. . . my favorite people. I'm going to go "off" here for a minute so bear with me please. I have such a great support group of women in our circle of bloggers. I'm so happy to have such fabulous people to create with. The sweet comments, emails and thoughtful things said and done are a real blessing in my life. Just yesterday I got a simple comment with "xo" from Pam. Such a simple thing but I knew she visited me and was cheering me on. Her blog is so popular and is one of the first I ever visited. It is such a great inspiration to me. I got a card in the mail from Stephanie. She is so thoughtful. Stephanie designs and creates the greatest work (go look at the darling bag she just made). And last night I spoke on the phone with Terri. She helps me think straight sometimes and is such a patient friend.
You are all so fabulous. Even those of you that read the blog and never comment. I know you are there and I appreciate you. Husbands are (usually) wonderful things and children are a blessing but let me tell you. The power of a visit from someone like you, and I mean YOU - whoever you are - means that you understand the creative process and appreciate the things I work on. I've said this before but I mean it so much. Blogging with creative women is like belonging to the best quilt guild in the world. Thank you!
From time to time I get spoiled. I am always so grateful and so humbled by packages in the mail. You may know exactly how I feel.
A few weeks before Christmas a lovely wrapped gift arrived and darn I didn't take a picture of it. I put it under my tree because it was so pretty. It was from Jodi. Jodi is one of the first bloggers I connected with a year or so ago. We are both very busy people but have similar interests and ideas. I left the package under the tree until Christmas morning because I enjoyed the anticipation of opening the package.
And this was inside - two very darling, and perfect for me, teacup and teapot ornaments. They went right on my Christmas tree. Jodi knows what I like. Thank you so much Jodi. They are really cute. And I'm not going to put them away with my other ornaments. They are too special to just bring out once a year and put on the tree. I placed them on a shelf in my sewing room where I can enjoy them everyday. Thank you.
The Christmas Cottage Exchange brought me so many wonderful friends. I even made a new friend with Tricia. And she lives only a few minutes from me - but we didn't know eachother. She is terrific and I'm so happy that Terri and I did the exchange if just for connecting with the talented women we found.
Mel is one of the sweet and incredibly talented girls that joined the exchange. And she doesn't live that far from me either - maybe an hour? I got to know Mel a little better when she had her cottage open house - what a clever idea. So today I opened my mailbox and found a little package from Mel.
I of course ripped right into it before thinking to take a picture. But here are all the lovely prizes she sent me. A bow was tied around the bag with that sweet bird on the right. I know Mel made it and I'm hanging it right on my bulletin board next to Eileen's owls. Mel included the pattern and charm square kit to make a beautiful table runner that she created. It really is such a neat idea and pattern. I've got to make that for next year. And then she included . . .
one of the door hangers she has been making. I saw them on her blog and thought how incredibly clever they were. Little did I know she made me one with an N on it. I hung it right on the door knob of my sewing room where I can see it everyday, too. Mel is such a precise sew-er. The last item in the package made me laugh so hard my husband had to come into the room and find out why I was laughing so much.
Oh my gosh. The bag. I am telling you that the (female) principal of 5th and Spring, my elementary school, gave out "samples" similar to this bag after our very special movie when I was in 6th grade. I can still remember the girl in the very old film ("Mom, I think I'll take an extra shower today.) The bag is so incredibly hilarious. And inside the bag was this very fun novelty fabric. I'll have to make little zipper clutch and line it with this underwear fabric. Mel has the best sense of humor. Thank you so much.
I'm very grateful to think I have so many women to connect with all over the world and in my own back yard, too.
-nanette
You are all so fabulous. Even those of you that read the blog and never comment. I know you are there and I appreciate you. Husbands are (usually) wonderful things and children are a blessing but let me tell you. The power of a visit from someone like you, and I mean YOU - whoever you are - means that you understand the creative process and appreciate the things I work on. I've said this before but I mean it so much. Blogging with creative women is like belonging to the best quilt guild in the world. Thank you!
From time to time I get spoiled. I am always so grateful and so humbled by packages in the mail. You may know exactly how I feel.
A few weeks before Christmas a lovely wrapped gift arrived and darn I didn't take a picture of it. I put it under my tree because it was so pretty. It was from Jodi. Jodi is one of the first bloggers I connected with a year or so ago. We are both very busy people but have similar interests and ideas. I left the package under the tree until Christmas morning because I enjoyed the anticipation of opening the package.
