The Best of 2018 – Healing a Broken Heart Charity Card Project

Hello and Merry Christmas to all!!!!

In February this year I started making cards for Heart Kids Hawke’s Bay members for a few different reasons.

Aside from the Family Support Worker, cards were actually one of the biggest expenses of the branch.  So I decided to research the cheapest way and this was by actually making them.

Upon further research I found that by doing creative things actually helps the brain to heal from trauma and there were also health benefits to the receiver to get a hand made card.

I knew that there was no way I could make all the cards needed as the Hawkes Bay branch supports approximately 200 members.  I calculated one birthday and one Christmas card at least was needed each year and this meant I would need to make at least 8 a week to meet this goal.  However, some weeks I meet this goal and other weeks I didn’t.

The cards can take me anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours to make.  Depending on the processes and techniques used.    I could have just rushed these cards to make the goal but for me the real goal (and why I had to quit work) was to get healthy and heal.  I needed that time to quite my brain and just be….  Putting undue stress on myself was not going to help me to get better.

I really wanted other heart families to join me, however I actually didn’t have the energy or the time to organise such a huge job.  So instead I decided to just do these myself in the small pockets of time that I could find.  I also decided to video and publicly share these cards so that;

• I could look back and see my progress.
• the recipients could see how the card was made.
• hopefully people would see them and maybe want to join in and help.

So since I quit my job and finished in October 2017 I have one heart mum, Kim Marra, who helps me when she can to make cards for our families.  I love spending time getting to know Kim and her heart baby and am so grateful to have her help and support with this project.

I feel such joy when I look back at these cards and hope that those who receive them get joy from receiving them.  I am not in love with all of these cards but all of these cards I made with love and that is what is being sent to those that receive one of these cards.

Adrianne x