Thursday, December 23, 2010

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays! I hope you are all enjoying this time of the year and spending it with those that you love. I am lucky to have so many people to share this time of year with and can't wait to see them this weekend!

And for a bit of fun, check out this very cool Holiday video from our friends at Ben's Friends Patient Support Communities. Thanks for the Feel Good Gown shout out :)

(ya, my tech savvy skills are failing me! Click on the video to actually go to Youtube so that you can see the entire screen!)


and yes...there is a bit of me and some of my marvelous singing in this video :)

Thursday, September 2, 2010

Lists, lists, and more lists!

We have so many lists to keep us on track. Some of us write them in an organized manner in a nice file on our computer. Others keep them stored in random “notes” on our iPhones (complete with autofilled in words we later can’t make sense of.) While some still rely on the multitude of scratch paper and refrigerator magnets. We all have some kind of system that tells us what we should be doing, when, how much, and to whom. And with September officially being the season for “back to school” and the millions of lists that brings…well I have a new list for you too!

What kind of list? Well the very BEST kind of course! The kind that makes you FEEL GOOD. The kind of list that is completely optional but so very worth the time to cross a few off.

This list is all about the little things we can all do to make someone happy. I was inspired recently when I participated in Operation Beautiful, and from handing out the super cool Lolli-Flowers at the hospital. These little acts of kindness, random acts of kindness or even Acts of Random Kindness as the folks at ARK call it…well they are definitely feel good things. So I wanted to make a list to share with all of about some other items I have stumbled across or just think are no-brainers.

1. Smiling. At yourself, at a coworker, at a stranger. It’s easy to do. Take a look at this blog posting I found. It’s a great one and I love her take on how it’s totally multi-tasking! Plus it’s totally free!

2. Buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line. It’s cheap and a great way to start off someone’s day.

3. Donate school supplies. Easy-peasy and you can get some stuff seriously cheap. Every little bit helps.

4. Along the same lines as above, so many teachers have to buy supplies for their classrooms these days. Donate $10 to your child’s teacher with a note about how she does a great job! Or buy some of those super cute “encouragement” stickers with cool sayings like “Way to go!” “Awesome!” and such.

5. Give a compliment. It never fails to make me smile when a stranger or coworker takes the time to tell me I look cute that day. Be it my dress, my shoes (most likely) or the silly way I’ve twisted my hair up. It’s a freebie, easy, and ALWAYS brings a smile.

6. Be nice. I know it sounds like a given, but we often aren’t particularly nice to everyone around us. My husband and I make it a point to be nice and to have a common courtesy with each other. After all, who IS more important that the people you love? We don’t even notice it, but other people do.

7. In the spirit of Feel Good Gowns, say “thanks” to the hospital staff! Yes, I know it’s the nurse’s job to take care of you…but they don’t HAVE to be as nice as they always are. It’s such an awesome job they do, taking care of sick people. They are kind, gentle, and do their best to help you Feel Good while in their care. A sincere nod of appreciation will make their day a bit easier. I promise! A small box of chocolates would probably be even better!

8. Call your mom. I realize that she is sometimes super flighty, annoying, and can nag. But she loves you, and she put up with all of your annoying traits as a teenager. And she will be THRILLED that you called without needing something…like money…or advice…or to complain about your sibling. Call just to say hello and you will make her day!

9. Give blood! This gift doesn't cost you a thing, could help save a life (like Fremont Police Officer Todd Young) and plus you get free cookies!

10. Check out sites like this http://www.actsofkindness.org for some other great ideas!

Have a wonderful Friday, and do something kind.
Shalon

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Feel Good Flowies!

A few weekends ago hubby, puppy, and I made the short trek up the road to our favorite spot to picnic. It's one of the most amazing places in the world with a view that we should all be envious of and admire mother nature for. It's truly a beautiful place. A Feel Good place! The kind of place that I wish everyone had the opportunity to experience.



This trip had a great and unexpected surprise as the wild flowers were out in full force. So much natural beauty surrounding us in this peaceful and magical spot. I wished I had all of my gowns with me to do an impromptu photo shoot amongst the yellows, purples, blues, pinks, and oranges of the pretty flowers.





Although I can't bring this wonderful place with me to the hospital, I have found the next best thing!!! Next week as I make my monthly trip to Swedish Hospital in Denver CO, I am bringing happy little flowers with me to hand out to the truly terrific nurses and support staff that do such a great job of caring for me and countless other patients. But these flowers are even sweeter than those from my picnic spot. These flowers come with candy! They are Lolli-flowers :)



I found this wonderful idea at Kind over Matter, a great blog that is now one of my favorites. "Kindness is all that matters" is the first line under the pretty pictures of Amanda and Jenn. And I couldn't agree more. Filled with stories, pictures, freebies, and more - all about being kind, this blog is absolutely one Feel Good thing after another.

