So Many Blessings

Oh my!  It seems that God just continues to pour out his blessings on this Crafty Angels ministry!  At our meeting on September  19th, our hearts were full with His goodness and the continued support of so many.  First of all, we had a great turnout of sixteen Angels - which is more like the attendance we see at our big meeting in November.  A big THANKS to those who were there with their latest creations and who helped to unpack, display, and store the abundance of yarny goodness we saw that day.  As I mentioned in my email prior to the September meeting, we have a new partnership with the Windy City Knitting Guild.  What a blessing they have been to us already as you'll see in the pictures to follow.  There were SO MANY BOXES of love gifts to open at this last meeting, I didn't think we were ever going to get through them all!  We have had people stop by our church office - some anonymous and some new - with bags of donations (both finished items and yarn) in addition to the many boxes we have been receiving, on top of all the wonderful things that the Angels who attended the meeting brought with them.  For the first time I can remember in my time as a co-leader, I actually have to go out and buy more bins to store it all.  We are so grateful for your generosity and for the fact that we will be able to bless even more people with gifts of love and warmth this Christmas season.

Without further ado, let's get to the great part of this blog...the pictures!  The contributor's name is shown below each photo.

Angela Walsh

Maddy Aschwand (Nancy Byron's friend)
 

Nina Rubich

The Klickers from Logotee, IN

Anita Hohenstein

Lisa Broxterman from Axtell, KS

Carol Flowers from Bolingbrook, IL

Gina Faluo (friend of Cindy Weinzierl)

Jeannine Patt

Cindy Weinzierl

Olga de Jongh

Olga de Jongh (who also makes these beautiful cards, candles,
and soaps).  These are sold at our holiday sale to help raise
operating funds for Crafty Angels.

Jo Sztapka (Peggy Kingsley's surrogate knitter)

Maureen Martin

Debbie Kreusch - the toys just keep getting better!!

Debbie Kreusch

Debbie Kreusch - The Christmas afghan on the far right was one
started by Anita, but finished and pieced together by Debbie.
Thank you, Debbie!  Don't know how many things were in the
stash you delivered, but we were once again blown away!

Joyce Dattalo from Oswego, IL

Pam McMahon - who has obviously been VERY busy.  She came
with 85 completed items!

Windy City Knitting Guild - we were once again amazed when 5 or 6
large bags of yarny goodness were dropped off by the husband of one
of the members of WCKG.  Thank you Sharon Kurth for sending your
hubby with all of these beautiful gifts of love AND a donation of yarn!

Windy City Knitting Guild

Helen Watson from Wadsworth, IL

Things on the left are from Helen Watson and baby afghans
are from Debi Buerger from Wauconda, IL

Liz Kumitz (friend of Cindy Weinzierl) - who joined us
for the first time!

Baby afghans and baby hats (left side and right side) are from
Debi Buerger.  Yarny goodness in the middle is from Helen Watson.

Debi Buerger - who cranks out baby afghans faster
than anyone I know!!

Adorable baby afghan and hat sets from Debi Buerger

Windy City Knitting Guild

Windy City Knitting Guild

My bad!  I know I took the picture, but I'm not sure who
contributed this great stuff.  I'm pretty sure it was from a
box that was sent to us.  Please let me know if you see this
and can lay claim to it.  I like to make sure everyone gets
credit for the lovely work they do!
 

Marya Preston from Wheaton, IL

These items, as well as those in the next 2 photos, were the things
that Gail Shaw and I were given by the Windy City Knitting Guild
when we went to talk to them on August 18th.  We feel such
gratitude for being chosen as their charity of the year!

Windy City Knitting Guild

Windy City Knitting Guild

It's hard to believe that the next time we meet - November 14th - is our BIG and final meeting of the year!  We will start to package things to go out to the various charities we support and to assemble the scads of spa bags we give to the new moms at Swedish Covenant Hospital and to the women in the homeless shelters run by Cornerstone Community Outreach.  It's a busy and fun time for us.  As always, lunch will be served at this meeting as a way to say THANKS for all of your hard work and beautiful creations donated throughout the year.  We hope you can join us for this very special time together.  Blessings and love to all of you!