Jo Avery – the Blog

1 year blogoversary and new Etsy shop giveaway!

Yes, I have 2 things to celebrate. I finally got that Etsy shop organised and stocked with a whole range of my handmade goodies AND it is a year since I started this blog!

I can’t really overstate how much this blog has meant to me in what has been a very difficult year. When my sons helped me set it up last summer I don’t think any of us really expected that I would ‘stick at it’. I certainly didn’t expect it to take over my life the way it has, not to mention making me into a ‘blogbore’ (my husband’s eyes just glaze over whenever he hears that word nowadays!).
But the whole thing is really down to you lot out there, reading this blog and commenting and (some of you) writing your own blogs, so we can all be connected and share our lives all over the world. I have had so much great positive support and encouragement from my blogger friends that I feel it is time for a ‘thank you giveaway’!

I have been saving up some special fat quarters over the last few months and here they are, all ready to wing it across the globe to one lucky winner. Lot’s of fun to be had with this bundle, which includes designs from Kaffe Fassett, Moda, Amy Butler, Anna Maria Horner, amongst others!

And if that isn’t enough, 2nd prize is this great book, ‘Quilts of Peace’. Such a lovely idea and very well written, this book will inspire and move you.

Not forgetting little ‘Bearpaw’, the Teacup Pincushion, who has told me he is happy to be a consolation prize, and bring his special blend of slightly scary cuteness to another lucky winner.

So what do you need to do to have a chance to win all this loot?

Well as this giveaway is also about my Etsy shop, I would like you to all head over there now and take a look around and maybe even do something with those ‘hearts’ if you’re feeling the love!
Then come back here and comment. If you would like to share your views on the shop, or if you have any advice for an Etsy beginner on how to promote the shop or how to improve it’s appearance then that would be very welcome. But it’s also ok just to leave a nice comment. Just follow this link.
If you are a follower or become one, leave me another comment and you will get another entry.
If you blog about this giveaway I will give you 2 more entries as a show of my appreciation! Just leave me a comment with a link to your blog please.

You have till midnight next Friday, 9th July to enter. Then I will use my own, low-tech version of a random generator (which involves one of the ‘Alisons’ and lot’s of cut up pieces of paper!) to find 3 winners.
International entries are also very welcome!

Good luck everyone!

One more thing, lovely Melanie at Texas Freckles has entered a fabric competition at Spoonflower. She has designed this amazing cheater fabric which divides into 56 different patterns that she will use for her hexagon charm quilt. All the other competitors have lots of followers on twitter, but Melanie (like myself!) hasn’t got the whole tweeting bug yet so needs all you lovely fellow bloggers to go over and vote for her fabric (and her’s is the nicest anyway!). Just follow this link to Texas Freckles and Melanie will explain what to do. Thanks everyone!

myBearpaw 91 comments

91 comments

  1. congratulations on your blog anniversary. I checked out your store and I see that you listed your lovely bags too. Congratulations on getting all that set up. Much , much success!

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  6. Your etsy shop looks great – this comment comes only from a viewer of etsy not a seller! The busket bags look great! I am already a follower and would love to win a 'giveaway'. Great blog and congratulations on making one year! Suz

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  7. Me and Holly have been shopping!!! I had to show some restraint as we're shopping for a new riding hat for someone's birthday tomorrow (and she's got a surprise 8ft trampoline, too!) but we couldn't resist a teacup pincushion!! I really want a needle case and that blue bucket bag, though!! I wish I knew how to do Etsy promotion – alas, I am clueless.

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  8. I've been following your blog for a while but I have just become an "official" follower. Congratulations on your 1st Blog anniversary and joining the Etsy Shop. Hope you find it successful. Have looked at your Etsy site and love all of your bags, especially the Patchwork totes. I love the idea of using vintage fabrics, especially showcasing old embroidered pieces. So please enter me for your great Giveaway!

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  12. Hi, congrats on the blog. I keep meaning to start one (I think sometimes I'm the only quilter on earth without a blog) but just haven't gotten around to it. I don't really get Twitter, either. I love your Etsy store. Especially the little leaf needle books. So sweet. Oh, I'm also a subscriber/follower. I guess that's two entries for me, but feel free to give me more. I really love the FQs and would be more than happy to have the book.

