Olive Grace Studios

O'Savannah how I miss you...

2012-02-04T12:32:00.000-05:00

Well hello there! What ya doing? Hopefully you are stitching away! I have been doing some stitching and in between there I have been working on the shop's Hog Herald and class schedule! Finally DONE! What a relief....

Two weekends ago I traveled with Josh down to Georgia. He played paintball with the guys and I went to see one of my bestie's Nicole, her husband Berry (my second brother) and KELLAN! Sorry guys he is so darn cute I was excited to see you too! My little nephew... Nicole and I may not be blood but in another life we were! I had such a warm welcome and TRUE southern hospitality! They live in Bluffton, SC really close to Hilton Head Island...but then just about a half hour right over the bridge is my favorite place... SAVANNAH! I tell people all the time it really was the best four years of my life... not counting the last few here in Ohio. If I am blessed enough someday to have a little girl I will tell her stories of what a magical place it is. Savannah is the home of my Alma Mat re Savannah College of Art and Design! So it holds a very special place in my heart. When Josh got done doing guy stuff he met us in Savannah for Lady and Sons and the next couple days Josh and I explored. There are so many great things down there. We even visited Tybee Island and the ocean unfortunately it was very foggy. Anyway on our long car trip I did a bunch of stitching! I am doing a personal project this year... Sue Spargo's BOM! I have the block done the only problem is I can't find my milliners needle to do all the stitches... I will find. I want to stay ahead of the ball game and have a project done from the year I get married. I know I am a cheese ball.

Well friends I am going to go get the electronic Hog Herald out! If you have a minute check out what's going on here at the shop on my website www.olivegracestudios.com... I think I may be tired in May!

2012

2012-01-03T12:42:00.000-05:00

It's about time you blog Kori... I know but it always better to be late than never!

Happy New Year blogger friends... can you believe that it is 2012? I am excited, nervous, excited, happy there are just so many words to describe how I feel! The last time I blogged was back in October when we were in Atlanta for Country Living Fair as always that was quite a SUCCESS and I found my wedding dress when mom and I traveled to Houston for Quilt Market! November was busy as always Thanksgiving and our Holiday open house here at the farm and of course December was my favorite holiday... I made A LOT of cookies! I guess 3 days into January my list of what I have to do is growing very fast. I have a lot of fun things to share with you in the next few weeks like what I will be up to travel wise, wedding plans, and just normal everyday shop and sewing stuff! I think that 2012 is going to be a very special year in both personal and business life...or at least I hope so. I wish you all a very Happy New Year and will talk more soon... PROMISE Mom :)!

P.S. To my Aussie Auntie Elizabeth... mom and I miss you, where are you? Hope all is well :0)

Atlanta Bound...

2011-10-15T14:11:00.000-04:00

Well hello there! So it's October 15th where has October gone? So since my last blog I have been getting ready for Country Living Fair South in Atlanta.. yes Georgia! How I know this is the shop is a mess, there are stacks of boxes and crap laying everywhere, and the TO-Do list is so long I really don't know where to begin and I woke up with a migraine! Life is GOOD! No I mean really the migraine is a good sign it means that I am worried but for good reasons! The best part is this year I have GEORGIA pillows made (they need finishing) and Amy Barickman (http://amybarickman.com/blog/misc/country-living-fair/) will be back at the booth she is bringing some of her favorite patterns along with her book. She is will be in and out of the booth through out CLF and she will be speaking on the main stage Friday and Saturday!

Dad is hauling pigs on Monday so that mean Monday evening we will be scrubbing that out and loading up all the goodies I have been working on. We are leaving Tuesday morning and then we are on the road again for about 12 hours! My fav cousin Tiff will be joining me again to help and of course mom and dad. Well I better get back to working on cutting or more important the GA pillows! Hope to see you in Atlanta... oh the booth number is D22!

Country Living Fair 2011 Columbus Ohio PART 2

2011-09-24T10:13:00.000-04:00

Hello Again! Well today is part to of the Columbus Country Living Fair... It was as always absolutely great. I am still tired from last weekend. Seems hard to believe that it was a week ago. I wish I had more time to walk around and take pictures but at least I got a few! The booth was always busy... without mom and dad I don't know what I would do! My friend Judi came and helped and thank goodness and I can't forget about Josh! He came on Friday to help out and we enjoyed BBQ for lunch. All in all it was a great! If you have never been to CLF you should really try to get to one they are pretty great. I am excited I just got the fabric Little Apples from Aneela Hoey in and I plan on getting a quilt done for Atlanta along with some other fun stuff! Hope you enjoyed the pictures and I promise to get a couple more blogs out before we depart for Atlanta. I need to get products up on my new shopping site and somehow make time for a news letter! We will see what happens... one thing at a time right!?

Josh Made this AWESOME Ribbon Rack!

Just need an "H"

Country Living Fair 2011 Columbus Ohio PART 1

2011-09-23T15:44:00.000-04:00

So I was going through my pictures and decided to make this a two part blog! The first group of pictures shows how crazy I have been and then the second part will show it all put together. I feel like I am a NASCAR driver put never get to stop... and if it was up to mom we wouldn't be sleeping now in the preparation to get ready for Atlanta... only about a month away... CRAZY!

Here are some of the pictures I took pre-show and the booth before it was pretty! I had this thing about writing on my hand! These two quilt got finished and were very popular in the booth wait till you see them hanging up!

It was such a whirlwind leading up to we got 2 quilts made and a slew of other things! I just wanted to give you a sneak peek of what I did. Then tomorrow I will reveal the booth and talk about what went down and what i am up to now! Hope all is well... Kor

Pre CLF and a funny night!

2011-09-10T09:12:00.000-04:00

So I haven't blogged in forever... I just slapped my hand! I thought I would just let you know what was going on here! I should be getting dressed the shop opens in about 15 minutes but this sounds more fun. Anyway, I am feeling like a chicken with my head cut off! We leave for COLUMBUS for COUNTRY LIVING FAIR on WEDNESDAY! I am so excited I have a bigger booth this year I will be in the same area so if your coming come see me. Mom has a quilt top started I have a quilt top started and I need to get organized in the shop! I have A LOT of new fabric to share with you guys and I will be selling my FIRST pattern at the show. My real reason to blog is I have a funny story...

I have decided that my life is a litte nutty sometimes and without the nuttiness I don't think that it would be as much fun. So last night Josh picked me up for a dinner break we went to about 3 restaurants before choosing O'Charleys! Well about half way through dinner Josh asks me if I would mind hitting the golf course before he took me home. Just to let you all know Josh my fiance is a golf course superintendent! So back to the story: I figured that when we got there he had to do irrigation... well the next thing I know we are on the golf cart and have a large flashlight. We were looking for those little rascally raccoons! We didn't find any last night thank goodness, but it was fun. The golf course is as beautiful at night as it is in the day! Oh this story gets better. So I stayed at my folks last night and I came home and started working again! At about midnight Dad says come help... so to the barn we go... to my surprise its breeding season here on the farm! Well I helped dad maneuver the bore around to make the girls in the big barn happy! The men in my life are very intriguing huh? People used to ask me why would you move home and have this little shop you have been and lived in so many cool places. Well last night are the kind of memories I will never forget. It's nice to have dimension in our lives without it would be boring and plus being a farm girl is my roots and keeps me humble. I am glad I moved back I get to see mom and dad everyday who are my two best friends in life and I happened to run into the man I am going to marry! Makes for a good story...

Bride under Pressure!

2011-07-07T16:59:00.000-04:00

Soooo in the last blog I mentioned that I got ENGAGED! I can't believe it but I am going to finally be a bride-to-be! I really always thought that I would be a bridesmaid never a bride... but falling in love with Josh changed that I guess. I don't know who giggles more about being a fiance me or him. So the short proposal story is that he took me to the beach glass festival in Ashtubula Harbor, Ohio and then we went and had dinner at Ferrantes winery for a late birthday celebration. The next thing I know he is opening the car door for me... I was like umm what's going on. Then handing me my birthday gift that came in a necklace box and i was a little miffed cause it was heavy and I wanted to blurt out Josh why would you get me a necklace with a charm when I already had a charm all I needed was a chain. Well he showed me I pulled that pretty silver chain out of the box and on the end was a little chandelier... and then "marry me"! How about that for a proposal...

