Wow! Monday was my birthday and look where I am. 
My sweet hubby invited me to accompany him on a quick business trip to New York and I spent yesterday at Mood Fabrics.
In addition to striking up a new friendship with Swatch, the Mood Fabrics dog, I met two of my favorite sewing bloggers, Oonaballoona and Marina from Frabjous Couture. I met Eric, one of the owners of Mood, and I met Joe, an employee who was immensely helpful.
I also took l o t s of pictures of my Mood experience……the fabrics, the accessories and most importantly the lovely people I met.
Hmmmmm…………
While Oonaballoona was snapping a photo of me with Joe, would you believe my camera leaped out of her hands, jumped on the floor and broke itself?
I promise that curvy specimen of the clan balloona, who sews, drinks, plays, curses, creates, and generally has an excellent time was behaving herself. The accident was entirely the camera’s fault, and I’m left with two blurry iPhone pictures to share with you, the one above and this one.
She feels just horrible about the camera incident but isn’t that a cute shirt she made! (blogged here.)
So… what would have been a post about my lovely trip has now turned into the story of a broken camera and one of those had-to-be-there moments.
Beautiful fabric is on the way to South Carolina, and I plan to share lots of sewing projects with you soon. Maybe I’ll even have a new camera!
Best wishes to all 
happy birthday! what a awesome trip! shame about the camera! maybe a new one can be a present to yourself!
Thanks Punkmik! It was a great birthday trip and the new camera is a great idea
Thanks, Punkmik! It was a great birthday and the new camera is a swell idea
Happy Birthday! I am a bit jealous of your trip to NY and Mood, but I know you enjoyed it. Can’t wait to see what you bought. Sorry about the camera. We’ve gone through several here as well. That neck strap thingie that everyone disposes of does serve a purpose, I think!
Thank you, Becky! My next camera will have a permanent neck thingie for sure!
AAAAAAAAAAAAACK. it was your birthday?!!!!
i want to stab myself with my ginghers.
happy birthday to yooooou, happy birthday to yooooooou, oona acts like a mooooonkey, and she drops stuff like one toooooooooooo. and many moooooooooooooooooooore!
(birthdays, that is, not attacks on your electronics by a short kalkatroonaan.)
Wait a minute………… my birthday was Monday, not Tuesday and I can’t explain how happy I am to get a new camera. PUT THOSE GINGHERS AWAY!!!!!!
Happy birthday! Can’t wait to see what you bought.
Thank you, Janet. Some great pieces should be on their way!
Happy, happy, birthday to you!!! What a wonderful way to have spent it and I do hope you “spent” some at Mood. Always love to see your creations.
Many thanks, Miriam. It was a wonderful birthday. My three hours at Mood included a nice little shopping spree – lucky me!
So glad you had a good time! So glad you got to meet Oona and Marina in person…Happy Belatedly Birthday and so sorry about the camera. But you did get to buy fabric and that’s the most important thing!
Oh yeah…… I did some damage. I sure did miss meeting you though! Hopefully next time
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!! So sorry about your camera and really happy you got to spend time shopping at Mood! I have yet to get there!
Thank you so much, Myra! No big deal about the camera other than a few lost pictures!
What a perfect birthday! The Mood experience cancels out the broken camera. And fabric is on the way…keep your priorities in order!
Absolutely, Dorcas! It was a perfect birthday and I could care less about the camera….. I had a blast shopping and meeting other sewing bloggers
Happy birthday
Many thanks, Pauline!
Although I can’t recall how I came across Goodbye Valentino, I have been following for quite awhile. Your style choices mirror my own and seeing your creations has sparked my creative spirit again. It dawned on me that I spend a lot of time shopping for specific items that I am not always able to find…….so I am making what I want, thanks to your inspiration. The hardest part is disciplining myself to make a muslin! That is a new concept for me. The lovely clothing you make NEVER looks “homemade” and so I am very willing to follow your methods. Again, thank you for your inspiration and I look forward to seeing what you create with the fabrics from your trip to Mood.
Hi Virginia,
Thank you for this nice comment – I’m honored to know I have inspired you! I try talking myself out of making a muslin with every pattern. Every one! In the end the muslin is the key to success for me even though it delays the project (which is happening now! ). Many thanks for writing and please stay in touch
I so identify with trying to talk yourself out of making a muslin! I always do that — and if I succeed, I always regret it! Now that I have invested in a huge bolt of muslin, I have no excuses at all!
Sounds like you had a wonderful time. Can’t wait to see you next creation!
It was a wonderful time, Sally! Many thanks for writing
How wonderful that you got to visit NYC and Mood for your birthday! Many wonderful birthday wishes for you. (And sorry about your camera.)
