the bluecotton blog

“Beware the mundane, the comfortable, the lackluster or the negative. We are, by nature, brutal with our criticisms of others. We tend to take the microwaveable, quick and easy approach to life, to problems, to challenges. Step out of your comfort zone. Find your passion.” – Stormi Murtie, The Center for Courageous Kids

Over the past 25 years, custom t-shirts have increasingly become a form of mass communication. Used for advertising and promotion, to show one’s alliegence to a team, or to champion a cause or charity, custom t-shirts give you an opportunity to share your message with everyone you meet.

One of our core values at BlueCotton is to help our customers share their message through quality custom products. When I first met Stormi Murtie, communications director for The Center for Courageous Kids, I didn’t realize that I was meeting an inspirational powerhouse that would help BlueCotton make this core value more tangible.

She told me about the 20 million dollar state-of-the-art medical camping facility in nearby Scottsville, KY and invited BlueCotton to visit and learn about their mission to provide a “cost-free, safe and fun camping experience for seriously ill and disabled children and their families.”

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After touring the grounds, meeting their staff, bowling in their bowling alley, and learning about the kids and familes they serve, we knew that BlueCotton had an opportunity and desire to share The Center for Courageous Kids’ message with our nationwide audience of customers and friends.

Stormi was kind enought to sit down with us and answer a few questions about what CCK is all about. Please watch the video above and find out why she is so passionate about her work and why BlueCotton is committed to sharing CCK’s message. You will be as inspired and moved as we were!

Can you describe CCK as if I knew nothing about it?

The Center for Courageous Kids (a.k.a. “CCK”) is a “medical camp”, which means we try to provide what you would think of as “traditional camping experiences” to medically fragile kids. However, to refer to CCK as a “camp” would be like calling Harvard a junior college. A medical camp has a medical center, we need to provide dialysis, chemotherapy and a plethora of other procedures as well as administer a gazillion medicines throughout the camper’s stay. We ALSO have a ridiculously fun equestrian center, an awesome indoor pool, an honest-to-goodness bowling alley, great food, wheelchair accessible everything – in short, we need to be stellar in every way. These kids have weakened immune systems, so our staff and facility have to kick up the standards and provide over the top care, respect and fun. Additionally, we run year round – we offer two programs, one program runs for 22 weekends throughout the school year where the entire family can attend with their ill child, and another program in the summer where for 9 weeks we serve 128 kids at a time. It’s an ambitious calendar. This is a pretty magnificent facility and program, costing nearly $20 million to construct, and $3 million a year to operate. And one final mega-important piece of this organizational structure is that we do not charge the campers or their families one penny to attend. They attend FREE OF CHARGE. We run solely on donations, from individuals, businesses, health partners, corporations and foundations who have a heart for the medically fragile children we serve. That’s a long paragraph of explanation – but the scope and magnitude of what we do here is pretty huge!

If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

What a great question. Hmm. Just one? How about the superpower to bring “bucket lists” to fruition? That moment where you dust off those “things I want to do” lists and actually DO them. If working with these inspirational kids and parents has taught me anything it’s that we have to LIVE the lives we’re given – whatever our shortcomings or challenges. I’d love to take your hand and read your mind enough to say “I see you’ve always wanted to go skydiving. What’s stopping you? Let’s go!”

Tell us about your favorite t-shirt – where did it come from? Why is it your favorite?

I asked our friends at BlueCotton to design a t-shirt in memory of our Founder, Ms. Betty. What they created was so perfect, it just made me cry.

What will CCK be like 10 years from now?

We opened in February 2008 and have served 10,000 kids and family members from 31 states and Canada thus far. I can only imagine how that figure will have “blown-up” in the next ten years. I anticipate we will have the same stellar focus on the kids we serve, the same fiscal responsibility, the dedicated staff of professionals and the hundreds of annual volunteers who dedicate their time and talents to CCK. What I also anticipate I will see as I survey the 168 acre campus in 10 years, is a forest of trees planted in memory of those campers who have left us too soon.

Name something you carry with you all the time.

Ms. Betty gave me a necklace, it’s an angel holding a small diamond and it represents the “gems” we have here at CCK, and the godly work that we do. And it reminds me of her and why we are here, on this piece of land, in her hometown of Scottsville, KY. It also reminds me, every day, to keep dreaming big dreams.

What’s your favorite part of CCK?

