#77 Follow Up On Birthday Milestones

Thought I would give you a short update on my 50th Birthday!! And an update on our little miracle boy, who just turned 1!! (our meaning my best friends little sweetie, I just claim him, while I wait for grandkids, lol)

As you may know I turned 50 a couple of weeks ago and made an online celebration of it with the help of some of my favourite shops. (check previous post for all the details and the winners names are now posted) I thought I would give you some of the party highlights, and pictures.

My daughter went all out and with the help of my husband and 2 sons and some great friends gave me a perfect celebration!! Starting with the theme of the party....quilting... perfection!!!

The table was decorated, in my favourite colour purple, with FQs, tulle bobbins, buttons, and a measuring tape....along with fabric roses.

Circles hung on the wall covered with scrapbook paper that looked like fabric.

...and because of my food intolerances, a fabulous fabric cake, Amanda spent hours making. The 50 was a pair of party (sun)glasses, glad she snapped the arms off and used them on the cake, lol!!
 I still have it sitting in my kitchen. Eventually I will take it apart and make something with all the FQ but not yet, all that hard work needs to be admired just a bit longer.

Dinner was fantastic forgot to take any pictures... we did have dessert, and it was so amazing looking I grabbed a picture of it.....apple cranberry crisp....oh so yummy (can you tell I like dessert, lol)

From 50 to 1, another Milestone

As some of you who follow my blog will know, my friend Kellie had a little miracle, just over a year ago now. You can read the previous posts here and here, if you are new to my blog and want to catch up.

Well it is hard to believe that a year has passed already!! But it has and Caleb just celebrated his first birthday (6 days after my 50th!!) (had so hoped he would be born on my birthday!!) He is the happiest baby I have ever known and those eyes and eyelashes...... so in love.....here are a few of the pictures I took when we went to celebrate...he had his own little cake and he was liking it....a lot, lol

I know this one is a bit blurry, but it was too cute to not use!!

I'll get back to you on What I've been Up To!!

Thanks again everyone for making my birthday so much fun!!

Happy 50th Birthday to Me!!! Presents for You!!!

February 2, 2015
Today's the Day I was dreading,
but it has turned into the most fun birthday ever!!

I'm 50!!!

And planning this celebration for all of you has been amazing!!

I want to start by saying thanks for all the Birthday wishes and lovely encouraging comments I have received already! You are the best, and have made this a birthday I will never forget!

Some fun facts for my birthday

1965

1. The maple leaf becomes the National Flag of Canada
2. The Sound of Music has its premiere
3. The Pillsbury Dough Boy is created
4. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis Missouri is completed
5. TV debuts: Green Acres, Charlie Brown Christmas, I Dream of Jeannie, Tom and Jerry
6. Academy Award for Best Picture went to My Fair Lady
7. Shania Twain was born 
8. The Supremes release "Stop in the Name of Love"
9. Sonny and Cher make their first TV appearance
10. Kellogg's Pop Tarts pastries were created (loved these as a kid)

My Birthday Celebration will be running from Feb. 2-8th

Winners will be emailed and names posted around Feb. 9th

A Few of My Favourite Things (Shops) 

(full disclosure: I have and do shop at all of these businesses! I don't have any blog sponsors. I asked my favourite shops if they would help me celebrate and they all said yes, and donated something special for me to share with you!! How cool is that!! 
(I'm a very good shopper, just don't tell my husband, lol)

Each Logo is a link to the  sponsoring Shops, take a look around, show them all some love...
you have all week to complete your Birthday Celebration Entry,
let the shops know why you're visiting.
Hopefully you'll find a new place to get inspiration and products you love...
but most of all... have fun...
Good Luck everyone.

Fabric Spot is an online only Canadian shop that specializes in modern designer fabrics, solids and has the largest organic cotton fabric selection in Canada! Karen has great customer service, prompt shipping (international shipping is available, with a flat rate for US friends) and a monthly prize giveaway too!
I like the layout of the website, it's easy to get around and when looking at a fabric the rest of the collection will view below it.

Fabric Spot is offering a FQ bundle of Organic Cotton Frolic 

(Winners choice of girl or boy colour way.)