Thank you, Shams! It was a fabulous birthday
What a perfect birthday! Couldn’t ask for more, could you? Oona sounds like my kind of girl — even down to the klutzy move with the camera, which was NOT her fault!
It was a great birthday, Cissie! …. so nice to be another year older
You would love Oona and I understand you and Marina already know one another. About that camera…. I was ready for a new one!
Happy birthday! What a way to celebrate.
Thank you, Laura! It was a great day
Happy birthday and I hope you recieve a new camera as a birthday present.
Thank you, Maria! A new camera is in the works
Happy birthday a little afterwards. Lucky you to spend a day in N.Y and Moods. I also would like to do that, but it´s a bit far away from Sweden. But some time I´ll do it.
Thank you, Ann-Britt! I’d say a trip to Mood from Sweden is certainly worth it
happy birthday and so envious of your fun day in NYC. looking forward to your next Mood fabric creations.
Many thanks, Beth! It was a fun trip
Belated birthday wishes. I can’t think of a more fun way to spend it than shopping in Mood (even if your camera was so naughty!).
Thank you, Pendle Stitches —— that camera wanted out of my life
Happy Birthday, sounds like a perfect day.
Perfect indeed, Lori! Many thanks for the comment
Happy birthday for Monday – I am envious of your friendship with Swatch and getting to go to Mood in person. I can only visit via internet and I want to touch that fabric!!! Can’t wait to see what you make.
That little Swatch is a sweetie! He walked right up to my chair and stayed there for at least 15 minutes
Many thanks for writing!
Happy Birthday!! Enjoy Mood
Thank you! It was a fun day.
Happy Birthday! Another Scorpio sewist! (mine was the 9th) You all looked so fabulous that the camera couldn’t cope!
I’ll accept that and Happy Birthday to you!!
Happy Birthday! This Scorpio didn’t have nearly as much fun as you shopping at Mood, (I did get a coverstich machine
Can’t wait to see all the new pieces you’ll add to your collection. What an inspiration you are.
Thank you so much, Naomi! Enjoy your new machine
I would like to point out that if its a digital camera you should be able to salvage the memory chip and either a) use it in a new camera or b)take it to a professional camera shop and have them transfer the images to a disk or usb thumb drive. Or, if like me you have a husband that builds computer, put it in the built in memory card reader on your computer. So, broken camera does not equal lost photos forever.
Thank you for the tip and I’ll take it to the camera store. Great suggestion!
I can’t imagine a better way to spend a birthday (except maybe in Paris….) Happy birthday!
Thank you, Karen – It was a great birthday! My daughter did give me a Paris book…… close enough for this year
The perfect way to spend a birthday! How fun.
It was very perfect! Thank you!
Happy (belated) Birthday to You! Sounds like you had a great trip!
Many thanks – it was a lovely way to turn a year older
Happy Birthday Sarah! Shame about your camera but I suspect a meet-up with Oona is always going to be a little crazy and action packed.
Can’t wait to see your makes and I hope the coming year brings you lots of joy (and sewing triumphs!).
Hi – I just found your blog ~ so Happy Birthday! I look forward to seeing your sewing
Happy belated Birthday! I hope it was the happiest of days. I can’t think of many places that beat Mood for a birthday treat.
Lucky girl. New York is my favourite city in the world. Just a 26 hour plane ride away!
Hope you will return in time to see the Terriers take on the Gamecocks today. GO TERRIERS! And what will you wear??? A very BELATED Happy Birthday.
Many thanks, Elaine! I did return in time to see the Terriers lose in the 4th quarter. I was hoping to have completed the houndstooth dress in time for the game but it didn’t happen – thank goodness. The weather was so cold and windy so I dressed accordingly
Happy belated birthday! So sorry about your camera, but thrilled you were able to spend your birthday in a place I know you love!
Beth
Thank you, Beth! It was a great birthday and a surprise in that the trip came about quickly. No big deal about the camera
Happy, happy birthday! But I’m so sorry to hear about your camera!
Thank you, Ginger! No big deal about the camera.
Happy belated birthday to you! I’m glad you got the chance to go to NY, but I’m so very sorry to hear about your camera. It seems like you took it in good spirit though. Hopefully a new one is on the way already!
How did I just now see your nice comment? Many thanks for writing…… meeting Oona was worth breaking an old low quality camera! I’m afraid I may be waiting until Christmas for a new one however
I found a link to your site from Oonaballoona’s and boy! do I count myself lucky. I am certainly book marking your site, there is sooooooo much to learn.
Hi Naan! Thank you so much for the lovely comment and am pleased you like the blog!