Sunday 21 April 2013

Rite of Passage & A Giveaway

So it's been quite a week as I approached a significant birthday - yesterday - one with a zero on the end and one that had me feeling quite melancholy at times.
But I have no reason to fret, I have a great family, and fab friends and I have had an amazing few days, not without drama.
On Thursday, I ran a lovely Day Workshop, in English Paper Piecing, very gentle and relaxing and I think I passed on my obsession to a  few more willing participants.
On Thursday night, I had supper out with my Sewing Bee pals - it was a smashing night of laughter & good food. It has taken me a very long time to learn how to hold on to pressies until birthdays or Christmas Days, but on Thursday night I went back to old ways, opened the parcel and was overwhelmed at receiving this beauty. Isn't it gorgeous?

The fabric is Notting Hill by Joel Dewberry, and it is even on the back!!

The girls know how much I love this.

On Saturday our family celebration lunch had to be cancelled due to a sick baby and an injured puss but I was still able to spend the day with my close family around me and both baby & puss are improving with antibiotics...............my OH & lovely kids bought me a brand spanking new laptop and this is my first post using it, what joy to be rid of the permanent red vertical line & the sticky "M" key. I have loaded EQ7, a surprise extra gift from Big Sis. How spoiled am I?
Today, extended family visited and contrary to the weather forecast, the sun shone for the second day in a row and we actually got to sit outside - wow!
I have been such a lucky "girl" that I thought it was time for me to offer a wee giveaway to celebrate such a momentous occasion - lol
I have been stockpiling this lovely range of fabric - it's Mod Century by Jenn Ski for Mod and I am going to give away 12 fat 1/8ths to one winner.
All you need to do is leave a comment telling me which birthday has been your most memorable to date. If you follow my blog, leave a second comment for another chance. I'll leave this open until next Saturday, 27th April around about 6pm GMT.
And I am sure you have been having difficulties guessing which birthday with a zero I could possibly have had - yes? Suffice to say, I received my National Entitlement Card on Friday (that is my Bus Pass, to you & me - I can now travel anywhere in Scotland, by bus, absolutely free)



98 comments:

  1. I am so pleased that you have enjoyed your birthday celebrations. That quilt is a goodie. Di x

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  2. Favourite birthday - well I really love my birthday even as I add another year to the total. I just like birthdays... And cake! Di x

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  3. You have received such thoughtful gifts!! That quilt is lovely and a laptop with EQ7??!! Very lucky indeed.

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  4. A very happy birthday, Sheila. So pleased to hear it was a good one. My 25 was celebrated in Sam Sebastian eating paela, and drinking lovely wine. Then the next day we went off to Pamplona for the running of the bulls. Most definitely memorable.

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  5. I too follow your blog, so here's my second comment... favourite birthday would have to be the one I appreciate the most - the day my Mum brought me into the world - I am very glad to be here!

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  6. Happy birthday!!! I'm not a lover of (my) birthdays (never really have been, even as a child) - I remember the year I was, I think, seven when I cried and hid under the table when all my friends sang happy birthday, does that count as memorable?!

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  7. Belated birthday wishes and what a lovely haul. I'm sure my 11th was my most memorable as all the girls in my class at Primary school engineered a surprise birthday party. I thought in the week leading up to it everyone disliked me as everyone shut up when I went close to them. It turns out they were planning. It was a lovely surprise. This years was a birthday before a milestone and it was a complete non event thanks to weather and illness.

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  8. I am of course a follower too.

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  9. Belated happy birthday to you! You don't look a day over 21 ;) My most memorable birthday to date was my 14th when Mum had a car accident on the way home from college. Probably not the best reason for remembering it but it's stuck in there.

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  10. I am a follower too, as you well know ;)

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  11. Easy one this... My favourite birthday was my 30th. I was deployed to the Falkland Islands with my job with British Forces Broadcasting and my August birthday was in the middle of the South-Atlantic winter. I spent it with a dozen work-colleagues in some very basic hired houses at a remote settlement on East Falkland. The whole thing was utterly surreal.

