Giving from the heart

Over the past year, I have had the wonderful opportunity to meet many outstanding people who are a great inspiration to me and others. One such person is Tammy Rollston.

"The more that people do for others, the more smiles it brings to those people and any funds that are generated will not only help those patients medical, but also emotionally." - Tammy Rollston

 I LOVE seeing the beautiful things she so lovingly creates for babies. I asked her if she would share her story with snappy friends. She has such a giving heart and definitely proves one person can make a huge difference.

From Tammy: My name is Tammy. I have been with my hubby for 30 years this August. My
hubby and I have two children, a son and a daughter. Both have blessed me with
beautiful grandbabies. I have been crocheting for 25+ years.

My job requires me to travel 9 months out of the year and I spend most of my
time (when not working), in hotels/apartments so to keep my mind busy I crochet.

So many families have lost someone due to the deadly disease, Cancer. It’s not
an easy thing for them to have to deal with, so…..

“What I love to do” is crochet for those in need, cancer patients, and children’s
hospitals, local families that have had their babies way to early. I recently was
ask by a cancer patient (also a co-worker) if I could make her up some hats, as
she is undergoing chemo/radiation treatment and has lost all her hair .

One very important event for me (and my hubby) is the Sandy Corley Memorial
Run which takes place every year in June (coming up this week end) and I try
to donate as many hats as possible to the Johnson Family Cancer Center in
Muskegon, MI. We have volunteered for this event for 24 years strong; he is the
head of security and also the vendors. He even comes up with strange ideas for
hats, and I do in search for them because I try to donate some to our Friday
night auction every year.

My personal coordinator asked me if I would mind making up some hats for a
former co-workers 11 year old daughter because she was battling brain cancer,
as just recently was ask to make up some things for 4 preemie little ones that
were born to co-workers.

Doing this is so important to me, if I can help others, then I will do the best that I
can for them. I don’t ask for donations, yarn or supplies to make up what I have,
it comes from the heart, so no one can put a price on it. The smiles and the looks
in their faces and the words of hope that their family member will make it, is all
the payment I need

I have made many different special occasion dresses; including a red, white
and blue dress for my grand daughter to wear to her fathers BMT (Air Force)
graduation. My daughter told me everyone that seen it was in love with it. My
daughter still has it hung in her closet, even though it doesn’t even fit as a shirt
anymore.

I recently made a gun sling for my grand son’s pretend gun. My daughter kept
asking him to stop placing it through his collar down the back of his shirt, so I had
the idea to make a sling for it. Then I added a belt for him to place his bullets in.
My daughter informs me that his friends also want one for theirs. Guess I have
another “to make” list.

So as you can see, when I do get to visit my daughter down south, grammy has
to bring a lot of yarn with her, because I will never know what to expect from
them, and hubby tries to keep me out of the yarn stores down there (but in all
reality, he doesn’t mind.

Making things for others, “It’s what I love to do”

About one of the projects Tammy is involved with:

"It’s not just my husband and I that volunteer for this event, but many, many more people.
It takes an entire year for the HOG Chapter and the Corley’s to plan this event every
Year. The Corely family are the owners of our local Harley Dealership and they lost
Their husband, father, grandfather and good friend to cancer 24 years ago.

The man on the right “Rick”of the picture is the son of that man and the woman on the
right, “Barb”Is the one that came up with the idea to start a memorial run in the name of
the man “Sandy Corley” that passed away.

A lot of planning, love, sweat and tears are put into this event every June. In 2013 will be
A very big event, the 25th, can’t wait to see what happens then !

I know this isn't snappy related, but just had to share. Today was the big day for the
donation of the funds that were raised at the Sandy Corley Memorial run benefit that
my hubby and i have volunteered for now for 24 years. This check is what was donated
TODAY, which after 24 years the total is "drum roll please" over $1.4 million dollars to
the Johnson Family Cancer Center (the same place my hats go to" WUHOOO :)"

Thank you Tammy!

Handmade Gifts

I was raised to appreciate handmade gifts. At first I thought it was just my parent's way of being nice when I couldn't afford to buy fancy presents. They always said they would rather have something I made then something I bought because of the time and effort put into it. Over the years I have come to appreciate handmade things so much more and understand their feelings. It means a lot to me when someone takes the time to share their talent.
Each year I search for just the right thing to make. This year I thought of a unique gift for a group of friends or family.
In a few weeks I will share my idea with you. In the meantime, I need your help. Please fill out the form below:

Recreate and win patterns

The lovely Kristine from Kristines Lil Loves sent me pix of this beautiful scarf to see if I knew of a pattern so she could make one. It is a commercially made scarf, but I KNOW there is a pattern out there somewhere OR one of our super talented snappy friends can recreate one.
Take a look at the pix. Then enter for a chance to win patterns.

Two ways to enter: 
1. Find a pattern for a a similar scarf, make one and share your picture for a chance to receive 2 snappy patterns of your choice.
OR
2. Recreate the scarf and email pix and the pattern for a chance to win 5 snappy patterns of your choice. EVERY entry that turns out the same wins!
IMPORTANT: please do not copy someone else's pattern and turn it in as your own.

Deadline: August 24, 2012 midnight  mt. Email all entries to Heidi.

