Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Disappointments Melt Away

For some reason I am usually spared too many disappointments.. but this weekend I had one. All last week I spent working on a project to take to Hitty Club Saturday. For those who are new, Hitty is a little 6" wooden doll that I sew clothes for and gather with some other ladies about once a month.. maybe a little longer.. who also sew for her or just play with her. We make crafts and visit and have lunch together. It is a fun time. Well anyways.. I pretty much did nothing all last week after my birthday on Monday except work on this project. Then Saturday came along with a whole pile of snow. We were snowed in, and Hitty Club was postponed until the next day but I still couldn't go then. So I was pretty bummed out about it. And I guess it put me in such a mopey mood that I didn't even feel like blogging or much of anything for a few days.

I have such a nice family and good friends though. It is amazing how they can cheer me up. This morning I went through some of the things that I got in the mail last week.. and tell me this wouldn't make anyone smile!

..from
Stephanie... one of her covered journals...


.. she picked JUST the colors for me! And the prettiest card.. and those colored pins! I asked her how she knew I wanted some of those.. she has a knack for that sort of thing. And some vintage buttons and trim. All perfect.

From
Nanette.. this is what was in that package I showed a peek of last week..

"Dating Fabrics" by Eileen Jahnke Trestain. I told Nanette that I already see many of my own fabrics on the pages of this book. What a useful tool this will be! Also a piece of authentic feedsack which I adore.. and the sweetest little knitted house with a tape measure inside! I love this gift so much. Thank you Nanette my dear friend.


..and from
Melanie.. look at the beautiful wrappings...


Practically everything had to do with my new favorite fragrance Lavender. Not everything is in the picture below.. there was also a lot of vintage things like pins and yarn and such from thrift shops.. I felt like I had just been shopping the nooks and crannies of SouthPort with her.. but here are just a few of the treasures..
That big tin is filled with "English Biscuits".. what we would normally call cookies.. but my daughter and I feel so special when we nibble them with our coffee and call them biscuits. They are divine, and we can't find anything like that here. Also lots of lavender stuff.. hankies with lovely embroidery, a vintage piece of silk, linens, and one of those FABULOUS lavender wands that Melanie makes from her own that she grows in her yard. It smells wonderful. There were some of the cutest little foreign dudes.. they crack me up. I love stuff like this.

Now what makes these gifts so much more special to me is.. I know each one of these gals was not feeling her best the past couple of weeks. And my birthday is so soon after Christmas. So for them to go out of their way to gather, make, wrap and send something to me is so special.

But that's not all. This pile of presents came from my friend Helen. She always wraps everything so creatively. All pink and brown.. LOVELY. I hated to spoil the wrapping.

Just some of the things.. a Mary Engelbriet pin cushion.. some adorable fat quarters, and one of Helen's own tiny pin cushions that she makes out of bottlecaps. Her work is so very creative. Plus other vintage things.. books and stuff I adore.

And one more.. from my new friend Betsy. I was totally not expecting this. A lovely repro 30's fat quarter and the cutest tree made of tiny spools. THANK you Betsy.
So I have to just say a huge thank you to all of you.. those who read my blog, and comment, and send me emails. I had no idea what this whole world of blogging was all about.. that it would be such a blessed thing.


I was going to show what I started on now.. my Black and White quilt for Jackie's challenge.. but I guess this is getting kind of long so you can go over here if you want to see it.
I'll try better to keep up!




26 comments:

Ulla said...

You really have good friends in the blog world, and they have sent you the most beautiful birthday presents!

Jane's Fabrics and Quilts said...

Oh blogland is such a special place filled with wonderful people. BTW, I just love the Black and White quilt. It is great!

Carla said...

Such nice presents and blog friends. Can't wait to see the quilt done.

DollZandThingZ said...

I love your photos of the amazing gifts you received! So pretty. Hard to stay glum with such loveliness surrounding you.

May I remind you that Hitty's own life wad filled with the unexpected twists and turns?

And we all still love you here-- mopey or not!

As for the B& W quilts, WOW! They look fabulous. I have to go back and look some more.

Purple and Paisley said...

wow - what wonderful gifts from wonderful friends...your bday gift from me went out today...so, so late but you will understand when you open...

Abby and Stephanie said...

Lots of lovely treasures to cheer you up. Now you have lots of new things to play with. :o)

Sherri said...

What lovely gifts! Hope you have a great week!

Betsy said...

you did good. You need to remember how giving you too have been and it is not taken for granted at all!

rachel griffith said...

bummer that you couldn't go.
:O(

on the upside:
you got some fantastic gifts!!!

you're such a sweetheart eileen.
<3

Carrie P. said...

How could anyone be mopey with all those fantastic gifts. How nice of all those ladies. Glad you are feeling better.

annemariesquilt said...

Wow Eilenn it is realy a lot of goodies you have received and you are very lucky..
You must remember that you are a wonderful person yourself!!

Nedra said...

You really recieved some amazing things! Lucky you!

Unknown said...

Even though you did not get to your Hitty group, you certainly were showered with lots of bloggy love! What wonderful gifts for a wonderful person. And each one who sent them to you are wonderful as well. Enjoy them! I just love your tumbling blocks. They are fantastic!!

Anonymous said...

So many wonderful gifts...they are all just so cute and so fun. I love the journal too, those fabrics are fabulous. Everything is!

Unknown said...

Hello Eileen:D
So sorry to hear about you being snowed in...but look at the whole lot of goodies you received. They are fabulous and so beautiful, that's the special part of friendship..it is really beyond just being blog friends :D That lavendar wand from Melanie is really something..I've never seen it before and she's so creative. Hope the snow melts away and you can have your hitty club meeting again. Big hugs for the week, much love..M

Mel said...

Fun, fun stuff! It's amazing how one bummer can affect a few days! I'm a pouter and would have been quite out of joint if I had to miss such a fun planned event! Your mail goodies should help out though!
Hope you have a better week!

Days and colors said...

People in Blogland are the best! So much caring! Now you are smiling and feeling better, you got wonderful gifts, beautifully made and wrapped specially for you! I wish you a lovely week!

pratima said...

So sorry that you couldn't go to Hitty club :(
Beautiful presents.. the little dudes are so cute!

Messy Karen said...

what nice presents you received for your day. & love your b&w.

Anonymous said...

Hia Eileen, I'm glad you had things to cheer you up after being disappointedly snowed in. Still you have lots to play with now. :-)

Tonje said...

I'm sorry to hear that you couldn't go to Hitty club. You seem to have a lot of fun on your meetings.

What great presents you got for your birthday. Happy belated birthday.

I'm bummed that I missed your giveaway though... I'm just getting back to blogging and reading blogs after having a looong break over the holidays.

Have a nice day.

Katie said...

Impossible to have a pity party when you've got such good friends and so many lovely goodies. A belated happy birthday to you!

Dionne said...

What fabulous friends you have! But, Eileen, it doesn't surprise me, you are so wonderful yourself that you really deserve to be surrounded with such people. I'm glad you are cheered. It will be nice to bring your project to the next Hitty Club ~ and the work is already done!
Cheers,
Dionne

Nanette Merrill said...

You are loved Eileen! We all adore you. I'm glad your birthday was nice. The lovely things you show here are such sweet and great goodies. The wrapping is so cute too. I love all of them. And they do all suit you! Good for you.

Tine said...

You b&w looks wonderful!!
I would have been disappointed too if I had put that much work into preparing something, and then was unable to go share with my friends :/ I am glad you have family around to cheer you up! And, nothing brings a smile to your face like a happy mail-day!!!

Sarah and Jack said...

Oh man, I want to sit down and spend an hour with that book.