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  12. Happy Birthday!!!! My most memorable so far was 40...I thought it would kill me....lol Not yet anyway...This year will be 60 and I am not looking forward to that one at all!! But the alternative isn\t great....chin up Sheila!!!! enjoy it.
    Your quilt is stunning!!!

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  13. Happy Birthday! I love your quilt - especially with the wonderful JD fabrics! My most memorable birthday was my 50th! half a century!! !!

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  14. Belated happy birthday Sheila. What as wonderful quilt! I went to New York for a long weekend for my 40th, that was my most memorable

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  15. Yummy quilt!! I wish I was at you EPP c lass - I am too timid to try it out... and perhaps a tad too impatient as well!!! Happy Birthday to you!!!

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  16. Happy Birthday! Hmmm - I guess the best birthday was my 26th. It wasn't the 'best' but it is a cherished one as it was my mother's last. She passed away a month after my 26th so I treasure those memories of being able to celebrate it with her. I am a follower.

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  17. Definitely my 40th... I went to the Quilts at the V&A exhibition, and it has literally changed my life!

    Happy belated birthday; glad the antibiotics are doing their job, and you really have been treated as you should xxx

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  18. I am of course a happy follower. Thanks for a lovely giveaway xxx

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  19. my 25th was my champagne birthday (age and date of birth are the same) and it really was my best.. good friends, good times and lovely, thoughtful gifts...

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  20. Happy birthday Sheila - I think a bus pass to travel round Scotland is pretty cool. I love the quilt! My most memorable birthday? Probably my 17th as we spent it on holiday in France and it was wonderful - felt very grown up. Thanks for a great giveaway.

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  21. Many congrats S! Don't you know that 60 is the new 40? LOL! My most significant was my 40th because it's the only one I can remember!! Jxo

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  22. I'm a follower! (oh & congrats on your FAL winnings!). Jxo

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  23. I love it when you end up having a "Birthday week"
    Turning 30 worried me more than turning 40, my 40th birthday was my first without my Dad so that was a very happy/sad occasion for everyone. So many good things have happened since i turned 50 - new knees, retiring at 55 and best of all, our Grandaughter. x

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  24. A happy belayed birthday from me too. I'm really happy you had such a splendiferous birthday and your looks certainly belie your age that's for sure. My best birthday was my 50th. We went to Florida to my favourite place which is Disney world and then went on a cruise to the Caribbean which is quite a while ago. My worst birthday so far was my 30th. I cried from the moment I woke up until I went to bed.

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  25. I am a follower by Bloglovin and email and your birthday quilt is absolutely gorgeous.

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  26. 'BELATED BIRTHDAY GREETINGS TO YOU'!
    VERY NICE QUILT! THANKS FOR SHARIANG ON YOUR BLOG+GIVEAWAY TOO!

    msstitcher1948@yahoo.com

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  27. Happy burdy!!! What a most excellent haul too :-) Not a fan of my birthday to be honest! In fact, read Helens comment and it kinda reminded me of how many of my birthdays ended with a migraine and vomit... Nice huh?! lol :-)

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  28. Am a follower too of course, and thank you awffly for doing such a lovely giveaway too :-)

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  29. Glad you had a nice time and lovely pressies, even if events did try and intervene! Belated happy birthday :o)

    My most memorable birthday? Um, unfortunately none of the ones I remember are memorable for good reasons! As my birthday is in February, everyone is broke and no-one ever does anything, hence, I never really get a birthday!

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  30. Happy birthday Sheila! My most memorable birthday was when I turned 29, well not really but I never feel any older than that so it seems significant. Thank you for the lovely giveaway, I have wanted some of that fabric for ages.

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  31. And of course I follow your blog!

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  32. happy Birthday! My most memorable was my 60th when girlfriends hosted a surprise party a month early so I would not suspect anything. I was so surprised, I was speechless! Love my gal pals! Thanks for a great giveaway.

