Hello Bloglovin' and Good-bye Google Reader

Hi everyone:

I'm sure you've heard that Google Reader will be riding into the sunset as of July 1. This may leave some of you wondering how you're going to follow your favourite blogs without having to view each of them individually. Not to worry, I have a solution. 

I'm not the most techie person in the world - I think that would be either of my kids - but I was able to load up my favourite blogs onto Bloglovin', a free app that you can use on your computer or iPad (you can download their app from the App store). If I can do it, so can you, so let me show you how.

First, you need to set up an account on Bloglovin', a fairly easy procedure. 

Just click the "Join Bloglovin" button and follow the instructions. 

Note that you can either create your account by using your Facebook account, if you have one, or

you can sign up with your email address by entering your name, setting up a username and password (that's how I did it). You'll get an email with a link from Bloglovin'. Just click on the link to set up your account. 

You'll notice that when you click on the link, it takes you to Bloglovin's website and there you will see the most important message of all. "Import your favorite blogs from Google Reader" with a blue button that you'll definitely want to click. Once you've clicked "Import from Google Reader", the blogs that you used to read through Google Reader will now be imported to Bloglovin' for your viewing pleasure. Sweet!

Now let's start importing other blogs that you want to read. There is a search area on the top right side of the Bloglovin' main page. Enter the name of the blog that you are looking for here, press enter and the blog should pop up here. 

More than one blog with a similar name may be found, so make sure you have the correct one before you choose it.

For example, I searched for Kay Mackenzie's All About Applique blog and came up with several results. These are all Kay's blog, just various previously published posts. I can click "Follow" and this blog will be added to my blog list on Bloglovin'. Easy, right?

There's one feature of Bloglovin' that I especially like: it sends me an email with new blogs posts directly to my inbox. I don't have to chase Bloglovin' down to see the latest blogposts. It also has a simple and streamlined look which I appreciate. 

Now after telling you all about how to set up an account and import your blogs, there is a simple way to add my blog to your list of blogs that you're following on Bloglovin' (you are going to set up an account, aren't you?) You may notice that there is a Bloglovin' button on the right sidebar of my blog (follow this blog with Bloglovin'). Just click on it and you can sign up to follow Chatterbox Quilts Chitchat right now. 

If you're looking for a replacement for Google Reader, I hope you'll take a look at Bloglovin'. 

If you have any questions about this process, just ask me about it in the comments and I'll try to help you - or I'll ask one of my kids about it :)

Free Patterns - and Recipes too!

Hi everyone:

Who doesn't like free patterns? You know that I love the Craftsy classes, but did you also know that you can find many wonderful FREE patterns from independent designers on their site as well? Well, you can! Let me tell you how you can access these patterns and recipes yourself.

When you register on Craftsy you'll be able to access FREE patterns for sewing, quilting, knitting and embroidery. You'll also have access to FREE cake decorating classes. All of these patterns and recipes are FREE with registration. I'm just so excited about the FREE part! 

Take a look at the FREE designs and recipes available to you upon registration:

Free Embroidery Patterns at Craftsy!

Free Knitting Patterns at Craftsy!

Free Sewing Pattern at Craftsy

Free Quilting Patterns at Craftsy

Free Cake Decorating Recipes at Craftsy!

I've already downloaded many FREE quilt patterns and purchased several as well. I haven't yet investigated the cake decorating recipes, but will definitely have to do this as they sound yummy. 

The best part about the FREE patterns and recipes (aside from the fact that they're free) is that new ones are continually being added to the Craftsy website, so you'll have to keep checking to see what additional ones you can add to your collection.

Happy FREE shopping!

6 Ways to Get Your Art On

Note: This is a re-post as the links in the initial post weren't active.

Hi everyone:

Have you always wanted to try painting, but never seemed to get around to it. Love the look of landscapes, but don't know how to paint one yourself? Well, no more excuses! Here's your chance to try your hand at landscape painting or portraiture. You can even learn how to mix colours like a master. 

You may wonder what I'm talking about. Craftsy is launching their first series of fine art on-line classes starting on June 22 and there are six different classes to choose from. Here are the new fine art classes that you'll see when you check Craftsy on June 22:

Patrick Connors - Perspective in Landscape Drawing (Fine Art)

Bennett Vadnais - Acrylic Landscape Painting (Fine Art)

Matt Rota - Portraits in Watercolor (Fine Art)

Micah Ganske - Exploring Acrylic Through Narrative Portraiture (Fine Art)

Rob Zeller - Drawn to Painting (Fine Art)

Scott Gellatly - Master Pallates: Exploring Color Mixing (Fine Art)

Now I'm definitely not an expert in the area of painting or drawing, but I'm sure that these instructors are tops in each of their fields - that's a given with any Craftsy course. I have dabbled briefly in watercolours, so may have to check out one of these classes to see how I can improve my technique (I actually don't have much of a technique, so maybe I could develop one!). 

If you haven't tried a Craftsy class yet, you may want to start with one of the new fine art classes. If you're still not sure whether you'd like their learning platform, why not sign up for one of their mini-courses? They're FREE! 



A great way to "try it before you buy it". I'm sure you'll enjoy the Craftsy platform and will soon be enrolled in just a few courses - or 5 or 10, like me. 

Now off to dig out those acrylic paints and brushes that I have somewhere...