An Interview with Andrea Lufti, Creator of Snugs & Cuds Blankets

Snugs & Cuds is a new shop started by Andrea Lufti. Andrea had lost her corgi girl, Ginger, to lymphoma. She was inspired to start Snugs & Cuds to give back to the community and continue spreading Ginger’s love. She will be debuting her blankets at Corgi Beach Day on October 28th. Andrea graciously sent us a blanket that Lucy absolutely adores. The pattern is beautiful, is super duper soft, and I love that it features custom illustrations of Ginger. It’s such a wonderful tribute to her beautiful corgi girl and you can tell Andrea pours her heart into each blanket she sews. Thank you to Andrea for taking the time out to tell us about Snugs & Cuds. Continue reading below to learn about their story.

Support Andrea and Snugs & Cuds:

Shop Snugs & Cuds | Instagram

Lucy, the Queen of blankies, approves of her new Snugs & Cuds blanket!
It’s snuggle time!

What was your inspiration behind starting Snugs and Cuds?

The inspiration behind Snugs & Cuds was our precious corgi, Ginger Gurl. She was unfortunately diagnosed with lymphoma in November of 2014 and began chemotherapy with the Vet Cancer Group of Southern CA. Her first treatment was at their Culver City location but then she continued all treatments for the next two and a half years at the Tustin location. During Christmas of 2015, I wanted to give back to the office for everything they did for her and for the other dogs going through treatment. I decided to make blankets for the dogs to lay on while waiting to receive their chemo treatment. After Ginger crossed the Rainbow Bridge I decided to keep making blankets to keep her memory alive.

Ginger’s smiley face.

The name Snugs & Cuds is short for snuggles and cuddles. Ginger was very independent and didn’t like to snuggle often but when she did I cherished the moment. After deciding on a name we chose three of our favorite pictures of Ginger and had graphic artist recreate her. One standing, sitting, and of course splooting. We sent the design to a fabric company and the custom fabric was made! We chose a fleece that would be prefect to cuddle up with. The blankets also come in a super soft minky fabric. One of Ginger’s personal favorites!

Andrea made blankets for the vet staff that helped Ginger throughout her treatment.
Close-up of pattern… featuring Ginger Gurl!

What was your background like? Have you always been crafty? 

My background truthfully was always centered around dance. I started dancing when I was three then continued through college and was even in the Disneyland parades. I then coached and choreographed for high school teams and would create and design costumes for the various routines. In 2014 I decided to make a career change and pursue something I’ve always been passionate about, skin care. So I went to school to become an esthetician.  It wasn’t until Ginger was going to the Vet Cancer Group to receive chemo treatment, that I started to make blankets for her and the other dogs receiving treatment. However, those were simple tie blankets, not the ones that I am making now for Snugs & Cuds. When I decided that I wanted to keep Ginger’s memory alive I asked my Mom to teach me how to sew. My Mom is amazingly crafty and has been sewing forever. She taught me the ins and outs of sewing and has been helping me immensely. 

My hope is to make as many blankets as possible for pups and people alike to enjoy. I want to make blankets for those that need them and for those that want to enjoy them. A portion of every blanket sold will go back to making more blankets for The Vet Cancer Group and other rescues and organizations that are important to us.

Ginger was quite the little helper.

We’d love to hear more about Ginger’s story.

Ginger was a gift to me from my boyfriend (now husband) for Christmas 2007. I had mentioned to him that I always wanted a corgi and he went out and got one for me! He said she was the runt of the litter and was the most feisty of bunch, which is why he picked her. She immediately became part if our family and ruled the roost! She loved to do what most dogs do, go on walks, car rides, and chase squirrels but she was also a bit different.  She had a passion for hunting lizards and hopping like a bunny after them (Look at the videos on the Instagram account to understand what I’m talking about. Its too funny!).

Angel Ginger <3

She was our family dog, our joy. Unfortunately, as previously mentioned, she was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2014. We wanted to ensure that we gave her the best quality of life and make sure she extended her life as well. We made her own food every week, cooking organic chicken with brown rice and vegetables. She ate cottage cheese with an omega additive everyday. We never missed a chemo treatment and gave her exercise everyday. I truly believe this is why she was able to combat that lymphoma for two and a half years. She was a fighter and feisty until the end, just the way my husband saw her as a puppy.

Where do you see Snugs and Cuds a year from now? Five years?

Honestly, I hope I can continue making blankets for all corgi owners and all dog owners for that matter. I hope to create other designs that will incorporate other memories of Ginger but also include other dogs as well. I believe in Snugs & Cuds, and see it being around as long as people have an interest in sharing snuggles and cuddles with their loved ones. 

We will be a vendor at So Cal Corgi Beach Day at the end of October. Online sales will launch on sales November 1st

Thank you again to Andrea and Angel Ginger for sharing this blankie with us!

Support Andrea and Snugs & Cuds:

Shop Snugs & Cuds | Instagram

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