Monday, October 21, 2013

The Big 6-0!

Today is my birthday ... The Big 6-0.  God played a funny joke on me this morning.  I got out of bed & made my way to the bathroom.  While preparing to brush my teeth, I looked in the mirror & saw what appeared to be FOUR age spots on my face!!!  AGE SPOTS!!!  FOUR OF THEM!!!  On closer inspection, however, they were just odd little marks that were the result of I don't know what ... feathers poking through my pillow maybe?  Whatever they were, I had a good laugh, looked up toward heaven & said "Good one God!"  I'm sure He was laughing too   : )

The Happy Birthday card you see above is a treasured gift I received a couple years ago from my dear friend Jo (Serendipitous Stitching).  I display it as part of my birthday decor every year.  You're probably thinking "birthday decor???"  Well, no ... I don't actually decorate my house for my birthday, but I always put Jo's card on display with any others I might receive.  It makes me smile every time I look at it   : )   Jo also stitched an Easter card for me that I enjoy seeing on display every Easter.  Her stitched cards are so beautiful &, well, you know me ... Easily Influenced & all ... they have sort of been planting the idea in my head that maybe I ought to stitch a few cards.  When John & I last visited Barnes & Noble, I looked through the British cross stitch magazines, as I always do, & found one called Cross Stitch Card Shop.  I squealed (silently) as I removed it from the rack & saw the beautiful card designs staring back at me from the cover. There was even a Free Card Kit attached to the magazine which you can see in the magazine cover photo below!  I haven't any idea who Fizzy Moon is, but if you look closely, you'll see that the kit says that I can make it a fun Christmas with Fizzy!  A fun Christmas ... what a wonderful thing for the publishers of Cross Stitch Card Shop to promise me!  I clutched the magazine lovingly to my breast with dreams of stitched cards dancing in my head.  
I haven't actually sat down & closely perused the magazine yet.  British cross stitch magazines can't just be flipped through.  One must take one's time going from page to page, soaking in the designs & reading every word written ... letters from the editors, letters from readers/subscribers, local stitching club news, & even the paragraphs written to introduce each series of designs!  For me, it's truly like sitting down & enjoying a gathering with friends.

Yes, I'm looking forward to stitching some cards one of these days, but can you see some of the ones on the cover there?  You should see some of the ones inside!  They are like miniature HAEDs!  An enormous amount of stitching is required for some of these cards, not to mention an enormous amount of confetti stitches for some designs!  Since I'm not a big fan of confetti stitches, it's doubtful that I will ever stitch any of these miniature HAEDs, but they are lovely!  I should definitely stitch Fizzy with that promise of making it a fun Christmas & all. Next month there will be another Christmas-themed Cross Stitch Card Shop magazine on the stands.  I know I will be bringing that one home as well   : )

It was IHSW weekend, & I did stitch, but I can't show you what I stitched because it is for an ornament exchange I am doing with a dear friend who follows my blog.  I can tell you I used linen fabric, some kind of floss, & made a lot of cross stitches   : )

John will be taking me out for a birthday dinner at my choice of restaurant later today but I don't know what other birthday plans he might have up his sleeve for me   : ) The restaurant I picked for my birthday dinner is the same one I pick every year ... Fontana's in Iron Mountain, Michigan.  The most delicious Italian food you can imagine! Homemade pasta!  Yum!  Unfortunately, John can't take me there this year because he has some dental surgery scheduled for tomorrow.  I therefore picked O'Charley's instead.  O'Charley's has delicious food as well.  I'm thinking steak, but who knows what I might end up with after seeing the menu   : )

As I have done every year, to celebrate my birthday I am offering a giveaway!  My giveaway this year will require a bit of effort on your part however   : )   

Three things are of the utmost importance!!!

1.  You must be a current follower as of the writing of this post.  My dashboard is telling me that I have 400 followers right now.

2.  You have to be a follower who actually leaves comments from time to time. 

3.  DO NOT mention this giveaway on your blog.  

If you ignore 1, 2, &/or 3, you will be disqualified from the giveaway.  

I cannot tell you at this time what you will receive in the giveaway, but it will be something good   : )   The giveaway is open to both US followers & followers from other countries.  However, followers in other countries may end up receiving a gift certificate to their favorite stitching store due to the high cost of mailing a package overseas.  I don't think you'll mind a gift certificate though   : )   To enter, you must comment on this post making sure to tell me that you want to be included for a chance to win the giveaway.  If you are a no-reply blogger, you must be sure to give me a way to contact you.  I fully understand you not wanting your email address made public on a blog.  Therefore, do not feel concerned about including your email in your comment to me because my comments are monitored & I will not post your comment if your email address is included.  Finally, you must tell me in your comment who your 3 favorite designers are.

