The Make Happy Club Box #3 (Warning contains spoilers)

This months project reveal blog is a bit of an emotional one! But I am so excited to be able to finally spill the beans on Make Happy Club Box #3! This months project is designed and inspired by one of the Ellbie Co. team and I am so happy to be able to finally reveal to you what it is going to be....

For the 3rd Make Happy Club box we are going back to cross stitch with an adorable but simple design - this month we are celebrating inner strength and the power that we all posess. I think during the pandemic at times we have all felt powerless to the events that have been unfolding around us and this months kit is a reminder that are all more powerful than we think.

What inspired this design however wasn't the pandemic - it was one of the smallest and fluffiest members of the Ellbie Co. team...our guinea pig Crumpet. Crumpet is the definition of being more powerful than you think...here is her story... We rescued Crumpet after seeing an advert online of a dishevelled baby guinea pig sat hunched up in a cage that was too small, empty of food and a sea of plastic. She had no cagemates and was very scared. When I went to collect her the person who greeted me informed me that she had allowed her dog to chase crumpet and pick her up in her mouth and shake her. Crumpet was sat in a childs plastic drawer soaking wet (they had bathed her) with no hay or food. She was tiny and underweight and very scared. I bought her home and for the first few days we couldn't even stroke her - after being chased by a dog as a baby she was scared to be touched and even the slightest stroke on her back would result in her twisting aroung and trying to bite us. She just sat in her new cage still and small and scared. After a week or so we were able to get her a cagemate (waffle) and this helped a lot! She got a bit braver and started to come out to greet us...but we still couldn't stroke her properly. Months passed and eventually the attempts at biting stopped - we took things slowly and within her comfort zone. And after a while she started to trust us - those bites turned into little licks. Instead of being unable to stroke her - we now could stroke her all over (she particularly loves chin rubs!) Today she is the most relaxed guinea pig that we have ever had. She doesn't even try to run when we go to pick her up - she wheeks when she see's us in excitement and will wait to be stroked! She also has gained lots of weight and is a big fluffy happy crumpet.

To me Crumpet although tiny is the definition of powerful - for such a small creature who had been through a lot of trauma she found her inner power and strength to not only survive but to learn how to trust again and how to thrive. This project for box 3 is inspired by her power but also the power that we all have - it's a reminder that even in those times when you feel powerless or like the odd one out or uncomfortable. That you have more power in those situations than you realise! So for this new design I have a mouse befriending a lion (much like Crumpet learnt how to trust humans again!) The colours are a stunning pallete of rich yellows and dark blues. With cute design and striking lettering - it is perfect for a bit of home office wall art.

Cross stitch if you haven't done it before is a fantastic needlepoint craft to begin your stitching journey with. Once you have learnt the stitch needed following our photo instructions, then it is simply a case of following the pattern and watching the design come to life on your fabric.

This kit only uses whole cross stitches too which keeps it nice and simple to introduce you gently to cross stitching. And it comes with everything that you need to complete your design - check out the unboxing video below to see what is included!

Once stitched this design will look perfect as a little accent of colour on a gallery wall, as a gift for a friend or hung up by your bedroom mirror!

Subscriptions open on the 1st of July 2021 and will then close on the 20th of July 2021 with the first box being sent out end of July ready for August!

Every month £3 from each box will be donated to a different charity and this month for any subscription sign ups in July we will be donating £3 for each Make Happy Club box sold to The National Autistic Society via the work for good platform.

The National Autistic Society are the UK's leading charity for people on the autism spectrum and their families. They campaign to improve the rights, services and opportunities for autistic people within our society. So if you choose to subscribe this month then you will be actively helping them to continue their fantastic work. Whilst also stitching something that will make you feel good too! You can find out more about The National Autistic Society here:https://www.autism.org.uk/ And if you would like to learn more about Work for Good click here: https://workforgood.co.uk/

If you would like to find out more about the Make Happy Club box please click here: https://www.ellbie.co/make-happy-club-box

I can't wait to see your boxes arriving and stitched up pieces!

Happy stitching!

Love Becci xx