Hello and welcome to today's charity blog. Today I want to introduce you to Relief Share. Located in Houston, Missouri this organization (a 501 c 3 non-profit charity) This group is very active in seeking to alleviate suffering where it is found in a responsible way, taking care of the resources of the earth.
Rather than re-iterate the words from Relief Share, I'll quote from their page directly: "In 1992 Richard & Carol Green founded a charity for babies. They nurtured their compassionate service efforts into a large national charity with 11,000 volunteers in 50 chapters handling 2.6 million in donations a year. After retiring from the administration of their baby charity, the Greens founded Relief Share and are now actively involved in meeting a wider range of needs, that also includes the babies they love so much." The Greens have created a well ordered organization with a board of directors, coordinators and volunteers. Their work is extensive and is funded by donations from the public. Any donation is gratefully accepted and each donor receives a thank you card. A well run organization that received its tax exempt status in 2008, assures that donors can give with peace of mind. I'm all for that! What does Relief Share do? Whatever. Whenever. Quite literally they try to answer the call for help in every part of the United States with their Coordinators and volunteers. The current projects are listed on the blog along with the email address for anyone wishing to become involved or to inquire about the organization. One can also find the needs listed on their Facebook pageI guess instead of saying that this is a faith based charity I should say that this is a charity based on faith. While Carol Green has founded other charities that are still up and running since 1992, Relief Share is her current project. If you'd like a list of their board of directors just send an email for that information to [email protected]. The best part about relief share is that ANYONE can participate it helps certainly, if you craft but it's not necessary. All you have to do is be willing to share what you have with someone who has nothing. So you can check out the top stories on the Facebook page or you can look at the "Current Projects" page on the website here. Literally anyone can be of service through Relief Share. Here is a video of a donation to Texas Memorial Hospital emergency room posted on Relief Share's Facebook Page. They literally think of everything. Every
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Good afternoon. What a difference a week makes! While physically I haven't felt 100%, I've had some amazing opportunities. One of the coolest projects I finished this week was "topped off" by a pattern from bustingstitches.com. Stacey, creator of Busting Stitches, Crochet and so much more, has a plethora of wonderful crochet designs, recipes, sewing, spinning, crafts and DIY projects are beautiful and fun! I have a few of her crochet designs in my Ravelry favorites.
Stacey writes that she is "a mom of 5, wife and so much more". If you take a look at Stacey's designs, "so much more" hardly begins to cover it. She's incredibly talented. The fact that her stated goal is to "help you satisfy your crafty needs." Her website sent me into full blown crafty/cooking mania. Wow! Sometimes designers strike such a cord you really don't know where to begin, this is the case with Busting Stitches. However, since I do not spin or do I sew I will limit my discussion to what I do know, crocheting. As you know I crochet/knit mostly for children and if I am honest, Stacey's designs are some of my favorites on the net. Just stunning work. Of course I always share my favorites with you. Since I have worked a couple of Stacey's patterns I can say they are tested carefully. So thank you to Busting Stitches testers for doing such an amazing job. :) Stacey has a huge online presence so she has plenty of testers from which to draw. It is obvious in the quality of the patterns on Busting Stitches. I recently made the "Boy's Elf Style Hat" twice :) I made them for twins recently born to a friend. The pattern is immaculate. Not a mistake in the pattern anywhere. You can find the Elf Style Hat here. I very much enjoyed making this project and I thank Stacey for making it available for free. In fact Stacey makes patterns available for a very small price on her website so one can obtain them without ads. My favorite patterns designed by Busting Stitches must be the dress/tunic patterns Stacey designs. The sizes are perfect for my demographic and so beautiful! (I don't do stranded work however) The Garden Teal Crochet Dress is stunning and is available in sizes 2/4/6/8. The dress is perfect for school, church, special occasions. I love it. There are an amazing array of lovely, dresses and tops for girls on Busting Stitches, and as I said it