The deadline to this giveaway is Friday, November 1st, at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time.

For my non-stitching followers, you can still enter my giveaway but I will not send you a stitching prize.  Just tell me what you are interested in other than stitching & if you win I'll take it from there   : ) 

Good luck, & be blessed   : )  

53 comments:

Vickie said...

HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR SHIRLEE!!♥
I hope O'Charley's is great!
Have fun on your new card making adventures.
Please include me in your giveaway.
And I already am blessed. I have you as a friend!

The Bear's Blog said...

Hi Miss Shirlee,

♫ Happy Birthday, Miss Shirlee, Happy Birthday to you ♫

Wishing you a wonderful day filled with love and surprises, and of course, teddy bear hugs!

Heaps of Hugs,
Prudence ♥

gracie said...

A very Happy Birthday to you my friend. A give away?...oh please enter my name
I love BBD, Just Nan and to give one more! well it is a toss up but, I will say With Thy Needle and Thread..
enjoy your special day.

Vickie said...

Okay, I am back. I didn't follow your rules! I forgot to tell you my three favorite designers are: Sweetheart Tree, La D Da and Plum Street Samplers. =)

Robin in Virginia said...

Sending you the warmest of birthday greetings, Shirlee! Happy Birthday! Enjoy your day! Thank you for sharing your newest magazine; it gives me something to look for when I get to B&N.

Robin in Virginia

Sally said...

Happy Happy Birthday Shirlee! I hope you have a wonderful day my friend! Enjoy your meal :)

I would love to be entered into your giveaway please. My 3 favourite designers? Hmmmm Little House Needleworks, Lizzie Kate and Country Cottage Needleworks I think!

Melody said...

Happy Birthday, Shirlee!

I would have to say, my favorite designers are: Prairie Schooler, Cross-Eyed Cricket and Little House Needleworks. It is hard to name just three.... There are so many I like.

Hope you have a lovely day, and enjoy your birthday dinner.

Stitchy Mc Floss said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Vicki said...

Happy Birthday, Shirlee! Have a terrific day and best wishes for a blessed 6-0!

Edgar said...

Happy Birthday Sweet Shirlee!!! I also worked some at an exchange piece for a special someone....

Throw my name into the mix for your Birthday gift-a-way, and my 3 fav designers... BBD, Heartstring Samplery and Plum Street.....

Sarah in Stitches said...

Happy Birthday, Shirlee! :D Have a great one!

Krista said...

Happy Birthday Shirlee!! Hope you have a fabulous day and enjoy your celebrations!!!

How sweet of you to do a giveaway. My faves are Blackbird Designs, Long Dog Samplers, and Heartstring Samplery.

Stitchy Mc Floss said...

Oh, throwing my name in the hat, too.

Can I be considered a non-stitcher? Which is really what I am based on the stitching finishes I have for this year. :) Do I have any stitching finishes for this year? Ummm no, but I do have a ton of starts...yeah, let's just say I am more of a crocheter/knitter than a stitcher. :)

Signed a hooker at heart.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Miss Shirlee, you didn't tell me today was your special day! You ornery thing you! So now I'm going to have to go "sing" to you! Hope your day is good.

Julie said...

Happy Birthday wishes to you Shirlee, I hope you have a lovely meal to celebrate.

How lovely to have a giveaway, although I don't think I really have any favourite designers, I stitch whatever takes my fancy - some of the charts I have had in my stash cupboard for years.

Dawn said...

Happy Birthday Shirlee !
Please enter me in your giveaway, lets see, Little House, With Thy Needle and Thread and Plum Street Samplers.

Hoping you are enjoying the sun shining down today!

rosek1870 said...

Happy, Happy Birthday and many, many more!! Have a wonderful day and dinner tonight!