That question makes me laugh, because when I do a tour, every building I walk into I say “THIS is my favorite building!” I love it all. The land, the work, each program area, our mission, our staff, our focus. This is the real deal. My favorite part of CCK IS CCK. Roger and I stood here with the cows, on this land that was former farm land of Ms. Betty’s daddy. Back then, it was only a dream, and we envisioned all you see now. It began with Ms. Betty asking Roger and me to have a commitment to create a stellar world-class facility, one of only a hand full of medical camps of this caliber nation-wide. To stand back and look at it now, it gives me chills. My favorite part? All of it. Every inch, every blade of grass, every echo of laughter.

What’s the biggest challenge of your work?

It’s always fundraising. To run a quality non-profit, it is a 365 day a year challenge. We are always seeking donors from across the country who believe in the mission of The Center for Courageous Kids and want to invest in the smiles of these brave youngsters. Without them, we could not do what we do.

If you had 30 seconds of airtime on every major network, what would you broadcast?

The power of the press is staggering. Wow. If I had 30 seconds on every major network, after I picked myself up off the floor, I think I’d like a camper to speak, and I think I’d just like them to say how they feel about this magical place, while images of them rolling in spaghetti and splashing new friends at poolside and sitting atop a horse are on the screen. And I would hope they would say “please give” and show our website, www.courageouskids.org And maybe folks would see that and go to their computers and check us out, and call us, and visit us, and send their kids to us, and volunteer with us – and from that one 30 seconds, amazing things would happen. That would be cool, right?

The best movie you’ve seen in the last year is:

I wish I could say I’d been to a bunch of movies in the last year, but I have not. Some might call me a workaholic. I did however recently rent “The Help” which I liked very much.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Beware the mundane, the comfortable, the lackluster or the negative. We are by nature brutal with our criticisms of others. We tend to take the microwaveable, quick and easy approach to life, to problems, to challenges. Step out of your comfort zone. Find your passion.

Find out how you can help!

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As the custom t-shirt market expanded, the variety of ladies t-shirt styles and shapes grew beyond the traditional unisex t-shirt we all know and love/hate. We have choices now, ladies – and instead of taking home a unisex t-shirt and tying it off to the side like we did in the 80s, or butchering it into a more flattering style, we can buy custom t-shirts for our group that fit our shapes perfectly without modification. Lots of high school groups (dance teams, volleyball teams, cheerleaders and soccer teams) have found the perfect custom t-shirt in Junior’s sizing at BlueCotton.com. I’d like to give you a few tips about placing a custom t-shirt order for ladies, my secret weapon in sizing up a ladies t-shirt, and the difference between Women’s and Junior’s t-shirts.

The most important thing to note is women’s sizing is different than men’s sizing. If you are in the process of collecting sizes for a bulk order, make sure you ask your teammates for their unisex t-shirt size as well as their ladies t-shirt size. Sometimes our customers will decide to ditch the unisex t-shirts in favor of a ladies custom t-shirt design, but have already collected sizing that was intended as a “basic t-shirt” size. I wear a medium in a men’s unisex t-shirt, and if someone asked me what my t-shirt size was, I would respond with “medium”, since it is the default. In the Anvil 978 (women’s shirt), I would choose a large. While I size up for women’s garments, not all women may do the same. A person who orders a small in a men’s shirt, may also wear is small in a women’s shirt – it’s really a personal preference. When gathering sizes for custom t-shirts for women, I suggest taking down both women’s and unisex t-shirt sizes, in case you decide to go a different route with the garment itself.

At BlueCotton.com, we have separated the shirts for ladies into two basic categories – women’s t-shirts and junior’s t-shirts. We made this distinction to give you a general idea on how the shirt run in terms of sizing. Women’s t-shirts are what you would expect to find in the Misses’ or Women’s section of your favorite department store. The junior’s t-shirts you may find in (where else?) the Junior’s department. The shirts listed in the junior’s section run smaller than the women’s shirts. If you are accustomed to shopping in the Junior’s section in your local mall, you’ll find plenty of shirts in our Junior’s section that will suit you. If you frequent the Misses, Women’s or Plus Size departments, the Women’s t-shirts will have everything you need to find the perfect t-shirt for your group.

On each individual shirt’s page, you find a link called “See How It Fits.” Each shirt has a sizing chart provided by the manufacturer. Here you will find exact measurements of the width, length and sleeve length of the t-shirt in every available size. If you have questions about how the t-shirt is “made”, these exact measurements can be a huge help. When evaluating a prospective purchase, I put my favorite t-shirt out flat on the table and measure its length and width. Then I compare my shirt’s measurements to the size chart to see how the prospect stands up to my old favorite. If you have a favorite t-shirt that can’t be beat in terms of fit, give this method a try.

