June 2012
2 posts
Calling all techies, geeks, and entrepreneurs!...
The Techweek 2012 Conference + Expo is here! Starting today in Chicago, IL and runs through Tuesday, June 26. It’s a comprehensive tech conference that includes:
Over 350 Speakers, including:
Travis Kalanick, CEO of Uber
Jason Fried, founder of 37Signals (Ruby on Rails came out of this group)
Stefan Weitz, Director of Bing at Microsoft
Matt Mickiewicz, founder of 99designs
Parties,...
Catching Up With Timothy Whalin
This week, Dabble had the opportunity to catch up with one of our awesome Dabble Denver teachers, Timothy Whalin. He is a well known designer and popular Tweetaholic in Denver and we are lucky to have him share his expertise with us! Sign up for his Twitter for Beginners and Pros class coming up July 10.
D: Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
T: Genuine introvert loving life with...
May 2012
4 posts
Cheers to Matt Klara, Chicago Class Scout...
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m a first generation American and lifelong Chicagoan, with stints in Iowa City and London for school and work. I married my college sweetheart, helped renovate our condo, completed grad school, adopted an energetic Lab/Poodle (I can’t get myself to say “Labradoodle”) and welcomed our handsome son into the world all within the past five years. I love to travel and...
Happy Birthday, Dabble. A Look Back.
Well, here we are. It’s been a year. A year! We launched Dabble on May 23, 2011 (it was a Monday). What a ride it’s been so far. Fun, thrilling, exasperating, exhausting, exhilarating, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. What’s certain is that there’s never been a dull moment. When Jess and I had the idea for Dabble (cue awkward video), we thought there was something...
Welcome Amy, Milwaukee Class Scout
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m originally from Kansas City and just moved to Milwaukee from Phoenix with my husband. We started a wrestling academy in Hartland, WI, his hometown. I decided to get my Pilates certification so I could teach and travel with him. I also work with a nutrition company called Vemma, and now I’m working with Dabble! I was hesitant at first to move to...
3 tags
Introducing... Dabble's Newest Team Members
Class Scouts [klas skouts]
DEF: Our rockstar crew of on-the-ground people who help find awesome teachers to teach Dabble classes.
We’ll be featuring them over the next few weeks right here on our blog. We’re super excited to be working with them, and want to put a face behind those who are helping scout out fantabulous classes.
So, without further ado… we bring to you:
...
April 2012
1 post
Dabble Workshop: How to Teach a Class
So you’ve seen this Dabble thing. You’ve visited the site a few times, maybe been to a class or two… and you’re tempted. Tempted to start teaching yourself. After all, you have been patiently teaching friends how to knit for the last five years. It’s about time you monetized this skill.
But wait. You’re reluctant. How do you know if you’re comfortable in front of a group? How would you...
February 2012
4 posts
3 tags
And We Have a Winner, Folks! (Dabble for a Year On...
Better late than never (how is it almost March?!), we selected our “Free Dabble Classes for a Year” winner, and… drum roll please…
Michelle Sanchez, come on down!
We couldn’t be more excited to award the ability to Dabble at your leisure for a year. In her entry, Michelle told us she wants to Dabble in photography. We asked her why. Here’s what she had to...
Meet Matthew, Learn to fly for (almost) free
Matthew Straub is teaching Travel Hacking 101 on Saturday February 18th in Milwaukee. The photo above is from a recent stay he had in Puerto Rico … a $550 flight that I got for free because of travel hacking. If you’ve ever wanted to fly somewhere that seemed out of reach because of budget, you’ll definitely want to check out his class! Here’s a bit more about Matthew...
Meet Niki, Learn Photoshop
Niki Bivona is teaching Restore An Old Photograph With Photoshop on Thursday February 16th in Milwaukee. The thing she loves most about being a designer is learning something new everyday about her craft. Make sure to check out her class and get to know her a bit below …
Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
Designer/Production Artist for 9 years who loves learning new things.
How...
Meet Armen, Learn Entrepreneurship
Armen Hadjinian is teaching Entrepreneurship: Get Ready on February 13th. Beyond being an energetic fun guy to have coffee with, Armen is a serial entrepreneur in Milwaukee and has taught Business at the undergrad and MBA level for 29 years. He’s a good sport and has answered a few questions for us below …
Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
Inspiring, funny, and...
January 2012
4 posts
Hey Milwaukee - Bring a friend FREE
We heard that folks in Milwaukee like a great deal (and we’re not one to disappoint … )
Today we’re announcing a special “buy one, bring a friend free” promotion in Milwaukee running until February 1st. We’re so sure that you’ll love our classes … now we’re making it easier to bring a friend along for the fun!
Here’s how it works...
Dabble Milwaukee has launched!
