DIY Network

Hello Lovely Bloggers,

We are pleased to announce to you the winner of Blog Cabin 2009 sweepstakes.

Cheers,

Watson, DIYNetwork.com Manager

Hello Ever-Engaged Bloggers,

The odyssey of Blog Cabin 2009 is essentially at an end. Now we wait for the winner to be drawn. Despite the challenges, DIY Network’s braintrust is celebrating a successful season and have already turned their eyes to 2010.

But the framework is far from being decided, including the location. You still have a chance below to lobby for where you would like Blog Cabin 2010 to be located. Considerations are being made, so let’s hear from all parts of the country! Where would you build the next Blog Cabin (and why)?

Cheers,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

Hello Faithful Bloggers,

As October 2 (the last day to enter the Blog Cabin sweepstakes) approaches, we hope that little dollar signs are springing up in your thoughts. As most of you know, a substantial cash prize is filling in for the beautiful cabin in North Carolina.

And in this economy, a couple’a some-odd five hundred large (here’s the rules) will go a long way for some lucky Blog Cabinite. And don’t forget, you can provide your well-formulated opinions on the cabin here, tour the cabin here, see all video updates here, watch full episodes here and you can even peruse featured products here.

Best,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

Thank you for making DIY Network’s Blog Cabin a successful franchise. As the first, truly interactive home building series, bloggers and viewers just like you have changed how home improvement television is produced. You told us what you wanted, and the DIY hosts and experts put their hearts and souls into making this a one-of-a-kind vacation home.

When the 2009 Blog Cabin was completed, we were excited that it was a home worthy of our audience’s vision. We are proud of the television series documenting the construction, as well as the online videos, interactive photos and projects that we hope you will continue to enjoy. Unfortunately, however, various issues have prevented us from closing on the house and being in a position to award it to a winner. DIY Network no longer has any affiliation with the developer, nor are we involved with the developer’s apparent efforts to sell the 2009 Blog Cabin. Instead, we are pleased to announce that we will be awarding a cash prize that is equivalent to the approximate value of the home, an alternative that is described in the 2009 Blog Cabin sweepstakes rules.

While we’re disappointed that we will not be able to give this home away, we know that a cash prize of over $500,000 will certainly help one lucky sweepstakes winner still realize his or her own fantasy getaway. We are already working toward securing a location for next year’s Blog Cabin that will be innovative and full of surprises.

DIY Network greatly appreciates your interest in the 2009 Blog Cabin promotion, and we look forward to your insightful contributions to Blog Cabin 2010. Look for new posts in the coming weeks!

Hello Blog Cabin Enthusiasts!

The above title might sound a little redundant given that we dish on all things Blog Cabin right here in the Blog. But with interest at an all-time high, we’ve created a gallery where you can review all the great photos, provide comments and rate the space from one to five stars.

So head on over there and give us your ratings, thoughts on the decor or whatever is on your mind. And, as I’m sure you know, the sweepstakes is ongoing and we’d love for your name to be in the hat when we draw for the winner! Enter every day until October 2 to increase your chance of winning.

Cheers,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

Hello Diehard Bloggers,

What a long, strange trip it has been. But finally, at long last, we can reveal to you the 360-degree room tour for Blog Cabin 2009! Take a virtual tour of the rooms and exteriors (and be sure to use the handy interactive floor plan on the right), flip through tons of slide shows, watch videos and, of course, be sure to enter for your chance to win.

Remember, you can enter once daily through October 2. And here’s a tip: once you’ve entered all your information the first time, every subsequent entry only requires your email address (and email confirmation). So it’s easy to revisit the site and drop in an entry.

And I’m sure you have invited your friends over to watch the premiere of Blog Cabin: Back to the Mountains tonight (Thursday, Aug. 20) at 9pm/8c, right? Right?? Then just watch Thursdays @ 9.

I want to express from the bottom of my heart how grateful I am for you guys hanging in there while we remodeled DIYnetwork.com. Our resources were (and are) stretched to the max, and we had to make some tough choices along the way.

