ProjectBabyLove.Aloha

PROJECTBABYLOVE.ALOHA

The simplest heartfelt gifts possess the strength to be the most meaningful. With the kindness of community support, your pledged donations will aid in funding ProjectBabyLove.Aloha gifting handmade crocheted caps to hospitals for babies and children. In unity, we will provide for a gentle, yet powerful, cause. Hope.

INTRODUCTION

The birth of a baby is one of life’s most momentous experiences. With this event comes the promise of lifetime love and bliss. No greater joy.

There are times when joyous occasions may take a detour, altering the path of our anticipation. Due to varying factors involved, the expertise of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) may be called upon. The amazing staff, with their specialized training, offer unparalleled care. In return, families feel deep gratitude and place their trust, confidence and comfort in their skilled hands. The care and bond are incredible and authentic.

My name is Carly Ashmore, mother of four and grandmother to three. I am very familiar with the circumstances presented. My very first grandchild, born prematurely, required three weeks of inpatient NICU care with Kaiser Permanente. With experience in the healthcare sector, I immediately took note of the exceptional, focused care provided; all of which presented as outstanding. Alongside this impressive care received from the unit staff, as well as from all peripheral departments*, I recall the simplest gestures making profound impacts for they offered sparks of much-needed comfort, confidence and positive hope.

The very special first moment I was blessed to be with my granddaughter on the morning following her birth. Truly love at first sight . . .

I fondly recall one of these “simple gestures” very well. I shall always remember the feeling I possessed on one particular morning upon arrival at the unit when I witnessed my granddaughter being a blessed recipient of a beautiful pink crocheted cap. Not only did the gift aid in warmth to maintain optimal body temperature levels, but it provided comfort and hope for both baby and family. The cap was donated by an individual whose heart went into its creation for a little one they did not even have acquaintance with. This was pure selflessness. It was a meaningful moment. In this big world of ours, I was reminded people care. I received a sense of positive hope, and from that very pivotal moment, I knew I wanted to be a part of something grand, yet simple with grace. It would now be my opportunity to share this goodwill with the overwhelming number of infants and their families facing the unknown. The idea for gifting crocheting caps evolved. Not only will these caps offer warmth and comfort for babies, but positive hope for families. They, too, need and are richly deserving of comfort. This is the sincere scope I hope to expand. My granddaughter’s very first gifted cap has served as a lifelong memento in my heart. The action itself may not have been directly medical-related, but the gesture most definitely left a positive imprint and was equally important and appreciated. Someone cared. I wholeheartedly thank this one very special individual whose genuine kindness will forever be appreciated with heartfelt gratitude. 

My granddaughter keeping warm with her sweet pink crocheted cap gifted by a kindhearted and much appreciated donor . . .

Blessed with my very first grandchild and being an avid crocheter, I received sweet inspiration to stitch up a cap for my granddaughter. I elected to keep the style very simple for comfort, utilizing cotton yarn with clean lines. First, an ivory-toned cap, followed by a pink one. Witnessing the delight received by Dad and Mom, and experiencing the joy of crafting for a loving and meaningful purpose, the seed to share my care with babies and families was planted. The time arrived for project development. May it sprout and flourish.

My granddaughter adorning her very first ivory and pink caps crocheted especially for her by Grandma . . .

Following three weeks with her NICU family, my granddaughter’s homecoming was greeted with an abundance of good health, joy and celebration. Much love and gratitude. 

Grandma and granddaughter together at the hospital couple of days prior to discharge . . .

VISION / MISSION

Since childhood, I have possessed a love for handcrafting; please refer to Artist Profile. As a self-taught crochet enthusiast, the birth of my granddaughter introduced the sweet creation of caps on a smaller-sized scale. I discovered just how much delight each finished piece left in my heart. This pure joy and strong desire to make meaningful contributions to babies and their families outline the culmination of sharing my heart for a cause I believe in. Though it may be difficult to express in words something which presents itself as a feeling, I want to share this in some tangible form. My hope and vision are to provide just this for our beautiful babies and their loving families in the form of handmade caps. My wish is for them to experience this “feeling” which, in turn, will provide hope and maintain faith. We will always be blessed with babies, and I am set on my lifelong mission. I am determined to perpetuate this project until my hands and fingers no longer have the ability to create. Crocheted caps, handcrafted from cotton yarn, will initially be gifted to Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Newborns admitted to Mother-Baby-Family Units, Postpartum Nurseries and babies and children of all ages spending time on inpatient Pediatric floors, are equally recognized and celebrated. With the progression of time as the project develops, they, too, will be honored with future incorporation into the project. Since my early years as a mother, I have possessed this vision of giving back and providing sincere hope however possible. This innate need and desire stemmed from the authentic gratitude I have received from being blessed with my four beautiful children, and more recently, my three adorable grandchildren. My dream as I enter this phase of life is to spend time creating something of significance to give back for the blessings I have received throughout my life. The funding will provide for just this. I have known my desire to blend both this vision and sincerity to create little sentiments of love for as many children and their families as possible always existed. This vision has flourished to the present time when life is now at a quieter stage, gifting me with time to devote and fuel my energy toward my intentions. My journey begins. Please join me in honoring and celebrating our babies and families, making this dream a reality. Please kindly share the cause with your network of family, friends and peers via word of mouth, email, social media, etc. Or, perhaps you would like to be involved, pledging from your heart. Contributions may be safely carried out through GoFundMe.com or directly to campaign organizer, Carly Ashmore. The kindness from everyone’s outpouring will most definitely sprinkle encouragement and hope to the many babies and families touched by this simple, but very powerful and meaningful, acknowledgment. You may be that one individual to ignite a positive spark of hope.