If you are at all crafty, or just a kind hearted soul, please head over and check out all the kind things that these ladies have provided for our viewing pleasure. And if you are so inclined, why not print up some lolli-flowers yourself and help spread the joy!

Shalon

Sunday, August 8, 2010

Operation Beautiful!

Have you all heard of this? Operation Beautiful? Am I the only one who lives under a rock and had no idea about this little movement? Why didn't you tell me!!! I LOVE it!

Operation Beautiful is...well, Beautiful! It's all about reinforcing and spreading positivity. It's about reminding girls, women, really everyone, that we are beautiful, worthy, awesome just how we are! It's a reminder to be nice to each other, to encourage and support. It's a very FEEL GOOD thing to do!

Started only a year ago by 26 year old Caitlin Boyle, it's all about post-its and little notes of beauty! She began this by leaving notes on bathroom mirrors and other public places for someone to find. With a positive note about whatever came to mind she was spreading some happiness and joy. LOVE it!



And it's obviously caught on! With a newly published book, appearances on the Today Show and the Oprah Winfrey Network, as well as tons of publications in news and magazines.

I plan on participating in this movement at every chance I can, but I'm most excited about leaving notes at the hospital in two weeks. People are scared, nervous, and feeling "blah" at the hospital. I know! And I can only imagine that a little random note of positivity can help make someone smile during these difficult times. I'm so excited to do this and hope that you will all share in the enthusiasm!

How will you participate in Operation Beautiful? Are you in? You are beautiful!!!

Monday, July 26, 2010

Photo Shoot Fun!

What could make for a better day than playing dress up with girlfriends in the city? Well, having super cool pictures taken, spreading awareness for Bens Friends, and helping out a budding photographer as well! That's what!



Saturday we packed up the gowns, bags, caps, and the puppy and took the short drive down to San Francisco for two reasons. Ok, well three reasons if you count the fact that Josh was seriously excited to escape the heat of El Dorado Hills and bask in the windy overcasty goodness that is typical of San Francisco :) But the real intent of the day was to do a photo shoot for Feel Good Gowns and to shoot a video with Eric & Scott from www.bensfriends.org for the Life in a Day You Tube contest.



The day started at Fort Mason's Great Meadow with a beautiful view of the city and the Golden Gate playing hide & seek in the fog and clouds. I filmed a quick monologue explaining who I was, my involvement with Bens Friends, and the upcoming photo shoot while trying to keep Hudson both on his leash, out of the shot, and quiet. Not an easy task! Lucky for me Eric came walking up and to my rescue!

I met Eric in May this year when we participated in the 5th annual Anuerysm and AVM walk with TAAF. Eric is part of BensFriends, a network of patient communities dedicated to providing support for people with rare diseases. As well as just being super awesome, Eric is the Marketing and PR lead, and did I mention awesome?!? We shot him with the Golden Gate as a backdrop while he explained the mission, early successes, and future vision for growing these support communities and reaching everyone who can benefit from them.



Up next was Scott, one of the original founders of Bens Friends and a school buddy of Ben himself. I met Scott in person the first time at the 2009 AVM Walk and have loved him since the first hug! Scott did a couple takes while shooting a quick rundown of Bens Friends. But maybe more importantly (at least to me at that particular moment!) is that Scott brough his beautiful friend Vanessa with him to be one of my Feel Good Models! Thanks Scott :)



Our photographer for the day Eliana arrived, we found a place to start shooting, and got dressed up in some Feel Good Gowns and Caps. And soon one of my besties Carrie joined us to complete the "three model-teers" for the day. We were like "real" models- randomly changing while trying not to put on a peep show, suffering in the freezing cold (it was like 65 degrees and super windy) and of course just being beautiful! :)



We had a great afternoon with the photo shoot and filming for the Life in a Day entry. Eliana and Mauro were a great photogrophy team and we are so lucky that they were available to come help us out this day! It was wonderful to see some old friends and meet some new ones. The opportunity to spread the word about both Bens Friends Patient Communities and of course Feel Good Gowns was priceless!

I can't wait to see more of the pictures that Eliana took and to edit some of our footage into some mini movies to help promote our mission of support through Ben's Friends, and happiness through Feel Good Gowns!

Shalon

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Feel Good Friends!

We all have them, and love them! Those friends that you know you can count on when you need them. The ones who would do anything for you (well almost anything!) The friends that you basically consider to be your family. And it is so wonderful to have these kinds of friends in our lives.

Uncle Jake is one of those friends. Not mine, I don't even know him. But I can tell that he is the kind of person that people feel lucky to know and lucky to call a friend.

I recently came across a link on facebook for "Ride with Clyde" with a picture of cute baby. Being completely unable to resist a sweet little face, I clicked on the link only to find Uncle Jakes efforts to help his good friends during their battle with their young son Bennet's new fight with cancer.