Monday...cupcakes

This week, instead of Monday Muffins, I want to share this cute cupcake block pattern I found.
 We have been talking a lot about crocheting squares for a blanket so I have been searching for fun ones. Cupcakes are like muffins crazy cousin, full of life and ready for any party.
Of course I had to keep googling to see what other marvelous things I could find. Here are some free suh-weet creations:

Cutie Patootie Cupcakes

Cupcake Purse
Cupcake Purse with Tutorial
Cupcake Purse with Beads
Striped Cupcake Beanie
Rippled Edge Cupcake Hat

Weird Little Rectangle

My mom is the queen of getting things clean. Whenever I come across a stain I can't get out or something I can't clean, I ask my mom. For several months she kept giving me this strange little white block, promising it would perform miracles. I tried it a few times (dry) and then threw it away. She kept giving them to me and I kept quietly throwing them away. Then, I found out I was supposed to be getting the block wet. It IS a miracle. I went to the store and bought more (remember, silly me had thrown away several). I use them for everything now.
Give them a try. Here are some uses for this weird little rectangle:

35 new uses for the Magic Eraser

1. Remove coffee and tea stains from mugs.
2. Clean stains left inside the crock pot.
3. Clean pet and child vomit from carpet or clothing- I’d try a test spot on any fabric before you use the Magic Eraser on it!
4. Remove grass stains from shoes after mowing the lawn.
5. Clean outdoor furniture and toys, like white resin, plastic toys or white painted furniture (but scrub lightly on the painted furniture!).
6. Clean pool liners.
7. Clean vinyl surfaces.
8. Clean your car’s hubcaps.
9. Clean the built-up gunk from inside of your refrigerator.
10. Clean the dishwasher interior.
11. Remove rust from most surfaces.
12. Clean your computer, including your keyboard, mouse and some even say your laptop itself! I’d go lightly as you wipe down these electronic pieces.
13. Clean your phone- try gently wiping down your phone’s mouthpiece to get rid of built-up grime.
14. Remove cooked-on stains in pots and pans.
15. Clean your sticky/dusty range hood over the stove. (What, yours isn’t sticky or dusty? Mhmm… well mine is! Ha!)
16. Remove nail polish spills or stains.
17. Clean your gutters.
18. Clean mirrors and windows- some say that the Magic Eraser gives them a streak-free and clean mirror! And it will apparently prevent your mirrors in the bathroom from steaming when you shower… hmmm.
19. Remove mildew from tents, vinyl canopies, awnings, fiberglass items, etc.
20. Remove paint over spray that has dried.
21. Remove food stains inside plastic food containers.
22. Remove fingerprints and dirt on light-colored kitchen cabinets.
23. Clean grout and tile (I have GOT to try this one for grout stains!).
24. Remove dried paint from door hinges.
25. Remove tarnish from silver.
26. Remove adhesive residue after removing stickers.
27. Remove hair dye from counter tops.
28. Clean plastic coolers inside and out.
29. Clean oven shelves and the grates on your grill.
30. Remove melted plastic from the side of the toaster oven.
31. Remove green algae from cement (such as bird baths, steps, ponds, etc.).
32. Remove toilet bowl rings- apparently you can simply cut off a piece of the Magic Eraser and let it sit in the toilet overnight to clean. Sounds easy enough to me!
33. Clean stained caulking along the kitchen sink and counter top- another must try!
34. Remove paint scratches on your car from minor fender benders.
35. Remove stains on the underside of the toilet seat.

Snappyland winners

A few months ago I started a facebook group called "snappyland" in hopes of creating a place we all could chat, help each other and gain back the atmosphere we all enjoyed on the main snappy page before timeline.
I LOVE it and appreciate all of the wonderful members in the group. Each weekend I will randomly choose a few winners from pix posted that week to receive a free pattern of choice.
This weeks winners are: Kathy Neff Dibble, Donna McGonigal and Jameelah Woodard.
Congratulations! Thanks to everyone for taking time to post pix and share your creations.

Giveaway winners announced

I have been having a few giveaways on facebook. After several months of refraining due to new fb rules, and doing lots of research about these, I held a couple small ones. Here are the winners, including links to the original giveaway:
Winners of free pattern of choice for bear picture giveaway: Nancy Belmudes-Gambill and Jacqueline Jones

Winners of new "lunch bag buddies" pattern
giveaway with monkey picture: Jessica Branch
giveaway with melon picture: Angie Christians
giveaway with football picture: Trisha Burkhart


The new Lunch Bag Buddies pattern is available for $2.99 today, 7/12/12. Regular price is $3.99. Add-on patterns will be released over the next few days for $1.99 each. They include instructions for turning the original bag pattern into lots of different animals and popular characters (the add-ons do NOT include the basic bag pattern). These add-on patterns will be great on hats, scarves, bags, too.
I chose to release them this way, rather then charging for the bag over and over again, each time I designed a new animal/character version. I LOVE how the bag turned out and I think it will be great as many things. Great seller for shops too because it works up quickly, with few supplies.
What add-ons are coming? Well, you will have to keep watching for them...some disney friends are sure to be among the first.

More winners

We had a hard time choosing a family choice winner. All of the entries were amazing. We have decided to give each contestant a free pattern of their choice. If you entered please send me an email and let me know which pattern you would like.

Family Choice winner of 3 patterns: Martha Shaw

...and the winners are...

CONTEST WINNERS: First, thank you to everyone for entering. I appreciate the time people spent on their entries and graphics. They ALL were FANTASTIC. We have very talented snappy friends.

First place and winner of 3 patterns of choice: Jaime Unsworth Devries.

Second place and winner of 2 patterns of choice: Nichole Myers.

Third place and winner of 1 pattern of choice: Donna McGonigal.

Family Choice will be announced Thursday, July 5th.

More winners

More winners have been chosen for the Humungous giveaway. Several vendors offered to give prizes to multiple winners. I had forgotten about this when I did the winners. Please check all of the list and see if you have won. If you are a winner...CONGRATULATIONS..contact the vendor for your prize.