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SILVER LINING STUFFIES: Turning a 4am Idea into a Reality

Research + Ideation, Business Strategy + Development, Product Design, Illustration + Writing, Marketing Strategy + Execution

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In 2020, as the pandemic magnified the emotional toll on children, I set out to create an approachable toolkit to help kids manage big feelings with confidence and care. With 1 in 6 U.S. children ages 2–8 diagnosed with a mental or behavioral disorder each year - and only 20% receiving treatment - I saw an opportunity to design tools that were both clinically informed and child-friendly.

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By 2022, that idea became Silver Lining Stuffies, a children’s mental wellness brand combining storybooks and companion plush. I designed three custom stuffed animals and authored and illustrated the first three titles: Slow Down, Alfie!, Andie & the Worries, and Frankie & Gloob; each addressing the three most common challenges effecting children: an overactive mind and body, ongoing worries, and sadness. Every book comes with a “Silver Lining Toolkit” of coping strategies, caregiver guidance, and repeatable mantras, while each plush includes a calming mini-blanket that can be taken to school and weighted, extra-long arms to deliver grounding hugs.
 

Silver Lining Stuffies provides parents, teachers, and therapists with an accessible way to spark open conversations around mental health and resilience through play. Since launch, the brand has been widely embraced by families and professionals alike, featured in educational and therapy publications, and endorsed by child therapists across social platforms.

HAPPY CUSTOMERS