Plan B

Well I've just had a gander at my Craftsy store - they've removed all but two patterns, and they're both freebies.  And one is a Christmas pattern.

I don't have words for this.....at some point, I'm deleting my Craftsy store.  I've already taken down my pattern pages that had links to the store.  Research on different venues will commence tomorrow.

I'm feeling at peace with all this, oddly enough.  It will be what it will be, and I'll either adapt or stop selling patterns.  No clue what yet, but that's ok.  God has shown me grace and I'm grateful.

I hope you all had a good Christmas, we had our family celebration on Christmas Eve.  All went swimmingly until I took mum home, and fell in her driveway - right on my nose - spent the next 8 hours at the ER.  Several hours, a CT scan and a tetanus shot later, I was told I would live.  I'm still dealing with the aftereffects of concussion, and bandages everywhere, but feeling surprisingly good.  I guess 2018 wanted to go out with a literal bang!!!  But you know what?  NO broken nose, NO broken glasses, NO broken wrist.  I am incredibly blessed!!!!

So my dear friends, I'm going to wish you a very Happy New Year now, may this coming year be a year filled with God's grace and mercy, and drawing closer to Him.  He is good all the time, no matter our circumstances, He knew about them from the beginning, nothing surprises Him - so,

(James 4:8) "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. 

Love,
Allie

A terrible pic of me with my band-aid mustache!!  And it looks like one eye is rolling around loose....

***URGENT***

Hi everyone, it's almost Christmas, I hope you're all ready - I did all my shopping today!  

I have some urgent news for everyone who uses Craftsy.  I got a letter from them, along with every other designer - they're keeping my shop, but taking down patterns and I won't know which ones until they do it.  I don't like that they're taking control...but they've been a great place for designers for so long, I guess nothing lasts forever.  My urgent news is for you to RUN to your account, and download everything in your library - it may not be there in a few days!!!!

I have no idea if the patterns in your library will still be available after the changes.  Especially if you've purchased patterns, and never downloaded them, better head over there ASAP and get them!  Speaking for myself, I will not be able to scroll through hundreds of pages to verify your order, so will not be emailing patterns to anyone.

I know this is really short notice.  It is for us too.  I have no idea what will happen to Allie-oops Designs in the future - whether I'll find a different venue, or just stop designing patterns for sale.  I can safely say I won't stop designing, lol....it's in my blood.  A lot of folks are moving to Etsy, which I won't do, you need a credit card to link to your account and I don't have one.  Plus, they charge a fee for every pattern.  My patterns are very low-cost, and after paypal fees I don't get much....add in etsy fees, and I'd get nothing.

I was going to start a new BOM in February, but that's completely on hold now.  I'll stitch it up and write it up, but whether it ever gets shared is a mystery right now.

In other news....yesterday was mum's birthday, she's 81!!  I took her shoe shopping.  I think she's happy!

Then I took her out to lunch, and for some birthday ice cream.  Again with the happy.

I have been stitching a bit in between work days.  I stitched up a couple of Kathy Schmitz patterns, one for mum, one for my aunt....

I think they'll approve.

Two ladies have sent me pictures of my patterns they're working on.  Jan is doing my Sweet Country set in redwork - I love it!!!!

By the way ladies, I've put my watermark on your pictures, not to take credit but so that anyone seeing them anywhere else will know where they came from.  Jan, I adore this in redwork!

And Brenda sent me pics of her Garden of Contentment quilt and dish towels she did, so gorgeous - 

Isn't that stunning?  And the quilting!!  Brenda says the quilting was done by Starlit Quilts in Bonney Lake, WA.  I wish they were close to me, lol, that's fabulous!

Brenda also did dish towels in both applique with embroidery, and just embroidery!

Those done with that variegated thread are gorgeous!  I told her I didn't think they'd look great in just embroidery, but I love them!!!!  Thank you Jan and Brenda, you've both blessed my socks right off!

Ok my friends, that's enough of a post to keep you busy for a few, sorry for being so long-winded....but after not posting for more than a month, I had a lot to say!  Especially after the shocking news from Craftsy....please, please remember to get over there and download your pattern library!!!!  And if there's any patterns you want, from any designer, not just me, better get them now....you have until the 28th of December, although folks are reporting broken links already.  Yikes!!  

If I don't see you before Christmas, I wish you a very Merry Christmas - and a lovely, happy, shiny New Year!!!

Love,

Allie

***EDIT***  As a hobby designer, the changes at Craftsy affect me only minimally - but for my best blogging buddy, Jenny of Elefantz, this is her bread and butter.  Please, if you can, check out her shop and see if there are any designs you don't have that you would like - I'm praying for a rush on her shop that will carry her through this transition period.  Thank you!!!!!!