Last year I participated in a really great program run by a fellow Pea Angie Smith. I met Angie through 2peasinabucket.com. The Sunshine Albums Project is a wonderful opportunity to create an album for a child who is in the hospital facing illness. Many of the children in hospitals are there for cancer treatment. The albums are a way for the children and their families to document their journeys to wellness.
This year my hospital is one of the recipients of the albums. For those of you who don't know, I work at the Maria Fareri Childrens Hospital in Valhalla, NY. I am an OR nurse there. It is truly a remarkable place with an incredible and dedicated staff. We are also the only Level 1 pediatric trauma center in the region.
The second hospital that will receive albums is the Cardinal Glennon Childrens Hospital in St.Louis, Mo.
The albums should be no smaller than 4"x4" and no larger than 8"x8". Please remember these key words when making your albums-quality, simplicity and durability. It is important that they are appealing and positive, easy to add pictures and journaling to and strong enough to last. Embellies should be stuck down so they are not a choking risk. Last year I made a simple fold over album with a set of instructions from Chatterbox.
It's actually called the "one hour mini album". It uses 2 sheets of 12"x12" cardstock as the base of the album. So simple! I made 6 to contribute last year. If you want the instructions you can email me and I'll get them to you right away.
I also used different patterned papers for different ages. That may be a consideration for some when thinking about what type of album you want to create. You can easily break up your album themes like I did into preschool, school age and teen.
The deadline for having albums to Angie and me is November 25,2008. We will be keeping track of the number and type of albums we receive so that we have an equal disribution between both of the hospitals. Angie will be accepting albums from volunteers that live west of the Mississippi River and I will be accepting albums from volunteers east of the Mississippi River. If you have any questions please feel free to email me or Angie. My email is linked at the top of my blog. Angie's email is dasmith2@wowway.com. We're looking forward to seeing what you create!
Thanks for stopping by!
I know what I'm doing on our crop weekend.
Posted by: Ruth | October 12, 2008 at 02:16 PM
What an amazing project. Love the book it is beautiful.
Posted by: Christy (a.k.a. Krissynae) | October 12, 2008 at 08:39 PM
great project and I really loved your story about using the photographer's camera at the recent wedding. What a great opportunity!
Posted by: Barb | October 13, 2008 at 01:08 PM
Deb, that book looks beautiful and what an incredible project to participate in - you rock.
Posted by: Andrea (Creative Junkie) | October 15, 2008 at 01:58 PM
I would love to make some albums for this with my daughter. A great community service project. Can you send me insructions for the Chatterbox one that you have??? It may be a little easier that the ones I have. Thanks bunches, Kathy
Posted by: kathy | October 31, 2008 at 09:13 AM
Thank you so much for this information! I'm definitely going to try to make at least one (hopefully more).
Posted by: Cheryl | October 31, 2008 at 10:25 AM
Where can we send our finished albums?
Posted by: LeAnne | October 31, 2008 at 11:12 AM
What a great project! Can you email me the instructions for the mini album by Chatterbox? Thanks so much. Also, do you know if there is a list of hospitals to receive albums in the future? I'd love to participate at some future point (time just won't allow me to right now). Thanks again.
Sharon
Posted by: Sharon | October 31, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Can you please send the directions for your album? I have been in a SB burn-out for over a year but of course have an embarrasingly HUGE stash of supplies and really want to put it to good use. This would be PERFECT. My email is tonya@gauchogirl.com.
thanks!
Posted by: tonya | October 31, 2008 at 12:05 PM
I'd love to help. Can you send me the instructions for the chatterbox mini album as well as how to get the albums to the right person? Thanks!
Abbey
Posted by: Abbey | October 31, 2008 at 01:42 PM
This sounds like such a worthwhile cause. I'd like to give it a go! I have the exact album in mind already. Are there any other guidelines, or is it all up to us?
Posted by: Meka | October 31, 2008 at 02:24 PM
i would love to do this! i attempted to email angie since i live west of the mississippi, but it came back as a failed email :( so i just forwarded it to you, deb...
Posted by: becky d. | October 31, 2008 at 06:30 PM
I would love to contribute some albums. Could you send the instructions for the album you talked about.
Thanks, Karen
Posted by: Karen Fobert | November 01, 2008 at 12:09 AM
I'd love to contribute, can you give me particulars and the instructions for the Chatterbox album? I've got lots of paper stash to use up! Thanks!
Posted by: BethBG | November 01, 2008 at 06:43 PM
Hello!
What a wonderful cause to contribute to! I'd love the chatterbox instructions, too, please. I'd love to do a few girly and a few boyish albums for those incredible kiddos and their families to enjoy.
Bets
Posted by: Betsy Pratt | November 02, 2008 at 07:20 PM
I just did a post on your Sunshine Album Project. Take a peek at www.jonipossin.blogspot.com.
Joni
Posted by: jonipossin | November 03, 2008 at 01:10 PM
So glad to help! I did a little post on my blog too at:http://athomewiththerichardsfamily.blogspot.com/ Thanks for a great idea and all your work on coordinating it.
Posted by: Abbey | November 03, 2008 at 04:04 PM
I would love to make an album, or two, or three....would you send me the Chatterbox instructions and how we should get these albums to you.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Posted by: Linh | November 11, 2008 at 10:06 PM
I would love to make an album, or two, or three....would you send me the Chatterbox instructions and how we should get these albums to you.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Posted by: Linh | November 11, 2008 at 10:09 PM
I would love to help...my 17 yr. old daughter and I will see if our youth church group might be able to do some for a service project also. I would love the instructions for your chatterbox mini albums. I will look forward to hearing from you. Thanks so much.
Posted by: Tammy Pepper | November 14, 2008 at 07:09 AM
I was in contact with Angie, but never got the name of the contact person at St. Louis Children's hospital (she hasn't returned my latest emails)...do you happen to have the name?? Please email me!
Becky D.
Posted by: becky d. | February 22, 2009 at 09:56 AM