So since then I have had bride brain... trying to figure out a date and where to have it and all those little things that come along with a wedding! Although in the back of my mind I have a shop to run and COUNTRY LIVING FAIR! OH and that is only 70 days away. You know though my angels and thank god for mom we found a venue and the photographer just yesterday. Some of the pressure is off I do have to call the pastor because we are saying our vowes in my parent front garden! I have wanted to get married in the front yard since I was a little girl and guess that dream is coming true. Thanks mom and dad ... and Josh!

Well today has been a pretty COOL day... Country Living featured me as vendor of the day on facebook! If you are a facebooker go over and LIKE Country Living Magazine and Olive Grace Studios! So tomorrow will be 69 days till the fair and I have ALOT to do! I may have to teach my future husband to either embroider or stuff my Ohio pillows this year. Either was I guess is all good pressure!

P.S. we are getting married next fall 2012!

What a great May

2011-06-30T12:04:00.000-04:00

So what can a girl say it has been an amazing May and few weeks to add on that. Mom and I spent a week in Orvieto... Italy that is! I turned 29 years old in the land of grapes and parmigiana with a special lady named Sue and new friends who I will never forget. I sit here and I am a bit typeless its hard to really express how beautiful and magical a place really is. I think by far this was mom and I's greatest adventure YET.

Can you guess what Sue that I am talking about... yes it is the very talented and lovely Sue Spargo! What a great week of sewing it was. I can't tell you enough how talented the group of ladies that we meant! We each made a project that was special to us from what we had seen and incorporated it into a collage of fibers from wool to cotton. I wish I would have come home with that project done but I guess it will be nice working on it an remembering all the great fun we had.

This is Kori's definition of Italy: Romantic in both setting and the lovey dovey sense, its full of texture the country side really looks like a patchwork, its delicious and well what can I say inviting! I would go back in a heartbeat... to each of you that I have met on our trip you have each shown me that that where ever in the world you are you can find a kindred spirit. I hope that someday our paths will cross again....

P.S. Oh yea when I got home I got engaged! My Joshua asked me to marry him... a blog to come ;o)

Land of the Free because of the Brave

2011-05-30T12:59:00.000-04:00

Mom and I got home last night from Italy late last night. We met ladies from all over the world and it was amazing. One of the best parts was how each one of were proud of where we came from and we each have a story. Americans in today's world we hold close to heart 911 each one of us remember where we were and what we were doing. We hold close to our heart the brave women and men who serve our country and make it safe each and everyday so we can live normally. Today is one of those days that I think about living in the DC area... one of my favorite days when I lived there was when Dad and I went to the national mall. I can still see my dad getting misty eyed when we were at the Lincoln memorial. He was watching a little girl jumping around on the steps and he looked at me and said someday the little girl will understand why I am crying. What I took from that was how proud he was to be an American but how he knew what we have lost we honor those memories in memorials and why standing on those steps is so moving. A week or so later I went to the WWII memorial and I just sat and people watched. That is my favorite memorial...anyway I found myself getting misty when I saw two young girls which I assumed were the granddaughters of a man they wheeled in a wheel chair into the memorial. He saw me pull a tissue out of my purse and we smiled at each other and he winked at me. He was a WWII veteran I don't remember which branch just knew he was wearing his hat proudly. I had that ah ha feeling dad had had weeks before! My grandma Olive (dad's mom) passed away when I was young but I remember her loving her country she always wore an American flag on each of her outfits. I feel like I am a proud American like grandma but coming HOME from another country you feel so happy to be an American. I just wanted to get that down so I would remember how I felt today. Happy Memorial Day Everyone...

P.S. I have lots of pictures and will blog sometime this week about Italy and the Sue Spargo workshop mom and I attended!

Salt Lake City was BEAUTIFUL

2011-05-17T21:21:00.000-04:00

I was thinking on the way home from Salt Lake what a blessed young woman I am. I have gotten to see so many parts of what we call home our great big country we call the United States of America. Even sitting here typing this I just can't even express what it means to me. I think Salt Lake put the cherry on top of all this. This city is one of a kind... serene, safe, welcoming, quite, happy, spiritual these are just some the words that come to mind. I want to go back sooner that later next time though I will have more time to sight see. I really wanted to see the Mormon Tabernacle Choir on Thursday night their rehearsal is at the Temple downtown. Mom and I missed it do to Sample Spree for those of you who don't know what that is it is a sneak peak of what we will see in the up coming days and purchase it at retail. We had a great time and it was not as hectic as usual maybe mom and I are just getting used to it and have a groove down. I found a lot of great new things and new pattern companies! Oh and of course the upcoming fabric lines are amazing that I found. One goes back to my architectural roots, one is a from a popular blogger named Aneela and well I got sucked in on Joel's new line! I will post pictures tomorrow or the next day of all the pictures... my internet here at home is a little bit slow. I can't wait to share with you the mountains of Salt Lake City! I hope all is well...Kor

Happy Mothers Day

2011-05-08T16:34:00.000-04:00

To all you lovely moms Happy Mothers Day! I have to start out by saying its a BEAUTIFUL DAY! We (as in dad, Drew, and the puppies even the puppies) got mom a digital camera and I set her up with her own blog...although I am having technical difficulties when she writes her first post I will make sure that I write all about it and give you a formal invite to follow her on her blog! I think she will be a great blogger and especially when I haven't blogged about my happening she can fill you in on whats going on. PLUS I am sure she will share recipes and such. She is pretty excited I think I just feel bad the darn thing is giving us problems oh well I will figure it out! I was more excited to give her the camera she hasn't had one since Drew and I were little. Her and I have some up coming adventures in the next few weeks and my brother is going to be graduating in June for The Ohio State University!

So I thought I would share with you a little story... so before I was around my dad bought my mom on their first valentines day a dozen roses well lets just say mom didn't really appreciate them the way she should have soooo dad has not bought her or picked her flowers since... well today how cute is that!

Well I am off to finish the newsletter and get ready for our trip to Salt Lake City on Wednesday! I will try to blog all about it while we are there!

P.S. Like my friend said today "thanks all you Moms who brought us great friend into this world!" Debbie Chen http://handpecked.blogspot.com/

Virginia Wedding & Family Time

2011-05-02T12:01:00.000-04:00

So over the weekend Josh and I headed down to Virginia... somewhat my old stomping grounds. Josh was in a wedding and his twin live down there too. It was a LONG drive there and home but we made it! For some reason if there was going to be bumper to bumper traffic we found it. I thought I would share with you a project for Josh's nephews I made too.

I have wanted to get these pillow cases done since Christmas so Thursday I put my nose to the grind stone and whipped them up. They are king size a perfect size for little people. Dawson is 10 and Aiden will be 4 shortly! I used 1/2 meters of Japanese fabric from here at the shop! So glad we got to visit with Josh's family along with going to a wedding.

There is nothing better than a wedding. I mean come on it really was a weekend of weddings. Before we left for Virginia I was up before 6 to see Catherine get out of the car! Wasn't she beautiful? The dress was beautiful and I loved her small bouquet! Our wedding we went to was just as beautiful it was set on an old horse farm turned into a B&B and wedding venue. Was small and intimate and the food was amazing. It was right up Josh and I's alley! BBQ pulled pork, slaw, baked beans, tater salad you get the point! Not traditional is what it's all about these days so Congrats to the new couple in lots of ways! The best part of the day was the weather it was absolutely beautiful!