Thank you for the generous give-a-way! My 3 favorite designers are Little House Needleworks, Prairie Schooler and Plum Street Samplers.
Hugs & Prayers,
Rose

Anne said...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SHIRLEE!!! Had to laugh about the age spots comment! Sounds like you will have a great birthday with John. I too love Jo's cards but have yet to stitch any sort of card. Fizzy is cute but I think it's a bit too much work for a card. I would probably just frame it instead. You need to find an easy one with few confetti stitches. I would love to be entered in your giveaway. I think I qualify :D Mmm, favourite designers. hard to choose, but I do really like Threadwork Primitives, Plum Street Samplers, and Prairie Schooler...also BBD! So that's 4! Big hugs to you and little Sophie!!

Bonnie said...

Happy Birthday Shirlee have been following your blog for a short while enjoy your Bible verses so much they are needed for me also. So happy read you are in Michigan a close state to me. Enjoy your Birthday dinner.
My favorite designers are L*K, PS, Heart and Hand.
Will watch for who wins the drawing.

marly said...

Happy birthday Miss Shirlee. I'll have to put this date into my address book, again, whenever I find it. Problem is, I have to keep buying a new one since I can never find the original and lose all the important dates. Please don't include me - I have too much now! Good luck to all!!

Linda said...

Happy Birthday Shirlee. Hope you have a hundred more. I'm going to. We need to stitch all our stash. lol

I would love to be entered in your giveaway. My favorite designers are Diane Arthurs, Ursula Michael and Lizzie Kate.

Thanks, Linda

Emma/Itzy said...

Happy Birthday! The big 6-0! Congratulations!

I totally understand you getting the stitched cards out year after year, they are just too precious to only have up for a few days once!

I would love to be included in the giveaway please, I think I tick all the boxes!

My three favourite designers...that is a tricky one... i guess Lizze*Kate, Country Cottage Needleworks and Little House Needleworks are always up there among my favourites.

I hope you have a great day :)

butterfly said...

Happy Birthday my dear friend, there is a little gift in the post for you .You have now joined the 60 club welcome.
The UK designs do have allot of back stitching.

Would love to join your giveaway, I love any US designers they are hard to come by here.

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Hapy Happy Birthday!! I didn't know it was a Big'Un!!

I'm so touched that you get my card out every year, that's so sweet of you.

I do have a warning about Fizzy Moon - step away from the aida!! The mags have a habit of using really nasty cheap aida and threads from China in their kits. Check before you start, especially if there are fractionals. UK stitchers have a weird aversion to evenweave it seems.

I love the articles in the UK mags, they are very well written and edited. When I get JCS it's like reading My Weekly from the 1980s! But I prefer alot of the USA designs especially your Hallowe'en and Christmas ornie issues.

Ooo, nearly forgot the giveaway!! My three favourites are Just Nan, Joan Elliott and Teresa Wenztler. Today at least!
I also like Belinda from Blue Ribbon because she is lovely and makes beautiful designs, Susan Myers who designed my Drac in a Box because she is lovely too. And Brooke from Brooke's Books because I like her cake series!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday. Enjoy your dinner.

diamondc said...

Happy Birthday.
Catherine

FN said...

Happy Birthday to you! I hope you have a fun dinner out! I haven't tried card-making yet, but it looks like it might be a fun thing to investigate!
I'd love to be entered--I like to stitch Prairie Schooler, BBD, and Lizzie Kate. (although I also like MANY others!!)
Thank you for the opportunity and have a fun evening!
Frances

Simply Victoria said...

Happy 60th!
The little guy with the sled is so cute!
Please don't enter my name - you just sent me a gift :)

Karen said...

Hope you had a wonderful day.... Happy Birthday!

Marilyn said...

Happy B-Day Shirlee!!!!!
I hope you are having a great day with cake included!!!
I would love to be entered in your giveaway.
I am a follower, I do post, but not to worry about posting on my blog........I don't have one!!!
It's hard to pic favorites, but I do like Plum Stret Samplers, With Thy Needle and Thread, and The Drawn Thread to name a few.
Thanks!
Marilyn

Danice G said...

Happy birthday Shirlee, happy birthday to you :)

Maggee said...

Oh my! Happy Happy Birthday to my good friend! I wish you many, many more! That is really nice of you to do a Giveaway. I don't need to enter... you know why! But I 'surely' wanted to wish you the best Birthday ever! 'talk' to you soon! Biggest Birthday Hugs!

Beth said...

Happy birthday Shirlee!

CalamityJr said...

Well, you can see how far behind I am, wishing you a happy birthday and a restful night at the same time! Hope your day has been as special as you are.

The small designs in the British magazines can be quite handy for charity quilt squares as well as finding something that everyone (at least in the US) hasn't already seen for a gift.

