There have been a lot of recent changes in An Angel Too Soon.  Thus, there are a couple important announcements I must share with you.

Ginger Gabster has left our little group to pursue a wonderful out-of-state opportunity offered to her family.

Ginger volunteered her skills and completed the hand sewing that attached trim and buttons to bonnets and piles and piles of little Angel boy vests for our gowns.  She also worked on spreading collecting dresses. 

Ginger's patience and skills will be sorely missed.  Thank you Ginger for your support and hours of work.  I am proud to know you and especially proud that you and your family are following a dream!! 

We will be looking into adding to our staff with the loss of Ginger and her smiling face. 

Due to health issues and based on a number of other factors, we sold our home in Iowa and made a permanent move to Arizona. 

Please be assured that this change does not affect the area we cover.   WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE ANGEL ITEMS TO IOWA. 

However, this situation requires adjustments to our current processes.  

After much consideration, it has been determined that donations to any Iowa drop off location must remain temporarily suspended.  We will let ou know when we have opened up that location by posting the information under the "to donate" tab. 

Be assured that all donations that have been dropped off at the Grimes location will moved to the Arizona location.

The Quilters Market in Tucson, Arizona will continue to serve as a drop off location.

In all but special situations, all other donations must be dropped off or shipped to our Arizona address below.  Please refer to the "to donate" tab for more information on identifying and shipping a dress.
 
If you are aware of a hospital or mortuary Iowa, Arizona, or anywhere else in the country that
would be interested in receiving Angel items, please let us know through the email below.

Donations and dresses may be shipped to our
Arizona location, as follows:

AngelGownsbyjacki
c/o Jacki Cohoon 
37809 N 9th Pl
Phoenix, AZ 85086

If you have any questions regarding these changes, please feel free forward them to An Angel Too Soon.
Bless you for your continued support.

Today's finishes

I have been busy getting ready for the March 29th Sewing for the Angels event.  

I have a pile of gown and cap pieces ready to be embellished and assembled and I am working on  instructional samples to aid our sewers in completing their gowns and caps.

I also have a few completed sets to share with you.




From two anonymously donated dresses.
Seamstress: Ruby O'Brien and Ginger Gabster

From an anonymously donated dress and a dress from Amber King.
Seamstress: Ruby O'Brien and Ginger Gabster



Dress donated by Kathy Kauffman
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon

Dress from Erin Pierce
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon





Dress from Alyssa J
Seamstress: Jacki Cohoon

Dress from Alyssa J
Seamstress:  Jacki Cohoon

Beautiful Angelic Gown sets from beautiful dresses.

In process....

As previously reported, Ginger G donated her wedding dress to AngelGowns.  As we continued to chat, she asked if she could help...


What a silly question....  of course she can help!!!

I asked Ginger what skills she would like to share with us.....

So, today, I delivered a box of AngelCaps, embellishments, ribbon, thread, needles, sequins, and pearls our new, and very welcomed,  "embellisher", Ginger G. 

For size comparison, I have photographed an AngelWrap, a bottle of water, and two sizes of AngelCaps.

So sweet...

so tiny.....

so sad....

Behind the scenes...

Today, some incredible seamstresses gave up just a little more of their time and met to do a some AngelGown bonding, chatting, eating, laughing, cutting, sewing, and sorting.
 
I had been involved in an extended, and very emotional, chat with our pool contractor prior to gathering time (please know it was good emotion - I received some good info and ended up bawling my eyes out) so I was barely ready (maybe even a bit of "not ready") when the first seamstresses arrived.  The tools of our trade were not laid out, my hair was not combed, and I was sweaty from being outside in the sun for so long....

And, yes, it could get worse....

Not only did I not answer ONE text from a nearly lost team of seamstresses, I neglected to answer text #TWO from our late arrival.

I was so very remiss as a hostess that Karen even ended up taking the photos.   Bless her heart!!  And all of this AFTER she presented me with this gorgeous living gift when I greeted Karen at the door.




Thank you Karen!  I am truly touched by your loving heart.

I am pleased to say that everyone graciously ignored my shortcomings (ok, maybe there WAS a bit of good natured teasing!) and seemed willing to return!!

However, I was able to pull off a fun location for lunch.  The reactions to this event ranged from feeling a little silly, maybe even childish...  but deep down, mostly excited to have this very special booth in the restaurant. Yes, we are sitting in a restaurant.... in a booth.... in a 1957 Chevy!!  To the left of us is a vintage sewing machine and the old vintage drive-in movie speakers.   AND, we all received a cookie!!

Before lunch, our time was spent preparing wedding dresses for their transformation.  After our exciting lunch, we worked the completed AngelGowns, AngelCaps, and AngelWraps....  all needing to be sorted and prepared for shipping.



L2R:  Ruby, Jacki, Limbania, Ginger. 
We sorted the AngelGowns by size and attached coordinating AngelCaps.
 



Some of Ginger's handiwork! 
Bless her heart for doing pretty much ALL of our handsewing.

At the end of the day, I believe that we were all very pleased with our conversation, productivity, laughing...  and I know we were all THRILLED with the AngelBlankets and the 50 sets of AngelGowns/AngelCaps we perpared for delivery to hospitals in Des Moines, Iowa next month.

Each stack of six AngelBlankets and each coluum of 25 AngelGown/AngelCaps will be delivered to two Des Moines Iowa hospitals in October.

Hand crocheted by Nadine H.



Amazing gifts from the heart: 
Donated wedding dresses and heartfelt labor to transform the dresses into AngelGowns and AngelCaps.

I will speak for all of us when I say that AngelGowns has been a blessing to each and every one of us behind the scenes...  the giving of such a personal and life changing wedding dress, the joys we receive from giving of a generous heart, the new friends I have met, the camaraderie between the donators and the seamstresses, and the new experiences in which we are engaged is simply priceless.

2 more helping hands!

I am thrilled to announce that Ruby Obrien has joined the AngelGowns team!  Ruby has experience sewing doll clothing and brings a lot of skill with her.  She also lives in the Phoenix area and is a very welcome addition.

Our team is currently as follows:

Jacki Cohoon, Ambassasor and seamstress (email)
Karen Lange, seamstress
Ginger Gabster, hand sewing
Ruby Obrien, seamstress

Thank you so very much, ladies, for participating in this important project.  And thank you to your husbands for supporting your decision.

Helping hands!

I have an exciting announcement!  Ginger G of Anthem, AZ donated her dress to the Angels... 


and continued to be so touched by this project that she has asked to help by doing handsewing on Angel items!

We currently plan for Ginger to add ribbons and finishing touches on AngelCaps.  

Ginger lives nearby and will be a God sent gift to help us get AngelGowns items done and sent to birthing centers throughout the southwest!!! 



Ginger, I have found that this project gives me tenfold what I give it.  May you be equally gifted.

WELCOME, Ginger!!!

Thank you Ginger!

Ginger G of Arizona dropped off this amazing dress for the Angels! 

Ginger G of Arizona

Bless you, Ginger!!