Easter Old and New

2011-04-26T13:38:00.000-04:00

Jacob

Easter was my grandma Sharon's favorite holiday. So of course I hold this holiday even closer to my heart. I can't stop remembering her in that sweet little apron of hers, in her new outfit, in her kitchen the last Easter we had her. You know things just are not the same without her and as hard as it because things change I hold on to traditions that she made so dear. Isn't it funny how when you love something so much all you want to do is hold on for dear life and never let go well I am so glad I have the memories of grandma Sharon. When I was a little girl I (and we (my family)) spent some time at Rainbows children hospital and we spent Easter up there. We colored eggs, we had grandma's homemade coffee cake, and ham out of a picnic basket. That gloomy old hospital room was turned into a family haven. I have to say that was one of the best Easters because between my grandmas' and mom they of course made it so special. That's what the holidays are all about right? Family coming together, children giggling, magic, and smells of homemade traditions floating in the air....

Hunter

Danielle

Jacob clearly can't find the egg on that side of the table

Hunter and Grandma Janet

Libby Lou tired from chasing the kids around ...

As time goes by traditions change but change because well we get older and the next generation show us how to celebrate all over again... This year my three little cousins came to color eggs on Friday and Sunday morning we all came around the table to share in Easter brunch. Here are some pictures... Jacob is my lil' kindergartner and well when I look at him I see Grandma Sharon. His eyes sparkle like hers did... I hope that this blog finds you well and that you had a special Easter like my family did! Full of old and new memories and even new traditions! Kor

P.S. We used regular food coloring this year and the colors came out awesome instead of using the little packets! Tip for next year!

This one's for Dana!

2011-04-22T13:21:00.001-04:00

Hi soooo yeah it's been awhile again... Shame on me I know! I have been up to a lot! I feel like the beginning of this year has been absolutely CRAZY and going WAY to fast. Do you feel that way...
I have a lot to report in this blog! I have been working rather hard the past few weekends to make them special for a few great events that I had scheduled... so i figured I would sit down with a cup of coffee and narrate it all out!

First on the list...we finished up Olive Grace's first block of the month! I just had to let you see how beautiful it came out... this is Sally's quilt! She added a lot of beautiful embroidery stitches... just amazing! This pattern was from one of my favorite designers Anni Downs. She is from Australia and her pattern company is call Hatched and Patched! I know you have read about her in prior blogs that I have written! Can't wait to see her in Salt Lake City next month! Check her site out http://www.hatchedandpatched.com.au/

Second was our Spring Open House here on the farm the last weekend in March! It was a great success as always. If you live in the area we also have a holiday open house too it is usually Thanksgiving weekend! I didn't take any pictures but I stole these from a friend! Mom opens up the house with local crafters and serves tea and cookies and of course the shop is open too. This would not be possible without our talented creative friends! Thanks Girls!

Three weekends ago I went up to Westlake, Ohio for an AMAZING quilt show. I was invited to vend by the North Coast Needles Quilt Guild! They are a great group of ladies and let me tell you there is a lot of them. You know you have a really sweet boyfriend when he goes with you to help set up! So Friday after the shop closed Josh and I drove about an hour and half to the west side of Cleveland. It was so nice to be greeted by a warm group of ladies. After set up Josh and I stood back from the booth and he commented that I needed a rug! LOL he has been hanging out with me way to long. I have to tell you I was so busy on Saturday that I had a brownie and a bag of chip for lunch! Not only can these quilters quilt but boy can the bake... kudos to you girls! By the end of Saturday my feet were barkin and this tired girl was saved by Mom and Judi. Sunday was just as busy as Saturday and I have to mention Mary what a true friend and kindred spirit! She brought us an amazing lunch and let me tell ya good thing I had Mary on Sunday because Judi and mom dusted me after lunch... they found a Tuesday Morning store! Hope you enjoy the pictures it was a lot of fun and I hope to be invited to another one of their lovey shows in the future.

Sooo Two weeks ago was International Quilt Festival! What a great weekend... 28 ladies and a bus! I can't say enough how great the weekend was. Grandma got to come with us and I really think that the Bus Trip was a SUCCESS! I do not think I would change a thing except take more pictures! Oh well good memories... The ladies who went with us want to go again and I am contemplating vending next year. That means Dad, the pig trailer and I for setup and Mom on the bus with the Road Tripers! Have a few months to think about it! :)

Then there was this past weekend... Sue Spargo came and well I am just going to let the pictures speak for them selves. Even though the rain rained on my parade and changed some plans around is was a great day. As always Sue thanks for making the day so Perfect! P.S. we had a lady come all the way from Buffalo and yesterday I had the nicest compliment Mary said it was like a day at the spa being at the workshop!!!!!

So this is the part of the blog when I promise to be better at blogging more consistently... so in closing I am going to write a list of upcoming events that I will need to blog about and promise to make the time! Miss Dana here is what to look forward too... ;)

Easter
VA Wedding
Mothers Day
Quilt Market

I think that will do for now...

P.S. I want to thank everyone who makes this little dream I had such a success... You are truly more than just customers I consider you friends!

Umm... Happy New Year!

2011-02-23T13:38:00.000-05:00

Well Happy 2011 a month or so late. The last time I blogged was right after Country Living Fair in Atlanta. I look back at the fall and wonder where it went. Well what have you been up to? Here are some pictures of what I have been up to in the meantime!

Olive Grace in a Suitcase!

Wildwood Quilt Show 2010 I have to say this is one of the nicest quilt shows I have ever been to!

Hi Girls... Smile Pretty... Wave at the Camera... North Coast Needlers were so nice to invite me to their November Meeting and can't wait to see them again at their Quilt Show April 2 & 3 at the Westlake High School in Cleveland!

Country Christmas in the Gingerbread House.... mom like in years past open the house to show off some of our local artisans!

Merry Christmas says Libby Lou! I had to share this one from Christmas Morning!

All in all I have to say the closing of 2010 was great! 2011 is starting off well too. Things to look for from this little shop on a piggie farm...

1. The entire collection of Cosmo Floss (400 and some colors) has arrived and it looks like candy! Come in and see it...
2. Sue Spargo is coming back in April and the class is aalmost full!
3. I put together a bus trip to Spring Quilt Festival check out the website for details!
There are other fun things but i guess I should blog more often huh!? So keep and eye out...
Oh and...
4. On-line shopping.... you have been heard loyal shoppers! I can't speak enough of the people I have got to meet by traveling and vending at Country Living Fair(s)! Hopefully with on-line shopping you can experience Olive Grace from the comfort of home. I hope to have it running sometime this summer... Watch out!

I hope this blog finds you well and I promise to be more diligent in the next few months!
~kor

To the South and Beyond!

2010-11-04T13:23:00.001-04:00

Well hello it has been awhile huh? I am sure some of you were wondering where I have been… or at least I hope so!

my booth in Atlanta

Well first there was the sister Country Living Fair in Stone Mountain, Atlanta! Like last month in Columbus Dad loaded me up with shop in the pig trailer and we tackled the 13-hour trek down there. It was a successful fair with quite a different feel. I think that all who attended had a great time and as always I met a lot of nice people! I have to say though I think Columbus is my favorite but then again I am partial…. I am an Ohio girl! I had quite the entourage this time… Mom, Dad, Judi, cousin Tiffany (from Prattville, Alabama) and Uncle John (from Harrisburg, PA) all came down! I hope you enjoy some of the pictures I took. My favorite it the little southern baby girl with the giant bow! If you didn’t know the mama’s in the South love them a cute bow for their daughters hair. The weekend in Georgia went super fast which lead to the long haul home… don’t ya just hate long drives home? Well we made it back to Fowler, Ohio and within 48-hours mom and I were off again to Fall Quilt Market in Houston, Texas…

Dad

So with a couple quick loads of laundry and another pack of a suitcase mom and I were off to the airport! The last four days were a whirlwind in the state that everything is bigger. We started off on Friday at school house for those of you don’t know what that is it is a full day of 30 minute classes in which all the new patterns and fabric companies show their new products off. I love going to them because I feel like it’s important for me to know what the hot new product is to share with you when I get home! Oh and shopping spree…let just say it’s a crazy evening in which there is a lot of grabbing of fabric and patterns that is not out yet! Then Saturday and Sunday mom and I shopped and ordered fabric! Although the fabric won’t start rolling in till the beginning of the year the good news is I have been finally receiving all the fabrics I ordered at spring market! I am a little disappointed my favorite Australian designers were not there but yesterday I met a new one and very excited to share the new patterns I bought! I ordered some awesome kits from Moda that I am going to do a class on this spring and I can’t wait! It incorporates two of my favorite things hand appliqué and stitchery!!!!


