It's nearly December!!

Hello, well November is almost over. 

Guess most of you have already started to think about Xmas, right?

I though it was about time that I did another of my blog posts featuring some fab #IndieSellers that I have come across so here are some great Xmassy things that I've found on Twitter, ot "X" - whatever you want to call it!!

First up are these lovely Xmas stockings from Poody and Berty. Big enough for loads of lovely gifts from Santa!!

Next up is this cutie from Ella Dexter Craft 

These lovely Xmas decorations are from Crafty Miss B

These lovely crochet xmas decorations are from DD Crochet Design  

Of course, we need cards at Xmas so check out these ones from Sarah Robinson  

Thats all for now unfortunately.

However, I'll be back soon with some more fab #IndieSellers for you to check out.

Make sure to follow the blog so you don't miss out.

Catch you later.

Yarn Story!

 A few weeks ago I received a parcel in the post from someone who follows my Rainbows over Bute FB page.

They had spotted some yarn for sale on Ebay so had bought it and had it sent directly to me, which was extremely lovely of the lady concerned.

So I set to and started making some #ButeBeanies with it.

I started with 1 beanie hat in each colour.

Still had plently of yarn left over so I then made a pretty flower brooch to match each beanie!

After that, I still had plenty of yarn left so made 4 scarves.

After all that crocheting I ended up with a few oddments which have been added to my scrap ball which will eventually be used to make another scrappy scarf.

So, from 10 balls of yarn I got 10 beanie hats, 10 flower brooches and 4 scarves.

Not bad going.

I am extremely grateful for the donations of yarn I receive which help me do what I do to help the homeless & other vulnerable people.

I do buy a lot of yarn when I can get it cheaply but donations of yarn are always very much appreciated.

These hats & scarves will be going out later in the year to any homeless outreach project that can use them and the brooches will be donated to a charity shop to help raise funds for the work they do.

If you've got any yarn that you would be willing to donate to help me make more beanie hats & scarves then please drop me a message on any of my social media.

Many thanks.

Yarn, Yarn, & more Yarn!

 A few weeks ago I was gifted a huge amount of yarn from a lovely lady here on Bute which was very welcome and so I set about making yet more crochet beanie hats & scarves to send out to homeless outreach projects.

Over the space of 5 weeks I made 74 items - 30 scarves & 44 hats with the yarn.

Some of the items have already been sent out to a couple of places in London & Glasgow and the rest will be stored until later in the year unless any project wants any in the meantime.

I had said that I was going to have a break from the crochet during the summer but I can't seem to stop.

I get itchy fingers if I haven't got my hook & some yarn in my hands!! 🤣🤣

Inbetween doing all those beanie hats & scarves I also made a couple of lap/baby blankets too!!

I think it's fair to say that I am slightly addicted to crochet!!!

See you next time!!

Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Hello again.

Happy New Year.

Seems ages since I last posted. Had a few personal issues to deal with but thought I'd find time today to write a quick post seeing as it will soon be Valentines Day and I am seeing lots of great gift ideas on social media so if you have a loved one to buy for or maybe you are secret admirer of someone and want to buy them something nice then I'll see if  I can help you out.

These beautiful handmade cookies are from MrsBrownUK 

These lovely rose petal wax melts are from CoburnCandles

This beautiful handmade mug is by Heather Richards

 

This lovely handmade card is from Aimee Mac Illustration

This cute felted heart is from Orchard Felts

Guys are always hard to  buy for but how about this lovely key ring from CoolKeyRings

Or how about a pair of cosy socks to keep his toes warm  from RitzUK

If you are looking for an LGBTQ+ themed cards then  how about this lovely one from Little Red Apple

 

These fab handmade coasters are from Sasha Stowe

Finally this box of personalised wooden hearts from MissyJuliaLtd gives you at least 10 ways to say "I love you"

Let me know what you think of my selection of Valentines Gift Ideas.

Until next time.