was nearly impossible to choose a sampling of patterns. However, the Spring Flower Crochet Tank is stunningly dainty. It's flower style shell shapes and flower trim at the top near the neckline are the perfect touches to set off any outfit. I know a few little girls who would "Squee" with joy over this addition to their wardrobe! (Remember these patterns are available in download form for a small price) We do a fair bit of charity work and gift giving around my home. So Stacey's designs for infants really make the gifting easy :) Of course it isn't as simple as choosing between adorable photo props or basic warm projects, you have the whimsical and charming to choose from too. One of my favorite animals is the Giraffe, and of course you don't often find a giraffe photo prop set. Naturally Busting Stitches has the most delightful giraffe photo prop set entitled "Unfuzzy's Giraffe Hat and Diaper Set". The "Girly Bunny Diaper Cover Set" is especially feminine. I hope one day to get this particular project made as a gift, however, everyone seems to be giving birth to boys these days :) Of course adults are not left out of the collection by Busting Stitches. Recently Stacey finished the "Slate Vest". A lovely, lacy, modern look vest with style to spare! I like Busting Stitches designs because they are both beautiful and practical. Which is the largest reason I entered this business in the first place. To make things that make people happy AND that you can actually use. :) A project I considered making for myself (had I time) is the "All Night Bolero" Its very classy and would look fantastic with many of my outfits for fall. Stacey has been really wonderful about complementing my efforts to show her patterns in the best light. Often designers who are tagged in a social networking site will ignore those who tagged them. Stacey was so positive about what I'd done using her patterns. I was proud :) You can find Busting Stitches on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and of course Ravelry. Thanks to Stacey for the wonderful patterns and being so accessible to those of us who use your designs. (Below my own humble attempts at the Busting Stitches "Boy Elf Style Hat" ) When I was a kid, about 100 years ago ;) the prevailing wisdom was that you lost 70 percent of your body heat through your head which is why we always had to have a hat on our heads when Fall hit Upstate New York. In my teen years wearing a hat was, "like uncool man". Obviously there's been a shift in fashion and hats are fashionable once again. However, they are also essential. There's a lot of science that goes into prevention of body heat loss but the bottom line is that human beings need warm clothing to cover exposed skin when it is cold. Cold is a relative thing. In various parts of the world, like in the Adirondacks where I live, cold is bitter, wind driven, below zero temperatures. In North Carolina where I lived briefly when my husband was in the military, cold was about 32 and we had snow once :). Does it really matter? The answer is no. Cold is cold and it acts on the body in some very specific ways. So we as knitters/crocheters/fiber artists have the opportunity to help bring some warmth to communities across the world by making winter warm items. According to a study at the University of Michigan the commonly held belief that a person loses 70% of of their body heat through their head is a misnomer. Bottom line “You lose as much heat through your head as you do through any other exposed part of your body.” Maynard admits he has told his own family members to wear a hat outside, and he says doing so does help you keep cozy in the cold.The point he makes in the video is simply that you should not expect a hat by itself to do the majority of the work to keep your body warm. He also notes that if you wear thermal underwear, it’s even more important to wear a hat, because the head is then the only point where heat can escape." Says Dr. Andrew Maynard in an article/video in the Huffington Post. Tom Wilson, B.S., MS, NASM Certified personal trainer, runs his personal training business here in the Adirondacks. He told me in an interview about this topic that the reason hats help keep you warm is that the capillaries in the head are closer together than in other parts of the body therefore heat transfers more quickly away from the head. I asked him how wet clothes affected the body in cold weather. He said that "wet clothes will transfer heat away from the body so it is important to have dry gloves or mittens, hats, and socks when out in the cold." Tom is a military veteran with 22 years of service. He served at Fort Drum, near Watertown, NY. His experience taught him that it was imperative during the frigid temperatures to remember that "the body will work to keep the brain and the core of your body warm, therefore it will draw