I love my labels!! I have 3 different sizes,
2 different colours (white and navy)
and a 3rd ordered in Red. 

Feyza has also given me a coupon code "upstairshobbyroom"

 if you decide you would like to order your own labels, you will save 5% on your order. My blog always has this logo link and info on the right sidebar.

Here's a sample of my labels and how Feyza will contact you with the proof layout of your labels to confirm before making them.

You can also add a logo or graphic if you want. 

90 Custom Labels

Mad About Patchwork started as an Online store and has just recently expanded by opening a storefront in
Stittsville, Ontario.
Pam and the team offer great specials
at the beginning of every month
and
 Kona Stash Builders
  follow these links to see what's on special this month.
Great customer service , prompt shipping (international shipping too)
 and an easy to navigate website!

 $30.00 Gift Certificate

Sew Sisters is another great online store with a storefront in Toronto Ontario.

They also have great customer service, prompt shipping and also ship internationally.

I participated in Blogathon Canada 2014 last year with the Sew Sisters team and had a blast!!

They have great selection of fabrics and a great clearance section that gets added to monthly.

$25.00 Gift Certificate

Kristy is a fabulous Paper Piece pattern designer who just recently along with some friends launched an amazing eMagazine, Make Modern.

Kristy's latest free BOM is Zoo Animals which follows up last years Retro Cool... Sew Kitschy...

The very lucky winner of this "present" will get to choose

2 Bundle Patterns

here are a few examples of what you might choose...

$15.00 Gift Certificate

Who doesn't love zippers!! I get so excited when my zipper order arrives with all the bright fun coloured zippers and there is always a zipper pull included as a bonus thank you!!

Great customer service and fast shipping and delivery and I'm in Canada, so that says something coming from the US. 

How fun is this, matching or contrasting your projects for just the right affect!!

And

Something For Everyone!!

I wanted to celebrate with everyone and didn't want anyone left out or not getting a present...

so I have a present for everyone!

A simple 18" Mini Wallhanging Pattern I made for today...
I'm calling it....

Let's Celebrate You

and yes that is blackboard fabric as the boarder and cake base!!

Clicking on the picture should take you to Craftsy to download the pattern. Please remember that the patterns I share are mine, don't redistribute, send your friends and family here. If you make it, let people know where the pattern came from :)  tag me on Instagram  at upstairshobbyroom, if you post a picture... I would love to see; and...  personal use only please!!

Have you heard of Chalkboard markers?
 Write with them on the chalkboard and it stays...and comes off with water!!
 Too Cool!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#65 50th Birthday Celebration

My husband turned 50 at the end of July. What better way to celebrate than with a quilt!! So I made him a fantastic quilt with batiks! I had been working on it for a while starting back in 2013, but since finishing the top I tucked it away (out of sight out of mind) and was able to get it quilted and bound while he was away for a few days!!
As some of you will know from following along on my quilting/long arm journey, I have not had a great experience with my long arm quilting machine. I have now connected with the right person, and quilting my husband's quilt has been the most fun, the best turn out, and fingers crossed the beginning of a great friendship with my machine!!! lol Thanks Greg!

Let me tell you I was doing a very excited happy dance right here!!! First quilt I have finished without any major quilting issues!!!! The first of many, fingers crossed!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 This quilt pattern is made from Jelly Roll strips and the video tutorial can be found here.

I had to share some of the celebration food too!! Especially the cake, that my friends sister made!!

Marinated Veggie Salad  Really good! I made it 2 days ahead, yum!!

 Couscous Salad

 Orzo and Spinach Salad from The Art of Home E-Magazine if you aren't getting this free magazine, you should check it out!!

 and some iced coffee steeping and simple syrups to sweeten it with.  I made regular, vanilla and cinnamon!!

 And there's my friend Kellie (miracle baby's mom!! lol) giving Dave his cake!! My husband owns a 1964 Suburban, thus the cake!! It was a homemade cherry chip cake, that tasted as good as it looked!! Thanks again Stephanie!!!!

#52 Celebrating 500 Instagram Followers with a Giveaway!!!!!

