{"id":14045,"date":"2015-06-23T15:23:40","date_gmt":"2015-06-23T15:23:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ami.blogwrangler.net\/thelambertcollection\/"},"modified":"2017-08-13T08:18:04","modified_gmt":"2017-08-13T14:18:04","slug":"thelambertcollection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.allaboutami.com\/thelambertcollection\/","title":{"rendered":"The Lambert Collection"},"content":{"rendered":"

I am so excited to share this secret project that I\u2019ve been working on for a long time with you all! \u00a0As you know, I love crochet and all things kawaii \u2764.<\/p>\n

I was dismayed to find a lack of cute products such as tote bags, t-shirts and mugs available for crochet and yarn lovers whenever I looked online. \u00a0I always thought that it would be wonderful being able to proudly display my love of crochet and crafting! \u00a0Whenever I brought my crochet works-in-progress to my obstetrician appointments in generic reusable bags, I wished that I could store them in a cute crochet-related tote! \u00a0When I started brainstorming ideas for a tote bag design, I thought that it would be neat to incorporate some of my kawaii amigurumi to make them extra cute!<\/p>\n

Back in November when we first designed Lambert<\/a><\/b>, our lamb for Chinese New Year, the wheels really started turning, and I thought he would be the perfect amigurumi to feature in some crochet-related products! \u00a0I thought he was so cute and sweet, and I wanted to incorporate some yarn balls in the design: it was perfect since wool <\/b>comes from sheep, and 2015 is the\u00a0\u201cYear of the Sheep<\/b>\u201d!<\/p>\n

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With some designs in mind, I needed to search for an artist who could bring our designs to life! \u00a0In February 2015, I started connecting with a Canadian artist named Laura Uy<\/i><\/b> of \u201cArt + Soul Creative Co<\/a><\/b>\u201d on Instagram. \u00a0As I perused her work, I absolutely fell in love with her whimsical and unique style and I knew she would be the perfect artist to collaborate with. \u00a0You can read more about Laura HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b> as I interviewed her in a recent \u201cCraft Chat<\/i>\u201d post, and I know that many of you fell in love with her designs as well! \u00a0Thankfully, Laura immediately jumped on board when I asked her if she could create some custom work for us, and we excitedly began our design process!<\/p>\n

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Laura was an absolute joy to work with as she carefully listened to our vision and did some preliminary drafts. \u00a0We had two designs in mind and we sent her some VERY rough sketches (see below) to show her our ideas. \u00a0We were absolutely blown away as soon as she sent us both drafts! \u00a0Laura was able to carry out our vision beautifully and in her own style, going above and beyond what we had in mind. \u00a0We are so thankful that we waited for the perfect artist to come along as we did not jump into anything even though I had these ideas swirling in my mind for so long. \u00a0After a few quick edits, Laura sent us both final designs, and we were ready to move onto the next step!<\/p>\n

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Throughout the design process, I was researching which printing company to go with. \u00a0I wanted to go with a company that had reasonable prices and good quality products. \u00a0It seemed that many artists liked Society6<\/a><\/b>, and I ordered a tote bag from them to test out their product. \u00a0The quality was good, and I liked how they frequently offered free worldwide shipping<\/b> (they have free shipping promotions scheduled monthly- this is a big plus since shipping to Canada can often be pricey!). \u00a0Furthermore, I thought that the prices were very fair and their customer service was great as they always responded to my questions within 24 hours and were very helpful. \u00a0 I uploaded our two designs to Society6 and excitedly ordered some of our own products so that we could test them out and photograph them to show you!<\/p>\n

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Now, may I present to you\u2026.\u201dThe Lambert Collection<\/b>\u201d<\/a>! \u00a0It consists of two styles, each featuring our amigurumi Lambert<\/a><\/b>! \u00a0Style 1<\/i><\/b> is shown below and features seven playful and adorable Lamberts, each holding a colourful ball of yarn and doing their own thing! \u00a0I really like the phrase \u201cKeep Calm and Carry Yarn<\/i><\/b>\u201d as I think it\u2019s a clever take on the popular \u201cKeep Calm and Carry On\u201d meme as crocheting and knitting can be so therapeutic and instrumental in helping us \u201ckeep calm\u201d. \u00a0It\u2019s so fitting too when written on a tote bag which will be used to carry yarn! \u00a0I adore how the sixth Lambert\u2019s pink yarn actually turns into the word\u00a0\u201cYarn\u201d and loops as a little heart as well. \u00a0The pink, grey and gold bokeh hearts in the background are so pretty too<\/p>\n