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  33. Happy Birthday! And I love your Notting Hill quilt :-) My most memorable birthday was my 30th - a dessert night with a small group of friends - very special!

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  34. I am a follower of your blog by email - thanks!

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  35. Every birthday is special when you are 71

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  36. Honestly my best was my 48th last year. My husband and daughter got me an iPad as far as gifts. But this year my cousin, born the day before me came with his family and we celebrated like we did when we were little! I loved both!

    I jump out a plane and went skydiving on my 30th too!

    Your new quilt is beautiful, you have great friends. I love Mod Century - the colors just pop!

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  37. I am a new follower by email!

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  38. Hope you have a wonderful birthday!

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  39. Many happy returns- I think my most memorable birthday was aged 8. My Dad was badly injured in a car crash on the 6th, and we moved house on the 12th- my Birthday was in between. Dad in hospital, house in chaos- and my present mashed in the boot of the car. Thank goodness he survived, and is still with us, many years later.

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  40. Belated Happy Birthday. Like Kate my birthday is in February and when the children were little, always fell in half-term. No real memorable occasions but this year Mr Hare took me out for a lovely birthday meal. Love your beautiful birthday quilt

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  41. While I am waaaay past it now, 30 is the most memorable! Surrounded by family, friends and a ton of laughter!

    Happy birthday beautiful lady!

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  42. A very happy birthday. Sounds like you had a good one with some lovely presents. That quilt is just gorgeous. I think my most memorable birthday was my last one in January) and it had a zero on the end too. it is the first time for years, probably since having the kids that it actually felt like a properly special day - and I loved it! juliex

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  43. Thanks for the lovely giveaway, I am a follower. Juliex

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  44. Happy Birthday - what a milestone to reach.
    My favourite birthday was my 30th because I was slim and totally spoilt for the day too.

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  45. Belated Happy Birthday Sheila, sounds like you had a lovely time. My most memorable birthday was my 40th, we spent it in Venice, the sun shone, the water sparkled and the family were all there - it was glorious!

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  46. Happy Happy Birthday! I don't have a most memorable, I love 'em all!

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  47. my best birthday was my 13th because my mom surprised me and all my friends with a big sleepover -- there were 6 teens and preteens in the house watching movies, eating pizza, and just be girls.

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  48. My best birthday would be the one I celebrated January 12th this year. For it it was a big 'O' birthday that had to be celebrated over a couple of days. My very best friend that I haven't been able to spend any time with for the past 5 years (we live in different countries at the moment) surprised me by coming over to spend a fantastic week with me. My husband arranged for an amazing night out at a magnificent French restaurant (yummy), and then it was High Tea the following day with sewing girlfriends. Not a birthday I'll forget.

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  49. Happy Birthday, my most memorable was my 21st, my mum and me had a lovely week away in Spain :)

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  50. Probably 40 for all the wrong reasons. My present from not so dear hubby was a card with my housekeeping cheque in it. All I wanted was a trip to New York, which eventually did get as my friends persuaded him it was a good idea. :)

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  51. My most memborable birthday was when I was 30 as my daughter had been born the month before and my whole life had changed. I now had to organise everything to get out for my birthday meal and I was checking with home all the time to see if she was okay. I had grown up.

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  52. Happy belated birthday!! I have a memory like a sieve so probably the birthday I just had in January - I was hoping the baby wouldn't be born just yet!

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  53. My most memorable birthday has to be my 50th because I was in New York on the actual day. Love your quilt ;-)

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  54. I guess I should stick with recent history and not go back 30 or 40 years to answer this. I would say it was my 47th birthday that was my best. It turned into a killer girlfriend weekend, I actually felt 20 again that weekend

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  55. When you get up as far North as Dingwall say hi to my old hometown!

    Well done for reaching such a momentous number - and you deserve all your lovely pressies!