Instead of "just" offering the emotional support which was a given, Uncle Jake stepped it up a notch and designed a series of T-shirts to be sold through www.cafepress.com to both raise awareness and help raise funds for this family. What a Feel Good thing to do!

So take a moment to ck out Jake's blog, see a cute little baby, and if so inclined buy a "F*ck Cancer I ride with Clyde" Tshirt...or one of the other MANY designs he has created for this cause! Your purchase will help this family and this adorable little boy. We can all use an extra T right???

Shalon

Monday, June 21, 2010

Summertime Yellow!

I may have mentioned before that I LOVE Summer! Well it's true. Just getting that warm hug from the summer sun each day makes me feel loved and taken care of. Thanks Mother Nature!

So in honor of the official beginning of Summer I wanted to share some info about one of my other loves...yellow! Not everyone loves yellow, but I do. And for the very same reasons that I love summer. It's just a big, warm, loving hug color :)

Did you know that in almost every culture yellow represents hope? It can be symbolic of royalty (think gold) and of friendliness. It is also commonly used as a way to "caution" others due to it's bright and bold "don't ignore me!" need to be the center of attention. Maybe that's why I like it! And maybe that's exactly what you need in a hospital gown.




For those of you who want to be bright and cheery, full of hope for a successful hospital stay, and to make sure everyone at the hospital sees you in your bold and brilliant gown, then try out our "Hopeful and Bright" line of products. This option combines that summery yellow with a cool aqua. Now what is more symbolic of the sun and water that we all enjoy during the Summer months?

Or maybe you want to be completely girly with a more pale backdrop of yellow with some fun and happy flowers displayed in a casual and haphazard pattern. This "Sunny and Bright" pattern feels reminiscent of childhood summer days. What a place to transport yourself to instead of that cold and dreary hospital room!



Either way we promise you will feel warm, loved, happy, and of course Fashionably Fabulous! And with luck, your custom hospital gown will put you in the right mood to quickly heal and head out to enjoy your summer in the sun!

Shalon

Friday, June 18, 2010

Check out this Super Model in the making!

What's more Feel Good than a super cute baby? We can't think of anything!

Hear is Lily modeling dad's new Warrior scrub cap, and posing in the very important box it was shipped in :) We think she is adorable and such a great model.



Lily- we hope that Dad is just as a great a model as you are and that he looks just as Fabulous in his Warrior gear at the hospital!
Shalon

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Feel Good Recommendation

I always LOVE to share stories and experiences with people when I have good ones. And if you know me you know that while I sometimes can be hard to please (yes, I admit it) that when I AM pleased it should stand as a true testament of something GOOD!

I recently had the need to order some special medical supplies that couldn't be found at a local drug store or even local medical supply company. I knew that there would be many options online and I searched for the one that had the best deal, seemed to offer good service, etc. Then I simply took a chance that I chose the right company from the many options.

And I absolutely did! The Medical Supply Depot was great! Not only was the website easy to navigate and checkout was simple, but my order qualified for free shipping. Love that last part :) I was so surprised when my product arrived the day after I received the confirmation of the order and it being shipped. I placed the order about 2:00 on a weekday afternoon, and by lunch the next day my husband texted me to let me know it had arrived. And this on FREE shipping. Very cool. I assumed free shipping would mean snail mail for sure. Talk about great service. But wait! There's more!

I also received a nice follow up email welcoming me as a customer and giving me a discount code for my next purchase. Yes, I realize many companies offer this now as a follow up, but still. Coupled with the ease of transaction, the super quick shipping, and the general "Feel Good" experience...well I'm now a dedicated customer to The Medical Supply Depot.

And to top it off, they are going to use my "thank you" email on their testimonial page! I'm so happy that I can help them out a little. Makes me Feel Good :)

So for those of you who need medical supplies I would sincerely encourage you to check out The Medical Supply Depot as the are simply FABULOUS!

Shalon

Saturday, June 12, 2010

We have the blues!

Blue has always been my favorite color. Any possible manifestation of it from aqua, to almost gray. I just LOVE it. Reminds me of blue skies, a crisp breeze, the ocean, a swimming pool, my favorite blue margaritas, you get the picture! Not sure what it is about this color that makes me so happy, but I don't really care :)

One of my favorite fabrics from Art Gallery Fabrics is my Calm & Comfortable combo. We made a gown from from this beautiful print a few months ago for my good friend Scott as a gift for his friend who was facing chemo.

We returned to the blues last week with a new gown using this beautiful pattern and decided to be totally girly with a ruffle trim! And we topped off the outfit with a matching bouffant cap. How cute is this one?



But as we've mentioned before, Feel Good Gowns is more than just hospital gowns and caps. This outfit arrived at the hospital with bright aqua Feel Good Sockies (with no slip dots) and also an aqua Feel Good Blanket to make the entire stay cozy and to give that sense of security that only a blankie can.





Every patient should be this Fabulous! If you know someone facing a hospital stay, don't let them be sad and dreary...head over to our store and help them be Fabulous!

