Pyjamas of Love and the Sugarplum Fairy Project

“Because every child deserves a new pair of pyjamas.”

I’ve got my eye on the mailbox.

No, I did not order something from Amazon or shop at “that adorable dog coats and collars” web site. I’m so excited for the package to arrive because it is already giving me warm fuzzies!

Let me tell you why.

A) It’s got something fun to do inside — an Art Kit project! Gahhh!

AND

B) I’ve been given the opportunity to contribute towards someone else’s comfort. Score!

Doomscrolling and Doom-Sayers

I wrote about the chocolate cookie love I’ve used to distract myself from the crappy news that constantly infiltrates our pandemic lives. While the baking and eating satisfy my sweet tooth, I truly do not need to layer on more pounds for warmth, even with today’s -13 deg. C temperature.

In the middle of doomscrolling through my social media feeds I found a channel of joy through some friends of mine involving — of all things — pyjamas! (Yes, we are Canadian and yes, we are using the British spelling!) We all love to indulge in a cozy pair of PJ’s but these are not actually for me. The jammies I’m talking about are an embrace of love for a stranger.

Creative Revival Conjures Sugarplum Fairies

Let me back up for a moment.

The friends I’m talking about run a business called Creative Revival Co. The Winnipeg business partners, Carmela Wade and Sandra Brown, firmly believe that:

“…everyone is born creative, and somewhere along the way, we lose that belief about ourselves.”

As their company name suggests, their mission is to revive the precious untapped resource of creative abilities that lie dormant within each of us. They work with a massive range of individuals of all ages — from workplace learning to creativity salons to “fun-raiser events”.

Not only are they two incredibly creative humans, they understand that sharing creative opportunities can be found just about anywhere. So what does this have to do with pyjamas for local children living in challenging circumstances?

“It’s all very grassroots,” Carmela said while I peppered her with questions about the project. The joy in her voice was palpable.

In 2012 she was working at a local school with at-risk students, teaching through a program called “Learning Through the Arts”. In a passing conversation with the principal one day, the subject of Christmas came up. The principal was lamenting the fact that this year he was unable to line up anything special to give the students. Previously he was able to gather donations of handknitted hats and mittens for the kids but this year nothing looked possible.

This really got under Carmela’s skin. These kids needed something to look forward to especially considering they were unlikely to get much or anything for Christmas otherwise.

After some brainstorming with Sandra, her friends and her children, she decided there was something she could do. Every year her children looked forward to the gift of a brand new pair of Christmas pyjamas. She knew that something as simple as pyjamas was not only practical for a child. Its psychological effects warmly represented care and comfort.

Carmela wasn’t 100% sure of how the logistics would play out, but sometimes when you put it out into the Universe, good things can happen.

Boy, did they!

This PJ Project Won’t Shrink

In the first year, Carmela put out a call to friends and family and asked them to do the same. She easily collected enough pajamas for each student that year.

In the years that followed, Carmela took on more schools with at-risk students, knowing that somehow, someway she and her business partner and her friends would be able to drum up enough pyjamas for each student.

Carmela started hosting an annual pyjama party at home in support of the Pyjama Project. Local women would don their flannels to gather, eat, drink and make art. The attendance fee was either $50 cash or $50 worth of pyjamas in an effort to generate support for the project. How fun does that sound? But today?

2020 Can Kiss My Flannel Butt

They’ve set their goals high. Taking on six schools’ worth of students to support this year, their defiant pandemic work-around to their traditional pyjama party is the inspired “At-Home Pyjama Party Art Kit”.

Decisions, decisions! I had the choice of two super fun kits I can make while in my own PJs… or ballgown for that matter. Who’s gonna know? I ordered the fun Mobile Kit but I also had the option of making some pretty Holiday Ornaments.

Come on! How cute are these? Each kit is carefully curated by Carmela, Sandra, and their own supportive Sugarplum Fairy tribe of women.

Personalized Pyjama Gifts

Not only do these ladies prepare the kits, but they also work on the pyjama side. Imagine a flood of PJs arriving at your door. Then what? Do you pile them high in rows to pass out to a long line of children? Absolutely not.

The PJ size is carefully selected for each child and lovingly gift wrapped with the individual's name on it. This is a personalized gift for each student, they are acknowledged. This is their own unique gift just for them.

Carmela mused over the phone, “I don’t even want to think about why is it so great this year!” She has been incredibly grateful for the flood of money and pyjama donations, as well as Art Kit orders that have already been rolling in.

While the Art Kits truly are appealing, my opinion on their fundraising/pyjama gifting success is this.

I think everyone — at least everyone I know — is sick and tired of the constant stream of negative news they “doomscroll” through. When my husband and I saw the Sugar Plum Pyjama Project come up in our feed our first thought was — Carmela and Sandra are at it again! What an incredibly beautiful project.

Then we thought, why can’t we contribute remotely? Here is one small way we could be a part of something so positive that will make a difference in a kid’s life.

I think we would all agree with the sentiment that — and especially this year — kids could really use something “normal”.

There is Joy in Giving and Receiving

My own Art Kit project will definitely last longer than a mouthful of cookie and while I’m creating and embellishing my own mobile, I will have visions of smiling kids looking forward to cozy nights in their jam-jams leading up to Christmas.

I am so delighted to be able to participate in my own little way. I am grateful for people like Carmela and Sandra restoring my faith in humanity: that we can all do something, big or small, outside of ourselves to contribute toward the greater good of our society.

There’s Still Time! (Until December 6)

And more pyjamas are still needed!

How would you like to take part? A donation of money? A donation of pyjamas? An Art Kit for yourself (oooo! or as a unique holiday gift)?

Please contact Carmela:

1-204–510–3094 or [email protected]

Instagram: @sugarplumpyjamaproject