\u2764 \u00a0Laura used water colours to create this piece, and it has a very soft and beautiful look to it!<\/p>\n

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Style 2<\/i><\/b> features one big Lambert holding a ball of yarn which also becomes the word\u00a0\u201cYarn\u201d! \u00a0I love how the focus really is on Lambert in this design with his fluffy fur, sweet face and glassy safety eyes. \u00a0We chose this beautiful pink and neutral colour palette as I think the white, taupe, browns and pinks look gorgeous together. \u00a0The same phrase\u00a0\u201cKeep Calm and Carry Yarn\u201d is featured, and the same font\/style of writing is used, just with different colours!<\/p>\n

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I am delighted that our designs show up beautifully on Society6\u2032s tote bags<\/a><\/b>! \u00a0They come in three sizes<\/i>: 13\u2033 x 13\u2033, 16\u2033 x 16\u2033, and 18\u2033 x 18\u2033. \u00a0These tote bags are hand sewn in America and are made of a \u201cdurable yet lightweight poly poplin fabric (100% polyester)\u201d according to their site. \u00a0The material actually has the look and feel of canvas and seems very durable. \u00a0The neat thing is that the artwork is featured on BOTH sides so there is no front or back! \u00a0The black 1\u2033 wide cotton straps are actually very long so you can comfortably wear this bag over your shoulder, even if you are wearing a thicker jacket (it\u2019s so annoying when purses or bags have straps that are too short!).<\/p>\n

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We purchased our two Lambert designs in two different sizes so that you can see approximately how big they are! \u00a0Here is our Style 2 in the medium 16\u2033 x 16\u2033 tote<\/a>!<\/i><\/p>\n

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And here is our Style 1 in the largest 18\u2033 x 18\u2033 size<\/a><\/i>! \u00a0 As you can see, it is very large! \u00a0If you are more petite, you could think about getting the small 13\u2033 x 13\u2033 size as well \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

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We thought we would show you some pictures of our sweet Lambert tote bags in action as well, so we went to a local Farmer\u2019s Market! \u00a0I love the pretty colours of Style 2 and how adorable Lambert looks!<\/p>\n

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You can use these tote bags on a daily basis to not only carry yarn, but also to carry many other items such as groceries or textbooks! \u00a0And in case you\u2019re trying to figure out what size to go with and need a reference, I am about 5\u20336!<\/p>\n

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Here is the largest tote bag in Style 1! \u00a0It can carry sooo much! \u00a0I tried stuffing it with yarn at home and believe me, it held A LOT of yarn!<\/p>\n

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After stuffing both tote bags full of items, we realized that the bottoms became somewhat\u00a0\u201cpuffed out\u201d and it was harder to see the images when wearing the tote bags. \u00a0Thus, since taking these photos, we have adjusted the images upwards which will make them more easily visible when these tote bags are filled to capacity!<\/p>\n

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I can\u2019t wait to see what you fill your Lambert tote bags with!<\/p>\n

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Next, let\u2019s look at the mugs available! \u00a0I love collecting cute mugs to drink tea, and I ordered each design in a different size! \u00a0Below is the 11 oz size<\/a><\/b>– I think it\u2019s so cute how the little Lamberts are lined up around the mug all in a row<\/p>\n

\u2764<\/p>\n

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I love how this image painted with water colours looks on mugs! \u00a0Very delicate and pretty!<\/p>\n

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Here is the larger 15 oz size<\/a><\/b>! \u00a0I have a penchant for collecting larger mugs, so this size is wonderful!<\/p>\n

