Happy New Year! And Happy Birthday!

Happy 2012! Shiny Happy World officially launched on January 1, 2011 - so we are one year old today. And, incidentally, it's also my wedding anniversary. I do like to start new adventures on New Year's Day. :-)

Do you like that birthday embroidery pattern? Would you like to have it? Then sign up for my mailing list and wait for your birthday. You'll get it for free on that day.

When I started Shiny Happy World I was posting new sewing and embroidery lessons every week. I designed the order of the lessons to work like a curriculum, so you could work your way toward more advanced skills and projects as you went along. That worked great for people who were reading the blog from the very beginning, but I'm not sure new readers were even aware of it.

You can always go digging back through the blog archives to get the lessons in order - but that's pretty tedious. You could use the links to lessons in every pattern and on the sewing and embroidery school pages - but that doesn't offer the skills in any kind of logical order. I wanted a way to let new readers have the experience of taking a systematic "class" in the skills they wanted to learn. And now I have it!

When you sign up for the mailing list, you can choose from two new FREE weekly lesson series: Sewing 101 and Embroidery 101. Just click the boxes by one or both of them and you'll start getting a weekly email directing you to a video sewing or embroidery lesson and a pattern designed especially to practice that new skill.

For those of you who are already on the mailing list, the easiest way for you to make the change is to wait for the next email you get from me. Go all the way to the fine print at the bottom of the email and click on "Update subscription preferences." That will take you to a page that allows you to sign up for one or both of these series - and also to choose what kind of information you'll receive from me in the future. Yes - I have different options there now too. If you do nothing you'll continue to receive a monthly round-up of all the new lessons and patterns at Shiny Happy World. OR you can update your preferences to specify just sewing, embroidery, and/or quilting news. OR you can choose to get information only about discounts and sales.

I know that sounds a little complicated, but I think you'll find it's actually really clear on the sign-up form. I just want to make sure every email you get from me is one you want to get. :-)

So if you haven't signed up for the mailing list, sign up now. How else can I send you a present on your birthday?

And if you're already on the mailing list, look for an email in your inbox today that will allow you to set your preferences and sign up for Sewing 101 and/or Embroidery 101.

Happy New Year everyone! Check in tomorrow for the first update on my New Year's resolutions.

Best,
Wendi