Friday, June 4, 2010

Art Gallery Fabrics Loves us!



Art Gallery Fabrics is my main fabric provider for the lovely Feel Good Gowns women's line. Why you might ask? Two reasons.


  1. I love ALL of their patters. Bold, bright, and large patters mixed in with some more subtle and muted options. Feels like a mix between modern and retro. But the one word I always think of is BEAUTIFUL...

  2. I love Pat Bravo! This fabric designer is such a wonderful person. She has been so accomodating and helpful to me in getting her fabrics direct and she completely loves and is trilled to be part of Feel Good Gowns. It makes her Feel Good to be part. And THAT is totally the point of this business. Spreading some cheer and happiness!

Pat did a lovely write up over at her Art Gallery Fabrics blog. Go take a look at all the wonderful things she said about us, and then stick around to read about her recent visit and booth at the Spring Market!


Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Summertime and I am busy as a bee!

Happy June everyone! It's the start of summer!!! Ok, I know that doesn't happen for a couple of weeks, but I'm going to officially start summer today. I love the summer. I love spring as well, but she forgot about us this year and allowed winter to last just a little too long. So I'm ending her reign a little early and she's she just going to have to get over it :)

Had a busy weekend. Besides celebrating Memorial Day at a Giants game with family, I spent most of the time sewing and getting items ready for shipping. Josue (my Super Hot Mexican shipping expert, aka my hubby Josh) is going to have a bunch of packages to ship out tomorrow.

I hope to get some pictures up later today, but here is a sneak peak at what's to come-

Calm and Comfortable by Art Gallery Fabrics-
A super cute gown with a ruffle trim, coordinating bouffant cap, and a matching Camellia bag! To go along with this awesome ensemble we have a teal fleece blanket, and teal Affirmation socks from Socks for Happy People. And this little package needs no shipping. Will be modeled by yours truly on Thursday at Swedish!

Safari Style!
A very cool gown for a very cool kid! Carter is going to be the talk of the town when he wears this Lion inspired and safari themed print. We love the subtle animal print stripes that border each of the "scenes" on the fabric. And I couldn't resist making him a cap to go with it. Little gift from Feel Good Gowns :)

Super Cool Chick by Alexander Henry Fabrics-
Camellia is going to be styling when she heads back for her six month check up. We are certain the happy little chickies will keep her spirits up and hopefully be the theme for the day with her actually feeling like a Super Cool Chick with a positive outcome. Have a matching cap and Camellia bag (it really IS her bag) in lavender with white dots and her name embroidered on the front.

We love our Nurses and hospital staff!
Cute caps on their way to some of our favorite people :)
A "Pink and Poppy" bouffant cap is on it's way to Missy. I hope that you will feel bright and cheerful every time you wear this one!
A blue and pink cap by special request to match her scrubs! Paulette, you are going to be styling in this cute cap :)

Shalon

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Memorial weekend Feel Good Story

Happy Memorial Day weekend to everyone! I'm taking a slight detour from hospital gowns and scrub caps to share with everyone a Feel Good story to honor the reason for the holiday. It's just a quick little story while we all enjoy the beginning of summer and the start of BBQ season! So please take a moment to read why my family celebrates Memorial Day.




Grandpa Joe wasn't even old enough to join the Navy. But so many young men found a way to make it happen. At 17, having never seen the ocean, and without the ability to swim, Grandpa Joe joined the Navy. Within the year he was aboard the USS Mississinewa (AO-59) an oil tanker, making friends, planing pranks, and doing all of the fun things that young sailors did. Commisioned May 18, 1944 this new ship would be Grandpa's home for only a few short months before it, and many of it's crew, were sent to a watery grave at the bottom of the Ulithi Atoll.



Aboard the ship, Grandpa Joe was learning to be an electrician. Already a "jack of all trades" kind of guy, he quickly found that tinkering with things and making them work was his specialty. The mentoring he received here served him well through the rest of his life including giving him the background to enjoy his passion of restoring and touring antique cars.

But the USS Mississinewa wasn't going to be his home for long. On November 20, 1944 the ship was hit by a Kaiten (Japanese suicide torpedo.) Knocked out by the blasts more than once, Grandpa Joe was soon faced with a tough decision. Stay aboard the fiery ship which seemed to be exploding like firecrackers, or jump overboard despite his inability to swim. He chose the latter.



With a strong desire to survive, Joe was able to dog paddle and stay afloat long enough to get some needed air, but also sank enough times that he was able to avoid the flames that burned along the surface of the water from the oil that was now pouring from the belly of the ship. And somehow despite all the odds, Grandpa was able to keep afloat, grab a rope from the rescue planes, and was tugged to a nearby boat and safety.

Sixty three people lost their lives that day, including the Japanese human torpedo. One of grandpa's best friends Mitch didn't make it. And the events of this day make for a hard story for him to tell. He doesn't talk about it much. And when he does he is often overcome with the emotion of it all even after more than 60 years.