Edyta Sitar from Laundry Basket Quilts... the funniest quilter I think I have ever...she stood on a table at school house! The quilts below are from her new book...I am going to have them and plan on doing a fun club along with it!!!!

This Lecien Fabrics new Designers! So excited I am getting some of thier fabrics and most importantly going to be carrying the FULL line of COSMO floss!!!!

Sara Fielke and her new line of fabric and will be getting her new book in Material Obsession 2!!! Oh and I am getting some of the fabric and will be doing this free pattern as a kit!!!!

This is Roslyn Quinlan... I am really excited to have brought some of her new patterns home!

So excited about this quilt!!! I ordered the kits and going to have a class can't wait!!! Below are some of the fabric designers from moda. Can you figure out who is who?

I’m going to say bye for now because the pilot is telling us we have to put our computers away. Landing in Pittsburgh in a few…. then back home to Fowler I am hoping to get some rest before opening the shop in the a.m.! (I didn't get this posted till today you will have to forgive me)

P.S. If you stop into the shop this week please excuse the lil messy going on I have lots of things to but away still from my trip to Atlanta… I am hoping to get it all done tomorrow!

Country Living Fair 2010 and a Sprained Ankle to Boot!

2010-10-08T23:30:00.000-04:00

So I can't believe it has been two weeks since being in Columbus at Country Living Fair! The time has flown... it was a great weekend and it was so nice to meet new people and see my shop customers at my booth. Set up started off a little crazy being evacuated to the church because of tornado a warning was interesting and Friday setup was pretty hot! Other than that booth was booming all three days and it was a nice addition to have Amy Barickman there signing her new book Vintage Notions. If you plan on going to Atlanta CLF she will be back to the booth with more books to sign... so come see us! I don't have as many pictures as I would like but here are a few. I went to take pictures on Friday morning before the early bird rush and realized I forgot my camera battery! That's what happens when your up till three in the morning finishing up last minute projects.

It was a great weekend and so happy that it cooled off Saturday and Sunday. The weekend went so quick. It was so nice Josh came down to spend the afternoon with me on Saturday. He helped out although at one point mom wanted him to man the booth and he freaked a little and expressed that he didn't know what I fat quarter was! Abbie (one of my best friends) came to see me on Sunday it was so nice to see her. I just want to mention though without my mom and dad the weekend would have never have worked. They honestly are the hardest working people I know... man do I love them! By Sunday at 5 though we were beat we got back home on Monday evening... Mom and I did some antiquing on our way home which was fun! Although getting home to unload not to fun...

I was doing so good and my momentum was awesome unpacking and etc. Then last Thursday I had an altercation with a walnut. Yes you read this right... a WALNUT got under my foot and took me to the ground! Well, while laying on the ground looking at the rainy sky and thinking literally I think I just heard (and felt) my ankle break. So next thing I know mom and I are on our way to Urgent Care one X-ray later I found out it was a sprain and the doctor so nicely mentioned that a sprain can be worse than a break! I took the day off on Friday to rest and Saturday I tried as hard as I could to get the shop organized but realized it will get done another day. The shop is still a little messy but getting my ankle better I guess is more important. I saw my doc today and well I am getting a air cast boot to take to Atlanta for protection reasons and so I don't hurt it further. On a HAPPY note I have some great new stuff! Breakfast at Tiffany's by Fig Tree is here and I have some awesome new civil war reproduction fabrics from Wyndham come check them out. The ENTIRE new French General Line is on the way and cant wait to see it in person. I hope to have that cut to take to Atlanta. Well I hope this blog finds you well and a word of advice if you have a walnut tree in your yard watch out for those rounded ankle busters they can take ya out at any time!

Mom and Dad... starting the setup process

The pig trailer turned into a Olive Grace Shop on Wheels!

All ready for customers....

Live Music and Dancing!

The best Home Made Cobbler...this is were the line starts!

Josh enjoying the Cobbler and more important his favorite ICE CREAM!

Mom...without her I don't know what I would do!

That is a lot of PUMPKINS!

P.S. here is a great blog that blogged about me at the fair CHECK IT OUT!!!! http://serendipityvintagestudio.blogspot.com/2010/10/country-living-fair-2010.html

3 Days and counting...

2010-09-21T01:11:00.000-04:00

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

2010-09-02T07:33:00.000-04:00

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

2010-08-26T14:54:00.000-04:00


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

2010-08-17T15:16:00.001-04:00

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!

2010-08-13T15:08:00.007-04:00

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....

Fall'in into some fun new stuff....

2010-08-10T13:21:00.009-04:00

It's hard to believe that it is August... but I guess I need to get a grip with it and make the best of getting out the fall and winter patterns. I don't want summer to end but honestly I am looking forward to cooler weather and of corse college football. I am thinking like 70 degrees when I can wear my favorite jeans and a cardigan!

Since vacation I have been trying to get this little shop ready for the up coming seasons. I have been pulling out new patterns and samples plus have hung up some new quilts and received some great new books and patterns! Plus Fabric.... I am gonna let the pictures below speak for themselves.

Just let it be Abbey Lane Pattern

Used Chenille and Ticking to add texture

Make Life: Go Round Pattern by Sweetwater

New Michael Miller Fabrics

Blackberry Primitive Patterns Designed by Maggie Bonanomi along

with her new BOOK Comfort Zone For Kansas City Star!!!!

other new Kansas City Star Books!

more great Michael Miller fabrics... I think theses are my favorite!

Last but not least pictures of the shop all fixed up!

Hope you enjoyed all the pictures I have been having fun taking them too! Next time I will have to show you a little project I am working on...

P.S. it's a really cute Hatched and Patched Pattern you will want to make one for yourself and a friend!

A weekend to celebrate....

2010-08-06T16:00:00.007-04:00

I have wanted to blog about last weekend since it ended and it's already Friday. I honestly don't know where this week has gone or for that matter where the darn summer has gone. Before we know it dad will be hauling my "on the road" version of the shop to Columbus and shortly after to Atlanta for Country Living Fairs.... well I will shop whining and get to the celebrating!

So I got to celebrate 2 special things with two of my favorite people...

1st: My very good friend, sister, partner in crime you get the point Abbie's 30th Birthday!

2nd: A boy named Josh whom I'm kinda fond of have been hanging out for a whole year!

So don't you think that is worth celebrating? Well I do...

Saturday after I closed up shop I got in my car and headed down to Columbus for dinner and to see Miss. Abbie! Abbie and I met in Columbus while working at a Limited Brands and have been friends ever since probably more like family. Anyway we have had many fun adventures from trips really all over the country to even living in Washington DC together. I figured that I could not miss celebrating her 30th birthday with her! By the end of the night we both decided that we are too old for going out to our old stomping grounds in CBUS the Arena District and the crowds of early twenty somethings are over. We have decided that our new routine is going to be dinner, Jeni's ice cream and pj's while catching up on lost time. So I just thought of this I guess that is something else to celebrate.... Maturity! Although the days of Spike and Curly may be over Abbie we do have some GREAT memories! I left Sunday afternoon but you can't go to Columbus without going to Easton Towne Center. We met Annie for brunch at Brio and then the girls showed me a new lil' retro shop there called NEST! I am sure that the one guy who works there will love this picture but i couldn't resist. You don't expect three guys to be manning a home goods shop! They have new and vintage products and if you need some of those plants from the 70's that don't need watered this shop is for you! If you get there make sure you go... I found a whole jar of empty spools for $20 bucks! Next time I plan on spending more time with Abbie but this is what leads to my second big celebration...

