Fundraising Event - We need your help!

I love using my business to help other people.  This time, it is to help someone very near to my heart.

I am the youngest sibling of four and the only girl. I grew up always looking up to my brothers who took care of me and watched out for me. Always. Little did I know, one day, I would be standing in their shoes, only I would be desperately trying to help save their life.


My second oldest brother is a professional musician. He has a master's degree in music and has toured the country opening for acts such as Billy Joel. He is also a high school band director who has spent an immeasurable amount of hours devoting his life to his students.
Tom has always been a person who dove head-first into his work and whatever he put his mind to, he accomplished. He has found himself in a difficult place in life as he has finally realized he is an alcoholic. That brings us to now. 
 
He tried a few years ago to go to rehab on his own but was only able to afford a five day program. A 30-day inpatient facility is so far beyond his means and state facilities were too difficult to get into. The short-term facility only worked to detox him and not to retrain him to live with alcoholism. He had a severe neck injury and could not seem to bring himself to get treatment due to his high level of anxiety. The only way he could bring himself any relief was to drink the pain away. This escalated over these few years as did his pain. The last two months almost cost my brother his life. He drank himself into oblivion and found himself in the hospital begging them to Baker Act him. Due to the fact that he was not suicidal, they would not complete the Baker Act despite him begging them to. Fortunately, he had low sodium and they were able to keep him a few days which gave us the chance to find a short term detox facility to take him with insurance. He was able to fully utilize them since he had already detoxed by that point, but he was desperate to go to long-term care for true rehabilitation. 
 
The research that was put into finding a place that could take him and his insurance was immense. But we found a place. It was on day 11 that we learned his insurance would no longer be covering him because he was not found to be suicidal. Now we were left with the decision to have him released to an outpatient care on only 3 hours a day and Alcoholics Anonymous, or find a way to keep him in on self-pay. 
 
I presented every option to him so he had the option to choose and I assured him I would get the funds if he wanted to stay. He immediately chose the option to stay. He said he knew his best chance for success was to complete his program. I got to see him last weekend and I could not believe the transformation he had made in the time he had been there. I have scraped through every option I have including my other brother and I taking it from our own pockets.


This man is desperate to get healthy and recover. He has begged for help. I cannot let him fail. If it means I pay for it, then I will somehow find a way. But I am seeking help for finances any way I can. 
Please consider his story. Consider his life and his desire to get healthy. Please consider that this is a man I look up to and admire and even more so because he was able to admit he needed help.

The EVENT has all the information so please click going to be sure to get all the updates.  I will be posting videos and tutorials and pictures!  Consider joining me to help my brother's road to recovery!

Don't know how to put on a messy bun hat?

I watched this messy bun hate craze unravel before my eyes!  Haven't seen a messy bun?

I had not gotten on the bandwagon yet, until one morning I woke up and there it was.  The tag on FaceBook asking if I could make one!  Little did I know, two months later, i would still be making them!  The first time I put one on my head, however, I learned there was more to making this hat than just the pattern.  I had issues putting it over my bun.  My bun turned into a crazy mess.  Once I figured it out, I decided to make this...

I love these hats and have had so much fun making them!  Let me know what YOU think!  

See What a Surprise I got in My Email

One of the families has emailed me back with the most amazing news!

Their baby was born June 6, 2 months early, and the birth mom has already signed the papers.  They have a brand new baby boy!!!

She has chosen a baby fox and diaper cover set!  I have chosen to combine patterns.  I liked the Sly as a Fox hat better but I am using the Croby Patterns diaper cover.  I am really excited to make this set. 

I will post pictures as I make it.  Congratulations!!!!

Adoption Stories to Warm your Heart

After my initial announcement of my adoption project. Several people emailed me and I received responses from adoption agencies that shared my story.  I wanted to read a few of these stories as I am completely unable to choose. If you want to read about the adoption project, you can read the BIG ANNOUNCEMENT blog that tells you all about it! Without further ado, I present you the first round of adoption stories!!

Here are some of the items I am offering and each family can choose which one they want!

Links to the patterns for items to choose:

1.  Very Hungry Catepillar hat and cocoon

2.  Pacifier Clip and Baby Sandals 

3.  Baby Dress  

4.  Brimmed Hat 

5.  Diaper Cover and Beanie Set (Sports themed) 

6.  Hat and Bootie Set ( Can be made for a boy without bow.)

Visit me on FACEBOOK!  Please share this with everyone and anyone that may be involved with adoptions and/or foster care!!

Rise N Shine Crochet Goes International!

I just have a quick note for you if you're following the Mila project.  The Mila hats are spreading!

Mila is big in Italy and an article was written to advertise them and help get the word out!  Check this out!!  (You have to translate the page if you don't speak Italian.)  My daughter/Mila hat model is all excited that she's now internationally known!  Fun times!

Stop over and see the article HERE!

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UPDATE on the Mila Project

Its official!  The Mila hat is up for sale!

Get your exclusive Mila hat!  Message me direct through my FaceBook page and be part of this awesome and unique project.  The details for this project are in my What's Happening Now blog.

I have to say, I always though this movie was such a cool project.  When I saw the first trailer for it, my daughters and I cried!  But now, I am actually a tiny part of it and I feel even deeper about it.  I feel blessed to get to be involved in some little way.  When I think of war, the first people I think of are the soldiers followed shortly by their families.  But the children!  I never think of what a war looks like to a child.  We have studied the Civil War this year in our homeschool and this was the last war fought on American soil.  It is abstract to think of those children running their own farms while their fathers were away fighting; or sadly enough, fighting in the war itself!

Europe has seen an enormously large number of wars.  Mila's little face really hits home.  I imagine my little, innocent girls witnessing war and its destruction and it makes me so sad.

I say all this because I love this cause.  I love what it means and I am truly in love with this movie!

Help support Mila and get a really cool hat in the process!  Not gonna lie! I love this hat!! And when I get a chance, after I make the ones that are on order now, I will be making one for myself!

Mila Hat REVEAL

I have been busting at the seams over this hat!  I kept it a secret long enough.  I now present to you, the Mila hat! 

Please comment below and let me know what you think!  You can purchase these hats through me as well and 100% of the profits are going to Mila.  Visit my FaceBook and drop me a message if you would like to help!  You can also DONATE HERE if you just want to send a few dollars to this amazing project.  They also have some really great perks including fan art.  It just so happens my kids participated in the fan art so you can also get their, one of kind, Kid's Mila inspired fan art postcards! You can purchase these postcards too.  Click here and choose Post Cards a Plenty.