Charm and Strange Crochet

I'm going to be honest: the gift ideas on this list aren't going to be as exciting as a Nintendo Switch or a diamond tennis bracelet, or even a gorgeous knit sweater. But sometimes, it's the simple gifts that make the biggest impression on people - especially when it's something they will be able to use over and over, saving them money down the road and reducing their carbon and plastic footprints! So here is a list of my best-selling reusable items that you can find in my Etsy shop for your consideration this holiday season. 10 reusable, sustainable handmade gifts 1. Soft washcloths Wash your face and body in comfort with these extremely soft, durable washcloths! Ditch the disposable plastic loofahs and wonky sponges that only last a month for a more eco-friendly way to gently wash away the day's makeup and sweat. Machine washable, this gift will last for years. They're ideal for anyone who uses either bar soap or liquid body wash! Wash cloths are always BOGO 1

It's that time of year - the holidays are officially upon us! Mariah Carey is rocking in full swing, and I'm trying to avoid WHAMageddon once again. (Mark and I survived it in 2019!) Maybe you've gotten your big gifts out of the way, but you still need that little something  for your mom's stocking, or your kid's teacher gift, or your work Secret Santa party. Maybe you want to support a small business because it feels better inside, but you don't want to spend a lot because, let's face it, inflation is high and wages are stagnant so your budget is stretched thin. I gotchu, babe. 7 stocking stuffer ideas under $10 1. Soap Savers I've gone back and forth on what to call this item. It's a soap cozy, because it wraps around your bar of soap. It's a soap saver, because the cotton fibers "cling" to the soap when it dries, so you can easily use up a small nugget of soap. It's also a soap saver because you can use the drawstring to hang you

When I first made a drawstring bag for myself, I had one use in mind: dice. I'd just started playing Dungeons and Dragons with some friends, and I collected three sets of polyhedral dice pretty quickly. I wanted something prettier and more practical to keep my dice in than the clear plastic display boxes they often come in. I decided to sell three sizes: small (good for 1-3 sets of dice), medium (good for 3-5 sets of dice), and large (great for minifigures and/or oversized dice). But when I bring the drawstring bags with me to craft fairs, and people ask "what are these for?" and I answer "dice for D&D," most people put them down. I've never sold a single drawstring bag at a craft fair! So I figured it was time I shine the spotlight on some different uses for these bags - because a drawstring bag has just about a million uses! From gift wrapping to everyday practical uses, in this blog post you're sure to find a new way to use your bag. 1. Marbles a

I have another cat-themed release scheduled for October 1st at the South Mitten's Kittens Rescue craft fair ! Introducing... CAT HEAD PLUSHIES!!! Aren't these just too cute? I am SO obsessed with these! Every time I finish one, I show my husband and we both squeal in our "it's-a-cute-kitty" voices. Cat head plushies will be debuting at the SMKR craft fair in Milford, MI on October 1st, but don't fret - these will be added to my permanent collection! As soon as I made one of them, I started having visions of creating custom cat heads based on customer photos. Wouldn't that be a lovely way to honor the memory of a beloved lost cat, or commemorate the adoption of a new one? Keep an eye out on my Etsy shop , social media , and here on the blog for the online release of cat heads! Cat head plushies will retail for $25 in person. As with the cat bookmarks, 30% of the profits from all sales made on October 1st (in-person AND online) will benefit the South Mitten&

My first event of the season, on October 1st, is a fundraiser for South Mitten's Kittens Rescue . Okay, how cute is that name?? I'm a sucker for rhymes. And I'm also a sucker for themes. My mati bookmarks were so successful at Opa Fest back in July that I decided to run with the cat theme and make some cat bookmarks! Aren't these darling? The pattern is by Justina Kacprzak on Ravelry . The pattern is free, so if you're interested in making one of your own, go for it! They work up super quickly - about 15 minutes each once I got a hang of the pattern. The best part about small patterns like this is that when I make 25 of them in a row, I end up memorizing the pattern which means I can work super quickly! These sweet bookmarks come in six colors: black, white, grey, orange, teddy-bear-brown, and orange-brown.  Cat bookmarks will sell for $4 each at the South Mitten's Kittens craft fair. They will also be available online after the event, so if you're not able

For the past year and a half or so, my nephews have been pretty in to Pokemon. Cards, toys, binders for their cards, and my sister made an incredible Pokeball cake for one of their birthday parties! So I decided that they were all going to get handmade Pokemon plushies for their birthdays. Robert got Ditto... William got Polywag... ...and Andrew got Wooper! My friends all love Pokemon too, and when I showed them what I'd been making for my nephews, a few of them wanted some plushies of their own.  Matt asked for a Shiny Ditto (essentially a special, more powerful version - so he's a different color from the standard version that Robert got): And Dana asked for Magnemite. Unfortunately, the pattern that I most wanted to make has been discontinued due to pattern thieves stealing the free and wonderful work by Frog and Fasten , and then charging for it. Frog and Fasten's work - isn't it darling?? I ended up purchasing a pattern on Ravelry written by Andrea Schroeder . But