3 Days and counting...

Well, it has been a few weeks since I have blogged... and let me tell ya A LOT has been going on.  Number one reason is I have been working really hard to get ready for this weekends big event...

Country Living Fair in Columbus!  

 I have an awesome announcement! Amy Barickman (some of you know her as the founder of Indigo Junction...yes as in the patterns!) called me up and asked if we could team up and I would be the retail spot/booth to sell her new book Vintage Notions!  So if you plan on coming to the fair come to my booth #365F to check it out and just maybe Amy herself will be there to talk to you and sign a book! Just so you know that if you can't make it to Columbus or Atlanta I have the book in the shop.  I have been thoroughly enjoying this very special book.  Amy will be speaking and doing a book signing at the Country Living Main Stage on Friday at 1:00pm! It is such a huge compliment that Amy decided to team up with me there are sooooo many amazing talented vendors at this fair I feel well words can't describe!  Hence I am really excited about the weekend!  Dad still has to pressure wash the pig trailer to put all precious cargo in. Yes that's how we get everything to the fair and it's awesome works out great...and NO it doesn't stink PROMISE! Well with that being said I have lots to do only 3 days left really only one day left here at the shop...EEEK! In the meantime here are  some pictures of whats been going on and a sneak peak at a few things I have been working on... 

My cousin helping me tag stuff...awesome helper!

printing of the shop newsletter hope you all enjoyed or enjoying!

I even fit in a small quilt show last weekend in Warren... Thanks Crazy Quilters Quilt Guild for the invite!

The booth that day and mom stitching on binding!

Last but not least...I thought she was chewing on that sock.

But, really it was my orange Pearle cotton...

her deciding to pounce it... Libby you are not a cat your a BULLDOG!

she is so cute it's hard to be mad at her... and I have tons more pictures of my sewing dog in all her glory with a ball of thread!  It was worth the break to take these!

Well I am off to sleep now.  I hope that I see some of you this weekend in Columbus!

P.S. Don't forget to check the website for Shop Hours while at the fair and upcoming Atlanta Country Living Fair! www.olivegracestudios.com/news

Up at the Crack of Dawn

sun comin up over the sewing machine

So I am typically not a morning person but today I decided to roll out of bed at 6:00 a.m.  Just so you know my eyes actually opened at about 3:30 a.m.  On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings I have been staying at mom and dad's house in preparation of the upcoming Country Living Fair'S!  Yes not just one but two...  Anyway I don't know if it's just my nerves getting the best of me or the 50 pound bulldog slash little old grandpa who made her way into my room which then proceeded to snore all night.  She slept on the floor and I think both the echoing of the old house and vibrations of her breathing made for not a good nights sleep.  I think that is just an excuse though.  20 more days till the Columbus Country Living Fair and lots to do.  My fat quarter folder and myself have been busy in the shop getting shop stuff ready such as fat quarters plus working on product that that I make and tagging all the vintage things I have for the booth!

Over the weekend for a little inspiration and few minutes away from sewing I met a couple special girls at the Meadow Lands Flea Market outside of Pittsburgh.  What a great flea market wow... that is a TRUE flea's hideout.  Old school style actually it was all antiques no socks or out of date mayonnaise for goodness sake.  Last Sunday was another early day we left here at 6:30 a.m. (5:00a.m. wake up) and arrived pretty early and by 11:00 a.m. we were hot and tired.  Great treasures in hand we blew that hot box of a flea market and decided on going to an antique shop then lunch... in A.C!  

P is for Piggie

So that is a wrap up of what has been going on around here!  So nice to see Abbie and Debb...it had been almost a year exactly.  Last year at this time all my best friends came to see my shop come to life in a celebration that in my heart will never be forgotten! If only there were more hours in the day and Seattle, Savannah, D.C. and even Columbus were just a wee bit closer.

P.S. I almost forgot... today is the official start of college football... Ohio State Buckeyes vs. Marshall 7:30p.m. Big Ten Network... I only hope I am awake at that time! Go Bucks!!!! O-H!!!!

The Fat Quarter Folder

The fat quarter folder eating lobsta in New England on a trip to Center Harbor, New Hampshire... to all you dedicated quilters what is in Center Harbor?

 

 

 

 

 

So my mom has dubbed herself the fat quarter folder!  Last Wednesday I had a class and mom worked the shop so I wouldn't have to go back and forth from shop to house.  Mom gets a little nervous about working in the shop I have no idea why but she does.  I have been cutting half yards of fabric to turn into fat quarters for the past few weeks in preparation for Country Living FairS'!  I told mom that day just fold the fat quarters and that would be a huge help! So as she is folding customers keep coming.  I guess the name dubbing went a little like this... customers' walk in and are greeted with " ummm Hi uhhh Kori's not here she is in the house teaching class so you will just have to deal with me I am the fat quarter folder" in a nervous voice says Mom.  Say that 5 times fast and it's a real tongue twister.  Anyway during all this I get a hundred calls in the house mom asking what she should do, how much is..., where is the... etc etc. Just so you know mom made it through the day and did a great job in the shop...she always does. A group of ladies who wanted to see what we were making in the house and informed me that I needed to give her a raise! She does deserve one that is for sure but the payment is going to be in some sort of gift and I haven't quite figured that out.... 