Bute Beanies

Back at the very start of 2022 I started my "make a beanie a day" challenge.

The plan was to crochet a beanie hat, I called them "ButeBeanies", every day and therefore by Xmas I would have over 350 of them to send out to homeless outreach projects around the UK ready for the winter.

However, whilst the challenge is still ongoing and running to plan I have virtually run out of beanies to send out.

That's because I have been sending out parcels throughout the year, up and down the country.

Parcels have gone to various places in London & Glasgow, as well as Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham, Gloucester, Wigan, Sussex, Brighton, Liverpool, Southend, Cardiff & Hull.

I usually send out 18 in each parcel but some of the parcels have been a bit smaller as stock was running low and that was al I had at the time that they were requested.

I don't charge for the items I make; I donate them to where-ever they are requested. 

I guess the cost of living crisis is hitting many people and things are hard for so many.

I know a handmade beanie hat isn't much in the grand scheme of things but every bits helps I guess.

Hopefully I will be able to get a few more parcels out in the post before Xmas - guess I better get back to making some more.

See you next time.

Join the #MittenMission

It's mid August now, and the heatwave that has been affecting most of the country seems to have passed, at least here on Bute as its been raining for 2 days!!

Thoughts are slowly turning towards winter for those of us that are concerned about the homeless and how we can help those who are vulnerable and living on the streets.

As some of you will know, I make crochet beanie hats & scarves & wristwarmers and have been donating them to homeless outreach projects since 2018.

I also support a fab initiative run by designer Masato Jones which helps supply essential items to projects around the UK.

Every winter they sell some fab beanies on a #Buy1Gift1 basis so for every one purchased they donate 1 to homeless projects. 

Also this year they are running the #MittenMission asking people to knit (or crochet in my case!!!) mittens and donate them to local homeless outreach projects. 

I've not done any of my fingerless wristwarmers for well over a year now but I shall be doing some along with my usual beanie hats & scarves.

Would be fab if lots of you joined in to - just think how many pairs of mittens we could make.

The lovely Granny Fireside has even done a simple pattern for you to follow.

So get your needles out and join the #MittenMission.

You can follow Beanies Masato on Twitter and Facebook plus you can always check out my Facebook page 

End of an era - well sort of!!

 For various reasons, I have made the decision to basically stop making & selling my handmade items.

It was never about making money - well not for me personally any. I have always donated proceeds to many good causes over the years. From Macmillan & CRUK, to lots of smaller charities and good causes and local ones too.

I've also donated many items directly for fundraising purposed so I have never profitted in any way from what I do.

My creative endeavours were always just something to keep me occupied and to help raise funds for the many & varied good causes that I supported.

Over the past couple of years, what with covid and a deteriation in my own health issues, it has been even harder to make sales using social media so I made the decision to stop.

It was a hard one to make as I have loved what I have been doing for the best part of 20 years in one form or another.

Over the Jubilee Bank Holiday I had an online sale and then packed up the remainder of my handmade items and posted them off to a lovely charity shop down in London run by Sistah Space  which is a community based group that supports women of African heritage who are victims of domestic abuse.

I normally take a photo of items I send off but forgot this time but they posted a lovely pic on their Twitter showing the unpacked parcel with a lovely THANK YOU. 

Please give them a follow on Instagram & Twitter & support the good work they do. 

So, I am now concentrating on my #ButeBeanies via my Rainbows over Bute FB page although the buteartism page is still active but won't be used as much as before.

My Folksy store is still open, selling my crochet beanies which helps fund the posting out of parcels of beanies to homeless outreach projects.

So I guess you could say that I've "downsized"  rather a bit!!

I shall still be around on Twitter showcasing #IndieSellers and sharing lots of interesting stuff.

Hopefully I'll get my crafting mojo back one day - in which case I will have to restock my supply stash as I've been clearing out over on Ebay but thats another story!!!

Well, thats me done for now. 

See you next time.