I just discovered a new website dedicated to the aspiring "crafter" in each of us.

It's called "Craftsy.com.

From what I can see so far, it's sort of like a hybrid between HGTV, The Food Network and your local continuing-ed center.

Interested? It looks like Craftsy enables us aspiring or advanced crafters (quilters, knitters, bakers and the like) to take HD-quality video courses on our own schedules and benefit from training by acclaimed instructors.

So for example:

* Always wished you could wrap presents better? Try Paper Arts with Alton DuLaney ($10 for 12 classes).
* Want to give your cakes more pop? Sign up for Jacqueline Butler’s Sugar Flowers tutorial ($40 for 11 classes).
* Crazy for crochet? Learn the lost art of shuttle tatting from Marilee Rockley ($40 for 12 classes).

All courses come with supporting materials like patterns and lists of supplies, and once you’ve paid and enrolled, the videos are yours forever (meaning you can watch a particular lesson as many times as necessary to nail the technique).

You can even email instructors with relevant questions and upload photos of your finished projects to community boards.

Keep in mind, I'm not in any way involved with the site, and I don't receive any financial benefit from telling you about it... I'm only writing it up here because I am so jazzed about the concept, and can't wait to give it a try.

The only question is which class to take first?

Sounds intriguing, Anne!

Great idea, those little learning videos on the 'Net.