I know I am cheesy bare with me!

So I left Abbie's cute little apartment and got on the road to Fowler because Josh was making dinner for our first year of "togetherness" some of you call this an "anniversary" but I have this thing about that word and if I call it that I feel I will jinx something. The three hour drive was well worth it because I was surprised with Mr. Goodhart's famous foil chicken, a nice bottle of wine, sterling silver dangly Ohio state earrings for game day and sunflowers he picked for me! On our first date the year before he brought me sunflowers... I must brag about this I mean come on girls Sunflowers pretty awesome. I am one lucky girl for sure but I think Josh is lucky to have me too. I surprised him with some classic AC/DC tunes and this cool old tobacco box filled with rocks that I found on vacation... I know the poor guy got a "homemade" gift. The key to this is it's better than nothing and my box of rocks really did come from the heart!

Celebrating milestones with the people that you love in life well it doesn't get much better than that...

P.S. I also got binding sewn on a really cute quilt come check it out at the shop!

Family Vacation @ Lake Erie

2010-07-31T12:08:00.009-04:00

I have decided that I have a great sense of figuring out when the hottest week of the summer is going to be and planning my vacation on that very week. Last year 105 degrees in Missouri this year 95 degrees Lake Erie. You know it’s hot when Lake Erie looks like a giacantic pond…

As always my family and I wait to the last minute to find somewhere to stay. We had decided that the best and most convenient place to go was up Lake Erie because it is only about an hour drive from home and we could take the dogs. So of course yours truly gets to be the travel agent and find somewhere to stay. I have to say I did an amazing job finding a little cottage with an amazing lake view but I didn’t realize that there was no air conditioning! So just a note about the Turner family we would all rather be cold than hot. The only Turner who had a really hard time was Libby Lou our English bulldog. Thank goodness for frozen towels and oscillating fans! We always knew where Libby was because of her breathing. The poor thing panted so hard she was horse one night. I told mom and dad that I think that we all felt like breathing like her but knew that it wasn’t appropriate to drool and hang your tongue out of our mouths. She made it through like the rest of us and enjoyed the couple of evenings that it cooled off.

Mom of course cooked and she even decided to bake… yes bake! It was an amazing Blueberry/ Blackberry pie but lets just say the typical indoor temp of the 1920’s cottage was 85 degrees and mom I think got it up to a nice 105! You know though that is how memories are made.

You can’t go to the lake without looking for beach glass and I think this was the biggest hit of the vacation. So the first few days we were there the lake was so calm so finding the sanded glass was hard but by the middle of the week we were finding it very regularly. Of course our guests that came up one night for dinner found the best pieces Drew’s friend Aspen found RED and Josh (my boyfriend) was picking up really big pieces. Mom was a little envious of their loot put by the end of the week she snagged a nice amber find. Dad is not a beach kind of guy he’s a pig farmer but you knew it was hot when he would suggest going to the beach to put our toes in the water. I think that was the first time in about 5 years that the four of us were all together. Mom and dad used to take Drew and I up there for vacation when we were little it is amazing how time flies. There is nothing like a good old family vacation…

I can’t believe that is was a week ago already I am finally getting out of vacation mode. This week I have spent rearranging the shop hopefully next week I can start concentrating on Country Living Fair projects. Got new fabric in too along with some new patterns… more blogs to come I will keep you updated!

P.S. Hope you enjoy some pictures I took along the way I am super excited how the turned out so artsy... its the camera not the user!

New Fabric here in the shop!!!!

2010-07-13T12:42:00.017-04:00

I know you are shocked I blogged again ;)! I took some pictures last week of some of the new fabric that has come in and thought I would share with you. If you get my newsletter I mentioned them not being here yet and the day I emailed and mailed them out I think they all came in...

These cute fabrics are Alexander Henry fabrics... I was so excited at market that they were still printing the watercolor flower print. I thought they had been discontinued! So if you are in the search for some IT'S HERE!!! It was a huge hit last year in Columbus at Country Living Fair. The coordinating print is so sweet... the little animals have names and there is a fox named Gustavo that you can't see in the picture.

As always Moda has put out some great new holiday fabric... yes this is holiday fabric. I have a hard time thinking about winter when its so hot out side. Anyway, French General's Noel and 3 Sisters Park Avenue grabbed me because it does not scream HOLIDAY at you. The two lines have a couple little Christmas motifs but could be used with stash and non-holiday material. Along with regular cottons I have some textured woven pieces that would be great for stockings' or tree skirts. I just want you to note that if you loved the two prior French General lines this new fabric will coordinate really well! Alot of the quilting magazines have great ad's for these two lines check them out.

Last but not least is a line called Gerta...

The line is too cool... Mom and I stumbled across it at market in the Country Threads booth. They have a pattern called SPOT that uses Gerta with the combination of homespun and primitive fabrics! I loved how this very traditional pattern company/ quilt shop stepped out of the box and added some spunk. Side note if you considering coming to Columbus Country Living Fair they will be there! I can 't wait to get Spot made plus other fun projects with this line that I call a fun solid. For all you Sue Spargo fans I think that this line would work in a lot of her projects. This line was designed by a native Ohioan Marica Derse which I think is even cooler! Check out Marica's website at http://www.myartbooth.com/!

It's funny because I have customers come in and say well where is all the new fabric from market and sadly I have to say it won't be here till September and October... it's such a tease I know. The fabric business is a lot like fashion when it's spring we are looking at fall fabric when its fall we look at spring and by the time it gets here I always forget what I got! Although it feels like my childhood on Christmas morning. I really hope that you come see the new fabric... if you can't get here and want some let me know I can always ship ya some! Until next time... happy stitching! Kori

P.S. My next blog will hopefully be sent from Lake Erie. Mom, dad and I are getting away for a few days and Drew will be joining us for some family time. So the shop will be closed Tuesday July 2oth through Saturday July 25th and I will be back in the shop on Tuesday July 27th!

This one is for you Mom...

2010-07-03T11:37:00.023-04:00

So today is July 3, 2010 and tomorrow is our country’s birthday and quite honestly I feel like yesterday was Christmas. It has been about six months since I last blogged and I know way to long but hey I have been busy with my little shop. I think mom since then has asked me at least once a week if I have blogged. So the next time she asks I can actually say yep, yep I did…

The shop is doing great! Late winter and spring were a lot of fun. Our spring show and pig sale was a success. Although dad wishes he would have sold more piggies but in the end it was a beautiful weekend and that is all that matters! We started classes by kicking them off with a visit from Sue Spargo and 12 ladies from all over northeastern Ohio! Next April 16^th 2011 Sue will be teaching another one of her awesome projects so stay tuned to the website for more information! If you have never worked with wool and have always wanted to try you should really consider taking one of her classes you will end up being addicted! Also for those of you who don’t know she has a couple new books out (which are here at the shop) and I am carrying the wool thread that she uses in her projects! Classes have been fun and meeting new people has been great. I am working really hard to keep addresses and emails updated so you all get information about the happenings around the shop! If you haven’t gotten any info lately send me an email or call the shop and I will make sure I get you updated in my computer! Also check your junk email because I have a feeling some of your emails are getting put there.

Mom as always is a huge help here at the shop… I think she is my unofficial part time employee that doesn’t get paid! Without her the end of April and the month of May would have been a disaster. The shop was invited to Fabric Patcher’s Quilt Guild Vendor’s Day Out (from Lordstown) and the Ohio Star Quilt Guild (from Warren) annual Quilter’s Day Out. Then the Sew and Sew’s who meet out in Boardman asked me to come do a stitchery demo for them. They didn’t really need a demo those are some savy sewer’s let metell you… it was so nice to sit and stitch with them! The three events were all a great time! I have enjoyed getting to know a lot of them. I knew when I started this adventure I would meet great people but I did not realize that I would form amazing friendship’s! I am truly a lucky girl. I think back to college and let me tell you those where the best four years of my life. I never thought that I would ever be as happy as that but I can honestly say I am again. Life is funny like that I guess…

So now it is summer mid summer actually! Mom’s garden is in full bloom and the corn is comin up in the pasture. In about a month college football will start, (GO BUCKS!!!) Dad and I will be loading up the pig trailer with the shop in September and October for Country Living Fair and in the meantime I have fat quarters to cut and a million and one things to do get ready for that. I know I promised to keep up with my blog but see I really am busy! I know that is the watered down version of six months but I guess it’s better than nothing! Until next time enjoy the sunshine and Happy Forth of July! Kori

P.S. Information on County Living Fairs is up on the website if you love the magazine try to get to one… as cheesy as it sounds the pages really do come to life!

