Tuesday, February 9, 2016

Craftsy Sweetens Up My Quilting Life! Blog Hop

QBL - Quilter Blog Land
You know what they say about great minds...synchronicity...the stars aligning... All this and more came together a couple of weeks ago to result in this quilting bloggers' blog hop with Craftsy co-hosted by Julie at Pink Doxies and I, Sandra, at mmm!quilts.

Enter the giveaway here or click the Craftsy image below!  Read on for more information on all the opportunities for giveaways and sweet sweet deals.
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1074126&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fext%2F20160210%5FQuiltingBlogHop%5FGiveaway

Common Threads


Sandra:  Julie and I met online. Our first bonding moment was when we discovered we were both vacationing in southwest Florida, and were remarkably close to each other.  We discovered shared passions for fabric, for colour, for dogs, as well as a passion for lifelong learning.  When we discovered we were only mere hours apart in the north (what's an international border when like minds need to meet), we schemed to get together in person.

And so it happened.  We met in real life here and here last summer.

We found that we both love history, especially the history and traditions that abound in quilting, we both find other cultures fascinating, we both spent time as young adults living in another culture, we both love wine, are careful with our dollars, and thus love scoring deals!

Enter Craftsy 

Julie:  Craftsy fulfills both our needs for remaining lifelong learners with classes we can take from our easy chairs.  I love that there's no need to set aside time for travel.  It's there when you want to take it!  Both Sandra and I already had first hand experience with Craftsy's excellent course instruction, but her love of Angela Walter's classes convinced me to add several more to my growing class list. 

In kind, I let her in on my method of buying discounted quilt kits.  Even if I never intended to make the quilt, the dollar value of the kit was phenomenal.

Unbeknownst to each other, we both became affiliates.  We found, and have experienced, their fantastic customer service firsthand, both as affiliates and customers.  In short, we both have a little crush on Craftsy.

This inspired each of us to take advantage of Craftsy's free pattern hosting for independent designers, whether the pattern is a free download or for sale.  We both have our first patterns available on their site.
Pocketful of Sunshine by Sandra on Craftsy

The Stars Align

After the buzz and busy-ness of the Christmas season, we caught up with each other by phone in mid-January. To our amazement, we discovered that we had each received a Craftsy questionnaire, had each filled it out on the same day, and, biggest surprise of all (wee-ooh, wee-ooh, à la Twilight Zone theme song) had each checked the box, albeit with a bit of butterflies in the belly, that indicated we would be interested in facilitating a blog hop for Craftsy.  Julie asked if I wanted to pair up and host one with her?  You betcha!  Let's go for it!

Organizing The Hop

I promptly contacted our manager at Craftsy for the go-ahead.  Sandra and I brainstormed a theme, and how to make this a positive experience for everyone involved.  We each extended invitations to several close blogging friends in QBL (Sandra and Helen's coined term for Quilter Blog Land), and our little party was gaining momentum.  The hop was taking shape, and our excitement was growing.

Valentine's Day Theme

Like Valentine's Day parties of our childhood where we brought our stack of cards for classmates, carried in a box of cookies, and crunched candy hearts while anticipating all the fun to come, we want to share our love of Craftsy with you.

Giveaway Details

Hearing firsthand about the terrific opportunities on the bloggers' sites below will surely entice you to explore Craftsy in a little more depth, and perhaps try something out of the norm to what you might usually buy, especially when you find out:
  • that you will get a 50% discount on the classes discussed in each blog post!  Suh-weet!
  • giveaways on some of the individual blogger posts! 
  • And drum roll please! Three fabulous prizes from Craftsy! Two lucky people will win one class each, and one person will win this fabulous grand prize!


http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1074126&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fsupplies%2Fkit%2Fboundless%2Dsolids%2Dcrown%2Djewels%2Dby%2Damy%2Dgibson%2Dquilt%2Dkit%2F2011%3FrceId%3D1455034438024%7Efcjk65be



http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1074126&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fsupplies%2Fkit%2Fboundless%2Dsolids%2Dmodern%2Dbrights%2Dpre%2Dcuts%2F2034%3FrceId%3D1455034554671%7Euei9c61h
http://www.shareasale.com/r.cfm?u=1074126&b=253536&m=29190&afftrack=&urllink=www%2Ecraftsy%2Ecom%2Fsupplies%2Fkit%2Fboundless%2Dsolids%2Dmodern%2Dbrights%2Dpre%2Dcuts%2F2034%3FrceId%3D1455034554671%7Euei9c61h



Sugar high or what, huh?!!

