I used to participate, year long, with a local Farmer's Market. We'd sell items every month, but as the years have gone by, kids have moved out, dairy goats were re-homed, and well, I got very very busy with my garden. And we stopped making goat's milk soap. I stopped selling jellies and jams. However, I still crocheted and knitted.
At the beginning of our adventures, I wanted to have an item that filled a basket, and sold for $1.00 each. I decided to make cup coasters with scraps of cotton yarn, and make them like flowers.
These sold every time we set up at the market. Women loved them especially. I was complimented on the colors and how fun they were to have.
One year I tucked many into a CD plastic envelopes, that had a business card pocked on the outside. I tucked the crocheted coaster where the CD would go, added our business card and snapped the plastic envelope shut. The kids passed them out to anyone they came up to at the Farmer's Market until they were gone.
One year, Mom went into hospital #1 for hear surgery #1. I visited often and sat with her in her room to make sure she was getting what she needed. Doctors these days. Rolling my eyes. And some nurses (sorry, but it was a mess up there that year).
Well, I took my crochet work with me, and crocheted and visited with Mom. One day I noticed the elderly woman in the room next door had not gotten any visitors. All heart patients had a water cup with a straw and lid, so nurses could track their liquid etc. I decided to whip up a colorful cup coaster for this lady. I asked the nurse if she'd place it under the woman's water cup while she was napping.
Hours later the nurse said the woman woke up and was tickled pink to have gotten the coaster. She wanted to know who made it and where it came from. Soon, the nurses were oo'ing and aw'ing over them, so soon the nurses station was sporting crocheted flower coasters under their beverages. It made them smile.
Ever since then, I've crocheted the mix and match flowers, and have had a basket of $1.00 cup/mug coasters for sale. Most times, they are all different, but some times you are lucky of there are two the same. They are made in all varieties of colors - bold, bright, pastels, etc.
These are fun to tuck into an envelope to cheer someone up. They are fun to gift for no reason at all. They are perfect to cheer up someone at their work station or desk.
One year I made them for the kids, so they would stop using more than one cup and know who had what cup all day.
So there you have it. How the flower coaster cheered up many people, and organized my home. I hope they cheer up more.
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