Do Tooth Fairy pillows have to be the shape of a tooth? I don’t think so. In fact, I find teeth to be a little creepy. Maybe it has to do with the dreams (nightmares) I’ve had over the years that involved my teeth falling out. I’ve done my own self-analysis and I realize this re-occurring dream is connected to my feelings of fear and loss of control. But that’s another discussion. Let’s just say that the thought of waking up in the middle of the night to a tooth hanging over my bedpost would not be an enjoyable experience, and would most likely result in a range of terrorized reactions.

So, now you know one of the many reasons I chose to go a more decorative, whimsical route and less of a “toothy” route when it came to Sorrisi’s pillow designs. I wanted my kids to have pillow that didn’t scare them when they woke up in the morning, and that didn’t necessarily scream “I’m a toothy tooth fairy pillow” all the days of the year they weren’t losing teeth. Maybe the tooth fairy is disappointed in my lack of spirit, but I don’t think so. When I recently checked in with her she was quite relieved that she didn’t have to go looking for a big stuffed tooth haunting her child’s bed in the middle of the night!

I have been excitedly waiting for the update on the tooth fairy pillow that is now affectionately being referred to as the “Buduburam” after the refugee camp where it is being sourced and crafted. The women in Buduburam that comprise the batiking (fabric dying process) and seamstress group are capable of creating amazing pieces. I have seen dresses, purses, and computer bags that are absolutely beautiful – in both the fabric designs, as well as the craftsmanship. You can imagine my surprise, then, when the update I received was, “The power has been out, and the sewing machine they just purchased requires power – the sewing machine that does the zig-zag stitch on the pillow. So, unfortunately, there’s not been much done on the tooth fairy pillow recently.”

Wow. Can you imagine? Having your livelihood being hinged on something as basic as power? We experience it once in a while, especially with our technology. The other night I was needing to update information on the web but the server was down. I found my self frustrated and feeling rather helpless, but I can’t imagine what these women must be facing. Days without power, no indication of when those circumstances might change, but their very livelihood being dependent on it.

This situation is very similar to an earlier update I received regarding the fabric I was using for the ‘Buduburam’ tooth fairy pillow. Water, as you can imagine, is a high-demand/low-supply commodity. Although these women had been promised water, there just wasn’t enough to go around. For those of you who have dyed fabric, you know it requires water. The women had to halt their batiking, resulting in Sorrisi not receiving any beautifully dyed fabric and the women not able to do their craft.

No power, no water. Two challenges we rarely face (at least, here in Seattle). I am so thankful for our incredible resources, and I am so in awe of these women who go to work each day not knowing if they will have what they need to do their work. We have much to learn, and so much for which we can give thanks.

I had lunch yesterday with Jan Haynes, the Executive Director of Point Hope. This was our second opportunity to share both a great enjoyment of pizza at Zeeks in West Seattle, but also our passion and commitment to seeing women with so little get a chance at providing a life for themselves and their children. I have known Jan for just a short time, but the months could easily be years as we can quickly chat a couple hours away. Jan just returned from the Buduburam Refugee Camp, where she has been diligently working alongside others to get the basics of clean water and a clinic available to this community of war-torn yet resilient community of survivors. This past 3 weeks Jan spent days working with a group of women who have been trained in both batiking fabric and seamstress work, explaining the basics of running a business that would ultimately be profitable for them. The details of time management, the importance of following a pattern “exactly”, and how to figure their costs of labor (among other things – I’ll go into detail another day) were studied with Sorrisi as their first real “customer.” It really is exciting to be part of this journey, knowing that this tooth fairy pillow will allow these women to feed themselves and their children, get the medical help they so desperately need, and have a hope in a sustainable future! The reality of this journey is, however, a steep learning curve. This means a need for patience on my part and a process that won’t deliver any pillows in the immediate future! Over a piece of pizza, Jan and I examined the first 2 prototype tooth fairy pillows that took 3 weeks to produce and had resemblance to the original, but was more of a rough estimation! So. . . . what this means is that we at Sorrisi and you as the customer gets to take great joy in the process, knowing that there is a much greater product than a pillow. We get to let go of our American timelines and enjoy the ride, knowing that when we get our Buduburam pillow it will be not just providing us joy, but a future to women who are so thankful for the opportunity to work and express themselves and their culture through their trade. I am excited to introduce you to the lead seamstress, as her story is truly inspiring, and encourage you to be ready to purchase a Buduburam pillow whenever that time might be . . . stay tuned!