I LOVE @home!

2009-12-16T14:25:00.008-05:00

So the other day I got some interesting news from a very dear friend and inspiration... the funny thing is in the meantime I have been thinking about her a lot...

As some of you may know I went to Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia throughout the four years I was there I met amazing lifelong friends one of them is Liz Demos! She is a shop owner, blogger, stylist, mommy, wife, artist, designer, historian ok you get the point she is amazing! I was blessed to have gotten to be one of her shop girls and well some of my greatest memories is setting the alarm off, spending my paycheck at the shop, listening to the Beatles Yellow Submarine Album while dusting... let me tell ya that was the best dusting I ever did and didn't mind it at all oh and leaving the shop smelling like @home vintage general...

So the other day I received the new line of fabric... Amy Butler's LOVE from Rowan textiles. Well the thing is it brought back memories of working at Liz's shop and listening to the young men with the cool hair. I remember Liz saying that she knew I had worked because the British heart throbs were in the CD player when she got to work. Sorry Liz I am plugging some new product at the same time... ok you fabric fanatics Amy's new fabric is the shop and ready to get cut into a quilt, blouse, pillows really whatever you would like. I am thinking about recovering a chair for in my sewing room at home! The fabrics bold colors are really reminiscent of St. Pepper yet with a girlie feel.

Anyway the other day Liz emailed and has decided to close her shop. I instantly was sad but as I thought of my mentor I became very happy for her. Her 10 year adventure on Broughton Street is closing yet she is opening a new chapter and this one I truly believe is going to be bigger and better. I hope that my lil quilt shop here on the Corner Farm will be as successful as @home. Liz has inspired me and I know she will continue too. Our shops are a lil different but when I cut a yard fabric I remember cutting yards of hand dyed ribbon that Liz dyed with vintage teal rit dye! I encourage you all to check out Liz's sites www.vintagegeneral.com , www.vintagegeneral.blogspot.com, www.elizabethdemos.blogspot.com, and www.elizabethdemos.com! My wish for my friend, fellow shop owner and inspiration is much success on her new endeavors... I don't even need to wish her luck because I know whatever she does will be amazing!!!!! Liz thanks for letting me be a part of your shop and life...

P.S. In these tough economic times remember your local shop owners they are the ones who keep our money and jobs in our communities. please visit: http://www.the350project.net/home.html

Oh Christmas Time

2009-12-11T15:51:00.007-05:00

well its that time of year guys... cold toes and hot chocolate! I have been so busy lately that I haven't had the time to put my toes up but have enjoyed some liquid chocolate. Lets see since my last blog the store has been open for two months, had our holiday open house (which was a huge success) and I have been busy making samples and trying to come up with a newsletter and class schedule. I have a lot of great ideas and hope all my customers like what I come up with. The shop is a cute as ever all decorated for the holidays... I have had fun doing that!

there is a nice sample of what this lil shop looks like! Gerty has her red holiday party skirt on which turned out way better than i thought... Oh btw Gerty is the dress form! She was rescued off the streets of New York City last spring and I believe she loves her new home here on the farm much better. So now my friends it is time for me finish christmas shopping with mom this weekend and hopefully find the time to decorate my cute lil house and tree! Oh and make cookies... I truly hope that this blog finds you all well and i wish you all a magical merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

P.S. I really hope I can find more blogging time this new year!

Reporting from Don’t mess with Houston, Texas

2009-10-11T23:23:00.006-04:00

Hi Y’all… when I typed that I thought of Paula Dean. Although in my

college days that word was used a lot. Anyway… So mom and I are here at the International Quilt Market in Houston. This is our second quilt market the last one I reported from Pittsburgh. Although, I just want to say the convention center here in Houston is very nice but Pittsburgh’s is an architectural beauty. All you architecture buffs need to check it maybe I am a lil biased to because it’s so close to home!It is the end of day two and well we are really tired but we have one more day to find more neat things

for the shop! We are still tired from our

complimentary dinner, bingo and dancing hosted by Moda Fabrics last night so we stayed in tonight. So here are some pictures that I took… let me tell you guys quilters are not lil old ladies who sit around and drink tea. They are Miller Light drinking and get jiggy wit it hip ladies. All you quilters out there know Eleanor Burns…I mean come on Quilt in a Day books! Well this lady can dance with the best of them I tried to get proof of this I promise but she was moving around so fast I couldn’t get one! I did catch a few friends doing the Cotton Eye Joe!

There is a lot to do tomorrow! We have an early start with a fabric rep in which I probably be ordering the new line of Amy Butler fabric! Mom took a picture of us on Saturday… I am really short. That cute lil smock she has on is one of her new patterns. I have notions to buy and a big decision to make on wool! I found an amazing wool dyer it really is to die for. Oh and I got to play on a long arm machine today I think I fell in love! The quote of the weekend was from Oklahoma Alicia who is a long arm quilter “I love my long arm I get to dance with it as I quilt”. It really is true you stand there and quilt in big motions and it really compliments the patchwork! AMAZING…I want one… maybe when I grow up someday!

Mom and I have met some really awesome people and found some really neat patterns for the shop and can’t wait to share them with you. Leonie and Deidre from The Quilted Crow in Tasmania, Australia are two great and talented designers and shop owners who I bought some very cute patterns from. I hope to carry more of their patterns eventually! They were so excited to be at market and Leonie was so cute she said that she couldn’t stop taking pictures of our American flag! Too Cool… I think I will be signing out from Houston for now…

P.S. I forgot to tell you I found DOVO scissors for the shop if you have never used them they are AWESOME! They are a bit pricey but well worth it and would be a great

heirloom for later generations. I have to admit I bought a set for myself. Please stop by the shop in a few weeks to try them out you will be addicted! If you don’t live close ask your local quilt shop about them .

Summer Wrap Up!

2009-10-10T10:48:00.010-04:00

So I admit I have a lot to catch you all up on since my last “real blog”…. So here is the list of what I have done since July!

1. Pin Removal out of my left Tibia

2. Met a boy

3. Holmes County Fabric Show

4. Had a huge party for my favorite VIP’s

5. Took Olive Grace on the road to Country Living Fair in Columbus (Ohio)

6. Opened Olive Grace Studios (an eccentric quilt shop)

Lets just say that “short” list has kept me from neglecting my lil blog here! Ok so here it goes I got home from Kansas City a few days later I had my pins removed out my tibia…long story short had knee surgery a couple years ago and well the pins decided that they needed to come out! So Dr. Goodfellow kicked me in the shin a couple times… not really but it felt like it. I recovered for a couple weeks on the couch on pain meds that made me itch and benadryl.

Thank goodness I got rid of the post opt bugs and got a lower dose of pain meds and the process of healing was much better…. In the meantime I worked on a few handmade projects for country living fair. Two of the projects that got me through were my “Hi from Ohio” pillows and Lavender sachets… Abbie helped stuff and motivate me!

So before I went on vacation to Kansas City I ran into a guy from high school at our local Target (btw: Josh hates Target but really likes it now). Anyway he was leaving as I was coming in. He and I never really were friends but the odd thing was I hung out with his cousin and brother. We got to chattin and caught up on lost time and thank goodness for social networking. It was nice having someone to make me laugh and smile during my itching episodes after surgery. Sooo… after I got to feelin better we went on our first date. We went up to the lake Erie for dinner and he brought me SUNFLOWERS people! He had me at sunflower and well we have been dating ever since. My girls got to meet him at the VIP party they were not surprised that I introduced them to my “all American boy”! It is nice to have met someone that is as successful, hardworking, handy and most important a sweetheart! He put my fabric displays together … he does not really like Ikea!

