Tuesday, January 15, 2013

The Billie Box...A Review and Giveaway


I stumbled across a new product that I want to share with all of you.  

This new product is called The Billie Box.  The Billie Box  is a plastic storage box that either has one small port in the front, or one small port in the front and one long port on the side.  You can put your yarn in the box and pull the end out through the port.  This will keep your yarn clean and dust free.  Plus you can store your yarn in the box when you are finished. If you like the idea of being able to store your yarn and use it at the same time then you need The Billie Box too.

The Billie Box is designed by Billie Morgan.
  

I had the privilege of talking to Billie on the phone.  We had a wonderful conversation and she has an awesome personality. She is very passionate about the crafts she does, her pets, and her product.  I really enjoyed speaking with Billie and finding out about how she came up with The Billie Box.

Although Billie has been crafting, with various materials, for almost 40 years, her all time favorite craft medium is yarn.  Billie loves to use different yarn types, weights and colors, alone or blended together, to come up with unique patterns and all new textures.  Her other hobby is cooking. She loves to use the motto "Love People, Cook Them Tasty Food".  

Billie says on her website that due to her love of crocheting and yarn-crafts, she has balls and skeins of yarn scattered all over her home.  Billie also has three cats that she fondly refers to as "the kids".  She says that there are times when those two groups have combined and created a royal mess.  Because of these mishaps, she decided that there had to be a better way to store and use her yarn.  She searched online, to no avail, for a solution that would fit her needs.  This is when "The Billie Box" was born.  She says it solved the need to protect her yarn from the cats and kept the dust and such from getting all over it.  It also allowed her to store it without having to move it from one storage unit to another.  She loves that you can see all the colors and types of yarn at a glance. Billie decided that if she needed this product then others must too. 

Here are a few questions I asked Billie about her product.

Q:  How long ago was The Billie Box born?


A:  I came up with the idea last summer.

Q:  Do you make The Billie Boxes yourself, or do you have friends/family that help you?

A:  I personally make each box

Q:  How many different prototypes did you come up with before you settled on the two options that you now sell?

A:  I had three prototypes.

Q:  Do you plan to offer different colored boxes in the future?

A:  I will have more colors for the side ports as I get more orders in. Blue and Purple are the next colors I am adding.

Q:  How many Billie Boxes do you use yourself?

A:  I usually have at least six boxes in use at any one time and about 15 for storage of yarns in waiting.

Q:  What is your most favorite thing that you have ever made?

A:  It would have to be each thing I create as I am working on it.  This is because, I pore myself and all my love for the person who is receiving it into the item.


Billie offers two different forms of The Billie Box in her online store.


The Single Port Billie Box features a solid brass ring that prevents snagging of delicate yarn and helps the yarn come out smoothly.


The Dual Port Billie Box will fit a single 7oz  skein of yarn or two 3oz rolled skeins.  This box also features the fixed brass port in the front, and includes a slotted side port for larger yarns or quick changes.  The slotted port comes in 4 different colors for you to choose from.  Each features a cute  little cat and a ball of yarn, as well as The Billie Box logo.
Black with Bronze Logo
White with Red Logo
Beige with Brown Logo
Bronze with Black Logo

I received the Dual Port box with the White with Red Logo Side port for review. 


Let me just say that this is one of the most wonderful products that I have seen for yarn use and storage.  

This is what it looks like from the front with a small skein of cotton yarn in it.  I think you could get at least  two or three more in there with it.  
This is a view of the side port with the yarn pulled through.  You could easily fit a pretty bulky yarn through there.

The Billie Boxes are also VERY affordable.  Both options are under $10.00. So if you don't win one or, can't wait to find out if you did, run over to the website and order some today. My Billie Box is being used, at the moment, to hold two balls of yarn from a cowl that I just had to frog.  Gotta love it when you are just almost finished with a project and you run out of yarn.  Then, you go to the store to get more and guess what, "I'm sorry but that yarn has been discontinued."  Ugh!! Now that I have the cowl frogged, I plan to make a scarf instead.  The Billie Box will come in handy to keep those balls of yarn in while I am making my scarf.  

If you would like to find out more about Billie and her Billie Box, you can visit her website. She not only has The Billie Box there, she also offers recipes and patterns. You can also reach her by email at thebilliebox@gmail.com

Now, one of you has the chance to win a Duel Port Billie Box for yourself.

How to enter:

Mandatory entry:

*Leave me a comment with which port color option you will choose if you win. (Please include your email address so that we can get in touch with you if you win.)

Extra entries:

*Leave a comment telling me how you would use The Billie Box if you win.

*Be a follower of this blog. Leaving me a comment letting me know how, and as who, you follow.

The winner will be picked at random and notified by email. (Make sure you leave an email address in your comment.)  The winner will have up to 5 days to respond, if they do not respond at that time, a new winner will be picked, this will continue until we get a response. The Giveaway will run until 1/29/2012 and is for US residents only (due to shipping cost).  Good Luck, spread the word and go comment.



***I received a Billie Box for review purposes only.  I was not compensated for my review.  All opinions are my own.***










37 comments:

  1. Hi Melissa if i was lucky enough to win i would choose the white with the red logo,these look fantastic.xx

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  2. Hi again Melissa i would use my Billie box for knitting a baby cardigan for my grandchild thats not born yet.xx

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  3. I like the white with red logo for the billie box. This will be perfect for trips that I take with students on a bus where having a ball of yarn hit the floor of the bus would be nasty.

