Yards of Fabric

...Miles of Inspiration

Yards and Miles Studio, LLC

In 2020, Brenda Guajardo bought a sewing machine, scrounged up pieces of old fabric, and gathered some stuffing with a plan to make a gift for a close friend in need. The need was for a sturdier toy, and the close friend was Brenda’s dearest companion, Miles, her foxred, English Labrador. It was then that the inspiration for Yards and Miles Studio, LLC began.

Today, the studio offers myriad products handmade by Brenda. A combination of hand-crafted items, expert skills in embroidery, and an eye for attention to detail establish a firm foundation for each piece. This, alongside a focus on quality, precision, and meeting the vision of the client, produces items that are truly one-ofa-kind. Products available include pencil pouches, tote bags, make-up bags, wristlets, wreath sashes, and other home accessories, not to mention unique items like custom-sewn and embroidered dog bone toys or pillows. Consulting thoroughly with each client regarding choices in fabric, lettering, style, and size for each piece she custom creates is a unique addition that is standard to the service clients receive at Yards and Miles. Her one-of-a-kind trademark is the embroidered encouraging word or words inside each item. Words such as, “Brave & Beautiful”, “Believe & Achieve” or “Laugh often” are embroidered inside as gentle (and private) reminders. If preferred, customers can also choose their own encouraging words.

When asked about her custom embroidery, Brenda says, “There is something classic and timeless about an embroidered item because the personalization is in the fabric—in the grain—so it won’t wash away. It makes a high-value statement for businesses and personal gifts. Yes, it is a bit more expensive but that’s what really makes the statement when you present it as a gift or you keep it for yourself. You're saying, ‘This is important to me and I want to enjoy it for a long time.’ ”

One of the top-selling products for many reasons at Yards and Miles Studio are customized wreath sashes. These add a welcoming touch to front doors and are a fun way to enhance home décor all year round. Sashes are quick and easy to use and eliminate the need to fill an attic with dust-prone wreaths. Also, they are machine washable, iron friendly, and boast approval from most spouses for not taking up space they fit nicely folded in a small drawer. As with each of her items, Brenda consults with the client over desired details to produce a custom sash that is decorative but more importantly, meaningful and something that can become an heirloom piece.

Scan the code to learn more about Yards and Miles Studio, and checkout Brenda's work at: Instagram.com/yardsandmilesstudio/

“ Yards of fabrics, miles of adventures!”

~ Miles, an enthusiastic, repeat client

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

You may have heard tales of canine heroes like Salty and Roselle, two service dogs that led their blind owners to safety from the World Trade Center during the 9/11 attack. Or stories like the woman who was denied taking her emotional support peacock on a flight. But what exactly is a service animal, and what do service and emotional support animals do?

Service and emotional support animals play crucial roles in improving their humans' quality of life. They provide a calming distraction during disasters, help with depression, or perform tasks like alerting owners to seizure episodes or even sniffing out cancer.

Service Animals

Service animals are typically dogs any breed and size that have been trained to perform a task to help with their owner’s disability, such as picking up items for a person who uses a wheelchair, preventing a child with autism from wandering away, or calming a person with PTSD during an anxiety attack. People with disabilities may train their dog themselves and are not required to use a professional training program. While most service animals are canine, miniature horses, pigs, and monkeys may also be placed into service.

Support Animals

Emotional support animals provide companionship, reduce loneliness, and can help with depression, anxiety, and certain phobias, but do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. They are typically dogs and cats but may also be birds, hamsters, hedgehogs, pigs, and horses. Experts suggest any animal can provide emotional support but recommend a domesticated animal that is likely to be acceptable to a landlord or airline authorities. Airlines are not required to transport unusual animals like snakes, ferrets, rodents, and spiders.

For adopters who want to train their current dog to become a service dog, Wilco Regional Animal Shelter Animal Services Director Misty Valenta recommends a Good Manners training. “When helping adopters choose a dog for that reason, we help pick one that the adopter bonds with, enjoys learning, and is not reactive around other animals, people, or strange environments,” she says. In the past, the shelter has partnered with organizations that train dogs to pair with military veterans, although it is not something the shelter does consistently.

Scan the code to learn more about service animals.