In the meantime mom, me and my crutches went to quaint little fabric show in Holmes County Ohio. We met with Moda Mark and some other great fabric reps and of course we ordered fabric. Just so you know its still not here! As I am typing this I am thinking I am on my to the “big quilt market” to order more fabric…where am I going to put it all. Oh I will figure it out! Ok going forward…

Have you ever planned to many things at once… well I do this the best! My mind tends to run on over time all the time. So honestly probably a year ago I had an idea to have a huge Thank

You party for my family and friends hence VIP PARTY who have gotten me to where I am and a way to introduce the shop to them. I had many people come from all over and It would have never have been possible without this bunch of amazing people… Zoe and her mom Kathy came from Seattle and Kerville, TX. Nicole and Barry from came from Savannah then Barry got here and went and picked Jose from Akron. Debbie from Northern Virginia and Abbie and David from Columbus. There were many others who traveled and I was quite honored! The night was a huge hit… if you were there and reading this I forgot to talk about one person that night and that’s Drew my brother… it hard for me to really express myself when I talk about my family. We have been through a lot and Drew is my silent cheerleader ...always there observing and routing for me. He is quite protective too… I love the fact that he tells people that I have a quilt shop but is like “I really don’t know what she is doing… it Kori…”!

Mom and dad need mentioned too... which leads into Country Living Fair 2009!

I can’t believe it is here and done already. I feel like I was just accepted and trying to figure out what I was going to make! Yet again I didn’t get all I wanted to get done but the booth turned out great and I could not have done it without Dad and Josh loading the pig trailer with all the treasures from the shop. Mom, Judi and Cathie setting up, fluffing, and customer relations but best of all Tiff being there to help me stay calm and help make the empty booth look cute on Saturday! Let me tell ya I met a lot of great people took a nice amount of orders and sold a lot of great stuff. I think that I am going to start an etsy store in the next couple of weeks check the website and blog for updates! Oh I forgot to tell ya Tiff came from Alabama, Abbie rode her pink Cadillac two miles, and Debbie and her mom came yet again from NOVA. Pretty great people I have in my life… Ok so back to mom and dad.,,, dad watched in amazement how the booth was such a hit and mom with proud eyes didn’t have to say anything to dad just “I told ya so”! I on the other hand look back on it and think I can’t believe that happened. To be accepted to that kind of show and to be amongst the those talented artisans and craters WOW! Pretty humbling experience. I hope to do it again!

Last but not least… many years in the planning and it has finally happened a lil idea has come to life Olive Grace Studios llc (and eccentric quilt shop) is up and running! My 400 square foot shop in the little Red School House in Fowler, Ohio is finally OPEN FOR BUSINESS… I had a great 8 days so far ! I truly know that I made the right decision by finally following my heart! A lot of great things have happened this summer. I am literally working in my backyard, I met a great guy, my best friends came from all over the states to see my shop come to life… although they already knew what it looked like, I couldn’t ask for another thing really.... so thank you for inspiring and helping me get to where I am guys you know who you are!

P.S. I am typing this blog from FREE WiFi on an air plane... I am still amazed by that! Oh and all these beautiful pictures were taken my my good friends... and they are not professional photographers but I think they are!

UPDATE...

2009-10-01T17:03:00.003-04:00

Hi everybody! It has been a very long time since I have blogged and a lot has been going... I really just want you all to know that my SHOP IS OPEN here in Fowler. I am having some technical difficulties changing things on my website so I just wanted to let you know my hours and new phone number.

Studio Hours

Closed Monday

Tuesday- Friday 11am to 6pm

Saturday 9am to 4pm

Closed Sunday

ring the shop @ 330.637.0800

Here is a lil picture of dad and scooter putting the shop sign up the other night!!!! Like I said I have a lot of blogs to write be patient with me!

100 degrees in KC!

2009-06-28T22:04:00.016-04:00

I am currently sitting in the Kansas City Airport waiting for a plane back to Cleveland and hopefully cooler weather…below 100 degrees that is. Last Monday my fellow quilting ladies and I flew to Kansas City, Missouri for Primitives of the Midwest. A quilting extravaganza…filled with 3 days of classes, parties, and of course shopping and antiquing! The week started off with a wool appliqué class with Maggie Bonanomi an amazing artist who specializes in WOOL! She surprised us with the project to the right…the pattern was only designed for our class …you know exclusive! Maggie has a new book coming out this fall and I am really excited to see what she has come up with. I am hoping that she will come to the shop next year and teach classes! Oh and the coolest thing she loves to use your average sewing thread for her perfectly even stitches…what an idea! I love it...it turns out beautiful on your work.

My second class was with the AMAZING and very popular Jo Morton. I took her Lamoyne Stars hand piecing class. For those of you who don’t know what hand piecing it is the“old school” way of putting patches together! That means cutting it out and sewing with NO MACHINE…how about that. I thought it was really neat when Jo talked about her reasoning for teaching classes...she teaches hand piecing to keep the art alive. Us “young” patch workers really need remember that is where it all started. My patch is made with Jo’s, Joel’s and Amy’s fabric. My idea was to bring new and old patterns together. I need to get the other blocks cut out and put together. Oh and the fabric seen is a sneak peak of what will be in my shop this fall.

Last but not least “Red Clover” with Sue Spargo was on Thursday. A small wall quilt made of wool, cottons, taffeta and other yummy textiles and trimmings. I am so glad I got to take one of Sue’s classes… she is an inspiration. I think it is because of her color use and patience in teaching new techniques. Plus all of her amazing notions and textiles that she offers from her travels around the world! I so wish I could be taking her class in Sisters, Oregon in a couple weeks….Magnolia it is amazing. I forgot to tell you Renee Plains was in our class and of course the work she did was amazing! I have to remember to order some more patterns from her for the opening!

After this awesome week I honestly have fallen in love with working with wool… it’s very forgiving. Although, my mom pointed this out… why exactly are we working in WOOL when its 100 degrees (literally) out…well mom I guess that is why they call us crazy quilters! The last few days have been visiting near by neighborhoods of Kansas City. We visited a few quilt shops for inspiration, an art festival downtown and antique shops. The antiques are amazing out here and sooooo affordable. I wish I had a truck to take all the ones I wanted home.
If you are ever in the KC area check out a couple of shops...
Quilters Station in Lee’s Summit, MO http://www.quiltersstation.com/ and
Urban Arts & Crafts in Kansas City, MO http://www.urbanartsandcrafts.com/!
Those were my two favorite places along the way. What an incredible week of meeting new people and spending it with inspiring women from all over the country.

P.S. Unfortunately on this sewing trip we didn’t get anymore quilt patch tattoos but maybe next time…(oh and when my mom read this she told me to add that is was way to painful for her to do again but at least one thing is off her bucket list)!

Stuck in a Rut...Dig Yourself OUT!

2009-06-07T11:45:00.013-04:00

I have decided that if you need to get frustration out or have more energy than you know what to do with get yourself a shovel and start digging! I planted a Winterberry tree in my mom's garden a few days ago along with many other plants... I never thought that I would be a Gardner but maybe I have it in me after all. My mom sat on the porch as I began to prepare the earth for my little tree. By the way It's kinda cool a Winterberry gets berries in the winter...hence Winterberry! Anyway, so as I begin digging the hole mom is giggling at me because she can't believe that I am actually shoveling dirt and making a rather large hole in the ground. I had to remind her that I was once a farm girl! Duh mom I can use a shovel...then she said I was a priss...ha well I showed her. I dug a perfectly round hole for the five gallons worth of roots. I impressed her my how precis it fit in its new home. Today I will be planting the rest of the pots for my porch and hopefully by the end of summer they will be picture worthy! The pots are really cool they look like patchwork... who would have thought...

