TidyTops Give Boomers and Seniors The Ability to Dine With Dignity

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Today’s article is a guest post from Carla Pennington Kirby, a longtime reader of SandwichINK for the Sandwich Generation, with the story of how she created her TidyTop – an adult bib that looks stylish and works well:

Adult Bibs and Bible Verses

Necessity is the Mother of Invention! So when my mother, in her 80’s with MS, requested a bib that didn’t “look” like a bib, it was time to use that necessity to help us do some creative inventing. She wanted something stylish and long enough to cover her lap, where most spills occurred.  Finding a dignified bib was not the simple task I’d envisioned. A Google search and walk through our quaint town of Sandpoint, Idaho produced only short terry cloth or cotton bibs. Mom was hoping for something more unique. So I noodled the idea and sewed one!

It was not your ordinary adult bib. It was longer, using a stain-proof, reversible, light-weight special fabric, with a pocket and a small tote to carry in her purse or wheel chair. I made them in 4 different patterns (roses, hearts, leopard, plaid). She was thrilled and so were her male and female friends in her assisted living community. I sewed for them, too, until I just couldn’t keep up anymore and then decided to manufacture them.

My creation, ultimately named TidyTop, was catching the eye of crafters (great as an art smock), cookers and children, alike.

It was multigenerational! My wonderful techy husband was invaluable in creating a website so others could learn about and benefit from this attractive bib, too.

We entered TidyTop in Medtrade, the largest Medical Supply show in the U.S. this spring and, by the Grace of God, it won “Innovative Product Award of the Year”! It became evident most people, if given the choice, would like a bib with more functionality and one that looked good.

While in church one Sunday, our pastor was preaching about “Knowing Jesus and making Him known.” He encouraged us to think about how we could bring the Bible into others’ lives outside of the church. That’s when God planted the seed in my head to put a Proverb in every TidyTop pocket. That’s one of the best parts, tucking a comforting Proverb in each pocket and spreading the Word… one TidyTop at a time!

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine.” Proverbs 17:12

“Kind words are like honey – sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:241

“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.” 3 John 2:2

And the list goes on, giving us a delightful way to help, encourage and uplift our senior parents and friends.

WOW! Isn’t that a great story! A stylish blessing for our elderly parents to wear along with comforting encouragement tucked away in the pockets! Not to mention all its terrific multigenerational uses – like bibs for visiting grandkids, art smocks for those easy yet messy crafts for kids and seniors, a big help for this slightly messy baby boomer…  🙂  A sweet gift, indeed. Want to know more? Just click here – www.TidyTop.com

P.S. I used her heart pattern for my heart pix above but added my own goodies as well. To see all four of the cute options for these TidyTop Bibs / Smocks for our multigenerational families – from aging seniors on down to young grandkids,  just click here.