It’s been a fun month talking to all the cool people and organizations in Milwaukee. Without further ado, here’s the goods …
Share with Friends via Facebook or Twitter
We’re blown away by all the awesome classes & teaches coming out of Milwaukee. Here’s a small sampling …
Coffee Bean Education w/ Steve Hawthorne
Dog Manners 101 w/ Todd Thurber
...
Milwaukee & San Francisco - Let the countdown...
We’re excited to announce that we’ll be launching in Milwaukee next Monday January 16th (and San Francisco shortly after). We’re still looking for awesome teachers and folks who want to get involved.
Know someone in Milwaukee or San Francisco? Help us spread the word!
Share on Facebook or Twitter
We can’t wait to give folks in Milwaukee & San Francisco a big...
CONTEST OVER, WINNER ANNOUNCED! What's on your...
Dabble wants to know - What do you want to learn in the New Year? Post your answer on Facebook and you’ll be entered to win FREE classes for one year!
That’s right. Dabble will award a one-year supply of free Dabble Classes (limit one class per week) to one lucky Dabbler. Winner will be selected randomly from list of all entries and announced on January 31st (via Facebook, of...
December 2011
3 posts
thoughtful gifts that don't suck.
Okay, if you’re like me … you’ve still got plenty of gifts to cross off your list. You’re sweating a little bit. Just one week left - and it’s closing in fast. Perhaps some of these random thoughts are running through your head …
Why do I procrastinate on buying presents every single year? Because I can, that’s why.
It’s cold outside....
Dabble in 50 Cities
So we’ve heard you loud & clear. With over 400 requests for Dabble in other cities over the past few months, we’ve opened up the platform to accept class submissions from 50 cities across the world.
Who made the list?
Check out the drop-down at http://www.dabble.co. You’ll find 46 great U.S. cities as well as a few international wild cards. Don’t see your city?...
Class Seven: Knitting Basics
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner of “free classes for a year,” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next 12 months. Here’s her seventh Dabble class!
I signed up for this class with one goal: to make myself a scarf, not just any scarf but a cream and charcoal gray infinity scarf. I will wear this scarf with my bright green coat and a black wool...
November 2011
3 posts
Class Five: Wine Tasting Like a Pro
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner of “free classes for a year,” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next 12 months. Here’s her fifth Dabble class!
Wine tasting is not the most exciting thing to describe in a blog post. You swirl, you smell, and then you sip and repeat. The fun of wine tasting comes from actually drinking the wine. I knew a...
October 2011
4 posts
How to Teach with Dabble Workshop (FREE)
So you’ve seen this Dabble thing. You’ve visited the site a few times, maybe been to a class or two… and you’re tempted. Tempted to start teaching yourself. After all, you have been patiently teaching friends how to knit for the last five years. It’s about time you monetized this skill.
But wait. You’re reluctant. How do you know if you’re comfortable in front of a group? How would you...
Big Changes at Dabble
We’ve got some big (and exciting) changes happening at Dabble. Over the next week we’ll be transitioning to a new, more robust website at “dabble.co”.
(Note: The above classes are for ridiculousness and testing purposes only. However, if Bob Barker wanted to teach Bread Making we’d welcome him with open arms.)
It will look very much the same as our current site,...
Class Four: Cupcake Decorating
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner of “free classes for a year,” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next 12 months. Here’s her fourth Dabble class!
Before I begin discussing my foray into cupcake decorating, I must make a full disclosure: Beth Marrier, the fabulous instructor of cupcake decorating, is a friend of mine. I will try to refrain from...
September 2011
2 posts
Class Three: Muddling up Mojitos
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner for “free classes for a year” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next twelve months - here’s her third Dabble class!
There is nothing like sitting at a good restaurant and drinking a few mojitos. There is also nothing like waking up the next day to realize you spent 50 bucks on drinks last night. So a few...
1 tag
August 2011
8 posts
Class Two: I'm on a Boat
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner for “free classes for a year” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next twelve months - here’s her second Dabble class!
When I signed up to take a boating class I had to fight off two different urges:
To wear an entire boating themed outfit, complete with anchor-patterned shirt
Saying, “Is it yar?” in my best...
It's Official. Dabble is expanding!
So we’ve heard your requests for other cities loud and clear - and we couldn’t be more pumped to bring Dabble to six more cities across the country! Here they are … (aren’t they pretty all lined up in rows??)
So what happens now?
We’re opening up online class submissions for all six cities today (San Francisco, Austin, Denver, Twin Cities, Milwaukee and St....
Class One: Brew Your Own Beer
Sarah Gaynor (@gaynordesigns), our contest winner for “free classes for a year” will be documenting her nitty gritty class experience with us for the next twelve months - here’s the first of her many Dabble classes!