The Giveaway entry to Craftsy and individual blogger giveaways can be found on each of the posts, as well by clicking here.  Be sure to check back daily either here at mmm! quilts or at Pink Doxies for the updated link to each post below.  Enter until Sunday, February 21, 2016 at 11:59 pm MST. The winners will be announced Feb. 22.

 

Blog Hop Schedule

Wednesday, Feb. 10
Judy at Quilt Paradigm: Review of classes "Design It Quilt It" and "Machine Quilting Wholecloth Quilts" both with Cindy Needham
Helen at Midget Gem Quilts: Review of class "Creative Quilting With Your Walking Foot" with Jacquie Gering
Thursday, Feb. 11
Cindy at Stitchin At Home: Review of class "Quilting With Rulers on a Home Machine" with
Amy Johnson
Vicki at Vicki's Crafts and Quilting: Review of fabric purchases:  Stonehenge Strips and Christmas Fat Quarter Bundle
Friday, Feb. 12
Zenia at A Quilted Passion: Review of classes "Start FMQ" with Elizabeth Dackson; "Secrets of FMQ" with Christina Cameli; "Help! How Do I Quilt It?" with Angela Walters
Jayne at Twiggy and Opal:  Review of quilting supplies: Pressing/cutting mat and mini iron
Saturday, Feb. 13
Tish at Tish's Adventures in Wonderland: Review of classes "Dot to Dot Quilting" with Angela Walters; "Product Photography at Home" with Jessica Marquez; "Shoot It! A Product Photography Primer" with Caro Sheridan,
Anja at Anja Quilts: Review of patterns  Postcard from Sweden; 1 Hour Basket; Star Bright; Reusable Handwarmers
Sunday, Feb. 14
Beth at Cooking Up Quilts: Review of Amanda Murphy's class "20 Fresh Appliqué Techniques"
Preeti at Sew Preeti Quilts: Review of fabric purchases:  Kaffe Fassett Classics Design Strip 
Monday Feb. 15
Julie at Pink Doxies: Review of class: "Color Play for Quilters" with Joen Wolfrom
Sandra at Musings of a Menopausal Melon - mmm! quilts: Review of Classes "Machine Quilting: Small Changes, Big Variety" and "Free Motion Quilting With Feathers" with Angela Walters; review of fabric purchases: 10-yard bundle and fat quarter bundles; review of patterns:  Paper-pieced Snowflakes Snow-along

If a review piques your interest, and you decide to buy a class, remember that buying it through that blogger's site will give you the 50% discount on that particular class.  These discounts are available for one week following each post.  While you're there, you can click through any of the  bloggers in the hop sites to enter the Craftsy Giveaway.  Once again, entries close Sunday, Feb. 21, 11:59 MST.

Monday Feb. 22
Julie and Sandra will announce the winners on their blogs.

Please note that there are affiliate links on this page and by clicking through the links, and making a purchase, I do get a small monetary compensation.  Thank you for your support. ;-)





14 comments:

  1. This looks like a lot of fun. I was home sick yesterday and spent the whole morning watching quilting with feathers, I'm looking forward to the quilting with rulers review. Congratulations to you and Julie for taking this on.

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  2. Best Valentines Party EVER! Big thanks to you and Julie for all the hard work putting this together. Let the merriment begin!!!!

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  3. So excited, Sandra!!! Thank you including me on this fun trip :-)
    http://sewpreetiquilts.blogspot.com/

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  4. this is soooo much fun already and we are only starting off the madness!

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  5. Thanks for including me. Looking forward to reading all the reviews. I just got two of Angela Walters' classes. Now I need to find some time to watch them.

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  6. Looks like a lot of fun over the next week.

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  7. Love love love crafsty classes! Ive learned so very much from them. Thanks so much for the chance to get even MORE out of Craftsy!

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    1. Oh yeah, and i read about your meeting with Julie! Snt t awesome when you get to meet a blogger friend in real life? Mive had the pleasure of hookng up with Preeti from So Preeti Quilts TWICE now and its such a privilege to be able to do that! Im hoping to mert up with more one day...ahem...Judy...hello!

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  8. Sandra, the folks at Craftsy must be getting a crush on you & Julie too! What a well thought out and fun way to do a blog hop! I love Craftsy too and fully understand your enthusiasm! Their classes rock! And their sales are such great bargains too. Have fun with this everyone!

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