AnnTheBlogger : orlando

Community Circle Thanks and Video Demonstrations

AnnTheGran — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:15:00 GMT

Hi, everyone!

Well, I think I've recovered from our fabulous Community Circle! I want to thank everyone who attended as well as Diane and Pardeep for keeping things running smoothly and, of course, Greg, for overseeing everything. Thanks also to Eileen Roche for her terrific classes, great products and those questionable questions during our question and answer session at dinner. I fear that all of you who were there now know more about me than you ever wanted to know (or I ever wanted to tell you)! And how about the terrific deal on the new Brother machine? Thanks to George and Jewell from Brother for bringing the machines to us and showing all interested parties how to use them. Congratulations as well to Cathy Spencer, our very popular winner of the Brother PE-700 machine that was our big door prize! What a great story, that the one attendee who comes without a machine to go home to is the one to win it!

I had such a special time meeting and eating with you. AnnTheGran has been around for nearly a dozen years now and I can't believe you all are still with me! Lets keep those tears I shed on the first day just between us, okay? I sure hope we can do this again. It was too much fun not to repeat!

Please, please keep in touch with each other and try to meet up every once in a while. The forums are a great place to do that! And by the way, for those of you who watched Greg post on my behalf on Friday morning, that question about the life of thread is still mostly unanswered in the forum, even though we had some great answers in the room! It's not too late to go and answer it! Anyway, I know I'm going to be in contact with the Central Florida contingent and we're going to be planning some hi jinks. We do need to get out from behind our computers and machines once in a while!

We took lots of videotape at the event, much of which you'll be seeing up on the site in the coming weeks and months. Some of you mentioned that you'd like to see more video on our web site. Well, we are working on that, but in the meantime, I thought I'd send you a list of items for which we do have video now. All of the following links are product videos, but we are definitely planning to post some "non-salesy" video links as well. Also, if any of you have instructional video that you've posted on YouTube, let me know and we'll be happy to link to it from my site.

Here are some products that include video demos (sometimes you need to scroll down to the tabs to view the videos):

Alphabet Xpress lettering software

Catalog Xpress software

Magna-Hoop

Perfect Placement Kit

In The Hoop Kit

Perfect Towel Kit

Madeira Incredible Threadable Box

Madeira Thread Treasure Chest

Klasse Needle Value Pack

That's all I have for you today. I'm still getting back into the swing of things after Community Circle, so if my correspondence is a little disrupted, I hope you'll forgive me. Keep sending in your projects to me at wow-you-made-that@annthegran.com and I'll keep posting them for all to see.

Talk to you soon!

Ann

Easter Break to Prepare for Community Circle

AnnTheGran — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 18:43:00 GMT

Hi, everyone,

The gang here is taking a little break for Easter and using the time to polish off some final preparations for my Community Circle event in Orlando, so I thought I'd just put together a brief note to let you know that I'm still alive and kicking -- well, moving my legs anyway.

I am very, very excited about seeing some of you in Orlando -- I'm hoping to give you back as much energy and enthusiasm as you give me. I must confess though, that I am a little sad that we still haven't managed to fill up the event. It seems this old gal can't attract the crowds she used to! I guess that's what I get for not showing my face for so long...

But seriously, for those of you who aren't coming, I'd love to know why you aren't. This was our first time organizing this type of event, and there have been a few glitches, but I thought we really put together something special. Eileen Roche and I in the same room as a group of embroiderers? I mean, c'mon; does it get any better? So I'd like to know, if you aren't coming, is it because we made it too expensive, is it too far away, are the dates wrong, were you hoping for different kinds of classes? This is a learning curve for all of us and we want to make sure we're climbing up the curve rather than sliding down. Please use the Comments feature below to tell me why you aren't coming.

And if you've considered coming but still aren't quite sure, let me know what I can do to get you here! We're already giving away TONS of stuff and I've been hitting the treadmill so that I'll have enough energy to keep everyone buzzing, but maybe there's something that my team and I have missed. If there is, and it's something I can reasonably provide, send me a personal e-mail at wow-you-made-that@annthegran.com and I'll see if I can get you to Orlando! If you've just been procrastinating (especially if you live here in Florida!) and you need to register, you can get all the info here. The very latest that you can register for the special dinner event with me and Eileen is March 26. You can be sure it will be a hoot!

Hoping to hear from you either way!

Ann

Community Circle April 3-4 in Orlando - Registration Ready at Long Last!

atgadmin — Tue, 19 Feb 2008 19:13:00 GMT

It's the gathering of the year and even if this is the first time you have joined me I know you'll be re-energized and ready to go after two full days with Eileen Roche and me. We'll share our best techniques and insider tips for expressing yourself through embroidery.

For all the details, including registration and hotel information, please click here. We do have a cap on the number of attendees, as well as on the number of hotel rooms, so please register early to avoid disappointment.

