Donation: Knitted Baby Blanket

January 27, 2019January 27, 2019Leave a comment

img_2970 zvc At long last, I finished my practice knitted baby blanket! By the time I completed it, including giving it a gentle wash, I realized it would make a terrific donation to a local charity or hospital.

I bought two skeins of this sweet yarn that knits up into stripes with little flowers when you do stockinette stitch. For my practice blanket, I did a border of seed stitch. The colorway is Buttercup but if you follow that link above, you’ll see there are tons of different colors! (So hard not to buy more…) I even have some leftover that I think I’ll try a hat with down the road.

The blanket took me a while to complete, since I started it when I was brand new to knitting, and I would pick it up and put it down. Although it could be tedious at times, it really did help me practice my tension with knitting and just becoming overall comfortable with the pastime. There are plenty of mistakes in this blanket but no holes, and it is just the cuddliest blanket, perfect for a baby’s skin to snuggle up with.

I’ve chosen Project Linus to start and if I don’t get anywhere there, I will try Knots of Love next. It feels good to give back and know someone will benefit from the hours of toil I put into this piece.

Have you ever knitted or crocheted for a charity? If so, what have you made and given away?

Lulu the Unicorn: Raising Funds for Lupus Foundation!

March 30, 2018April 18, 2018Leave a comment

Guys, I am so excited to share this finished creation and post with you!

A friend of mine is the President of the Lupus Foundation-Heartland Chapter in St. Louis, MO. Although I live 2.5 hours away, I do what I can to donate time and resources to this not-for-profit. Lupus is still undergoing research into how it operates, which means it’s more difficult to get a diagnosis, and treatment for the disease is challenging. Because it’s so “mysterious,” it doesn’t get the same kinds of attention that other illnesses do, such as breast cancer.

The types of services Lupus Foundation provides include support groups, camp for teenagers, and countless others to those of all ages.

The Heartland Chapter serves a large corner of the Midwest. As it goes with all not-for-profits, they have various fundraisers throughout the year. Their big event is The Purple Ball.

This year’s Purple Ball is at The Four Seasons on Saturday, April 7, 2018. It is a really fun affair; my husband and I were able to attend last year. We aren’t able to go this year so instead, I was asked to create something as an auction item.

I thought the unicorn pattern from My Krissie Dolls would be the perfect thing to be creative with, particularly if I made the unicorn with shades of purple for the mane and tail.

I gave myself plenty of time to make the doll (especially because you can’t rush a good mane) and honestly, it came out exactly as I’d hoped. I think she’s a stunner! She is a very large doll, too, at 18″ tall.

Currently, there is a post on the zavvy creations Facebook page with a “Donate now” button and the event information. If you are in the St. Louis metro area and want to inquire about attending the event OR if you would simply like to give to a terrific cause (with a small but mighty team of people who work for Lupus Foundation-Heartland Chapter), hit up that post or this link for more information and/or to donate on their website instead of through Facebook.

Every little bit counts, so if you are able to give even the smallest of donations, it means the world to me and to those who will be able to benefit from the services this organization provides.

If nothing else, happy Spring and pastel season! Bunnies and eggs and chocolate, oh my!

Update as of April 18, 2018: Lulu and the rest of the auction items helped the Purple Ball raise a significant chunk of change to make it an incredibly successful event! Thrilled for my friend and the organization.

Feel the Love and Savings

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017Leave a comment

Hallo, everybody!

I thought I’d let my handful of readers know about a discount code I’ve got active in the Etsy shop right now: ZVCTHANKS shaves off 10% of any purchase in the shop, be it crochet or photography items.

My shop is three years old and so I am passing on the love–and savings–to those who have lurked and waited for the right time to buy something.

This code is good through February 16! Happy shopping!

School of Rock Scholarship Benefit Show

November 2, 2015November 3, 20152 Comments

Well happy November, everyone!

I am pleased and honored to announce that I was able to work up a few items for donation to the School of Rock Scholarship Benefit Show in Evanston, IL!

A member of my extended family works for the School of Rock and is assisting to coordinate the benefit show, so of course I was more than happy to donate some items in order to raise some funds for a terrific organization.

Pertinent info: the Schools of Rock Evanston and Highwood are getting ready to host their annual Scholarship Benefit Show, which will be held on November 8 at 27 Live in Evanston. All proceeds from the show, raffles, and silent auction will go toward their Scholarship Fund, which directly impacts enrolled students who rely on scholarship funds.

As someone who grew up playing an instrument and developed a deep and lasting love of music, supporting an organization that develops this fundamental relationship in youths really matters to me.

Here’s a little more about the School of Rock and their philosophy:

School of Rock isn’t just about creating killer musicians with a lasting love for all things rock. Because life isn’t a solo act, we’re equally focused on creating awesome bands of friends and musicians. We build a solid foundation for musical education. But we go on creating awesome bands of friends and musicians. We’re as much about orchestrating a community on the North Shore full of cool experiences as we are about building confidence, extraordinary teamwork, and achieving excellence through our unique teaching method. School of Rock is a place where all kids are accepted and encouraged, and we do not want to turn away families who might not be able to afford our programs.

Below are some photos of the items I made and donated. In addition to the bunny and dragonfly baby blanket, I made available to the winner of the auction items a special coupon code for my shop. (Pumpkin is not part of the auction, however.)

If you are in the Chicago area and want to donate or participate in the benefit, check out their Facebook page for more information on the event. It really looks like it’s going to be a fabulous success and lots of fun!

Sunnyside Preschool Halloween Carnival and Auction

September 28, 2015September 27, 2015Leave a comment

It’s autumn. At last! Probably the most favorite season of all seasons. With it comes the cooler temps, the leaves bursting into color, sweater weather, the smell of wood smoke in the air from fires being lit, hot beverages (with marshmallows), Pumpkin Everything, crocheted accessories like scarves and fingerless mittens, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the pre-Christmas festivities and anticipation. Oh and don’t forget the millions of pins that will be pinned on Pinterest with all the autumn excitement.

There is a lot packed in to three months!

Autumn also brings fun festivities, like Halloween carnivals! A friend of mine who lives in California reached out to me to ask whether I could donate some items for a Halloween carnival and auction to raise money for her son’s preschool.

I was delighted to help out and checked my stores for some things I could give away. I happened to have some things that I thought would make someone very happy if they bid on them; I also added an amigurumi to round out the package.

So here is what will be up to win and/or bid on!