Getting ready to crochet a gray cap for a special wee one . . .

WHY CROWDFUND?

For those who possess the spirit of sharing, offering support and promoting hope, please recognize an endeavor such as ProjectBabyLove.Aloha indescribably provides for just these meaningful things. I strongly believe community efforts develop a great sense of coming together to build upon a purpose. There exists much vision, support and strength when blending camaraderie and numbers. Power of community! I truly believe not only will babies and their families be affected, but contributors to the cause as well. You will feel a sense of incredible and joyful pride knowing your support has touched lives and made a positive difference.

FUNDS UTILIZATION

Project.Baby.Love.Aloha is now accepting your kind pledged donations to fund this collaborative enterprise to share expressions of comfort and hope with the many babies and their families; many of which are facing unknown circumstances. Funds will be responsibly utilized as follows:

- Supplies

- Product Delivery

- Future Incorporation of Postpartum Nurseries

- Future Incorporation of Mother-Baby-Family Units

- Future Incorporation of Pediatric Units

- Projected Length of Project = Indefinite

The total goal amount reflects ProjectBabyLove.Aloha maintaining an ongoing status of gifting. “I am determined to perpetuate this project until my hands and fingers no longer have the ability to create.”

The first and very special completed set of hand-crocheted cotton caps for delivery . . .

Project planning and crocheting in the works . . .

Fresh designs, yarns, textures and palettes forthcoming . . .

I very much appreciate you reading my story and I wholeheartedly thank you. I would love for you to be a part of this heartfelt cause. Welcome to the unveiling of PROJECTBABYLOVE.ALOHA.

* Special note: In addition to the amazing staff of Kaiser Permanente's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, a very heartfelt token of sincere gratitude to all peripheral departments, each having possessed a significant role involved with the birth of our family’s very first grandchild. Primary Care Physicians and their support teams, Family Birth Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Perinatology, Neonatology, Anesthesiology, Labor and Delivery, Midwifery Services, Antepartum/Postpartum Nursing, Pediatrics, Lactation Services, Respiratory Therapy, Emergency Medicine, Diagnostic Imaging, Laboratory Services, Dietary and Nutritional Services, Pharmacy, Business Services and Communications/Public Relations/Brand Management. Many thanks to all.

ARTIST PROFILE

Born and raised on the beautiful Island of Oahu in Hawaii, Carly Ashmore, founder, project director and creative designer of ProjectBabyLove.Aloha, prides in sharing handmade creations within yarn and fabric textile mediums. Carly possesses an authentic passion and wholehearted appreciation for both design creativity and clean-line aesthetics, with an emphasis on the desire to make meaningful contributions within our communities. The combination of these attributes is responsible for the driving force of the project. Carly drafts and hand-creates all products in her line, and there exists a defined level of composition to each constructed piece. She takes a sophisticated, minimalistic and controlled approach to her designs. Having chosen to specialize in this refined appreciation, her framework consists of simplistic lines and moderately subdued palettes. Design collections are limited to allow for greater focus on perfecting pieces. These properties direct vision, project management and effective delivery. With each project completed with industrious and conscientious integrity, there exists a bit of Carly in each item from select collections. The designs and hues reflect a part of her style, personality and attitude toward aesthetics. All pieces are streamlined, stylish and well-mannered, with function and standards in mind. Personal touch, met with careful attention, consistency and meticulous craftsmanship, is included with each stitch. While striving to maintain her core philosophy geared toward simplicity, the culmination of all aspects described has spirited Carly’s desire to craft and focus on her sincerest intentions.