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  20. Hey Jo…congrats for a year in the blogisphere!:)

    Your etsy shop looks great. The photos are nice and clear. Guess the only thing that came to mind is maybe take a few more photos of each item, like the back or open up the cute needle cases for a peek inside!:)

    And I am definitely a follower!!

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  21. Congrats on your new Etsy shop, I hope you do really well with it! And I heart it. And I'm a follower, too.

    Oh, on your sets in the shop, you might want to capitalize the n in needle cases and make it 2 words.

    Thanks for the chance to win some of your goodies!

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  26. Well done Jo! I really need to get going on mine now! You have done well to get do many items listed already. I love your little framed quilts and the leaf needle cases. Hope it all goes well and we'll have to swap tips about etsy when I have mine up and running.

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  27. Congratulations on your blog anniverssary Jo. The etsy shop looks really great, my comment (for what its worth) is that the tote bags stand out as the photos look more natural and i am more drawn to those than the others which show off the things really well but do not draw me in as much, does that make sense, perhaps if the quilts in a frame were photographed in situ on a wall etc, just a thought 🙂 I am sure you will be very successful ..

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  29. Hi Jo – great minds think alike and I've just opened my Etsy shop too! Yours has more a little more stock though! I think your shop looks great and it ties in really well with the look for your blog, which is something I'm still working on! Obviously I'm a newbie myself, but I'd say add some of your favourite Etsy shops to your shop too; I think it makes a shop a more interesting experience and is a great way to introduce other/new shoppers and buyers to each other. Also, are you going to be adding your own shop policies – I think it makes sense, after all your products and the way you run your shop are unique. And again, it fills out the shop, really making people stick around whilst they read about you and your products.

    Hope any of that helps! Of course I'll promote your shop.giveaway on my blog too – will pop back with the link when I've got another post sorted 🙂 Good luck with it all, it's looking great so far 🙂

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  30. I love your little framed mini quilts! Too cute.

    I think if I was going to offer any suggestions it would be to spice up your announcements at the beginning. Separate the different ideas with spaces so it's a little easier to read. And throw in an exclamation point to sound like you are really happy to be selling! LOL. But it's great that you have the different sections on the side so people can quickly see what kind of items you have and how many. I love that.

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  33. This is the first time I have visited your blog & Etsy shop, I will definately be back! I added you to my Google reader to keep up with your crafts…your pincushions are sooo adorable!! : )

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  34. I love your pincushions. They are so creative and fun. I also love the way you take your pictures. I always struggle with the best way to represent my handmade goodies in such a tiny thumbnail. Your pictures look great! I love how the bags are hanging from the iron stand. So creative! Good Luck on your shop!

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  38. happy bloggaversay and congratulations on your new etsy shop! I think you have a very cute shop! I don't have a shop myself, but from browsing all the etsy shops out there, especially shops that sell crafted goodies, I would say that the thing the grabs my attention the most is a beautiful picture that really shows off the item well. And also pictures of the same item in different angles. Good luck with your new shop and thanks for the giveaway!!

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  42. Hello I love your etsy items, particularly the leaf needle cases. Really pretty.

    This isn't a negative I hope (you did ask for feedback) – how about come close up pics to see detail of embroidery etc?

    Keep up the good work, and I'd love to win in your giveaway 🙂

    Fiona x

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  44. Happy blogiversary and congrats on your new (Etsy) shop opening – as one door closes (sigh!) another one opens…..! (Forever pining in Glasgow!). The products you make are always impressive and 'sellable'. I'd love to offer advice on your Etsy shop – which looks great and already selling! – but the advice needs to come the other way I'm afraid. I made a start on my Etsy shop and have been tripped up at the first hurdle. For the life of me I can not get my header photograph to fit – so have given up for now! As I am not a sewer (but always an admirer of the skill) I don't think I qualify to be placed in your draw. Good luck with everything – have little doubt you will be successful. I will now attempt to become a follower

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  45. Your Etsy shop looks great, Jo! I love the log cabin mini-quilt. I love your bucket bags, and your pincushions are adorable. That chicken is the cutest little guy ever!

