candle, journal, picture frame, seed packet & stuffed animal
Needs: Figurine or keepsake item, blanket, bracelet

The start of the Memory Boxes coming together, these still need some items and to be decorated.

So you can see that at the moment what I'm in need of the most is keepsake items, blankets and bracelets, also headbands for some of the boxes. 

Keepsake items can be angel figurines, angel ornaments, necklaces with angel wings or baby feet pendants. Or any item that you would give to someone who has just experienced a death in the family. 

Blankets are recommended to be hand made, knit, or crocheted - small in size like receiving blanket size or slightly bigger. Some families may use these blankets to wrap their baby in. 

The idea behind the headbands & bracelets came from the nurse at the hospital who is in charge of the babyloss program. They take pictures of the baby to give to the family and the nurse said she wanted to photograph the baby holding the bracelet and then the mom can take the bracelet home with her. So I'm going to be making a couple myself and I'm using white/cream beads with either pink or blue beads and then a charm. I have baby feet or doves. The headbands are to be put on the girls for pictures as well.

I am also in need of supplies to decorate the boxes. 
Fabric (it takes 3 1/5 ft by 3 ft to cover the boxes and lids, design should be "soft" not too busy or cheerful, soft flower patterns are nice)
Spray adhesive (to attach the fabric to the boxes)
White or cream colored tissue paper (to wrap some of the fragile item in that will go in the boxes)

I have not received any greeting cards. The staff likes to send cards to families on the anniversaries of their loss.

Items for the Mommy Care Kits are another idea if you are looking for something easy and inexpensive. All the items can be found at Target. Click *here* for a link to the list of items needed for the Mommy Care Kits. 

If you have an idea for something you'd like to donate that you don't see listed, please feel free to contact me!!! Donations of all kinds are welcome and the list is just a guideline. 

Click *here* for a link to a list of locations where donations can be dropped off. 

Also, I am planning to do more than 10 boxes so donations of all items are still welcome. (Click *here* for a link to the list of all the items needed.) At the end of the donation time (April 30th is the last day!) I will be using the monetary donations to fill items needed for boxes and buy supplies to decorating the boxes. Any items or money not used this year will be saved for next year.

I want to thank everyone who has already made a donation to The Harper Project! You have no idea how much it means to me to be supported by so many people! 

Please email me stellalynndesigns@gmail.com if you have any questions or to set up a donation pick up. Remember that April 30th is the last day to make your donations! And please put your name with the items that are donated so that I know where they came from!!!

Plymouth Drop Location Added

For those of you who know me personally, you know that I worked for Jerry's Service Inc. for over 5 years. I was pregnant with Harper while I was the manager of their Holiday store and after her death I remained employed with the company in a couple different positions. I never went back to work at the Holiday store though because I knew I would never be able to avoid customers unknowingly asking about the "new baby", because they had seen be ballooning for months and then returning unpregnant. Not the best way to deal with the situation probably but at the time avoidance seemed to be the lesser of evils. I did receive cards and condolences from many of the customers and I was so touched by those that reached out to us.

The owners of Jerry's Service have graciously agreed to let their Holiday Stationstore be an official Drop Site for donations to The Harper Project. They were so amazing to my family during such a difficult time and now they are continuing their awesomeness by becoming a drop site and allowing me to put up flyers in the store as well.

The store address is: 16825 County Rd. 24 Plymouth, MN 55447 (There are several Holiday store in Plymouth and a couple close to this location but this particular Holiday Stationstore is the only location accepting docations at this time. If you go to any of the other Holidays they won't have any idea about this project.)

Phone: (763) 551-3914

Hours: Monday - Friday: 6am - 11pm
           Saturday & Sunday: 7am - 11pm

My Rainy Day Project

Originally posted on March 27, 2014 on The Ashmore's; Life, Death & Everything Else.

I made it to Target today, in spite of the rain/snow outside, and purchased the items for the 5 Mommy Care Kits I am donating. I'm still trying to figure out packaging, I'm thinking organza bags would be pretty. My next trip is to the craft store. I wish I still lived close to St. Cloud because Crafts Direct would definitely be my friend during this project. 

Anyway, all of the items purchased in this picture were found in the sample/travel size section and it only cost $10.02 for all the items pictured. So if your looking for an easy, inexpensive way to help, a Mommy Care Kit is a great idea and it will be priceless to the mommy receiving it.