{"id":21805,"date":"2021-10-18T08:13:25","date_gmt":"2021-10-18T08:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/?p=21805"},"modified":"2024-09-17T09:18:38","modified_gmt":"2024-09-17T09:18:38","slug":"highlighting-a-super-softie-selling-business-soft-federation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/highlighting-a-super-softie-selling-business-soft-federation\/","title":{"rendered":"Highlighting a Super Softie Selling business ~ Soft Federation"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote style=\"padding: 20px 20px; margin: 30px 40px; border: 3px dashed #f88fed; color: #000000;\">\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Do you want to buy a unique soft toy?\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">If you&#8217;re looking for a custom toy &#8211; why don&#8217;t you take a look at our featured home sewing businesses? We are highlighting toy-makers who sew F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S Funky Friends toys AND who also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/easy-printable-tags-for-handmade-toys-free-copyright-credit-labels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>support the independent designer community<\/strong><\/span><\/a> by giving pattern credits on their websites and social media posts! \ud83d\udc97\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">Today we are highlighting&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Hayley Sayers<\/strong> and her business ~&gt;<\/span><\/h2>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a style=\"color: #0000ff;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/softfederation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Soft Federation<\/strong><\/a>.<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21808 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-SayersSoft-Federation.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"501\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-SayersSoft-Federation.jpg 500w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-SayersSoft-Federation-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-SayersSoft-Federation-150x150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-SayersSoft-Federation-480x481.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">Not only does Haley sew BEAUTIFUL Funky Friends toys&#8230;<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">she sews them <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">COMPLETELY by hand<\/span>!!!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21899\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/hand-sewing-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"485\" height=\"350\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">AND&#8230; I love the attention to detail that Haley puts into each keepsake toy she makes!<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21900 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/school-uniform-bear2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"500\" height=\"518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/school-uniform-bear2.jpg 500w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/school-uniform-bear2-290x300.jpg 290w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/school-uniform-bear2-480x497.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"font-family: segoe; font-size: 18pt; color: #000000;\">Let&#8217;s find out a little more!<\/span><\/h3>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Can you tell us a little about yourself?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">I am an ordinary 39 year old mum of one. I work full time in a factory during the day and spend my evenings sewing bears for other people to treasure. And I LOVE IT!!! Funky Friends Factory patterns make me smile and I don&#8217;t think i&#8217;d have made it through lockdowns and shielding without them. They&#8217;ve kept me sane! (Well almost haha!). \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21895 \" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/School-bear.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"503\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/School-bear.jpg 800w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/School-bear-300x251.jpg 300w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/School-bear-768x642.jpg 768w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/School-bear-480x401.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">How did your Keepsake business come to be?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">My keepsake business (<\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><strong><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/softfederation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\">Soft Federation<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\"> ) started because of lockdown. I had to shield as I am classed as extremely vulnerable. I found myself with an awful lot of time on my hands and decided to try and sew a softie for my partner as a cute surprise. It had been a long time since I had last sewn anything but once I started I was hooked. I retrieved some of my Funky Friends Factory patterns from my sewing supplies that I&#8217;d bought over the years and just started making more and more. Soon I realised my house would soon fill up with softies if I didn&#8217;t do something about them. So I thought that sewing keepsake &amp; memory bears for others to treasure their memories of special and celebratory occasions, or to remember a lost loved one or pet would be a lovely way to get my sewing fix and give people a huggable memory made from their own fabrics and items of clothing! (Also I don&#8217;t have to move house to make room for all the bears! ha ha ha).\u00a0 The thought that I can make people smile, and really feel those memories, makes me smile.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21896 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screenshot_20210911-215929_Facebook.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"400\" height=\"915\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screenshot_20210911-215929_Facebook.jpg 400w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Screenshot_20210911-215929_Facebook-131x300.jpg 131w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">What do you love the most about your keepsake business?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">I love not knowing what kinds of items I&#8217;m going to receive to turn into a bear.\u00a0 Also I just love being able to help others enjoy their memories in a soft and cuddly way that is 100% handmade (as you know I hand sew everything) and just as unique as their memories are.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21897 \" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Keepsake-Bear-Pattern-sewn-by-Hayley-Sayers2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"562\" height=\"355\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">What is the most special keepsake you&#8217;ve made?