Fall is Here!

Well, well, well.  It was a quick and exciting summer.  I thought I was going to have a ton of time to sit around and crochet.  Didn't happen.  My kids kept be quite busy.  However, my personal "crochet challenge" was always in the back of my mind and I DO have a box load of hats that I will be delivering to the homeless soon.  I'll take a pic of the box in a few days.  Right now, I don't wanna get up out of this comfy chair and make the effort.  But trust me, it's a big box 'o hats.  I'd like to thank the following people for contributing to this latest batch:
Kim Little
Scott Weinert
Marita Osterloh
Myla Wunderlich
Scott and Melissa Thacker
Traci Underwood
Maryellen Greene
Sharron Burnett
Lisa Anderson
Thanks guys for helping me!!

Summer update

I was able to tell just a few homemade items (thanks Maryellen) and with the profits I intend to purchase more winter hats for the homeless.  Since it's the beginning of the summer, I have taken a short break from crocheting, in order to have a little summer fun with my kiddos.  However, we've planned a big road trip and I hope to use that time to make a ton of hats.  I've lost track of how many I actually have right now, but I'll count them up and let you know.  Must be about 50?  Anyway, have a great summer.  Keep the prayers coming, that I can focus on my purpose and work diligently.  Thanks!!!

Blankets needed

Yea, I'm still crocheting hats for the homeless.  And frankly, I'm getting a little tried of it.  :)  But I'll keep going.  Pictures of the lastest ones will be up soon.  For now, I'm asking anyone who has any spare blankets (big, little, baby, throw, or just some scrap material) to bring it by my house.  I'm going to donate some blankets to the animal shelter.  We have a new shelter off of Borgfeld road, called Animal Friends.  I want to help them out by giving their pups something to sleep on.  So anything you have will help.  Thanks!

FOR SALE

HERE ARE MY FIRST FEW ITEMS UP FOR SALE. NO PRESSURE TO BUY. BUT IF YOU'RE INTERESTED, THEN SEND ME AN EMAIL TO :
ciffymartin@gmail.com
(or through a message thru this website) and I will get back to you with details on how to get your item mailed to you. Remember, the profits from these items will go to the homeless. Thanks. AND CHECK BACK LATER BECAUSE NEW ITEMS WILL BE posted!

Purse  $18














Hat $12 for child size (you'll hav to tell me the age of your child and size)

$18 for adult (takes longer to do an adult hat)









Handmade afghan (already completed and ready to go!)  $40















SPREAD THE WORD!!!!

SOFT baby blanket (can make in other colors too...just ask!)  approx. 28X32"
$25

This hat can be made for any size and any color combo...just ask!  $10

COMING NEXT WEEK....

Hopefully, next week I can begin to post some items that I am selling. The profits will be used to purchase items for the SAMM shelter, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, and more. Spread the word!!

Care Packages coming soon!

The baby drive was fairly successful, but now it's time to move on to my next project. Are you paying attention? I know I'm changing directions all the time, but it's working! Just so you know, I am STILL crocheting a gazillion hats and scarves with your donated yarn. They are just going into a trunk, to be given out NEXT winter. So if you still want to donate yarn, I'm still accepting it!
My next project, meanwhile, is to create some "care packages". I'm going to make a large amount of crocheted items that I can sell (spread the word) and with the profits, I will make care packages fro the homeless. The will include soap, a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a comb. So, keep watching my blog becuase soon I will have items up for sale. REALLY CHEAP, TOO!!! I promise!!

Results of the baby drive

I held a "Baby Drive" this last weekend, within my neighborhood. I initially tried to place flyers on the community's mailbox. Those got torn off. So then I shoved the flyers into the individual mailboxes. I guess a few people saw them, but am asuming most of them were tossed intot he trash. On the day before the drive, I made a huge banner, advertising the effort, on my garage door. The wind blew it to bits. The day of the drive, I placed a huge cardboard sign in the front yard, that advertised the baby drive. The wind kept blowing it over and then it rained. It was so pathetic! But in the end, I did have a few neighbors give very generously to the homeless babies of San Antonio. I wish I had more to give, but I'm very excited to deliver everything to the San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries on Thursday. Every little bit counts, right?!

PS Don't forget that if you EVER have ANYTHING to give away, send it my way. I'll take it to SAMM's homeless. Thanks!!

Pics

I've been neglecting the photos, I know. But if you knew what my husband's study looked like and the hassle I had to go through just to put pictures on the computer, then you'd understand. Anyway, I have still been busy, busy making items for the homeless. So here are some pictures. These items come from yarn donated from John Martin, Katie Little, Kim Little, Maryellen Green, and Marita Osterloh, Traci Underwood, Scott and Melissa Thacker. And the little blue scarf was donated by my sweet son, Ian. He wanted soem little boy to be warm this winter. What a sweetheart! Thanks to all of you!!!