    Congrats on your first year of blogging!

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  46. What a lovely little shop. Good luck with it – although you won't need any luck with all that beautiful work on display. The pin cushions – my favorites – could just eat em up. Have fun with it – as it's always such a lovely compliment when someone purchases your work.

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  47. Congratulations!! I love the mini quilts… My only suggestion would be to play with the crops on some of the photos so that the whole tote bag shows in the thumbnail picture.

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  48. Congratulations and well done on the shop! I love the needle cases, I was thinking you could put emery in one of the cherries to sharpen your needles!

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  55. Your shop looks lovely. My only advice is patience. Sometimes you get a sale or two when you least expect it, and word or mouth advertising should never be underestimated. Good luck!!

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  59. I have become a follower. I just started my own blog so I love to see stories of those who are celebrating blogiversaries. Maybe in a year I can have my own giveaway.

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  62. Animal in a cup pincushion – owl is my favorite from your etsy shop. I also like the leaf needle books. My advice: find a product that is unique to you in it's creation (consider how shey b is known for her camera straps). Congratulations on your blogoversary and new etsy shop! Thank you for the giveaway and please place my name in the hat. mlwright29 (at) hotmail (dot) com

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  65. Yay, I've finally managed to slwo my life down enough to take the time to enter – why do four kids take up so much time? Or maybe it's because I'm too busy sewing to do anything else these days! Your Etsy shop looks great – good for you but you know what I want to add in there of course… those fabulous cushions which I just LOVE. X

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  66. Hi Jo! Not sure whether I commented or not… I had it in my head I did! Anyways… best of luck with your shop… I follow, blog, love, favourited and passed on the news !

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  67. Happy blogiversary! I visited your shop and it looks like you have some nice things there. The cups are adorable! I wish you much success.

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  70. I've checked out your Etsy store – I loved the bucket bags and particularly the Patwork Bucket Bags. So pretty! It all looked really nicely presented.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  71. Just found your blog through flickr, love your patchwork cushion! I too have just opened an etsy shop, its big and scary I think! I really like your leaf needlecases, beautiful shape, good luck with it!

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  73. I love those needle cases in your shop! And those tree pincushions are darling! They are my favourite! 🙂
    Thanks for the chance to win! 🙂

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  75. Geezo Jo! 74 comments and counting! I popped over to your shop and it's looking great. Congratulations! Also congratulations on your first sale! that must have been very exciting!! 🙂
    Love Sarah V. XX

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  76. Me again! Just getting another entry in. Also thought I'd mention that I signed up to etsy so that I could add you as a favourite but I could not "heart you". How do you do this? Do you have to have your own blog?
    Anyway 2 comments means 2 entries right?
    Sarah Vaughan XX

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  81. Just had a look at the etsy shop. It looks really good – lots of variety and a range of prices including cheaper stuff. The animals in teacups are very sweet.
    Your give-aways are fantastic, I have my fingers crossed! Juliex

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  82. Hello, from just outside Washington DC, I love the bucket bags. Also nice that you included in the descriptions that they were made in a smokefree environment!! Am missing Mr. Bear pincushion though. I'd think he would be a topseller, but didn't see him in the store…I'll look again. Did I miss him? Thank you so much for the generous giveaway, and congrats on the Etsy store. You're going to be a hit.

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  84. Just in time! I love the teacup animal pincushions in your shop and the bearpaw bear above. Congrats on your first year and setting up your shop x

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  86. Congratulations on your First Year Blog Anniversary! I am just beginning myself! Your Etsy shop is marvelous! I love your patchwork bags! And the teacup cushions are so creative. I wish you all the success you can handle. Good luck!

    terrymac1a at hotmail dot com

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  87. I am a newer follower of yours.

    Thank you for this material giveaway.

    terrymac1a at hotmail dot com

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  88. Congratulations on your new etsy shop and happy 1 year blog anniversary! The new shop looks really good, and I love the tree pin cushions, so cute and so clever! Thank yo for the giveaway!

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