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.  

What's Happening Now?

Last week I made the big announcement that I will be adding a service project to Rise N Shine Crochet to serve families that have or will be adopting.  I have been in contact with several adoption agencies and been all over the social media world resulting in new contacts and lots of response!  I have several stories I will be sharing this coming week from a few families!  My heart is so happy.  In the midst of all this, a long-time friend of mine reached out and asked if I would like to participate with some fundraising for her project as well that falls right in line with the path my service project is taking.  Let me introduce you to Mila!!

Here is the director, Cinzia Angellini's description:

Mila is a CG animated short about a little girl whose life takes an unexpected turn during WWII. It’s rare that animation takes on serious, complex matters such as War. Still, I believe animation is the perfect medium to tell this story set in my hometown, Trento (Italy). Mila is the story of a girl and two women during Trento’s bombing in 1943. I wanted to tell a war story not centered on armies, soldiers, generals, battle plans. I wanted to talk about civilians, and especially the children. The girl who inspired me to create this movie was a child during WWII. That girl is my mother.

- Cinzia Angelini, Director

250 ARTISTS, 25 COUNTRIES, 1 GOAL!

All of the people working on this film are volunteering!  The collaboration worldwide seems impossible but they all bring it together selflessness, dedication, and a common goal.

My long-time friend of <ahem> years, Andrea Emmes, is the producer for this film and as part of her job, she is fundraising.  They have managed to get UNICEF to partner with them!  How amazing is that!!  Unicef works with children around the world adoption, fostering, emergency humanitarian services, and a multitude of other life changing acts.  Imagine the war torn countries for current children.  Pretty awful.  Now imagine them, as Mila.  I have always believed everything happens for a reason and God's plan will play out.  By reaching out regarding service to adoption, I am now able to help here too!  

I am making  Mila's cute little newsboy hat you see in the video.  I have completed one already and I will be posting pictures and video soon.  You can also purchase these through me if you would like and I will give all the profit to Mila.  You can also DONATE here.  Visit the website for more information on Mila!

This story is worth telling.  Children have such a small voice in this world.  I am thrilled at the direction my plan is heading and grateful that God is taking control of this for me.  It really is taking on a life of its own!  Please share.  SHARE!!!  I mean just look how cue she is!

FaceBook: Mila

Website: Mila

YouTube: Some great videos further depicting their project and goals.

‪#‎LetsMakeADifference‬

‪#‎MilaMovement‬
‪#‎SupportChildren‬
‪#‎ChildSurvivorsofWar‬

Big Announcement!!!

I have been working at crochet and blogging for a little while now.  I must admit, it has only been scattered and half-hearted.  But my intentions were there. What were my intentions?

I started off with basic selling of items.  I made a few items and people liked them, so they bought them.  Simple.  I was learning and trying new things and I was making a little money while enjoying my hobby.  Then I decided to begin a blog and try to reach out a little in the crochet world. Tutorials had become an option.  I thought maybe teaching others would be a way I could help and serve others, but I have yet to get a great setting for this and it just wasn't working. Then I was led to try to use my crochet to give back.  This was harder than you think.  I wanted to do fundraisers but it is really hard to make a significant amount of money to give when you are one person.  I teamed with other people, but this proved to be quite an undertaking.  So where has this left me?

I have a cousin who is adopting and it has left a soft spot on my heart.  Here is their story! I have decided...I am going to crochet for adoption!  What does that look like?  Well, knowing myself and my mastered skill of "Oh LOOK!  A chicken!", I am certain this path is going to change.  A lot!  But this is what it will look like for now.  

I would like to start making and donating items for families that are adopting or have adopted.  If you know a family adopting or has adopted that could use a gift, please send me their story!  For now, as this is just me, I will pick one story each week and send them a crochet item.  I will post either a picture of one I have made or a link to the pattern below so you can choose an item.  I am not sure how this will all play out.  All I ask is for patience. Please share this with friends and family who may know someone.  

You can email your stories to risenshinecrochet@gmail.com.  This is where I will choose from.

I am really excited about this because it has been my goal to start to use my crochet as a way to reach out and give back.  I have always felt like I was meant to serve in some way and I truly love crochet. My grandmothers were such a huge part of my desire to crochet.  I believe with all my heart that God gifted this skill to me so now I would like to use it for something great!

Take a look at what I will be offering for now.  When you send your email, let me know which item you are interested in.  I promise I will do my best!  Due to cost and time investment, I will not be doing blankets at this time.  I would like to keep the projects smaller so I can accomplish more of them.  Maybe someday down the line, I will team up with others who would be willing to participate!

Come check out my FaceBook page as well for pictures of a lot of my completed projects.  

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.)