blood away from the extremities in order to prevent damage to the heart or brain" I asked him about yarns/fabrics. Tom mentioned soft wool blends are excellent for socks in his opinion and that acrylic is great for mittens/gloves and hats because it dries quickly. "Anything to keep exposed skin warm and dry" We talked about the various patterns that knitters/crocheters/fiber artists had available, specifically hooded scarves with pockets. Tom said "when it is bitter cold outside looks aren't as vital as keeping the exposed skin warm!" point taken. You can find Tom Wilson's personal training page on Wix. (Disclaimer: Tom is also my husband, but that does not negate his passion for his job as a trainer) The science-y stuff out of the way let's talk about 4 all around great sites for knitting and crocheting and one site for you sewers! So for crocheters I have 2 sites Repeat Crafter Me, an all around great site for lots of great projects in multiple sizes (especially hats!) then there is also Crochet Jewel another crochet super site. Check out Amy's tutorials! For knitters I like About.com's knitting page. Now I'm not a seamstress by any stretch of the imagination but we just purchased a sewing machine. My daughter is a natural, but sewing machines scare me LOL. However, Fleece Fun has some SUPER cute fleece patterns for free! It may just cure me of my fears ;). Where can you donate? Well we have that covered too! First we suggest you look in your local area. Call your local school district, many schools collect clothes for underprivileged children so that they do not have to go without especially in the cold. Call your local Veterans organizations, the American Legion, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, or the AMVETS, see if they would be in need of any handmade items to hand out to our elderly, homeless, or underserved Vets. The Rescue Mission, the Salvation Army, Red Cross or local church groups that might be collecting handmade items for distribution during disasters. Then I want to mention Operation Christmas Child, My Mother's House, Christmas At Sea, Knit for Kids, and Warm up America. In the UK you can reach out to Oxfam, local homeless shelters, and of course Needles & Hooks, Angels & Preemies which can be found on Facebook. Now I'm going to toss the blog to my daughter T.k. Wilson who is going to share a special project of her own which combines 3 things she loves! Hi everyone! I’m writing to say that for the upcoming winter season I’m shifting gears in my ministry Restored G.R.A.C.E. Previously, I have been focusing on all types of dolls to give to children in foster care around the Malone area. But now, I’m going to be focusing on only one type of doll-- our beloved Barbie. Barbie has been delighting girls for over 50 years and is still going strong. Mattel, the company that owns Barbie, has recently made a huge effort to appeal to people of all backgrounds, shapes, and sizes with the new Fashionistas line and the new Made to Move line. Both these lines of toys make all little girls welcome no matter their size or their skin color. It is this spirit of cooperation that I want to foster with this new effort. So often, children in foster care are ignored by the larger world as faceless and nameless children of “the system”. This drive will provide something to hold on to that is theirs and theirs alone. A cuddly blanket will provide security, a book, offering a chance to practice emergent literacy, and a pretty Barbie, ‘cause every girl needs a little glitter! All of these items will be placed in a sturdy bag, also a sample of dignity for children who are often sent from home to home with their things in garbage bags. Yes, trash bags. I’m counting on YOU to help! I will take new and used Barbies (used MUST have all limbs and hair intact and have no strong odors), along with clothes, if you feel lead. I will also need handmade and store bought blankets, at least 36x36 square, new and used books (I’d like classics like Madeline, Amelia Bedelia, and Jan Brett’s picture books like The Mitten along with beginner chapter books) and new, large, (cute) reusable shopping/gift bags that can be purchased in places like the Dollar Store. Thank you for your consideration! Wow I feel like I've been living under a rock because it was JUST this week that I found the One & Two Company, a fabulous crochet design company. How did I miss this? Wow. I immediately thought that this company would be an amazing subject for the blog. I know you'll agree. In fact my daughter T.k. Wilson will be joining me on today's blog to cover the amigurumi/toys designed by Carolina Guzman. Carolina Guzman is owner/operator and chief designer at One and Two Company I'll just let her words speak for her: "Hi!, my name is Carolina and I am the owner of One and Two Company. I began to crochet when I was a child. My mother