"The Junk Lady"

I'm quickly gaining a reputation for being the lady who'll take your junk to the homeless. I love it!! It brings me such joy and I think it's my calling in life.
I recently sent out Valentine's to some of my neighbors. I want to inform them of my charity, so that they can help me out, whenever they see fit. So, to my neighbors, welcome to my blog. I collect yarn from anyone willing to donate it, and I make scarves and hats for the homeless (via SAMM). But in addition to this, I also will take any other donations that you are willing to give. Here's a list of some of the items that SAMM needs:
clothes
coats
hats
furniture
t.v's
linens
toiletries
toys
baby items
and much more. Imagine that you are starting your life over, with NOTHING. Now you know what these people will need. But PLEASE, use some logic. Do not leave me with partially used food or toiletries, broken down furniture, filthy clothes, and garbage. Otherwise, feel free to leave ANY items you wish to donate on my driveway. (1219 Ganton Lane) I'll take things anytime, anyday. I'll deliver them, myself, to the Transitional Center of the San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries.

Upcoming Event:
"Baby and Toiletry Drive" in March
So start gathering up your old baby items (clothes, unopened food, toys, blankets, diapers, wipes, etc) and unused toiletries. I'll be collecting them in March. Thanks!

Flowers for Haiti

I wanted to inspire people to give to the American Red Cross, to help the Haitians in their time of struggle. So I decided to crochet flower pins and give them away to anyone who opted to give to the red cross. The flowers are done and are on their way to their new owners. I raised $100 for the Red Cross. I feel happy about this small but meaningful contribution. But don't ask...I'm not making the flower pins anymore. I want to get back to my hats and scarves for the homeless. I'm also in the process of planning a "baby and toiletry drive"....more on this later.

Sorry about the crummy picture. I don't claim to be the family photographer. I leave that up to my cousin Katie.

EVENT:

This spring I am going to have a "baby" and "toiletry" drive. I will be asking for baby items, such as equipment, clothing, bottles, formula, diapers, wipes, and safe toys. Toiletries include deodorant, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, etc. These items are VERY MUCH NEEDED. Imagine life without these essentials! I'm waiting until it gets a little warmer, for this drive because I will be asking for the donations to be delivered to my front yard. Wouldn't want it to get rained on. Anyway, check back later for an update on this effort. And start saving up your baby stuff! I am willing to pick it up from you, if within a reasonable distance. (Houston included!)

These are from John Martin and Maryellen Greene.
I actually made THREE of each color, but thought it was stupid to post pictures of what looks like the same scarf! Anyway, it's not actually that cold here lately, so I may just hang onto the rest of the items I make and donate them before next winter. But as I've said over and over again, I will continue to crochet YEAR ROUND. So keep spreading the word, please!

update on scarves and hats

...just in case you're wondering, yes, I AM still crocheting like a mad woman!!  I will post photos in a minute.  I usually make at least 4 or 5 items before I make a drop off.  Just makes more sense than to take each individual item.  I have plenty of yarn to work with right now, so all I'm asking from you guys is to keep following me.  It gives me a boost, to know you're watching my progress!!  Thanks!

Devastated Haiti

I ENCOURAGE ALL OF YOU TO GIVE TO THE RED CROSS TODAY, FOR THE HAITIANS.  I'VE BEEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I COULD DO FOR THEM, BUT QUICKLY CROCHETING A TON OF BLANKETS IS JUST UNREALISTIC AND STUPID.  SO I'M JUST GOING TO PRAY AND SPREAD THE MESSAGE TO GIVE!

Oopsy

My coat drive got a little out of hand the other day.  I was getting a lot of coats and when I picked them up, I would throw them into a pile at my front door.  Well, the kid across the street walked over to our house with a green coat and it was thrown into the pile with the others.  A couple of days AFTER I donated the coats, a friend asked me if we had her sons coat at our house.  Oops!  I told her it was most likely keeping someone else warm today.  You've gotta be careful at the Martin household right now.  I'm a donating fool!  Hang onto your belongings becaus I just moght donate it!!

Coat Drive update

....12 coats!  Not bad for a couple of days work.  I'll deliver them today or tomorrow.  Thanks to my neighbors who donated!!!

Coat Drive

Brrrrrrrr.  It's really cold out today.  And it's going to be windy and in the low 20's tonight.  So yesterday I stared a spontaneous coat drive, in my neighborhood.  I posted some signs and am hoping to get at least a couple of coats donated for the homeless.  I drove around the city today, stopping at every major chain store (Walamart, Target, Old Navy, etc) and bought up the last of their gloves.  Most of them were on sale for practically nothing!  I delivered a few wintery items to the San Antonio Metropolitan Ministries this afternoon.  I hope that they'll help keep a few more people warm during this vicious cold front we're experiencing.  I'm only posting htis to let you kn ow what I'm doing.  I'm NOT asking any of my followers for coats.Only local people.  I'm simply going to see how many coats I can get in the next couple of days.  So far, I've counted 8.

Help!!!!

I can't thank everyone enough for all of your support with my new mission.  I'm now recruiting my fellow knitters and crocheters to help.  If you know how to crochet, knit, or want to learn how, just leave me a message via this blog (I moderate all coments before posting them, so any personal info you give me will be edited out) and I can send you some of my yarn, so that you too can  make a scarf or two.  Just let me know if you're interested in helping.  Obviously, this will work best with local people, so that I'm not constantly paying postage to send yarn all over the world, but I am willing to figure out a way to get it to you, if you do not live in San Antonio...just ask!