Hosting a giveaway for your own birthday - how generous and kind. You don't have to worry about me saying anything on my blog, tee hee. As for favorite designers, that's tough because it can change on any given day, though My Big Toe is always there. This time we'll include La-D-Da and LHN.

Good night!

Chris said...

Happy Happy Birthday dear Shirlee! I hope that you celebrate every day!
I am looking forward to seeing some of your stitching, when it is sent off :)
So kind of you to offer a giveaway to celebrate your birthday.
Wish I lived nearby so that I could celebrate with you.

Teresa S. said...

Happy, happy Birthday, dear Shirlee! Any birthday that ends in a zero is worth celebrating!
Thanks for the giveaway. I'd love to have my name entered.

Michelle said...

Glad you had a Happy Day Shirlee - which restaurant did you go to? Sweet giveaway xx

Terri said...

Happy birthday!!!!!!!!

Kathy L. said...

Happy birthday to you. I have been enjoying your blog so much. Have a wonderful happy healthy year!

Kathy

Sherry said...

Shirlee, I am so sorry I missed your birthday! I am sending you an email to tell you why. Anyway, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! The big 6-0! I am not far behind you. I do not need a giveaway right now so do not enter my name. I have so much to work on!

Judy said...

Happy 6-0 Shirlee! Hope you had a fantastic day and dinner with John. I would love to be entered in your giveaway. My 3 favorite designers: With Thy Needle and Thread, Stacy Nash and Threadwork Primitives. Thanks!
Judy Heartland stitcher

Chris said...

Happy, happy birthday Shirlee you have 10 more years to catch up with me and I hope when it is mine, God won't have a fright for me!
Thank you for visiting my blog.
Happy Stitching
Chris x

Marsha said...

Happy Birthday Shirlee! I turned the big 6-0 in late June. It's not so bad, sort of. Anyway, I would love to be included in your giveaway. I like Prairie Schooler, PlumStreet Designs, and Blackbird Designs. Enjoy your birthday month!

vwestermeyer said...

I'm excited for the opportunity to win something!

I'm also very happy to wish you a most happy birthday!! I hope it has been filled with wonderful moments!

Nancy said...

Happy Belated Birthday Shirlee!! Sorry but I hadn't been checking the blogs everyday as I had been. Need to find the time to send you an email. A lot has happened since I emailed you last. Take care and I sure hope you enjoyed your birthday!!

Kaisievic said...

Happy, happy birthday dear Shirlee! Now you have snuck this up on me! I did have great plans to spoil you but all of this stress and trauma with my parents has meant that my stitching and blogging is running amok - or maybe not running at all really! I hope that you had a fabulous day and as you know, I think of you and John with great love and affection every day.
hugs and birthday kisses and wishes, love Kaye
P.S. Don't forget to add me to the giveaway draw!

mangojam said...

Happy Birthday, Ms. Shirlee! It (a birthday) couldn't happen to a nicer person. Every year is a year to be grateful! "In whatever state I am, to be content". Wishing you many many blessings!
I appreciate your sharing the homilies (so much!), and your lovely stitching.
Prairie Schooler, Blackbird Designs and Birds of a Feather are my faves. It's so sweet of you to have a gift-away for your birthday!
Hope it was a blast and that you got the royal treatment!
Tracy

Pam in IL said...

Happiest Birthday Wishes! I hope you have a great day!

I'm a follower through feedly and bloglovin -- does that count?

Danice G said...

Hi Shirlee. I commented before, but forgot to mention to include me in your giveaway. 'Hope you are doing well. Thank you :)

Danice G said...

Oh, and my 3 favorite designers are: Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe, Little House Needleworks, and Buttermilk Basin Designs.

Trace4J said...

Oh my friend..
I am a heel.
How did I miss your birthday..:(
So sorry.
Happy Birthday to you..
Happy Birthday dear Shirleeeeee friend
Happy Birthday Belated to you....
Woolie JOY to you..

Pam in IL said...

I'm back - thanks for clarifying the follower thing.

I would love to be included in your give-away. I have so many favorite designers, but I especially like Blue Ribbon Designs, Little House Needleworks, Country Cottage Needleworks and Lizzie*Kate. Oops that's 4 designers, lol

Thanks for including me!

Catherine said...

Happy Birthday!! Well, catching up on blogs and missed this one ~ darn! Good luck to everyone!