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\">I recently made a memory bear for a friend to remember her mum who she sadly lost this year. It was a pretty bear in pinks and lilacs (her favourite colours) and she was very happy to see the cute little face when she opened the box (I don&#8217;t usually get to see this part so it was extra special).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21871 \" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pink-purple-favorite-bear.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"487\" height=\"580\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pink-purple-favorite-bear.jpg 600w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pink-purple-favorite-bear-251x300.jpg 251w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Pink-purple-favorite-bear-480x573.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">What other customized items do you offer?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">I offer additions to the bears, such as a satin bow for the head or around the neck (or both) in various colour options. I also offer personalisation such as names, dates or a special message\/verse provided via iron-on vinyl lettering. For example: I recently made a 20th Wedding Anniversary keepsake bear.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21891 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"458\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-1.jpg 458w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-1-229x300.jpg 229w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">I made an extra little heart cushion with &#8220;Happy 20th Anniversary&#8221; lettering on it and sewed it in between the bear&#8217;s front paws so that he was holding it. It looked very sweet.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21893 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-heart-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"458\" height=\"456\" srcset=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-heart-1.jpg 458w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-heart-1-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-heart-1-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 458px) 100vw, 458px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">\u00a0I&#8217;m planning on adding veils soon too.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-21893 size-full\" style=\"border: 1px solid #a8a5a9; padding: 4px;\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Wedding-detail.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"458\" height=\"490\" \/><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">As you can tell &#8211; I highly recommend Soft Federation!!!<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If you want to buy a Memory Bear or custom Soft Toy &#8211;<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/www.facebook.com\/softfederation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>please get in touch with Haley (Soft Federation)<\/strong><\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-size: 12pt;\"><span style=\"color: #000000;\"> and she can sew a Funky Friend for you (if you can&#8217;t sew one yourself using <a href=\"\/products\/instant-downloads?limit=all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>my toy patterns<\/strong><\/span><\/a>!)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<blockquote style=\"padding: 20px 20px; margin: 30px 40px; border: 3px dashed #f88fed; color: #000000;\">\n<h2><span style=\"color: #800080;\">Do you want us to feature the Funky Friends toys you sell?<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12pt; color: #000000;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This Q&amp;A series is my way of saying THANK YOU to Funky Friends Factory fans who not only sew fabulous Funky Friends toys but ALSO <a href=\"https:\/\/www.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/easy-printable-tags-for-handmade-toys-free-copyright-credit-labels\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"color: #0000ff;\"><strong>support the independent designer community<\/strong><\/span><\/a> by giving pattern credits on their websites and social media posts!\u00a0 If you t<\/span>ag your social media posts with <strong>#funkyfriendsfactory<\/strong>\u00a0 &#8211; we can find your posts&#8230; and who knows, maybe our next featured Super Softie Seller could be be YOU!!!!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-28019\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/hashtag_funkyfriendsfactory.jpg\" alt=\"hashtag_funkyfriendsfactory\" width=\"550\" height=\"188\" \/><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\">I can&#8217;t wait to see YOUR Funky Friends toys for sale!<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><br class=\"clear\" \/><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" style=\"float: left;\" title=\"Teddy-bear-rings\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/Teddy-bear-rings.png\" alt=\"Pauline McArthur - Funky Friends Factory\" width=\"224\" height=\"218\" \/>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">Till next time,<\/span><br \/>\n<span style=\"color: #000000; font-size: 12pt;\">Happy sewing,<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong> Pauline<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-6592\" title=\"White-Spacer\" src=\"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/04\/White-Spacer.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"30\" \/><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you want to buy a unique soft toy?\u00a0 If you&#8217;re looking for a custom toy &#8211; why don&#8217;t you take a look at our featured home sewing businesses? We are highlighting toy-makers who sew F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S Funky Friends toys AND who also support the independent designer community by giving pattern credits on their websites and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":21807,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[19,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-feedback"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Haley-Sayers-Soft-FederationSQUARE.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21805","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21805"}],"version-history":[{"count":51,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21805\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":34767,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21805\/revisions\/34767"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/21807"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21805"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21805"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/manage.funkyfriendsfactory.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21805"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}