I can't believe that I posted my first Instagram picture 72 weeks ago (Dec 2/12.), 

and now 835 posts later, and I have 500 followers and counting!!

 I love the quilting community, and I have learned so much from following other quilter's blogs and joining QAL (quilt alongs) and BOM (block of the months) . When I first started  quilting I signed up in my local quilt shop for their beginner blocks series, but too many of their other classes weren't what I was looking to sew. Which sent me searching online where I came across Craftsy.com One of my first projects was the Craftsy 2012 BOM, which is free, and taught by Amy Gibson!! Bonus for me, she is a great teacher! I learned so much doing that sampler quilt!! Then I joined any quilt along or block of the month that looked fun and interesting and different!! I have learned from so many talented quilters over the last 2 years !! Amy Smart Diary of a Quilter (virtual quilting bee), Amy Gibson Stitchery Dickory Dock (Sugar Block Club), Lee Heinrich Freshly Pieced (Bloom Bloom Pow) and can't wait to tackle Vintage Quilt Revival! and I have to mention Julie Hirt 627 Handworks (Block Rock'n -paper piecing) fantastic learning experience!!
I have tested patterns for a paper piece pattern designer, Kristy Quiet Play, so fun!! I have participated in a few blog hops too.One for an online friend, Frances Newcombe, who was introducing her first line with AGF. Who now has two more coming out, Cherie and Utopia!!! Amazing, so much talent out there!!! And another hop, Holiday Hullabaloo, for Jacquelynne Steves that inspired me to create a pattern I shared here. And I have virtually met all of you too!!!

So don't let geography limit you from enjoying and learning  more about piecing and quilting, check out your local shops, but search around online too, and have fun learning and sharing!!!

*I want to add here that I do not have any sponsors for my blog, I receive nothing from any company or product I may mention in my post today, I just wanted to share what I have liked and learned from my quilting journey to date. 

Link Here

Saying that, I did round up a sponsor for my giveaway to celebrate and say thanks for  "500 Instagram Followers" and counting!!!

I love Pam and Mad About Patchwork and she is celebrating too!!

 I shop here all the time! Love the speed of delivery, love the fabric and ever growing products she carries, love the customer service, love the fact that I can buy Kona by the bolt!!! 

So for those of you who may not be familiar with Mad About Patchwork here is a little bit about the online company....

 Mad About Patchwork is a Canadian online shop with a focus on fabric and patterns for modern quilters. With personal customer service, fair prices, and same day shipping from Ottawa, it’s a sweet deal for Canadian shoppers. (Pam ships everywhere, though)

Lots of modern basics are always in stock – Kona cotton, Essex Linen, Westminster shot cottons and Marcia Derse Palette. You will also find fabric from popular designers, along with patterns, books and notions. Recent arrivals include Meadow by Leah Duncan, Fox Field by Tula Pink, and Mormor by Lotta Jansdotter.
Take a look at the Curated Bundles – fresh fabric mixes from Pam and her team, as well as the Stash Bundles – helping you augment your fabric stash by colour or pattern.

Mad About Patchwork is celebrating 6 years in business with a series of weekly sales throughout the month of April. Save 16% on polka dots until April 23. 

So if you haven't checked out Mad About Patchwork, or her Blog, or FaceBook Page, you should!!

What I've Been Up to:

My check list!! 

1. Sugar Block Club 2014

2. Sew Kitschy BOM

3. Classic Meets Modern BOM

4. Modern Blocks BOM Top Complete!!

5. Globe Trotting BOM

6. Layer Cake Sampler QAL (Only 2 more blocks to go)

7. Triangle QAL Top Complete!!

8. Scrappy Trip Around the World Bee (still waiting for 3 blocks from this round!)

9. Modern Insta Bee (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July, Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec, Jan)

10. Diamond Tread (quilt )

11. Batik Quilt (just moved from UFO to WIP!!) Top Complete!!

I haven't sewn the Layer Cake Sampler blocks (17 and 18) yet, so I will post them later!! Only one more week to go!!

The Give Away: (2) Twenty Five Dollar gift certificate from Mad About Patchwork!!!

Give Away is open to everyone, Canadian and international!!! Good LucK!

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