Things I wish I knew When I Began to Crochet

I knew when I found out I was having a boy, I wanted to make him a blanket.  I already had 2 girls and I never really learned to crochet for them, but this time, I was going to learn.  So I took to learning from YouTube!  I dreamed of single crochets and double crochets for months.

One day, we were having lunch at a local restaurant and walked by a table full of ladies.  I happened to glance in a open bag.  I wasn't snooping, it was wide open!  Okay, I know that's weird, but something caught my eye.  It was a gigantic crochet blanket.  When I looked around the table, I saw all the ladies were working on crochet projects.  Turned out, they were a crochet club.  I did go back a few times and sit with them, working on my lopsided and all kinds of crooked baby blanket.  They gave me bits of advice, but really, I think they felt sorry for my son's gift.

It was a rough start.  Not gonna lie.  But I did eventually get that blanket finished about 2 weeks before he was born.  It will serve as my reminder that when you practice, you can get better.  I have progressed immensely since those days.

I wish I learned:
1.  How to count my stitches.  My start may not have been so rough had I taken the time to count.
2.  Just because the stitch is big and it works up quick, doesn't mean it is the right stitch.
3.  Yarn matters.  Cheaper is not always better.
4.  The hook matters! See #3.
5.  Read the pattern before you make the project.  Do I really need to explain this?  Let's just say, it is really important to know how much yarn you will need.
6.  If you're not sure, YouTube!
7.  Not all patterns are created equal.
8.  There is a coupon for everything.  Be patient, and when the coupons come out, stock up baby!
9.  ALWAYS....ALWAYS...ALWAYS bring yarn, hook, and don't forget the scissors.
10.  Be patient.  If there is a question about the level of patience, refer to 1-9!!!

Practice is the key.  It isn't easy.  It can be frustrating.  When all else fails, step AWAY for the CROCHET!  You can always come back later.

How Can We Help

My sweet cousin has battled infertility in a major way, but that battle is ending and a new journey has begun.  The journey of adoption.  Read their story.

In an effort to help in what minuscule way I could, I used my crochet sale profits as donations.  Now, I joined forces with 12 other businesses to create an event!  The vendors are Myself (Rise n Shine Crochet , Jamberry, Usborne Books, Fashions for Your Little One, Plexus, It Works, Make a Memory Shoppe, Thirty One, Origami Owl, Young Living Oils, Keep Collectives, and Perfectly Posh.  Not only can you support this amazing couple and help them on their way to bring home their new baby, but you can support these small businesses! I love how these people are so willing to give their time, their hearts, their businesses, and their compassion to  a beautiful pair who are so deserving of a family of their own.

Each business will be featured for one day.  Please join the event and see all the amazing things these businesses have to offer.  The variety is wide and there is certainly something for everyone!

Meet Erika and Ed Hornbeck.  Meet a set of parents that will do the world some good!

Small Successes

I am so over the moon excited at the places that my little crochet world is going.  I have been doing a lot of marketing to try to get my name out there and with little to no knowledge of social media marketing, this can pose a challenge.  Let go backwards for a minute.

Crochet is a passion.  It turned out to be one that made a little money for me.  As time has gone on, my goals have changed from wanting to sell my work, to wanting to teach my craft.  This requires social media and a knowledge of its viral capabilities.  I have watched countless webcasts, some that just wasted my time.  I have read countless blog, also some that were not quite useful. But I have learned and implemented lots of trial and error.  Its a process.

Now, I have reached hundreds and hundreds.  I need to reach thousands and thousands.  So I will keep on plugging and learning and trying and "error-ing".

In the meantime, I was featured on marketing page that reaches many more than I reach!  Vendors of the World featured me this weekend!  Little successes mean a lot.  The more people I reach, the more I can do.  It has been my goal for a while to get tutorial videos out on my YouTube Channel.  Please go and subscribe so you can be a part of my channel and see the tutorials as they come out.  I am going all out now.  Determined to start this new leg of my crochet journey.

It is all a process.  A lot of learning.  A ton of research.  But quite satisfying.

The Troubles of a Crocheter

I tried out this pattern to make.  I really haven't been very big on making clothes.  But things have been slow lately so I am trying out some of the patterns I have been collecting.  This turned out to be way better than I anticipated.

Somethings I have issues with when crocheting keeping accurate count.  The major downfall of all crocheters...you MUST. KEEP. COUNT!  But, alas, I have 3 children whom I homeschool, I work at home, and I have a house to run.  Life gets distracting to say the least.  This means projects get set aside for a day or so and I lose track of what I was doing or it means I work on projects late a night when I am exhausted.  This leave lots of room for mistakes which I often make.  In this case, things worked out well.  The project worked up quickly and I happened to have little distraction.

I used Red Heart Soft Rose and Red Heart Soft SeaFoam.  The yarn is smooth and doesn't have that scratchy feel that acrylic yarn usually, especially for baby's skin.

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