To register, you don't need to fill out any forms; just use the Add to Cart links on the landing page, check out, and our system will retrieve your contact information from your AnnTheGran user profile. You will then be sent a full itinerary by e-mail as soon as one is available. For questions and information, I have also set up a forum so you can stay up-to-the-minute on news about the event.

Please note that this is not a "hands-on" event; classes will be lecture/demo format, so there is no need to bring your machine. I received a lot of feedback from our users (thank you!) and, even though many of you were okay with bringing your machines, most of you weren't, so we decided that, as this is our first year doing this, we want to see how this format goes and we will then evaluate whether or not to run hands-on events in the future. Thanks again for providing me so much feedback; I was truly humbled!

Hope to see you in Orlando in April!

Ann (AnnTheGran) Cobb

AnnTheGran Community Circle in Orlando - A Few More Hints

atgadmin — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 20:52:00 GMT

OK, gals, mark your calendars today – April 3rd and 4th – less than 9 weeks away. It’s time to get together and re-energize our passion for embroidery at the first annual AnnTheGran Community Circle retreat. I love sunny Orlando and we’ll spend two whole days exploring innovative techniques, inspirational tips and the latest and greatest in the world of embroidery.

Now, here’s the plan:

On Thursday:

- To kick off the fun, we’ll all gather for a continental breakfast and coffee. I’ll tell you some of my stories. We’ll have some laughs and rev up for the day.
- Then it’s off to morning seminars. Of course you’ll see me and I’ve invited embroidery expert and educator, Eileen Roche, to share her knowledge and inspiration with you as well.
- At lunchtime you’re on your own. You can visit the area restaurants and then do a little shopping in our AnnTheGran travelling store.
- Afternoon seminars will be packed with more project ideas, and “how-to” techniques and tips to take back home.
- Then we’re planning a dinner and evening of more fun with Eileen and myself.

On Friday

- We’ll do breakfast again, I'll walk you through my new site and, if you're not afraid of cracking the lens on your camera, you can have a photo taken with me if you like
- We’ll share more enthusiastic morning seminars with Eileen and me.
- Lunch same as on Thursday.
- Then we’ll wrap it up with more information packed seminars.

Now, here are a few of the details:

-You get to attend all the seminars and breakfast with me both days for only $129.00.
-And you won’t want to miss a great dinner and an evening with Eileen and me – Your choice whether or not to attend, but a great bargain for $30.00
-While at the retreat you’ll get a stuffed goodie bag including samples of some of our products, but in addition a one year membership to Ann’s Club worth $60.00 and AnnTheGran Essentials Embroidery Design CD valued at $199.
- When you register you’ll be entered into a drawing for some fantastic prizes.

More on how to register, how to get your hotel room (if you need one), and details on the seminars will be coming your way very very soon. But remember to put a big X on your calendar for April 3rd and 4th now and make plans to join us. We’ve got lots of new ideas, creative techniques and innovative embroidery processes to share.

Hope to see you in Orlando!

Best Wishes,

Ann

I'm Having a Party, and You're Invited!

atgadmin — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 21:23:00 GMT

Let's face it, gals, it's been far too long sinced I've rubbed elbows and shared stories with most of you. So, I've resolved this year to put myself back into circulation, at least a bit and, unlike most of my New Year's resolutions, this is one I intend to keep!

To celebrate the launch of my new web site in February, I've decided it's high time for some festivities! To that end, you are therefore cordially invited, on April 3rd and 4th, to join me and my gal pals here in sunny Orlando for the first annual AnnTheGran Community Circle.

We're still putting together all the details, but here are a few of the things you can expect:

classes, seminars, workshops and general learning opportunities with me (of course) and some of our favorite vendors whose stuff we sell on our site
a couple of scrumptious banquets hosted by none other than yours truly
goodie bags stuffed to the brim with all kinds of stuff from AnnTheGran.com
a great time!

Best of all, it's going to be cheap, cheap, cheap; hotel rooms, great eats, and tons of tips and techniques for less than you'd shell out in one post-holiday trip to the mall.

What I need from you to help me finish off the preparations is your answer to a couple questions. If you think you might like to come, please send your responses to the following e-mail address (don't worry, we're not going to put you on any lists or anything -- you don't even have to give your name -- this is strictly for me to give you the best possible event):

wow-you-made-that@annthegran.com

Here are the questions:

If you came, would you want to bring your machine?
If you came from outside the area, would you rather stay at the hotel for one night or two?
In which type of classes/seminars would you be most interested?

So there you have it; come as you are, drag hubby, the kids or grandkids with you (it is Orlando, after all), bring your budgie if you have to, but mark that first week of April on your calendar and do whatever you have to do to join us. You will not be disappointed!

And please keep sending me your projects! If you don't know how, click here.

Hope to see you in Orlando in April!

Ann