My favorite part of the story though is when Grandpa Joe told his young grandson Josh (my husband) about how he survived that day. At such a young age, Josh really didn't know or understand the whole story. All he knew was that grandpa's boat sank. So his innocent question of "How did you make it back to shore if you couldn't swim?" was met by an equally innocent answer of "Well, I just drank all the water in the ocean and we all walked out."






To learn more about the USS Mississinewa you can read Mike Mair's book titled "Oil, Fire, and Fate" and visit this site for a quick peek into the history of the ship and the life of the crew. Thanks Mike for all of the hard work you did in getting in touch with the survivors!

I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day tomorrow and enjoy a BBQ with your family and your friends. And if you have a chance to share this story or another one to remember the intent of this holiday, then I send you my thanks!

Shalon

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Who DID design this gown???

The more I immerse myself in all things Feel Good Gowns, the more my eyes are opened to the craziness that IS the standard hospital gown. Forget the want to look cute. Forget the desire to make people smile. Forget the "luxury" that is your own personal gown. Focus on the simple fact that the standard gown...well forgive me for being blunt, but it kinda sucks!

I came across this blog today where this poor girl was being subjected to the horror that is a stress test. The exercise involved, the general trip to the hospital to humiliate yourself in front of others, not to mention a total deprivation of caffeine. All of that alone is cause for some serious "I'm going to eat an entire box of brownies after this is over" thoughts to run through your head!

So Jenn (super cute and total sense of humor) mustered up the courage to refrain from caffeine and grabbed her sister to tag along with her and document this "stress test." But the horror of the day wasn't the exercise or the caffeine withdrawl. It turned out to be the hospital gown, or lack thereof! Granted the "Surprise you have to be topless for the test" declaration from the tech would have freaked me out as well, but how sad and completely discombobulated does this gorgeous girl look in this gown? Could there BE any garment more awkward to wear? (yes, I'm channeling Chandler here)



I have to say that she wears it well! We should all be so lucky and photogenic. However, if she wasn't holding it together how would it possibly stay on? But look at those stylish "cut outs" just under her collar bone, courtesy of the shoulder snaps. Love it!

Jenn, you must look great in anything if you can rock this gown so well. But next time you are going to be subjected to a stress tess can we suggest you pick up a Feel Good Gown instead? We'll even make it tie in the front in a way that actually works!

Head over to Jenn's blog for a smile and a little chuckle, and some more pictures of her working that gown! And how can we not mention that she appears to be a crafty girl as well! We love things handmade, obviously. So check out her Etsy store too :)

Shalon

Friday, May 21, 2010

We can be "Rockin!"

There has been quite a bit of press recently surrounding Bret Michaels trips to the hospital after a brain hemorrhage and now with a hole in his heart!

During his interview with Oprah, he made a reference to keeping his style with his bandana and avoiding the hospital gown. "I said, 'If I'm going out, I want to go out rockin','" Michaels told Winfrey. "Some form of a bandana or cape, if I could go out right. Not in that hospital gown."

We couldn't agree more! You don't have to be a rock star to know that a standard hospital gown is just not cool. Even us normal patients want to be "rockin!" And here at Feel Good Gowns we want to help you BE that rock star at the hospital.

Check out some of our more "edgy" options like "Rebellious" skull and crossbones, our "On Fire!" flames, and our "Warrior" samauri inspired print! Bret could totally keep his rock star image in one of these, and so can you!






Of course we hope Bret isn't making a ton of trips to the hospital. But we know Feel Good Gowns would be the best place to get all set up with a total "Rockin" gown and matching skull cap!

Bret, we'll be waiting for your call!

Shalon

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Skin colored Hospital Gown???

Um...ya, we don't think that's a great idea at all.

You already feel exposed and vulnerable at the hospital in any gown. Can you imagine actually feeling completely naked?!? It's like that dream everyone has of standing in a room full of people without any of your clothes on!

While experts say this could help doctors detect changes in skin coloring indicating problems, we aren't sure it's a great solution. The benefit is clearly outweighed by the trauma a patient would experience. And talk about adding a reason for people to avoid going to the doctor. Research is great. Dont' get us wrong. We're glad that smart people are looking into ways to better serve patients. But this very much feels like results that haven't been thought through and could backfire. It's like a cartoon version of a mad scientist with his bubbly, scary tube of something putrid green which aims to destroy mankind!!!! (Ok, maybe a tad over the top, but you get the idea.)

At FEEL GOOD GOWNS, our aim is to help you feel happy, cool, rockin, pretty, peppy, inspired, confident, and any other GOOD feeling there is. We want to help brighten your hospital stay and spread a little cheer while making everyone smile. A nude hospital gown just isn't going to do the trick. Patient frame of mind has to be considered in these situations.