But with the new site up and running (do you guys like it?), we’re sure that Blog Cabin will build on its success – thanks to the bedrock bloggers we have here.

Good luck everyone – I hope you win it!

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

Hello Faithful Bloggers,

I have a secret to share with you. In seven days**, the DIYnetwork.com you’ve come to know so well will come to an end. And as a phoenix that rises from the ashes of the old website, a new DIYnetwork.com will emerge.

Please click on the link above (or here) for a preview of the new site. I can’t begin to tell you how excited we are. Site functionality, search, images, step-by-step projects, video – everything is upgraded. In fact, it’s a whole new site. Like a 1974 Mercedes vs. a 2009 Mercedes, only the name will be the same.

The Blog Cabin Blog will not be affected, however. You’ll notice that the URL for this blog (blog.diynetwork.com/blog cabin) won’t change. So no worries. If we hit a pothole at some point in the wee hours of June 24 (with the site due to launch at some point before sunrise Thursday, June 25), I’ll be here to tend to it.

And then we can get back to the business of Blog Cabin. I hope to have blog entries from DIY Network experts and hosts who have visited Blog Cabin recently posted soon. And thank you again for your patience as we move forward. It’s been a long summer (and it’s not even officially summer yet!), but the best is yet to come. Stay tuned.

Best,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

** Date subject to change, but fingers crossed.

Hello Bloggers,

Just wanted to touch base and say hello. I’ve been running through various comments and see that there was a little dust-up. I have to be honest, I’ve been incredibly impressed with most of our bloggers - namely the ability to stay (generally) on topic, write thoughtful, detailed comments and be thoroughly polite. I mean, this blog has truly outstanding folks visiting regularly.

Visit any major news website that allows comments on political articles and the venom comes out quickly, primarily because, on the internet, we are anonymous. Consequently, the discourse can be roughshod. Meanspiritedness on this blog is unnecessary, but if it happens, I say take it with a grain of salt and let’s move on. I’ll do what I can to keep things from getting out of hand.

As far as the Blog Cabin Community, we’ve taken down a few profiles, and if the baby got thrown out with the bathwater for some of you, I apologize. The application isn’t nearly as handy as say, facebook, but basically once you upload a pic, it’s up there.

We tried to travel to the Blog Cabin on Tuesday, but were prevented because of snow … and I have proof. We’ll try to get some new content for you as soon as we can. Also, there’s another sweepstakes in our midst: you can enter the HGTV Green Home sweepstakes starting April 17.

Happy Easter Everyone,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

Hello Bloggers,

After witnessing our hearty band of dedicated bloggers become a more closely knit group, we decided to provide another feature where you can get to know each other a little better. The Blog Cabin Blogger Community is your chance to literally put a name with a face.

Just click start your profile now. This will give you a chance to upload a photo or video of who you are, a pic of your pet or family members – anything you feel comfortable sharing about yourself with your fellow bloggers. If you want to share more than one photo or video, feel free – it will just be as easy as creating another “profile.” Also, the “all about me” area is character-limited, so be brief (your favorite DIY shows, hobbies, where you live, what you do, etc.).

This application isn’t meant to supplement the ongoing Blog Cabin blog discussion – it’s just a picture book where everyone can introduce themselves and see who’s participating. We hope you like it!

Cheers,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager

P.S. Give your profile a few minutes to show up – it can be a little slow sometimes …

Hello Bloggers,

I apologize for not posting sooner. I was holding out hope to be able to deliver the architect Q&A, but there have been some delays – otherwise you would’ve heard from me sooner. Hopefully you’ve checked out our latest images from the build site, which reveal a Blog Cabin in full swing.

Also, I realize that you have many, many questions concerning the cabin. The short answer is that I’m not ignoring you, but many times I don’t have those answers. There are many cogs in the wheel and all noses are to the grindstone; having said that, anticipate more answers to your questions as we move forward.

Thanks for your patience,

Watson, DIYnetwork.com Manager