Operation Christmas Child

I know I have not been writing as much as I should have written… Ok, so I haven’t written at all. A lot has gone on in my life for the past year or so, stuff that I really don’t want to talk about right now. I can tell you that I have moved, started college, and am now a year and a half away from getting my bachelor’s degree in the Cross-Categorical program of the University of Arizona. Over these past months, I have had no job, and have been supporting myself from my savings alone. My parents have chipped in some, but most of it is all me. It is weird, going from getting just about anything I want when I want it, to not having hardly anything at all. It is different, and it sure makes you think a lot, especially now, when it is Christmas time.

I have no money to buy anyone a present, and this makes me feel a bit guilty, because I know they have gotten me something. I can barely afford to buy my groceries monthly, let alone buy a

Christmas present for anyone. Another thing that makes me feel guilty is not being able to give to the charities like I used to. I want to, but I can’t. I just cannot afford to give money. I feel bad when the offering plate is passed at church, because I don’t put anything in it. I feel bad when the radio announces they need people to give money to the ‘feed America’ for Thanksgiving meals, and I cannot do it. I want to, but I can’t. It is very weird being on this side of the economy.

Solution

So, here is my solution. I have been thinking a lot about my dilemma, and this morning I was inspired by a post on ravelry.com. People were using their crochet and knitting talents to make up toys and socks and scarves and things for the Operation Child Shoe Box Charity. I can do this! I have a ton of yarn left over from before I moved, so I can make lots of little toys and things and put them into shoeboxes! The only problem is, the shoebox charity for this year is already over with. They have collected all the shoe boxes and sent them out already. I think this is ok though, as I can start now, and by the time Christmas comes next year, I will have a few boxes done and ready to be sent. So here is my goal:

Once a month I will have made a total of one shoe box, and each month I will alternate between a boy and a girl, and different age groups. I will start this December, and End in November (as the boxes are collected in November), so I will have a total of 12 boxes (6 girls and 6 boys) to send out.

I will post up pictures of all the items I make, so that I am encouraged, and maybe I can inspire someone else to do the same as well, when all they have to give is something made from the heart, just like me.

-Cindy Lotts

Finished Birthday Dog

As promised from my previous post, Here are some pictures of the finished birthday present:

(to enlarge the pictures, just click on them)

I still don't quite like how the nose turned out. I think it is a bit too big for the dog... and like I said before, I would make it so I wouldn't have to sew it. I did change the tail, in the pattern, it wanted me to go for two more rows, but I thought that would make the tail too long, and so I didn't put in the last two rows. Other then that, I kept exactly to the pattern, just added the bows and smile to her for more pizzaz. I also added some blush to give it some color.

I tell you, I haven't done an amigurumi in so long that I forgot how tight I like to make my stitches (I make them tight so the stuffing won't show through) By the end of my puppy, my hands were starting to ache! But that is ok, I also forgot how much I enjoyed making them, especially seeing the end product... it makes it all worth while.

A Birthday Dog

So last night, about right before I went to bed, my sister drops next to me an inventation to go to a sweet sixteen birthday party. Here is my delima:

1. This party is a double party, where her friend (whome I have never met in all my life) will be celebrating her sweet sixteen as well.
2. This party is going to be chock full of people whome I don't know
3. I am 23 years old... I don't want to be at a party full of 15/16 year olds... sorry, but no.

Now... I have known this girl for practically all her life (or at least a very big portion of her life), and so it would be rude of me to not at least acknowledge the fact that she is indeed turning 16 years old. So, I have decided I will give her a present when I see her at church, and politly decline her inventation to her sweet sixteen party.

For her present, I decided not to buy her anything (as I am a starving college student, and have no money to begin with) but to make her an Amigurumi. Usually, I try and make one up myself (there is nothing better then to make an origional one) but this time, I decided to be lazy and just pick a free pattern from off of the internet. I decided to pick out this little guy from lionbrand, as I thought he was really adorable.

Of course I am making him in different colors though. I am trying to get rid of my scrap yarn, and so the only two 'doggish' colors that I have are black and white. So I made a white body and black ears/nose/feet. I have only just finished the body and the nose, and I think it is turning out pretty cute so far. The only complaint I might have would be with how the nose is sewn on... it was a bit weird and it sticks out too much for my liking. He is still cute, but if I make him again, I think I might make the nose as a part of the body, and not a seperate thing in which I have to sewn on later. I might be finishing it tomorrow, if that is the case, then I will be posting up the picture then.

Speaking of patterns though, I was looking through Ana Paula's Amigurumi website and found that she is going to publish a new book... well, it has already been published, it just won't be released until June. I couldn't resist! I had to pre-order it online at amazon. It has so many wonderful patterns on there. I really do admire everything that Ana Paula creates! Anyways, I really encourage you to check out her books, especially if you are interested in making amigurumi. Her patterns are very simple to read, and are great for begginers.

In the Beginning

Once upon a time there was a beautiful maiden who loved to crochet. She absolutely adored it, but there was a tiny problem, she never had any time to crochet!

Such is the story of my life. Hi! I am Cindy, and I love to crochet… it is just I don't have the time, which really sucks, because I love it so much. I think this summer is really going to be the only time in a while that I will actually get to sit down and crochet, without having to worry about getting other things done.

See… my problem is that I am a full time college student, who at the moment is extremely tight on cash… so I can't even feed my yarn addiction (not that it matters too much, as I have enough yarn to last me at least two years now). But never fear, I have a plan!

My Plan:

1. Get an account on Etsy

2. Make as many baby blankets/amigurumi as I can over the summer

3. Sell them on Etsy to make some grocery money for the school year.

So… what do you think? A good plan? I am hoping so because I am going to need grocery money I don't want to starve!

So as of right now, I am working on my first baby blanket. It is a solid blue and I am about 1/4^th of the way done with it. I think that it is going to turn out super cute in the end. I tell you, I really love to make these blankets. They always turn out so adorable in the end. My goal for this blanket is to have it done by this time next week, and then I will make a matching Amigurumi Teddy Bear to accompany it.