A patient who FEELS good is going to have a much better mental capacity to heal. They are going to want to fight, want to get well, and want to get back to life. Plus they are just going to know how super cool they are!

So don't let your hospital put you in what would pass for your birthday suit! Get a FEEL GOOD GOWN instead and show your fabulous sense of style!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Feel Good Donation

Last weekend I participated in the 5th Annual TAAF Anuerysm & AVM Awarness Walk in San Francisco. This was the second year that I was lucky enough to be involved and wanted to do something more than just walk and raise funds. I wanted to "Share the Love!"



Because the cause is so closely tied to hospital stays, donating a Feel Good Gown was an obvious way to help make a small difference. So I arrived on Saturday morning with a cheerful green envelope containing a gift certificate for one Feel Good Gown.

It was a great day, a beautiful walk, and an all around awesome thing to be part of. As the raffle was underway, I absolutely felt proud and excited when that green envelope was produced and our donation was announced. I didn't recognize the name of the winner (I don't know everyone of course!) but did notice the increased activity of a group that I know rather well. The Feel Good Gown gift certificate winner was one of the "Baby Nathan" gang.

Who is Baby Nathan you might ask? Well let me just tell you that he was a strong fighter who lost his courageous battle with an AVM just short of his first birthday. Although his life was short, he has been such an inspiration to so many. With wonderful parents, TJ & Jaimee, and an amazing support network of family and friends who adored him, Baby Nathan was a little boy who helped to spread a ton of love and to encourage others to fight the challenges they face.



After the walk I received a message from Jaimee to let me know that she planned on contacting Nathan's neurosurgeon to find a girl whom she could pass the gift certificate to. What a great thing to do! Although this beautiful mother lost her child, she still chooses to support the cause, to participate in the fight, and to spread the love in Nathan's honor.

So my Feel Good donation has in turn become an even MORE Feel Good story, with it being passed along to a complete stranger as a way to help brighten their hospital stay. How totally awesome is that?!?! I couldn't be more proud of our little business, of Jaimee, the spirit of giving, the hope for health, and for the kindness we all have within us.

And THIS is exactly why Feel Good Gowns exists.

Shalon

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Feel Good Sockies!

After much anticipation, we have found the PERFECT socks! We mentioned them on our Facebook page last month, and even gave you a quick preview last week.

We officially have Feel Good Sockies ready for sale! They couldn't be a better match had we designed them ourselves. But this clever idea is not ours in the least and we can't take any of the credit for how seriously cool they are.

We are so excited to offer you Affirmation Socks by Socks for Happy People. These socks are awesome for so many reasons we can't decide what to tell you first!



We are convinced Socks For Happy People must be mind readers! If we didn't know better, we would swear they had sent a spy across the pond to infiltrate our ranks and steal our happy thoughts! Ok, so maybe that's a tad over the top and they really ARE just happy people. Either way, we sure like them.



Their Affirmation Socks are made in five bright and happy colors with the message "Today I will Smile and Feel Gooood!" We can't think of a better mantra to have during your hospital stay. These words of encouragment will be a self fulfilling prophecy as you read them each time your happy and warm little toes peek out from under your blanket.



Made with organic cotton with a hand-linked seamless toe these socks are basically perfect. We did however need to modify them slightly to make them hospital approved. The matching "no-slip dots" on the bottom of each pair make your socks both hospital appropriate and unique to Feel Good Gowns. For all of you patient "supporters" and for the very cool hospital staff, we will gladly send you a pair sans dots. We know you want to be happy too!

And truly in the Feel Good spirit, Socks For Happy People also has a "Share the Love" type philosophy. For every pair of socks purchased, Socks for Happy People donates a pair to someone in need. We think this makes their products truly irresistable!



So head over to our website to order your pair (and support a donation) of Feel Good Sockies today!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Feel Good Bags!

Our standard "Shalon" drawstring bags are simple yet stylish. They are functional, colorful, and of course do the trick! What a great replacement for the boring, white, "property of" option that the hospital provides. What's more, it's hard to mistake this as anyone else's bag since it so nicely matches your unique ensemble.



But for those of you wanting to display even more fashionable style, we are introducing our new "Camellia" bag named after a very special girl who was a big inspiration for FEEL GOOD GOWNS!

The "Camellia" Bag shows some flowery flair! Features include two wide fabric handles, pleated sides which expand for all of your belongings, two pockets hidden inside (one with a button closure) to keep track of items you don't want to lose, and of course as the name implies...flowers! We have added puffy fabric flowers to the outside of the bag to freshen it up and make it fabulous!



We can make you a bag in either the Shalon or Camellia style featuring the fabric of your choice! Go pick out your new bag here!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Hospital Staff goes WILD!

FEEL GOOD GOWNS wants everyone to be super fashionable at the hospital. That includes the nurses and other staff! Check out these great staffers at Swedish Medical Center in CO showing off their personal style with custom scrub caps. How great do they look? While we think they make beuatiful models, we are so glad they decided to be healthcare workers and take such great care of us!