and my grandma taught me and it got into my passion soon. Since then, I have walked a long way, learning more and more as the days passed, developing my own creations and devoting to it all the free time I had. After my daughter´s birth, I had a “peace period”, which allowed me to think about selling my patterns. It meant to me the possibility to share my creativity with a huge community and to have another reason more to go on moving forward and developing new projects. People´s answer has been fascinating: to have the possibility to see how my designs come true miles from where I live is incredible and it goes on surprising me. I hope to improve more and more, with new and funny proyects, without losing the spirit that inspired me at the beginning. I wish you would be along this way... I can not conclude without introduce my main inspiration ... my daughter. She is very creative and she is telling me tales and stories full of incredible characters... all the time. Many of them appear in my projects." According to her Ravelry page Carolina Guzman lives in Spain. How cool is it that her patterns are used all around the world? What a wonderful way to bring the world together! I actually found the One and Two Company because of an Ad on facebook. I clicked the link and found the One and Two Company Crochet Pattern Group. I was absolutely enthralled! Immediately taken by the beautiful, whimsical designs of Carolina Guzman. Every design is absolutely detail perfect. I knew my daughter ought to see the toy designs immediately. What a fantastic collection! Pages and pages of designs... Baskets, mobiles, security blankets, garlands, hats, booties, dolls, stuffed animal sets, pillows, floor rugs... its nearly endless. Her designs are available on Ravelry, Etsy, and her OWN company page, One and Two Company. The reviews of the patterns are rave. Her Facebook group, to which I belong, boasts 8,156 members! I'm still in awe. I know I usually share my favorites with my readers. So let me start by saying Carolina Guzman actually has me SO inspired that I might try making one of the adorable lovies (security blanket with attached toy). My favorite is the "Willa the Whale Lovey" it reminds me of a story I used to listen to when I was young. Widgie The Whale (you can find it on YouTube... seriously) Its adorable! I really have not made a toy in years only because as the kids got older there wasn't as much call for that skill and then... Bifocals hit LOL. If Carolina Guzman's pattern got me thinking about making a toy she's very good at her job! There are many Loveys and a couple beautiful blanket patterns. Another of my favorite projects are the cute baskets at the One and Two Company. I have yet to make a basket but they are so clever, I really have to try my hand at it! The first basket to catch my eye was the colorful "Owl Crochet Baskets". I love the colors! As you know I'm a big fan of color. For a quick and easy gift I like these "Basket 2 Sizes" Very clever and a great gift for a housewarming and it would make a great addition to any room in many different decor styles. I know how much fun it is to decorate a room for a holiday or to just brighten a child's room. I think One and Two Company's garland's are so sweet. Carolina Guzman has designed some adorable Garlands. Of course Christmas time is a favorite time to decorate with garland so of course One and Two Company has a great pattern for crocheters. The "Colorful Christmas Garland" can be found at her Etsy shop. My daughter loves butterflies. I thought how cute this garland would have looked in her room. The "Garland of Colorful Butterflies" is just as precious as can be! Hearts for your valentine? Yes Carolina Guzman has designed something special for Valentine's Day. Now I'll toss the blog to my daughter so she can rave about the toy patterns. Thanks for joining me today Tamra. As for One and Two Company's toys: I want to make them ALL! There is just too much cute to deal with! First, we have "Flora the Fox and Ryo the Raccoon" hand puppets. I may have to make these for my church nursery. There's also this super cute dragon stuffie and this fairy doll which I totally love. Then there's this sleepy kitty stuffie who is almost too much cute. One of the other toys that I love from One and Two are these playsets. They take me right back to when I was a kid and playsets with little toys where the height of cool. First we have the "Adventure in the Woods" set which has a cute little mushroom house and a family of hedgehogs to go with it. Then (another toy I may make for the nursery) the "Adventure on the Farm" playset. One of the little guys who comes loves farm animals, so this would be a great toy! Thanks to my daughter for helping me today! I know you will enjoy One and Two Company's crochet dreamy-ness as much as we did. Its been a privilege to join her Facebook