 
In the meantime though while I am in the house with Dana, Beth, and Judie elementary school teachers from the Canton area (I am still in shock that these ladies drive an hour to come here what a compliment and what a delight to have some new sewing friends) were in here making this cute little box and of course its a Hatched and Patched project! Pretty cool huh?  You can either use it for your favorite jewelery or to put thread in for an on the road project. To top this fun day off Judie brought these amazing S'mores Bars to share and I thought you all needed the recipe.  They are a MUST make people... my mom horded them from me and I actually had to ask where the were.  What can I say we a a couple of foodies... 
 

S'mores Sandwich Bar Cookies (from Hershey's)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
5 Hershey's bars (1.55 oz. each), unwrapped : - )
3 cups miniature marshmallows

1.  Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 x 8 glass baking dish.

2.  Beat butter and sugar until well blended in large bowl.  Add egg and vanilla; beat well.  Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended.  Press half of dough into prepared pan.  Bake 15 minutes.

3.  Lay candy bars evenly over baked dough, breaking as necessary to cover.  Sprinkle with marshmallows; scatter bits of remaining dough over all.  Bake 10 to 15 minutes or just until lightly browned.  Cool completely in pan on wire rack.  Cut into bars.  Yield:  16 bars.


Enjoy the recipe and hope this blog made you smile and or laugh.  I still laugh about mom's new nick name if you could have only heard her tell the story!  

P.S.: Come see these cute little boxes I am telling you you will want to make one!

Weekend Fun

always going...

Do you ever feel like your riding the tornado of life and sometimes it goes faster on certain days and by the end of the week or month you feel really dizzy.  I think I am on the fast part of the tornado and lately most days I am in a daze.. although I have to say it's not that bad!  I have been really excited about a few past blogs because I have gotten comments from non-friends!  There are actually people reading my BLOG... and they (you) actually like it!  What a nice compliment.  So thanks I now feel better that  I am not actually talking to myself. So this past weekend was really nice and seemed to go super fast...

My best friends Nicole and Barry are having a baby... I unfortunately missed the celebration on Saturday in Savannah and of course I just finished getting the gift ready.  Yet again better late than never... so tomorrow morning I will put the box in the mail goodies for both mommy and new baby.  I had to share how cute the box of goodies turned out.  I love giving gifts it's one of my favorite things in life...

Sunday Josh and I went to the movies and we saw the Expendables (not bad for a guy movie) and went to Borders were I picked up the new Where Women Create... if you have never seen the magazine you MUST pick it up! It's a little pricey but I always seem to buy it. This month Amy Butler is the cover story.  Her studio is pretty awesome...check it out!

So really my weekend days are Sunday and Monday because the shop is closed on Mondays.  Yesterday was pretty awesome.  In the morning I helped mom do some catering.  She made chicken Marsala it was so good.  I get hungry just thinking about it.  So anyway after out luncheon we decided to do some antiquing. One flea market and two antique malls' later we came home with some great stuff.  Some of it will be at Country Living Fair!!! I guess you will all have to come check it out there ;)...

antique shop's cat

mom's new cutting board

So today it's back to the shop!  Saturday I started cutting fat quarters, fat halves and fat eighths for Country Living Fair'S.  I got alot done but I knew I needed to figure out a way to identify what they were but more importantly make sure that customers don't forget where then got that piece of fabric I came up with this...

there is nothing better than polka dots

So that is what I have been up to the last few days... and some other stuff I haven't had a chance to take pictures of so more surprises to come... speaking of which here's a sneak peak of one! 

NEW Farm dale Fabric.... 

I know new fabric... I think I may have to focus one blog on just this fabric because it's FABULOUS!!!! Until Next time...

P.S. hopefully Nicole doesn't read the blog LOL!

A good friend... Judi and my Camera!

So lately I have been taking lots of pictures with my new camera! Well I got it for Christmas... It's a REALLY good camera you know one of those Canon Rebels... way over my head. So when mom and dad surprised it with my I was like Whoa Wa. I am still not really sure how to use it but I decided if I don't use the flash it really takes awesome pictures. I have been around my artsy friends and cousin Tiffany long enough that I know what a "cool" picture looks like. Over the weekend a very good friend of my mom and I had a wedding shower for her son and future daughter in law. Of course mom made some incredible food and I was the wanna be photographer slash assistant to mom. Although for this occasion I did also help Judi out in the invitation and favor department. It was easy to design them because Judi gave me some inspiration from an old wedding favor. Judi collects vintage wedding toppers...she has been collecting them since she was little! We were inspired by Hatched and Patched the Bon Bon Pattern and made the little fabric candies I think they would be great to put special pieces of jewelry. Well anyway here are some of the 250 shots I took on Sunday! Let me know what you think....