And this was inside - two very darling, and perfect for me, teacup and teapot ornaments. They went right on my Christmas tree. Jodi knows what I like. Thank you so much Jodi. They are really cute. And I'm not going to put them away with my other ornaments. They are too special to just bring out once a year and put on the tree. I placed them on a shelf in my sewing room where I can enjoy them everyday. Thank you.The Christmas Cottage Exchange brought me so many wonderful friends. I even made a new friend with Tricia. And she lives only a few minutes from me - but we didn't know eachother. She is terrific and I'm so happy that Terri and I did the exchange if just for connecting with the talented women we found.
Mel is one of the sweet and incredibly talented girls that joined the exchange. And she doesn't live that far from me either - maybe an hour? I got to know Mel a little better when she had her cottage open house - what a clever idea. So today I opened my mailbox and found a little package from Mel.
I of course ripped right into it before thinking to take a picture. But here are all the lovely prizes she sent me. A bow was tied around the bag with that sweet bird on the right. I know Mel made it and I'm hanging it right on my bulletin board next to Eileen's owls. Mel included the pattern and charm square kit to make a beautiful table runner that she created. It really is such a neat idea and pattern. I've got to make that for next year. And then she included . . .
one of the door hangers she has been making. I saw them on her blog and thought how incredibly clever they were. Little did I know she made me one with an N on it. I hung it right on the door knob of my sewing room where I can see it everyday, too. Mel is such a precise sew-er. The last item in the package made me laugh so hard my husband had to come into the room and find out why I was laughing so much.
Oh my gosh. The bag. I am telling you that the (female) principal of 5th and Spring, my elementary school, gave out "samples" similar to this bag after our very special movie when I was in 6th grade. I can still remember the girl in the very old film ("Mom, I think I'll take an extra shower today.) The bag is so incredibly hilarious. And inside the bag was this very fun novelty fabric. I'll have to make little zipper clutch and line it with this underwear fabric. Mel has the best sense of humor. Thank you so much.I'm very grateful to think I have so many women to connect with all over the world and in my own back yard, too.
-nanette
Natalie has been wrapping gifts and I really like her idea for wrapping. She went to the grocery store and asked for some brown bags. And then she used a stamp letter set and stamped the recipient's names on the top corner. Cute and I love the simplicity. There is Roy wanting to see what is going on. Roy is a cat that sneaks into our house every once in while. 
I did embellish several more kitchen towels. I have 4 more left to make but that will be the end of the towels for this year. I went to 
Today's little prize is a tote bag. It is made with novelty and vintage fabric. I made several of these bags and then decided the oval bottom was too darn hard to keep making so that is when I came up with my "Mixed Bag to Quilt" pattern.
Don't even ask! Nope, this picture above is not up for winning. Forget it. Last night my friend Flora brought me cookies and delicious smelling vanilla as a little care package. There is only one Flora and sorry, she's not a Freda's Hive giveaway prize either! These cookies rank right up there with best cookies ever. She told me she got the 
Along with the charm pack is a Japanese Patchwork book. And yes, the instructions are all in Japanese - but I learn from pictures anyway so I've been able to get over that obstacle. However, keep in mind they make things very tiny in these books so often I enlarge projects to suit me. Below are just a few of the highlights from the book. Click to enlarge (I hope).
Each of the 4 sets of squares is unique in color and pattern. I made the original mosaic quilt 4-5 years ago. You can read about it and see pictures 
This is a one-of-a kind quilt. There are no others. It was designed, pieced and quilted by me. And it has the "One of a Kind from Freda's Hive" label on it. Wowie - aren't you impressed! (not)
Go ahead and "Freda's Hive" today and if you get your name picked this baby girl quilt just might be something you will have delivered to your door - like it or not - if it is the last item standing.
well nanette....it's been a 'wild' ride this week, but as the saying goes 'all good things must come to an end'.....i've gotten kind of used to this morning ritual of doing 'the fredas hive thang'......but, i felt right at home....i meander through your sewing room every morning anyway...so, this week just had a little more 'sparkle' than usual......love all the 'goodies' and have enjoyed everything you have shared with us......i'm just glad you're THE ONE who gets to sweep up after all this partying!!
December 13, 2008 9:21 AM