Watch out for Rose in her Warrior Cap...We're pretty sure she has her samurai sword attached to her scrubs!


Erik is on Fire! There are going to be flames in the Radiology room for sure.


Doug is being a little rebellious by showing all of his patients HIS skull, since they have to show him theirs!


Bonnie thinks her cap is both Rebellious and Awesome! And of course it is. An awesome cap for an awesome Nurse.

If you know some super cool hospital staff that are in need of a fashion fix, send them over to Feel Good Gowns to get all decked out!

Thursday, April 1, 2010

Ponytail Cap Coming Soon!

Last month when I was at Swedish Medical Center in Denver (showing off my Hopeful and Bright ensemble with Art Gallery Fabrics!) I was chatting with the nurses about my caps. I had brought with me a fun "On Fire" scrub cap for my doctor and was showing it off to everyone. So Nurse Rick said he would send Kayleigh down as she is THE cap girl! One of the things she told me is that she LOVES her ponytail cap that she has from Blue Sky. It's her favorite.

So I knew I needed to add this style cap to my offerings as well. But how to design one? I didn't think I was a great pattern designer. Well, to be honest I don't think the people who actually design patterns are that good either! Sometimes I'm at a complete loss to come up with the "logic" the pattern designers used when writing up the steps. I'm convinced it is actually all just a funny joke they play on us and are secretly laughing when they take us in circles and make us do unnecessary steps. Anyways, the point is that after doing so many "alterations" to other patterns in general I figured I could create a ponytail cap no problem!

This past weekend we spent in Tahoe with my in laws. And Sunday morning Pam and I got working on some sewing projects, including the Ponytail Cap! I think I've got a good design created and it worked quite well when I tested on myself :) I'll be back in Denver next week with a prototype for Kayleigh to try out. And hopefully it will get her stamp of approval. Will post pics next week of her modeling it!

In the meantime, here are a couple pictures of products that have been ordered and shipped out! A fabulously colorful Flower Power gown, and a super strong robot cap! (I apologize for the sad iPhone pics but my camera is still enjoying a vacation in Tahoe!)


Monday, March 22, 2010

What a beautiful model!

A few months ago, before FEEL GOOD GOWNS was a "real" business, I was contacted by a reporter with the Chicago Tribune who was doing an article on the growing trend of home made hospital gowns. The story was fun to do and ran both in the Chicago Tribune and some of their affiliates. (You can read it here.)

I got a few emails from the article, and also a some posts in my guestbook on my AVM website. It was all very positive and just helped to really cement my intention to make this business happen.

And then I received an email from a very nice lady Mary, who's dear friend Mimi was undergoing chemo. She asked if I could make a special gown for Mimi in purple which is the color for Pancreatic Cancer. Of course I can!!! We conspired on some possible fabric options and Mary let her daughter (Mimi's daughter in law) pick the final print for the gown.

This was my first gown for a complete stranger. I'll admit I was a little nervous! All of my other creations had been requests or gifts for people that I knew through my AVM journey and other friends. So I was very interested to know what Mimi thought of this and to see if the gown and the general idea for FEEL GOOD GOWNS was as viable as me and my little bubble thought. And I received a wonderful response from Mary and later Mimi. I was so happy to have been able to do this for them and so touched by Mary's desire to help her friend. It was just a confirmation to me that this was needed and was GOOD!

Mimi has since been kind enough to send me a couple of pictures modeling her gown. I'm going to add these to the website under the "One of a Kind" category and also, of course, in "Share the Love!"



Thanks Mimi for being such a gorgeous model and for letting me use your pics :) And of course, thank you for your support and your willingness to spread the word about FEEL GOOD GOWNS! I wish you the best in your treatment and recovery!



Shalon

Sunday, March 21, 2010

On Fire!


Totally loving the first completed gown featuring the "On Fire!" pattern from Alexander Henry Fabrics. Super Cute and reminds me of Hot Wheels.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

LaVonne Edition Specials!

That's right people my mommy is here this weekend! And she is all ready to get her SEW on! We have a couple orders to fill today and these customers are super lucky to get "LaVonne Edition" items.
My mom taught my sister and I to sew when we were kids. And we both hated it. I didn't have the patience to pin the material much less spend the time to cut it and sew it. I guess it is a reflection of me being part of the "now" generation and needing instant gratification.
So imagine my mom's surprise when I launched this little business years later! "I'm shocked! Absolutely Shocked..." she says when she thinks about having to force us to sew as kids and my willingness to do it now.
I guess we can all thank my mom for torturing me as a child and at least giving me the background and skill set to make FEEL GOOD GOWNS a reality now!

Shalon

Friday, March 19, 2010

Gown Options

Yes, we can make shoulder snaps or a telemetry pocket! And if you have some other special requirement let us know and we will try our very best to accommodate you.