Group and to get to know some of the other crocheters who have been so gracious to welcome me. Carolina Guzman welcomed me personally which I thought was so lovely. Please stop by her pages even if you don't crochet, you know people who do. Its worth the time it takes to scroll through her designs. Just sweet as can be. Thank you Carolina Guzman! I remember when Danyel Pink Designs used to be Crazysocks Crochet back in 2008. :) Now she's a much more high profile designer with a lovely blog and 3 children! She's a stay at home mom, military wife, designer and all with a sense of humor. Her blog is fun and her designs are fantastic. Danyel Pink is both a knit and crochet designer. She's been featured on various blogs and websites which of course is no real surprise so my humble review is merely a way to let my readers in on her lovely work. Danyel Pink is a military wife which is something that I used to be now, I'm a veteran's wife. She and her husband of course have my thanks and admiration. It's not an easy life but the rewards go far beyond the monetary. I also share her sentiment "I enjoy many hobbies, but my main addiction is crochet. I also love to knit. I love sharing my passion with people all over the world. I also have a pretty severe yarn addiction. But who doesn't, right?" Let us get to Danyel Pink's Designs! Newest design first because it is stinkin' cute! :) I love these little photo props. You see these little ones in adorable pictures with cute hats and wrapped in beautiful blankets it just makes your heart melt. Check out this adorable (and free!) "Elf Hat" by Danyel Pink. Its crocheted with worsted weight (size "4") yarn so no special weight is needed. To add to the "awesome" of this pattern Danyel Pink has written the pattern for preemie through size extra large adults! Great for an any time photo op :) You all know how much I love crocheting and knitting for babies. Another fantastic design for sale on Danyel Pink Design is the very pretty "Pacific Pullover". This design is particularly flattering to women and is written for sizes small to 3X. Its open work design lacy enough to dress up and flexible enough to wear with jeans. I particularly like that you can purchase this exact design for girls too sized for ages 2 through age 9. How cute is that??? I'm also a knitter so I am always on the look out for adorable knitted patterns. Danyel Pink designed this picture perfect "Baby Pixie Bonnet" which would look totally priceless in a solid or self striping yarn. This is another of those projects that you know would be just the thing to in which to bring a new little baby home from the hospital. Speaking of bringing a new little babe home from the hospital Danyel Pink Designs has a SWEET baby cocoon and hat that is completely irresistible. The Watermelon Set consists of a baby cocoon and baby hat that could be made in either pink or red. I think its perfect because its fun for beginner crocheters and those of us with more experience alike! There is so much to Danyel Pink Designs I'm not sure I can even do her designs justice. Since Danyel Pink is a mom to 2 boys and a girl she has designed some really "manly" project for her boys too. I like his particular hat because it covers the ears. While the hat is unisex I can appreciate how hard it is to get little boys to hold still while trying to tie the hat on wiggly little boys; this hat covers the ears subtly without the obligatory "braided strings". The "Jim hat" can be purchased through ravelry, here. Designed to fit toddlers through adults Danyel Pink has also designed other unisex hats that really catch the eye! The "Checkered Beanie" is a FREE pattern on Danyel Pink Designs.com. Danyel Pink Designs isn't about the same old/same old. She has some fun and fashionable designs that just make you smile. Like "The Crazy Owl Hat" (falling right into my love for these owl hats!) the pattern is sized for infants right up to adults! The practical and unique ponytail hat which has a cute effect of not only covering the ears but allowing a pony tail to pop out the top of the hat. You can wear the hat and keep your hair in style at the same time! Wow. The "Ponytail Beanie" is FREE on Danyel Pink Designs. This hat too is designed for child through adult sizes. A must have on my Ravelry Favorites list is this whimsical "Little Maiden Bonnet" (it too is free). I really do love its storybook feel. :) Sticking with storybook feel themed projects I got a kick out of this "Fuzzy Monster Hat" you HAVE to smile when you see it. :) (sized from infant through child size). An offering from Danyel Pink Designs that has a big touch of awesome is the "Levi Hat" which is great for both boys and girls. A hat with a brim and a subtle stripe, just right for back to school with the a size order of cool. Mom and Dad's little helper would look adorable in this "Little