Heartfelt Creations

Tiffany Hudson excelled at providing customer service for years, but she had the goal of working in emergency services in mind. That dream until she felt ready to commit to shift work, face stressful situations, and maintain a disciplined approach to handling everyday emergencies.

About five years ago, Hudson took the brave step of joining the Broward Sheriff’s Office (Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA), beginning in the Department of Detention (DOD). She transitioned to the Department of Law Enforcement (DLE) as a Regional Communications Dispatcher I over the last year.

“I love helping people,” Hudson said. “You never know why or how you end up in a position like this. It took a while for me, but I’m here for service. That’s what I like to do.”

Beyond providing compassion to her callers, Hudson is a trove of artistic talents. She comes from a creative family with a talent for sewing, cross-stitch, and calligraphy.

Dabbling in art herself, Hudson explored drawing and painting, but she never felt her talents measured up to the strong circle of women before her. Still, Hudson’s third grade teacher trusted her with her first big break of decorating the classroom bulletin board.

Over time, Hudson became the go-to girl for friends and family who needed posters, ads for student body elections, or decorative banners—all without the programmed cutting machines of today.

“It became second nature,” Hudson said. “I didn’t think my art was anything special until others were impressed by what I could do.” Though paper was her first love, it was more of a launching board into a more tangible medium she truly loves to work with: hand sewing felt creations.

“I have been playing around with felt for years, even decades,” she said. “I started watching instructional videos. I knew I could apply the techniques to bring my own ideas to life.”

Hudson noticed an opportunity to bring her favorite art form to the office when her training academy team was tasked with decorating a Christmas tree. She contributed some hand-sewn felt stockings and a mini sheriff’s office jacket ornament she personalized for her instructor. The reactions were so positive that it snowballed from there.

“When I started with Communications and saw their huge bulletin board, I offered to help,” Hudson said. Working to complement other’s components, she used her portion of the space to create a felt advent calendar and New Year’s dollar bill décor. As a personal touch, Hudson often finds a way to add the silhouette or face of her black cat, whom she considers her muse.

She created her masterpiece for Black History Month: “Franklin,” the felt Peanuts character (originally illustrated by Charles Schulz), with added shorts and shoes. She shared her piece in the 2025 International Academies of Emergency Dispatch® (IAED™) National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week Showcase, which focused on interconnectivity.

Using an image as reference, Hudson was able to draw a paper version of Franklin with the dimensions she wanted, cut out each piece, pin the pieces to felt (as a pattern), cut out each felt piece, and then stitch together the dimensional character. Franklin’s bulletin build took between 36 to 48 hours, but the time was well spent—it brought a smile to the dispatch floor.

“People don’t expect the way I express myself with felt,” Hudson said. “I discover that sharing my creations opens possibilities for conversations and friendships. It has given me new life.”

With that same vivacity, Hudson tried a new hobby a year ago of picking up skating. She broke her wrist in two places and swore off that skillset for good. With a new appreciation for what her hands can do, Hudson plans to stick to creating as long as she can.

“In a position like this, you have to find a source of stress relief,” she said. “I can’t recommend skating but do what you love and keep learning. Level up!”