Handcrafted for YOU!
When you receive something handcrafted for you, how do you feel? Special? Warm? Loved? When you can see the time, effort and love it took to create that handcrafted piece, you might feel overwhelmed with joy!
Now think of a kiddo with extra needs who has had a hard time at school. Making friends doesn't come easy. The adults in their life have a hard time understanding their needs. It might be hard to understand why they act a certain way or do things differently than their peers. They might often feel isolated and alone. When this kiddo receives a handcrafted gift, designed especially for them, they feel less alone. They feel special. They feel worthy. And they want to keep that gift in a safe space to remind them of their preciousness forever.
Evey, a 8-year-old Pause kiddo, did just that. When her mom was helping to clean out her room, she came across keepsake items in her dollhouse that Evey kept because they were special to her. She found a handcrafted birthday card that Pause sent her last year and affirmation cards from a Pause event. That card and those affirmations remind her of the love and support that she gets from Pause that doesn’t come from any other avenue in her life. That card was made possible by Kristin Baker, a volunteer who donates her time and talent crafting cards to spread love and joy to other people.
Kristin has been married to her husband, Jeff for 32 years and has two daughters, Amanda and Jaclin. Fun fact - Jaclin is Pause’s Director of Operations! By trade, Kristin has worked as an athletic trainer for the past 35 years! In her free time, she loves making handcrafted cards, spending time with family and her three Labradors!
Kristin has spent much of her life creating, crafting and making things for others - from winning art competitions for cross stitch to knitting/crocheting scarves and hats for breast cancer awareness to creating yearly scrapbooks of her family memories to crafting handmade painted, wooden Christmas gifts with her husband, Jeff every year!
For the past 16 years, Kristin has focused on making the most beautiful cards to give to friends, family, coworkers, church communities and even nonprofit organizations. Even Pause has been a lucky recipient of Kristin’s handmade cards for the past few years! Over the years, she has crafted thousands of different cards for different seasons, trying new techniques and designs. Kristin creates her cards by stamping a design, coloring it, cutting it out, embossing the paper, adding texture to the card and gluing it all together! It is quite the process that she pours a lot of time, energy and love into her cards!
We asked Kristin to share more about her love for handmade cards…
Why is it important to you to make cards?
I enjoy making cards to relax, be creative and try new things. It’s sort of art therapy for me that helps my mental health and helps to relieve stress. Making cards is a way for me to share my time and talent with others. I think a homemade card means more to receive knowing that someone made it especially for them. Every card I make is different in its own way. I love to personalize my cards adding personal touches to who is receiving it.
When my kids were young, I loved when they brought home artwork they made that they were proud of. They were full of excitement and joy and we would always hang their work on their fridge and celebrate all the time and love they put into it. Making cards for me brings that child-like excitement and joy to me. I love sharing my designs with other people sharing that excitement knowing that this card was especially designed for them.
Do you feel like you’re making an impact on kids and families with disabilities?
I do feel like my cards make an impact on families with disabilities. I never donated a ton of cards to one place and I was honored to donate cards to Pause. I have always been sensory sensitive and enjoy making my cards with different textures for people to experience my cards in different ways (embossing paper and adding glossy accents with crystal lacquer). I also enjoy using more colors that are calming to the brain, like blues and greens. I have struggled with a learning disability and ADHD throughout my life and I really resonate with Pause’s mission to give extra love and care to families with special needs. It is an honor to make cards for Pause to share with their special needs families. I love that I can share my talent and give back to the community.
How do you feel knowing that our kiddos are keeping the cards you crafted as a special memento for years to come?
I felt “Awww!” I don't know how to express it in words! My heart just feels warm and special. I love that someone took the time to appreciate my work… a piece of me. It feels so amazing to know I made someone’s day special with one of my cards. I love to customize cards just for certain people. It feels so special to know that my work is appreciated and that people keep my cards as something special.
Kristin - thank you so much for sharing your beautiful gift with Pause to help make our families and kiddos feel special. We are so appreciative of YOU!
This is CAN DO. This is COMMUNITY. This is YOUR SUPPORT.