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  56. Memorable birthday? - er can't remember many - used to prefer my un-birthdays when I had my parties as with a birthday in January the weather wasn't usually that good ...

    I follow!

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  57. yes i remember my birthday with the zero at the end BUT I am just a kid at heart so I do hope you truly enjoy your birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

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  58. Penblwydd Hapus! My most memorable birthday was my 21st as my Mum completely surprised me with a SEWING MACHINE!!!! - I know how long she would have had to save for it (single mother) so it really meant a lot to me. Still going strong - the best pressie I ever received.

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  59. Oh and I'm a new follower - stumbled across you blog for the first time tonight

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  60. I'm getting to the point where I can't remember them all. I guess it would have to be last year. My son wrote and recorded a song for me! Happy birthday!

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  61. Some birthdays are worth celebrating big time aren't they? My husband has just passed the same milestone, though sadly he doesn't yet qualify for a bus pass, and we seem to have had gathering after gathering to celebrate both that and his retirement. And there's still one more party to go. Best wishes to you for the coming years.

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  62. I have to say, I love them all. My dad used to say getting older beat the alternative, and from what I know (ha ha ha) he seems to be right. :) But I am a cancer survivor, so I especially take this to heart now.

    Happy birthday to you! What a beautiful quilt you got, and to get a free bus pass for anywhere in Scotland . . . sounds pretty fab to me. :)

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  63. Oh, and I'm a follower with Google Reeder. I know, I know, I need to move on - but I'm just not ready to move to a different platform yet. :-/

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  64. Happy Birthday Sheila! And thanks for sharing those gorgeous fabrics with us! I think my most memorable birthday (so far) was my 40th - a whole month of celebrations! Roll-on 50...

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  65. and of course I am a follower. And I also wanted to say that I love the Notting Hill quilt your bee made you - what an amazing gift!

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  66. Congratulations, what a lovely time you had. My best birthday was the one you just had. I dreaded it coming but had a fabulous family time and afterwards things just got better and better.

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  67. Happy Birthday!!! My most memorable birthday was when I turned 6. I don't know why it's just the one that I think of a lot and feel was one of my happiest ones.

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  68. What a beautiful quilt, a very special present. When I was 12 and leaving the UK, my Mum organised a really fun fancy dress party for me.

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  69. Love that quilt. Do you know where I can find the pattern?

    My most memorable birthday was when I turned four on Easter Sunday; my mom won a stuffed rabbit at the drug store that was almost my size and I still love it.

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  70. Happy belated birthday, my most memorable although not for the reasons you may think, was my 57th as I went for the mammogram that day that would find my cancer, don't get me wrong I am glad they found it as it was agressive but that was the start of a year of treatments and now have follow ups for the next 10 years. Always go for your mammograms ladies. xx

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  71. Am also becoming a follower. x

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  72. I don't really tend to have good birthdays in fact last year was the worst ever with this horrible stomach flu, so maybe this year will be the best one ever! LOL

    Happy Belated Birthday!

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  73. My most memorable was probably my 21st. It was my first grownup party, in a hotel and with catering! I lived a sheltered life then. jennylarking@gmail.com

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  74. I am now following you. jennylarking@gmail.com

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  75. my goodness what a lovely quilt and happy "significant " birthday. sounds like a fab time. My best birthday probably was a few years ago after moving a long way north and having everyone back home again and a pair of red patent crocodile Doc Martins form my husband ! they are the coolest thing ever

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  76. oh yes and a very happy follower

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  77. Happy birthday! My 18th was pretty memorable, my so-called-friends gave me absinthe and I thought I could jump over the River Hull!

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  78. I follow your blog on bloglovin

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  79. I follow your blog on bloglovin

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  80. My most memorable birthday was my 21st. I remember it was a crazy one and the next day was terrible.

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  81. You sound like the birthday celebration was just perfect and the quilt is amazing - I'm a notting hill fan as well. happy travels with that pass.

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