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  4. I would use the billie box to protect my yarn on road trips where I don't want it to get ruined with car/bus mess.

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  5. I follow using google reader as Carla's Inspirations or Carla Belyea, can't remember which one.

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  6. WOW!!! I love the Billie Box!! What a great idea! I would love to win it!! :-] I love the clear one, but frankly ANY color would be great! You can contact me through my blog here --> http://poetesswug-thewugsbackyardblogspot.blogspot.com/ Thank you for sharing this with us!!

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  7. I would probably choose the white with red one. littleellalu@gmail.com

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  8. I would give it to my sister since I can't do a thing with yarn.

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  9. What a great idea. I'd love the beige one.
    bearyannpawter@yahoo.com

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  10. though my previous entry was with my yahoo account (bearyannpawter) I follow your bog through G+ as bearyann@gmail.com

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  11. I think this is an awesome idea. How easy it would be to store these - they should stack so easily.
    And when you throw the project in a bag to carry along, the yarn doesn't roll around and get tangled or lose it's form.
    (bearyannpawter@yahoo.com and/or bearyann@gmail.com)

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  12. Hi! First of all thank you for the like on my FB page! And....what an ingenious idea! I like the idea of the ring....I can't think of the name of it....lol...to keep your yarn from fraying when it comes out of the hole. Very nice. I have a cat, but actually....Romeo never ever bothers anything I am working on....I cut him off a piece of yarn call it a "string a ling"...name just for his little piece... and he is content. So never a hair on my things. Would be wonderful to experience this product. Sandy

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  13. I want the white with red logo. aprile.mazey@gmail.com

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  14. I would use it to keep my yarn from tangling when I work with 2 strands at once.

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  15. What a wonderful idea, i have a 1yr old and he is always gabbin my yarn when i am crocheting. It gets tangled and I spend a lot of unproductive time untangling yarn, lol. If I win I would chose the Black with the Bronze! Love those colors! Email kendrabuchanan17@ gmail.com

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  16. I love this idea I have been a follower through blogger and google I would love to have one of these,for when I have to go when my client is in the hospital for surgeries I'm a home health aide.s the yarn this would be perfect plus I have a 1/5 pomerainian 1/2 shitzu dog who loves yarn as well as a quaker parrot who thinks the yarn is his.I would love to have the beige with brown if I should win.

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  17. I would love to win one of these. I would want the white with red logo. This would be perfect for me, I have 2 young kids. One who is almost 2, and an 8 month old. They are always grabbing and tangling my yarn. my 2 year old always throws it over the baby gate and down the hall. :/ Plus everytime I have yarn out, it is a spill magnet. They always spill something on my yarn. so I have to stop what Im doing and wash it. Some yarn has been ruined this way, and I am on a budget. I am a follwer on the blog. :)
    my email is hickchick4130@yahoo.com

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  18. Hello. I would like the bronze with the black logo.
    I would certainly use this box! I have two toddlers and two cats! They ask think Mommy's yarn is for them.

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    1. Sorry, forgot the email!
      jamjem062007@gmail.com

      Thanks for the opportunity!

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  19. I would choose the Bronze with black logo. This is a really neat idea!!! So glad you go to review it. I have yarn I could put in one right now! email is: icrochetinoh@gmail.com

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  20. Also I do follow your blog through Google+ I am Pandastamper. I would use this right now for a test I am doing called Stash Toy Monster and uses several small balls of yarn to make. I could also use it for a convertible cowl/hat I am also testing. email icrochetinoh@gmail.com.

    Thanks for having this giveaway! Awesome!

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  21. I am a follower..byhooks4u. I would use this box when I make my tapestry potholders out of thread. I use 2 colors of thread and I think this box looks to be the right size..and has 2 holes..so freaking cool. email is vikkihook@yahoo.com

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  22. INGENIOUS! How wonderful! If I won the Billie Box I would pick white w/red.
    And I would use it to keep my yarn from tangling when I work intarsia projects! I follow the Daisy Patch almost every way possible..bloglovin, facebook, you name it I think I'm there! LOL

    tracy@crochethappy.com

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  23. I would use it for my knitting yarn...would be nice to keep it out cat's paws!

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  24. I would like the black with bronze. What a great idea.

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  25. I would use the 2 port Billie box to do some nice hound's tooth crochet and not get my colors tangled up in each other while simultaneously keeping the yarn away from the Cat and the Boy (both who have a strange fixation with tangling themselves up in yarn).

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  26. I would like to use it for my thread. I crochet doilies. It amazes me how a person can come up with a neat idea and then market it. I will have to definitely purchase one.

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  27. I would like to use it for my thread. I crochet doilies. It amazes me how a person can come up with a neat idea and then market it. I will have to definitely purchase one.

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  28. I would like either brass or purple ports if I win. And I like the black and bronze logo. sweethazedesigns@gmail.com

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  29. If I win, I would use the dual port Box for colorwork!

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  30. I am following your blog as Haze. :)

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  31. I'd pick the white with Red Logo.

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  32. I'd chose the black with bronze

    serenap95(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  33. I'm learning how to use a loom, so this would be handy in keeping my yarn from tangling.

    serenap95(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  34. I am following using GFC

    serenap95(at)hotmail(dot)com

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