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I love using these mugs that proudly display Lambert and my love of yarn! \u00a0They would be cute as gifts for yarn enthusiasts who also love tea and coffee or to sit atop your desk in your workplace!<\/p>\n

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And now onto the apparel! \u00a0There were some hiccups along the way with the tank top<\/a> <\/b>as the image on our initial order appeared very light and not very well defined. \u00a0After some replacement orders and e-mailing back and forth, we received a tank top that displayed the image and colours very well! \u00a0Society6 told me that they discussed the issue with their printers and that there should not be any issues with future orders! \u00a0If you do come across any problems, please do not hesitate to contact Society6 as they have wonderful and quick customer service and offered replacements and refunds.<\/p>\n

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This tank top is perfect for the summer! \u00a0For size reference, I am wearing the \u201cUnisex Tank Top<\/a><\/b>\u201d in XS in these photos. \u00a0These American Apparel tank tops are made of 100% fine jersey cotton, and I think they also look really cute styled under a jacket or a cardigan!<\/p>\n

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Here is the \u201cWomen\u2019s Fitted Tee<\/a><\/b>\u201d in Small (they are quite fitted, so I would probably buy a Medium for myself next time)! \u00a0The tees are also American Apparel and 100% fine jersey cotton.<\/p>\n

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I also ordered a hoodie<\/a><\/b> for myself (size Small) to wear during those cold winter months! \u00a0It\u2019s very warm and cozy as it\u2019s American Apparel and made of 100% California fleece cotton. \u00a0The neat thing is that you can order the design to be on the front or the back! \u00a0I think Style 1 would look so cute on the back of the hoodie with all the little Lamberts lined up. \u00a0You can choose between a pullover style hoodie or a hoodie with a zipper too!<\/p>\n

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***A note on all apparel<\/i><\/b>: I have now activated ALL the colour options<\/b> for the tank tops, t-shirts and hoodies! \u00a0Please keep in mind that I have tested out white and this Ash Grey (V-neck t-shirt HERE<\/strong><\/em><\/a>)\u00a0and I am unsure how our light-coloured Lambert images will appear on the other colours in real life, so please be cautious! \u00a0Let me know how it goes if you try out the other colours!<\/p>\n

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Our two Lambert designs also come in a variety of other products such as laptop, iPhone and iPad cases and skins, throw pillows, and art prints. \u00a0We have not ordered or tested any of these items out, but keep in mind that they are available! \u00a0I think the Lamberts all lined up in a row along a laptop is so adorable!<\/p>\n

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[Update<\/strong><\/em>: Zipper pouches<\/a><\/strong> are now available in the Lambert Collection too! \u00a0They come in 3 different sizes and also can be purchased a set of three. \u00a0They are the perfect way to carry your crochet hooks, stitch markers, tapestry needles, and other notions! \u00a0You can check them out HERE<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!]<\/p>\n

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I wanted to insert a quick note about shipping<\/b> too! \u00a0As I mentioned above, Society6 always has free worldwide shipping<\/b> promotions scheduled every month, so if you are interested in ordering some products, you can wait for these special times! \u00a0Also, they occasionally have 20% off promotions in addition to the free shipping (this is when I ordered many of my items to test out and to photograph) so this makes everything a really good deal! \u00a0When I researched which company to go with, some people noted that they got hit with import or customs fees when ordering internationally (they are based in California). \u00a0Please keep this in mind as import fees are not included in the price. \u00a0As someone online recommended, I ordered each item individually (instead of one massive order) and I never once got charged an import fee. \u00a0Another commenter noted that if you are ordering from Europe, you can click the\u00a0\u201csend as gift\u201d option to try and avoid extra customs costs (he said it has worked multiple times for him).<\/p>\n

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I\u2019ve been waiting to launch The Lambert Collection<\/a><\/b> during one of these special shipping promotions, and there is one on right now! \u00a0There is FREE WORLDWIDE SHIPPING<\/b> until Sunday, June 28th at Midnight PT<\/i>. \u00a0To get notifications when Society6 offers these promotions, you can follow them on Facebook<\/a><\/i><\/b>, Twitter<\/a><\/i><\/b>, or sign up for their Newsletter HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b>! \u00a0I was so excited when I received their most recent e-mail as I knew I would be sharing this special collection with you all since free shipping is available!<\/p>\n