Carly has lived a creative handmade life since very early childhood. Today, having found her niche, Carly is proud to be a self-taught crochet enthusiast and has discovered her innate ability to find comfort with this very specific hand-stitching process. Much delight is received with the involved process of crochet designing. Although Carly has indulged in crafting with heartfelt pleasure since her youth, the aspect of presenting her work to others did not enter the realm until later in life during a period at which time she realized her authentic spirited desire and need to share. This undying determination and personal aspiration remained with her for many years. Carly has long admired artistry, and with her profound respect for the trade and its movement, directed strong, in-depth focus on sharing her love for crocheting on a broader spectrum for a greater cause. This led to Carly's decision to take that one elevated step into this facet of the craft, and ProjectBabyLove.Aloha evolved. With a relaxed and natural progressive drive to promote and share creative and meaningful design, Carly has been engineering this quiet, but ambitious, endeavor since.

Carly engages in what she does because she has an authentic passion for handcrafting and an acute awareness of her personal aesthetics. She hopes to offer inspiration and creative appreciation with the sharing of this spirited beauty. “Simple creativity plays a significant role in my life, and with this comes my hope to inspire, touch and move in similar ways.” Carly draws influence from just about anything. An exquisite jeweled piece. An awesome personality. A striking piece of furniture. A subtle hue. A particular font. Basic elements. Simple compositions. She enjoys surrounding herself with the pleasures and splendors of her delights. With a profound appreciation for all things lovely and simplistic, along with a comfortable degree of order and structure, Carly continues to strive to live a charmed life in an effortless, uncomplicated manner. “Life, in all its many facets, is a never-ending, creative process, and I love this. I want to share this bliss with others.”

“I have possessed an innate creative streak since childhood, and I have fond memories of my very early encounters. I have vivid recollections of my first “serious" sketches and cutouts. As I close my eyes, I see myself constructing my very own crafty paper dolls at the age of four behind closed doors in my bedroom. I possess joyful memories of sketching girls, all of whom were individually named, donning my clothing design creations and accessories. I remember how happy and proud I was as the first-place winner of an Easter egg decorating contest. Most beautiful egg! I preserved the prized egg in a tightly sealed container, or so I thought, to share for my classroom show-and-tell presentation. The odoriferous egg permeated the entire room. One can only imagine the chaos which followed. I recall diligently working on a pair of house slippers constructed from white paper and tape. The project was timely and all was lost as they tore following the first few steps. These setbacks fueled my ingenuity to move forward, and this trend has remained with me. Throughout the many years, I held on to this insight geared toward creativity and have experienced a vast selection of mediums and styles, but my premise to focus on streamlined designs did not surface until much later in my adulthood. This particular aesthetic not only harmoniously offers clarity, calmness, authenticity and grace, but aids in functionality and order within my personal life. I have discovered my niche. I have found my comfort. I am now fully aware of where my scope and focus are rightfully and fittingly directed. I am now free to design, craft and create, centered around my vision and intention. Clean and simple. Meaningful with purpose. This is my lifestyle concept. My chosen lifestyle. I now want to share it.”

“Each time I sign off my work, I hope to enhance lives with a product handmade with heartfelt focus and artistry, from beginning to end; the process. The desire is to have someone experience and feel the product, with the hope they will receive comfort, peace and bliss, knowing it was made with authentic love and care. This is it. This is what matters to me in my heart of hearts.

Welcome to the unveiling of PROJECTBABYLOVE.ALOHA.

DEDICATION

“What motivates my true, raw passion and inspiration? I witness my four beautiful children in all their glory; all of whom possess individual spirit and enthusiasm for life and what they strive for. They each exhibit an intrinsic sense of exhilaration for their separate life journeys. They are visionaries and fearless risk-takers, which I believe to be powerful traits, for fruition derives from dreams. The love and pride I possess for all four children have inspired me to pursue the unknown and make me want to be a better and greater person all around. With this profound blessing, I have received tremendous fuel for my journey to find peace and comfort with my passion for crafting and sharing its delights in meaningful ways. Thank you to my four “lovelies". With my children living adult lives, the blessings of my grandchildren find me re-entering the world of wee ones. They, too, offer never-ending insight with their innocent wonder, curiosity and unwavering spirit. Magical! My grandbabies, too, are very specific inspirations for my visionary endeavors centering around the creation and sharing of crocheted caps for a cause. I very much love and appreciate each one of my children and grandchildren. I find it incredible and indescribable just how much love one’s heart is capable of feeling. This is a declaration of love. To my children and grandchildren, I lovingly dedicate ProjectBabyLove.Aloha. To the many babies and families, this is for you. With love and warm aloha."