The Ultimate Blog Party!

So the party has started! OK, I'm a little behind and that's probably because I don't have any sweet little ones (yet) and sadly, don't read the 5 Minutes for Mom blog. (Gasp!) BUT I do read Craft Buds (just became a sponsor actually) and THEY posted about the UBP. Apparently, this has been going on every year for the LAST 5 YEARS! Where have I been!? Well, I am participating now so PLEASE hop over there and visit some AMAZING blogs. There are 5 or 6 different categories and it truly is the ULTIMATE party because there are at least 150 blogs listed in EACH category! (Most of them have more than 300 EACH!!) Wow. There are prizes to be had as well, if you enter your blog on the list. I'm linking my blog up on the Business Blogs list, although I think it could be added to the Specialty Blog list as well. But we have to play nice and leave a little room for others to play too. So go on! Stop by and get the party started!

UPDATE: Alright, so did I miss the part of the instructions where it said I needed to introduce myself? Hmm? Well, here's a little bit about me.

I LOVE to sew and to teach and in the process have become a sewing teacher! I have a sewing studio where I teach sewing and quilting classes and I even learn something along the way too. Recently I've started teaching home school children during the day which works great for me and them. Also, I try to teach my classes in the evenings and on weekends when the regular working folks have semi-free time.

I have an online shop where I sell fabric and patterns and the occasional kit. I have all sorts of fun PDF patterns and printed patterns for making anything from Tote Bags to Kid's clothes, aprons, and even quilts. If you sign up for my e-mail newsletter (either on the right sidebar here or on the website) you'll receive all the great updates about the shop in your e-mail every month and that includes COUPON codes! I try to keep this blog limited to posts about my crafty/sewing/quilting endeavors instead of really shop focused. But I DO sew and I DO use the fabrics I have in my shop to make samples (see previous posts).

I guess that's about it about me. I hope you'll say hi and I'll send you a FREE pattern!

Happy Stiches,
Anna

P.S. And don't blame me if you get lost in blog world and completely forget you have laundry to wash, food to cook, diapers to change, THINGS TO SEW or even taxes to pay (UGH!)

P.P.S. IF you do go and visit some blogs AND if you come back HERE and leave me a comment mentioning some of the blogs you visited (make sure your e-mail works or include it in your comment), I'll send you a copy of my Pillowcase Tutorial/Pattern. FREE!!

ePatterns are Eco Friendly So I'm Giving Some Away!

Part of the trasition for Crafty Girls Workshop has involved figuring out how to build up our offering of patterns without having to have a place to store them. Well, then it hit me, why not work with some designers like Denise of Whimsy Couture who design patterns to be distributed through e-mail!? It's good for the environment, it keeps the prices low (NO SHIPPING costs!) and it allows me to work with new designers and really get to know the girl behind the design. So a few weeks ago I contacted a couple of quilt pattern designers, who both happened to be from Australia, and they both happily agreed to let me list their patterns in my shop! Yippee! LOOOONG story short, Crafty Girls Workshop now offers QUILT patterns for sale that will be e-mailed to you within 12 hours of your purchase! Look at a few of the fabulous options we have:

Sand Castles (Rebecca Johnson)

Charm Bracelets by Kate Conklin (charm pack friendly)

 

Rolling Meadows (JR Friendly) by Rebecca Johnson

These are only a few of the patterns available. The best way to find the patterns on the Crafty Girls Workshop website is to look at the links on the left side of the screen, there you'll see the link for Electronic Patterns (since ALL our patterns are electronic now that makes sense, right?) and when you click that you can choose the type of patterns you want to browse, such as Quilts or Kid's Couture, etc. Pretty soon I'll be adding even more patterns to the listings such as Tote Bags, Embroidery/Stitching and Home Decor. If you happen to know anyone who designs great patterns for electronic distribution, please send them my way! I love to work with designers!

Alright, now on to the GIVEAWAY portion of this broadcast.

This time there will be TWO winners! One will win a Rebecca Johnson pattern and the other will win one from Kate Conklin. BE SURE that if you enter, you include your contact information so I can get in touch with you if you win! Here's how to enter:

• Visit the links above for the electronic QUILT patterns and then come back here and share which pattern you'd like to win, if you just LOVE more than one, list them in the order that you LOVE them.
• Sign up for my e-newsletter (be sure to tell me you did) for shop updates, coupons, and sneak peek specials (link in the right hand sidebar)
• Become a follower of Crafty Girls Workshop, follow me on Twitter, and "like" me on facebook (if you don't already) or just tell me if you do already
• Visit Kate Conklin's website and tell her HI from Crafty Girls Workshop (you can e-mail her or leave her a comment on the blog)
• Become a follower of Kate Conklin's Blog (totally worth it)
• Visit Rebecca Johnson's blog and tell her HI from Crafty Girls Workshop
• Become a follower of Rebecca Johnson's Blog (also totally worth it!)

Stop back here and be sure to leave a comment for each of these entries, OR you can leave one comment telling me each thing you did, I'll still count your name that many times, I promise.

OK, so get going and have fun looking at the beautiful quilt pictures on these talented Designers' blogs!!

I'll announce the winners on Sunday, October 10, 2010. Hey, that's 10-10-10!!

Happy Stitches,
Anna

Merry SITSmas to All and to All a Good Time

I hope everyone has TONS of fun hopping around blogland today! I wish I could join you but as it turns out, I have to work at my day job, bummer! Maybe I can catch up a little after work while I'm waiting for our cable guy to come and replace our box. A few weeks ago, the SITS girls informed me that Crafty Girls Workshop would be featured on SITSmas so I am so thrilled! I hope that we get a lot of fun comments and new followers and visitors. I believe that also means we're participating in the Giveaway that they mentioned, but I am not completely sure of the details. Just know that it's something very cool from our shop. I hope everyone is having prettier weather than we're having here in San Antonio, Texas. It's chilly, drizzly, and altogether just depressing. It's one day I'm actually happy I don't have a window in my office! So, I hope that if you stop by and leave me some comment love that you'll answer one little question for me:

Are you making gifts for anyone this year?

This could be baking, or putting together a mix for cookies in a jar (I love that one), or letting your kids decorate the wrapping paper, I want to know what you are doing! If you aren't making gifts, have you found some great deals somewhere that you can share? (I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet.) Thanks so much for stopping by and Merry SITSmas!

Oh, and if you have NO IDEA what the heck SITSmas is and just happened to come by today by accident, I recommend you check out the SITS blog. They are a great group of women who will always make you feel good with their blog recommendations or their comments.

Happy Stitches to You,
Anna

P.S. I forgot to mention that if you DO decide to purchase something from our shop anytime this month, please add Merry SITSmas to the message to seller and we'll add a little something extra in with your purcahse. Thanks!!