Got an email this morning from a very nice lady Karen who was asking whether or not we include shoulder snaps in our gowns. And the answer is...that depends! :)

Many patients do indeed need metal snaps at the shoulders. This allows the gowns to have wires and tubes easily routed through the arms without having to actually remove the gown and get all tangled or untangled. It's very convenient for the hospital staff.

Another reason for snaps is the convenience provided for chemo patients who have a port located by their shoulder. Unsnapping a few or the entire row, access to the port will be no problem.

But not everyone needs or should have snaps. If the patient is going to be in Radiology or an MRI, metal can interfere with the images that they are having taken. Nobody wants to mess up those pretty pictures! If you are in for an outpatient procedure, the amount of time you have to deal with the IV may not be enough to worry about snaps!

So be sure to check with your doctor or hospital facility to find out if you need your gown to accommodate anything special before you buy. They will easily be able to tell you what is allowed and recommended.

Shalon

Thursday, March 18, 2010

First News Article!

Imagine my surprise this morning when I saw an email from my friend Kim about a google alert she had just received for FEEL GOOD GOWNS! What?!?!? I was super excited and totally needed to check it out. Problem was I was already in my car on the way to work. I'll admit it...I broke the rules and was on my cell phone when I shouldn't have been. And the universe was conspiring against me at that point with the pitch black sky combined with a bright red line to indicate a virtually dead cell phone battery. So like a good little girl I put the phone down and patiently waited until I actually arrived at work to look it up. And totally drove the speed limit the entire way. :)

As the website was loading all I could see was the title "AVM Survivor Creates Feel Good Gowns." Yes! That is true! That is me! I did that! My mind was racing trying to figure out how this possibly could have happened so quickly. It was really only two days ago that I officially launched the site (and by launch I mean I announced it on FB. That counts right?) How did I already make it into the news? I mean I know I'm cool, but even the coolest people don't have things happen this fast. ;) Or maybe they do?

And then I saw it. "by Louisa Singh" was written under the title of this article. My heart just melted and I wanted to cry with happiness. How have I become so lucky in life to be surrounded by such wonderful people? I don't know the answer to that but I believe it whole heartedly.

Louisa is a fellow AVMer whom I met just shortly after becoming involved with AVM Survivors Network, an online support community for people affected by AVM. She has the same condition as I do and we were able to connect right away. Young and absolutely beautiful, a wife and brand new mother...Louisa has such a happiness about life and a positive outlook about her AVM. She is exactly what FEEL GOOD GOWNS is all about! Bringing love and happiness to those that need it. Being cheerful despite the lemons that life throws your way. Loving those around you and helping them when you can. And did I mention she is gorgeous?

And so here is the proof of the kind of FEEL GOOD friend that Louisa is. Only a day after being official, she has given us such an awesome gift with this news article!

Check it out! and be one of the cool kids to read FEEL GOOD GOWNS very first news article!

Louisa- you're the best! Thank you from the bottom, top, sides, and every other place in my heart.

Shalon

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

And we are OPEN for business!

The idea for FEEL GOOD GOWNS was not originally intended to become a business. I just wanted to avoid the unsightly, ugly, gray, grody, (you get the picture) gowns for my monthly trips to Swedish Medical Center in Colorado. It was purely selfish!

But with the debut of my first gown I knew that this was something that was needed, something good, and something that I was going to make happen!

I continued to revise the pattern of the gown, figured out the best material for the ties, played with beautiful fabric, designed a matching belongings bag and of course the caps! All the while creating some great gowns for myself and some super cute gifts for friends that I met on my medical journey. If I wasn't already convinced to do this, the amount of joy that I saw my gifts bring to people certainly sealed the deal. Such a simple thing...a little cotton and some sewing...but it made so many people smile and brought such love and happiness to an otherwise unfotunate day at the hospital.

And so one day while camping in Hope Valley with my husband and our pup, FEEL GOOD GOWNS was born!

It was a wonderful day, the sun was shining and we were enjoying a peaceful day in a green meadow surrounded by mother nature and enjoying the beauty of the Sierra Nevada's. THIS is where a person wants to be, not in a cold and sterile white hospital room. And while I knew I couldn't transport people to this magical spot, I did know that custom hospital attire with wonderful fabrics and patters could make them FEEL like they were somewhere else. It could help them to FEEL GOOD on a day that is otherwise scary, cold, and dreaded. It could do GOOD. And afterall, the human spirit wants to be happy, wants to be healthy, and wants to be helpful. And on that day in that beautiful meadow MY spirit wanted to find a way to make that happen.

It's been months in the making, but FEEL GOOD GOWNS is finally open for business. And I couldn't be more excited!

I hope that you will see the simple goodness in having your own custom hospital attire. Whether for yourself or for a loved one, our products will help to make you FEEL GOOD during your hospial stay. So get all decked out in our Fabulous and Fashionable products!

Shalon Whitgob