I feel very blessed that I have been able to develop a platform and a loyal readership throughout the years. \u00a0I have always wanted my blog to be a bright and hopeful place where people can be inspired and encouraged. \u00a0We always pray that our family can be a blessing to others, and we have been touched by so many people who have reached out to us and shared their stories \u00a0\u2764<\/p>\n

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Whenever you purchase one of our items through Society6, we make a small profit. \u00a0Ryan and I have been praying about it and we were recently deeply moved and strongly convicted by a blog post that our friend Elaine shared (you can read it HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b>). \u00a0Elaine and her husband Steve are good friends of ours who are currently serving in Guatemala with Impact Ministries<\/a><\/b>. \u00a0Impact Ministries is building schools, medical clinics and supporting the growth and development of the church there. \u00a0They also run a child sponsorship program<\/a><\/b>: when you sponsor a child, the child receives an education, breaking the cycle of poverty and illiteracy. \u00a0The workers get personally involved with each child and really come to love and care for them and their families on a daily basis. \u00a0Our friends can personally attest to this as they have served with Impact Ministries (Do you remember the \u201cBoxyskirt Bunny<\/a><\/i><\/b>\u201d? \u00a0I made this for some other friends who were gifting it to their sponsor child when they were serving on a short term missions trip in Guatemala). \u00a0Elaine is also a photographer and she provided me with these beautiful photos of the Guatemalan children in the sponsorship program!<\/p>\n

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We have decided that 100% of the profits<\/b> we make from The Lambert Collection<\/a><\/b> will \u00a0be used to sponsor a child in Guatemala through Impact Ministries so that we together can really make a difference in the life of a child. \u00a0We want to share God\u2019s love with those around the world and use the talents that God has blessed us with to help others! \u00a0I think it\u2019s so special that we collectively (us and the blog readers) will be sponsoring this child together! \u00a0Our friends can personally visit this child since they are serving there too! \u00a0You can read more about their child sponsorship program HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b> if you are interested in it. \u00a0I think this is very fitting and meaningful and it was actually Elaine who directed me to tumblr years ago when I told her I was thinking about starting a blog. \u00a0I can\u2019t believe how far the blog has come along since then and we are so blessed to have readers and followers who love and support us dearly!<\/p>\n

[UPDATE Oct.7\/2015<\/b>: We have decided to support a classroom through Impact Ministries with the profit from this collection- read the update about it HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b>!]<\/p>\n

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Thank you for reading this very long blog post and I appreciate it if you\u2019ve made it this far to the very end! \u00a0I hope you like The Lambert Collection<\/a><\/b>\u00a0and that you\u2019ll consider ordering something for yourself or as a gift for your fellow yarn enthusiasts and friends and family who love to crochet and knit! \u00a0If you already crocheted an amigurumi Lambert<\/a><\/b>, then these products will be extra special since they\u2019ll match your handmade stuffie! \u00a0You can find all the items in our Society6 store HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b>! \u00a0You can also currently enter to win a TOTE BAG<\/b> with this\u00a0GIVEAWAY<\/b>\u00a0found HERE<\/a><\/i><\/b>! \u00a0You can follow me on my Facebook<\/a><\/i><\/b>, Twitter<\/a><\/i><\/b> and Instagram<\/a><\/i><\/b> to stay informed about my work! \u00a0I\u2019ve also set up a separate Instagram page for \u201cThe Lambert Collection\u201d (@TheLambertCollection<\/a><\/b>) as a gallery, and I will notify you about Society6 promotions and shipping deals there! \u00a0Use the hashtag #TheLambertCollection <\/b>when posting photos of your purchased items on social media and I will feature them as well! \u00a0Let me know what you think as I would LOVE to hear your feedback! \u00a0Thank you to Laura for collaborating with me on this special project so that we can all proudly display our love of yarn and crochet with The Lambert Collection<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

\u2764<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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