Friday, July 18, 2008

31

Oh my sainted aunt! I have truly been the most tardy blogger around. But fear not, I am back, and am turning 31 tomorrow. 31! Yikes!

This means several things:
(1) The bloom of my youth has well and truly faded, and that it's only a short trip here on in to hagged and crotchety;
(2) I can no longer say things like "When I grow up I want to be a blah blah blah", because it will only make me look dafter than I already am;
(3) Time is a'running out if I want to be an accomplished piano and trumpet playing bilingual diplomatic officer and bona fide chess master before middle age strikes;
(4) It's the Jorth birthday giveaway!

I suspect it's the latter that you're all interested in. Never mind me and my aging crisis, just show you the goodies, hey?

Firstly, the rules. Long time visitors know the drill - give me a bit of birthday love by leaving a nice message, telling me I don't look old at all and that being a diplomatic officer is vastly overrated etc etc and mention which gift you'd like to be yours. After the weekend I'll draw the winners out of the appropriate hats, send you an email requesting your postal details, and you and the pressies shall soon be one.

Rightio, first cab off the rank - Knitted Babes by Clare Garland. Lovely, sweet book, featuring these easy to knit up dolls that can usually be made from scrap yarn. I hope you have better luck than I did with mine, which resembled nothing but a burnt alien. Grumbles took one look at it, and crawled for the hills. Don't blame the poor kid, it did look pretty scary. Oh well.

Next up is The Modern Quilt Workshop by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Fabulous introduction into world of quilting, with a heavy emphasis on colour and design. Very inspirational.

Third is this nifty Japanese embroidered handbag pattern book. The bags in here at to die for, and there are about 10 I'd love to make, but it's been sitting on my shelf for 3 years now, and in my heart of hearts I know I'll never get around to making one up. So I'll hand it over to somebody who hopefully will. Or somebody who will at least drool over the pics more often than I do. (See more of the projects inside here)

Lastly is another Japanese craft book, this one featuring patterns for tote bags. Some very, very cool designs in here.

Well, that's it. Hope you all have a splendid weekend, and good luck with the draw!

xo Jorth

21 comments:

  1. Happy 31st!.. i've been 31 for a few months.. it's not bad. I want these books! I'm convinced I am going to make a living a crafting and these books could help feed my delusions!

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  2. Hope you have a very happy birthday. Remember Shirley Temple Black didn't make it into the diplomatic corps until she was over 40! You can still do it - especially if you can already sing Good Ship Lollypop!

    Liesl xx

    PS. I've just celebrated the 9th anniversary of my 31st birthday and its not all so bad!

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  3. Only 31? You are barely out of teenager-dom. Really. Your 30s are when you are in your prime. That is until your forties, when you totally rock. Enjoy. And Happy Birthday!

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  4. Anonymous6:22 pm

    31 is still young ( well youngish), I myself have past youngisg several years ago. And you still have a few years to harbour delusions of grand plans before they become dreams of what could of beeen. Happy birthday lots of fun and happiness to you.

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  5. Aw, pshaw...31 one is still a BABY!! You have TONS of time to get started!! Speaking from the ripe old age of 35, I say you still have time to grow up, even!! Have a Happy Birthday!!

    (Books...I want books..:P )

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  6. happy birthday honey! xx
    thanks for being a big part of mixtape

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  7. Happy birthday lovely lass! You make 31 sound so wonderful, i can't wait! :0

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  8. Happy Birthday! The more I realize that you're never too old to say "When I grow up". At least, I haven't stopped saying it and suspect I'll still be saying it for many decades.

    I've had that Modern Quilt Workshop on my wish list for quite some time. I'd love to add it to my library.

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  9. 31! Happy Birthday my dear, ofcourse you don´t look a day over 21...must be all that relaxing knitting keeping you looking so well preserved. When I was 31 my kids were 10, 8 and 6, what a wonderful carefree time that was - enjoy yourself, before you look around twice you´ll be 10 years older like me, wondering where the time has gone.

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  10. Well, lots of happy birthday wishes to you! 31 of them in fact...
    Cheers, Rachael.

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  11. 31 is only a number, and I firmly believe you can go on saying "when I grow up.." until you're well into you 90's! 31 wonderful wishes to you on this the anniversary of your birth! I covet the Umami bags book desperately - have just finished scouring etsy sites for Japanese craft books in fact!
    Pease, love and Mung beans!
    Tala

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  12. Oops, I should have said - I'm not angling for a book (I'm disqualifying myself on the basis of being last year's winner), I'm just all about the birthday love. (Though if きものbagがほしい can't find a loving home, that's another matter...Ahem!)

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  13. 31 is definitely a young, but wise age. The Modern Quilt workshop looks interesting.

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  14. Anonymous2:20 am

    Happy birthday! You're a mere babe in the woods at 31. A neophyte. A tadpole. Just think--I'm 12 years older than you and I'm not old!

    Jen

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  15. I'm de-lurking to say happy birthday, seeing I'm feeling a bit the same, being the same age. But I'm sure you've achieved more than you think, including through this blog which often inspires! So happy birthday, and put me down for that japanesey book goodness!!

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  16. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!! It's not so bad the thirties - more wisdom, less soul-searching, all that... I'm trying to convince myself too as I approach 32... I'm sure it's not so great being a bilingual diplomat?? hmm. Hope you have a fabulous birthday and enjoy yourself!

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  17. happy belated !!

    Sorry I am late to the party - is there any cake left ?

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  18. I have that modern quilt workshop! I too found it very inspirational! Great color, and so fun quilts!

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  19. Yes, happy belated from me too. Go practise your trumpet!

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  20. well darn all things darnable, i missed both your birthday and the giveaway.

    i must affirm that the trip you mentioned in number one is indeed short: three-to-six months, depending on how lightly you travel. at 31 and 7/12ths, i am happy to report from the land of hagged and crochety that the white hair is rather pretty in an ethereal sort of way, and occasionally the management schedules naps between shuffleboard tournaments.

    party while you can.

    ps hope the birthday was lovely!

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