Apron". We can always use an extra pair of hands in the kitchen and this would also be a great apron for doing crafts at home. Or if the little man of the house wants to help Dad with the outdoor bar-b-que/picnic you'll need an apron to protect from the occasional sauce spill :). There are three other designs I want to make mention of because they are not only beautiful but practical. First is the "Lindsay Slouch" which is convertible from a slouchy hat to a cowl! Simply untie the top of this slightly lacy looking hat and you have a very pretty cowl to wear. Very nice for those days when you are out and about on business or going from school to a shopping day with mom. Sized from child to adult it's a great addition to your fall/winter wardrobe. Next in my list of beautiful designs for women is the "Cotton Candy Cardigan". The pattern is written for a wide range of sizes and the length can be easily adjusted from a cute cropped sweater to a longer cover up. I like the unique textured stitch pattern Danyel Pink chose for this particular design. Easily worn with your favorite dress or added to your jeans on a chilly Spring day. Last but not least is the "Cotton Candy Cardigan" for girls :) sized for girls from 9 months to 10 years. It is very sweet and would be lovely in a mom/daughter photo or how about a 3 generation project? I really have only just scratched the surface of Danyel Pink Designs. It's amazing how many of her designs are now on my Favorites list. I do want to thank Danyel Pink for making her designs available to knitters and crocheters like myself. Danyel Pink has been published several times and has some awards from various contests to her name. Check out her facebook page if you have the time. Join me at Out of the Parc Designs facebook page. Today is my son's birthday so I am a little late getting my blog together. However I found Emily's Hats for Hope Initiative on facebook and thought with Fall coming up rapidly, now would be a good time to share this charity. In the Northern Adirondacks you rarely see people sleeping out on the street but we do have homeless families and we do most definitely have people who are among the working poor. Let's take a look this great charitable outreach. Emily's Hats for Hope Initiative (EHFHI from here on) began in December 2011. 5 years ago I remember seeing this young 17 year old girl on charity blogs and Ravelry trying to help the homeless and working poor of Morristown, New Jersey. Her infectious smile and enthusiasm started a movement that has lasted FIVE years! Many knitting and crochet charities don't last that long. I was super impressed with this young lady then as I am now. This is the Mission Statement and Goal of EHFHI "Mission Statement: We make, collect and donate winter hats, scarves, afghans & baby blankets to the homeless, working poor and others in need.Our long-term goal is to have a spin-off of Emily’s Hats For Hope Initiative in every state in the United States and expand our international reach. We also would like to donate 50,000 winter hats by 2021." That is a laudable goal and mission statement but EHFHI cannot do this without our help. This undertaking has become a world wide. EHFHI is now seeking help in opening spin off chapters! One young woman made a difference and now EHFHI is asking others to attempt to change their corner of the world "One hat at a time" as the website for EHFHI states on their page header. The Facebook page tells all about how to begin a spin off chapter here:
One thing is for sure there are plenty of places to donate hats, scarves, afghans, baby blankets and mittens. EHFHI has donated to ALL these places which proves that with a little tenacity the love of a warm hat or scarf can spread a lot of joy. Are you interested in donating to EHFHI or one of the affiliate chapters? Here are a few guidelines. These are not much different than many other charities but they are very clear and well written. I appreciate that very much. Please follow all the guidelines carefully and remember that these hats, scarves, blankets, mittens, slippers are going to people who need warmth and to know someone cares. So try to think of your donation as a gift to a friend or loved one. If you are serious about donating to EHFHI or a spin-off organization here's the address. EHFHI's newest event is 1,200 Winter Hats, Scarves, and Gloves mainly for men who are homeless and living outdoors. This Event on Facebook started August 6 and will run through November 1, 2016. You can read the guidelines for this event here: Again please follow the guidelines carefully. Concurrent to this event is another event in support of Click For Babies which is an organization focused on preventing Shaken Baby Syndrome. Each purple hat made goes to an infant to remind new parents that babies cry. "CLICK for Babies is a grassroots public education campaign