Let’s take a look at a couple of our most popular ladies t-shirts.

In this corner, weighing in at 16 different colors, is the Anvil 978. The Anvil 978 is 100% cotton with tapered sleeves, which are also shorter in length for women. This eliminates the baggy, flappy sleeve you get with unisex t-shirts. Available in sizes Small through 2X, the Anvil 978 is sizes for women, in a traditional cut. This isn’t a fitted shirt, but a basic, relaxed t-shirt with a feminine edge. It is tapered slightly, and flares at the hip, so that it doesn’t appear bunched up and ill-fitting at the waist and hip.
Take a look at our cheeky video featuring the Anvil 978.

Moving on to a t-shirt for junior’s, we have the American Apparel 2102 Girly Fine Jersey t-shirt. It totally has a speciality shop/ boutique feel to it. Made from 100% cotton in a fine jersey knit, you would be hard-pressed to find a softer t-shirt. This junior’s t-shirt is made to fit close to the body, and does so like none other. My sister is 5’6″ and 105 pounds, and the American Apparel 2102 in size small looks like it came from the tailor’s shop. It was made for her to wear! She loves this shirt more than life itself, and owns one in nearly all of the 31 color variations in which it is available. If you are slight of build and have trouble finding a shirt that wears well, the 2102 should be your first choice.

I hope this little jaunt through the ladies t-shirt maze helps you choose the perfect custom t-shirt for women or juniors. As always, please take a look over our uncensored customer reviews listed at the bottom of each garment’s page. These comments were made by people just like you who took the time to report back on their experiences with the shirts. We value your feedback! Please leave us a note on your favorite ladies t-shirts below.

So we’ve all seen the standard flower bouquet, the cookie bouquet and the candy bouquet. Today we bring you the new gold standard – the t-shirt bouquet. More precisely, this DIY project shows you how to craft a bridal bouquet made of t-shirts. You read that correctly. A bridal bouquet of t-shirts.

This blog post is particularly appropriate for BlueCotton’s customer service team who has no less than four weddings scheduled for 2012. There’s just so much love in customer service. Have you talked to any of our customer service people? They’re lovable for sure.

The t-shirt bouquet would also be perfect for loved ones who are allergic to flowers! It’s handmade and beautiful! Guys – don’t sleep on this one…we know you have some craftiness in you yet.

Today is the 23rd of November in the year 2011. If you don’t know the significance of that date, it can only mean one thing–you’re not a true Muppet fan. That’s right, my friends. Today is the day that The Muppets’ first theatrically-released film in 12 years–appropriately titled “The Muppets”–finally comes to theaters! I’ve been a fan of the Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_(Muppet), and the rest of the gang (seriously, I could go on and on and on) for as long as I can remember. It would be an understatement to simply say that I’m excited.

As much as I love the core characters, one particular group of Muppets holds a special place in my heart. Of course I’m talking about one of the greatest rock bands in existence–Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. The band consists of five members: Dr. Teeth (obviously) on keys, Janice on lead guitar, Sgt. Floyd Pepper on bass, Zoot on sax, and fan-favorite Animal on drums. Are you familiar with the band? If not, you need to watch this segment from the original “Muppet Movie.”

In celebration of the release of the newest Muppet film, I’ve compiled a collection of eight Muppetational t-shirt designs featuring The Electric Mayhem. Check them out!

No, not this winter. I hate those scratchy wool scarves. Really I do. I will not wear any of that nonsense this year. This year, I will put my abundance of old t-shirts to use and make myself some cute scarves. We’ve shown you how to turn your hoodie into a laptop sleeve, and how to turn old t-shirts into a pillow chair. This week we’re dialing it back a notch and keeping the t-shirts safely in the clothing realm.

Cutoutandkeep.net features no less than 33 different versions of t-shirt scarves. You can go there for inspiration and instruction in the fabulous recycled t-shirt circle scarf! Lots of ideas, colors and great photos that helped me to plan color combinations. Which t-shirts will you rip to shreds for scarf greatness?

Ninthandbird.com wins my completely unofficial award for best DIY Recycled T-shirt Scarf photography. I love the shirt colors she chose for her scarf and how she wound the pieces together. The instructions are super-easy as well!

So let’s get started, gang! Post photos of your recycled t-shirt scarf below for a chance to win a cool BlueCotton prize.

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We thought we had gotten a little crazy when we showed you how to turn your old t-shirts into new underwear. Shinji Sawai, a 21 year old student at Ritsumeikan University developed a process to recycle cigarette butts into t-shirt material. Read more.