I love drinking beer, and I love drinking different kinds of beer. But I know very little about how it’s made. Terms like “malty” and “hoppy” generally don’t mean...
Q & A with Nathan: Dabble’s Community Development...
Get to know Dabble Community Development Coordinator Nathan Binkley below:
Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
Interesting, self-reliant individual, art enthusiast, obsessed with learning new things.
What do you like about being a Dabble Community Development Coordinator?
Dabble is the best idea I’d heard of in awhile. My old roommate from Iowa introduced me to it after...
Q & A with Meghan: Dabble's Newest Hire
Get to know Dabble Public Relations Intern & Writer Meghan Hammond below:
You call also say “hi” and follow Ms. Meghan on twitter @megh_ann
Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
Daydream believer and Beyoncé enthusiast with a sushi problem.
What do you like about being the Public Relations Intern for Dabble?
Dabble has all the things I’m looking for in a company-...
and we have a winner! free classes for a year
So we picked from a digital hat and guess who came out on top? It’s Ms. Sarah Gaynor. She’ll be receiving free classes for one whole year. We’ll be documenting her journey on the blog. In the meantime, get to know her below.
Check out her website to see what’s she’s up to or show her some Twitter love @gaynordesigns.
Describe who you are in 10 words or less.
Hardworking...
July 2011
3 posts
free classes for a year
Huzzah! It’s our first official contest. We REALLY appreciate your support over the past few months and are looking forward to meeting the nerdy folks (us included) at TechWeek! - Jess & Erin
The Tiny Print: Dabble will award a one-year supply of free Dabble Classes (limit one class per week) to one lucky tweeter. Winner will be selected randomly from list of all entries and announced...
1 tag
WatchHope everyone had a great 4th!
June 2011
4 posts
2 tags
WatchGet to know Kevin Scarbrough … his class is tonight at 6:30 at Mahoney’s Pub. Already a good crowd … but there’s still a few spots left, signup here! (Mad props to Meghan for putting this together!)
“You don’t stop doing things because you get old. You get old because you stop...”
– Rosamunde Pilcher, one of 50 luminaries over the age of 65 – writers, artists, philosophers, politicians, designers, activists, musicians, religious and business leaders – to share invaluable, life-tested insight in Andrew Zuckerman’s Wisdom. (via curiositycounts)
Q&A with Meghan: Dabble's Community Manager
Get to know Dabble Community Manager and Creative Meghan O’Shaughnessy below:
Check out her website to see what’s she’s up to or show her some Twitter love @sheexclaimed.
Describe who you are in 10 words or less. Journalista with an overactive imagination and penchant for good food.
What do you like about being community manager for Dabble? As the community manager for...
May 2011
9 posts
2 tags
WatchA quick hello from us after our first week as Dabble founders. Big thanks to our community manager Meghan (@sheexclaimed) for her social media prowess, @rachelbaker for her mad development skills and dedication to her surrogate child (dabblehq.com), @eventespresso for their amazing 3 am support and Jess’ little sis @rachaelly & her team for their kickass design of our logo.
Ending Note:...
Caught Dabbling: Andrew Daritz
Look who we caught dabbling in Wicker Park this afternoon!
Name: Andrew Daritz
Occupation: Waiter/ Student at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Currently Dabbles in: Street painting ( this was his first time and looked like a seasoned pro and in the rain no less!). Initially Andrew wanted to pursue English and writing but ultimately decided to pursue his love of painting with hopes to paint...
1 tag
Q&A with Jennifer Whaley: Master your Camera
Get to know Dabble teacher and photo whiz Jennifer Whaley.
Check out more photos by Jennifer here or on her website www.fetchportraits.com.
Describe the experience of your Dabble Class in 10 words or less Speed dating (if people dated cameras).
Why do you love photography? If I could just save this moment forever & wrap it up just how I see it, then share it with others and give them a...
1 tag
Q&A with Lauren Angelico: Photoshop Workshop
Get to know Dabble teacher and photographer extraordinaire Lauren Angelico.
Check out more photos by Lauren on her website www.angelicpictures.net.
Describe the experience of your Dabble Class in 10 words or less A fun, useful, interesting, creative, tutorial on Photoshopping your pictures!
What Photographer inspires you? Chad Husar, a fellow Chicago photographer, is a true inspiration to...
1 tag
Q&A with Beth Marrier: Cupcake Master
Get to know Dabble teacher and cupcake extraordinaire Bethany Marrier below.
Find these ‘lemon soaked gems’ on her blog Ezbake’s Oven or show her some Twitter love @ezbake.
Describe the experience of your Dabble Class in 10 words or less You can make fancy looking cupcakes. You CAN. Why do you love baking? I love baking because everyone likes dessert, and I love to share...