organized by the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome (NCSBS) in partnership with hospitals, public health and child abuse prevention groups to create awareness of the leading trigger for infant abuse, frustration with infant crying. During the campaign, communities all across North America donate handmade caps stitched in all shades of purple. Along with these caps, new parents receive a video, booklet, and bedside information describing the Period of PURPLE Crying (a period of time when infant crying increases; beginning when babies are about two weeks old, peaking in the second month and ending around the third to fifth month)". clickforbabies.org/about-click-for-babies-campaign.php EHFHI's event will be held September 1, 2016 But if you go to the Click for Babies Campaign page here: you'll find that they are collecting through October 1, 2016 in the following states. Sadly New York State is not on the list again. Its very frustrating to me because I am currently unable to help start a chapter on my own in the Northern Adirondack region but I know we need one desperately! I hope that all of you reading today's blog will consider how you can help Emily's Hats for Hope Initiative or Click for Babies. Funds or yarn donations to a local knitting group for the purpose of making hats or funds sent directly to Click for Babies would also be wonderful. I know many of you out there share my great concern for the most vulnerable of our society. They say charity begins at home. Why not join Emily and be the charity at home? I wish I could. I want to introduce you today to a lovely blog with some fantastic patterns for crocheters! I actually found Lakeview Cottage Kids through another facebook page so it was a great surprise to find that Lakeview Cottage Kids had many other great patterns to offer! Woop! I love surprises like that :) Lakeview Cottage Kids is owned and operated by Christine Longe. She makes her home with her husband, has one daughter and 2 grandsons. Christine Longe has an Etsy shop, blog, facebook page, a Ravelry page, and a google plus page. Though you will see she has not posted anything on her pages since April 2016 my thought is that being a Gramma keeps her pretty busy in the Summer months. Her patterns are awesome and her work is beautifully done so I do hope that you'll check her pages out! I really like the way Christine Longe has set her blog up for her regular readers. Its clean so that one can easily find the navigation. Naturally her items for sale are mentioned straight away which is completely understandable. However at the top of the page there is a link to her FREE patterns. Yes FREE. There are items for the home, babies, and adults. It's a very welcoming page that draws you right in :). Totally "hooked" now LOL. (sorry couldn't resist the crocheting pun) I thought I'd share a couple of my favorite patterns from each category of designs. First of course the baby patterns. It was REALLY hard for me to choose only 3 patterns that I liked but for the sake of time I just wanted to give you an upshot of the great patterns from which you have to choose. First, the Acorn Beanie. The saying is: "Mighty trees from little acorns grow" and this hat is designed for babies up to 6 months. I like the detail and the styling of this it's perfect for fall. Next are this ADORABLE mouse hats... his and hers baby hats. Oh my goodness so cute! Here is the third pattern I love love LOVE! A beautiful baby blanket that is just precious. Isn't that stunning. What a lovely heirloom to pass on. I think the items for the home created by Christine Longe are really practical but also! My first pick (because they match my dishes) are the Apple Coasters. I have my own dishes due to my celiac disease upon which are are APPLES :) Also if you are looking for something a little more designer in nature check out the blueberry coaster set. This set has a bit more of a lacy look and I like the design very much. Lastly but certainly not least are the patterns designed for adults. Lakeview Cottage Kids isn't just for kids so let's look at a couple patterns for adults. I like the cute Beach Bag pattern designed by Christine Longe! It's colorful with just the right touches. Super adorable. Of course hats are always popular especially if you live in places that have cold weather. Christine Longe has designed the May Flowers beanie for all sizes! It's so beautiful and a great idea for Easter or for those cute photo prop pictures. I want to thank you all for joining me on today's Indy Designer Saturday Blog. Please take the time to look at Lakeview Cottage Kids Facebook page too! Christine Longe's designs are superb!
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Author**Opinions expressed on blogs about which I write are the opinion of the blog authors and DO NOT necessarily reflect my own opinion. |