P.S. I think that some of my friends at Cannon Design would be very impressed about how great that perfectly symmetrical circle came out. See I even used the skills you guys taught me in the garden.... Thanks NSU Team!

Twenty Seven

2009-06-02T10:46:00.006-04:00

I turned 27 last Tuesday…I really wasn’t sure how I felt about being in my “Late Twenties” but actually this has been one amazing birthday! I keep telling myself that 2009 was going to be a great one…well it has proven it almost six months in. It was a quiet and relaxing birthday…at FIRST. Mom and dad took me up Geneva on the Lake for dinner and donuts! Yes that was my birthday request to sit by Lake Erie, have a famous Madsen Donut, and walk down the strip to the sounds or kids laughing and Harley engines roaring. Dinner was amazing! Lake Erie Perch… it doesn’t get better than that! Memorial Day was spent planting a victory garden in my back yard and spending time with family. You would not believe how many little cousins I have. Kids are amazing little humans they always have a smile on their face and eyes wide open trying to figure out something new or better yet when they discover something. I spent some time drawing animals with chalk on Uncle Ronnie’s sidewalk and let me tell you they were terrible I gave up after Gracie wanted me to draw a horse. My Christmas Catus bloomed which I had to share with you because that is a gift in itself only one bloom though...

Last but not least I spent my actual birthday with my two baby twin cousins Caden and Dane. As always they both tooted and drooled on me...that is the best birthday gift I have gotten in a long time! They are little angels. I don’t think that I could have asked for anything better…

Until yesterday… this is when all relaxation went out the door!

A few weeks ago my cousin Tiffany emailed me she asked if I was interested in going to the Country Living Fair in Columbus this September! She would fly up here from Alabama and we would have a girl’s weekend. So I looked up the website and noticed they were still accepting applications for exhibitors for the show. At first I thought anyone could attend… with further research I found out it was a juried show. So I emailed Tiff back and said “well yeah let’s go but I am going to send in a small portfolio and the application and see what happens”. I got a bunch of work together, made a little portfolio, sewed it together and sent it out. SOOOO after a couple weeks of waiting I found out some AWESOME news. I have been accepted into the 2009 COUNTRY LIVING FAIR. I will be taking my own designs and cool things I make along with things that will be sold in the shop. Like fat quarters, quilt kits, vintage notions, etc. I am so excited! I feel really honored… http://www.countryliving.com/ you can find out all the details there!

This is a great way to start out my business and it will be GREAT exposure for the shop! I am so glad that I sent my work in now. I felt like I had gotten a college acceptance letter…should I open it or not open it…and you kind of skim the first sentence for positive buzz words. What a birthday huh? I am so excited to share that with all of you… I have a lot of work to do! From getting the shop prepped to making a lot of cool stuff ...my SUMMER is full.

P.S. Next time you at your local mom and pop grocery store pick up a Country Living! It has been my favorite magazine since I was a little girl…that is the note I got from mom when I woke up!

Serendipity

2009-05-21T23:32:00.000-04:00

Serendipity is defined at dictionary.com as phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for. I think that this trip has made that happen in more ways than one…

So for the last eight days mom and I have walked our little feet off and our last stop was a little place called Serendipity 3. Yep you probably all have heard of it know for their frozen hot chocolate! Girls let me tell you it is one of the best chocolate experiences you will ever have! AMAZING it is a must when you come to New York City…. Oh and just so you know this was not a relaxing getaway.

So here is how I break it all down…
May 14th through 17th:
Mom and I started off the Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh with a day of seminars hearing Valori Wells, Amy Butler, Carrie Nelson, Sue Spargo and many other amazing designers speak about their fabric lines and patterns. As well as getting many ideas for developing business and being creative. Friday and Saturday were like a whirl wind (kind of how this blog is going to seem… I am apologizing now). Friday the official day of buying started off very interesting…as mom passed the Westminster Fibers booth she noticed and pointed out Joel Dewberry’s new fabric line. “She said look Kor (pointing) Joel Dewberry”. The next thing I know I am shaking Joel’s hand and we begin to chit chat! I MET Joel Dewberry! How cool is that…Thank God for mom and her “outgoing personality”! BTW Olive Grace will have his new line of fabric! I am so glad I knew exactly what I wanted and had a defined vision of what I want the quilt shop to look like. If not I would have been thoroughly overwhelmed. Hence Friday we looked and noted, Saturday was the day for buying and Sunday was finishing up odd and end business! In conclusion I have about 2000 yards of fabric coming to the shop!

May 17th: Trip on AMTRAK to NYC nine hours sitting on a train. I should have listened to a friend of mine… he told me it was a trick to take the train (I will listen next time). It may seen romantic to ride on a train but not so much…it’s not like in the movies. At least I can say I got to experience it…on the other hand I think you need to do at least once. Oh the engineer does wear O'sh Gosh Bi gosh pinstripe bib overalls minus the bandanna and they throw in an "All a Board" to annoy the crap out of ya!

May 18th through today
This whole trip has involved getting up at six in the morning and going off to dreamland around one or so. Monday we decided to start off the day late. Mom and I got the much needed rest we needed and headed to the National Stationary Show. Unlike the quilt show it was a bit more intense. All the beautiful stationary designs made it tough to narrow the selection of greeting cards as well as some gifts I wanted in the shop. I really was and am on the quest to give my dedicated quilting customer a nice selection of products for themselves and to give as gifts. My other goal is to not only have products for quilters but for folks who don’t sew. So ladies who want to give a unique gift to a special friend come this fall and check out all the goodies. Oh and for all the husband/ boyfriends who need an awesome gift for that special lady come in!!!! I have a lot of nice gifts coming with that being said I am really excited to share them with you all! That was a bit of a side note but honestly the stationary show really helped me in that area. Our trip to NYC was like the city in its self…BUSY!

Mom and I are on our way back home. I have a million and one things to do (literally)! Keep and eye out on the blog to hear what is coming in and what is going on with the shop progress. The word of the trip really is serendipity… with not knowing what to expect out of this trip a lot of great things have happened….

P.S.: I apologize for not have many pictures. I was sitting in a seminar went to get a picture of Amy Butler and her new fun things and realized I had forgotten my camera! Dad over night-ed it… so I only have some shots of NYC. Plus no pictures were allowed to be taken at the show. I guess you are just going to have to come see the shop when it opens…

This little Piggy goes to Market!

2009-05-13T11:11:00.000-04:00

It's only fitting that I title this blog this way! I grew up on a pig farm and my little shop is only a stone throw away from the piggy's themselves. So without anymore introduction...I am off to Spring Quilt Market in Pittsburgh, PA then taking the Amtrak to New York City for the National Stationary Show. It is going to be a long eight days of buying and choosing product for the shop and many seminars on the quilt business. I am taking my sidekick Mom with me for all her business sense! She thinks of all the stuff I don't plus she is truly the one who has made all this possible (Dad too). The two of us buying yards of ric rac may be very dangerous so good thing we have a BUDGET. The last few day I have had this on going headache...I believe it is a combination of excitement, fatigue, anxiety but I think the true culprit is I can't believe this is actually happening. I am finally here I finally get to make the ideas in my head a reality. I honestly have to say following my heart was the best thing I have done in a long time. I know all the missing puzzle pieces will start to fall in place. I can't wait to see how it all turns out! Mom pack your comfy shoes because we got shopping to do...

P.S. Auntie H (Cathie) says "it's going to be the biggest most awesome shopping spree of your life Kori"...I think it may be the most overwhelming shopping spree of my life!

PanCan

2009-05-03T22:48:00.000-04:00

My mom and I volunteer with a group of amazing people…PanCan. PanCan stands for Pancreatic Cancer Action Network. The non-profit organization raises funds for Pancreatic Cancer and for the last four years we have put on a bowl-a-thon. The purpose of our event is to raise awareness about the horrific statistics of pancreatic cancer so that we can get the much-needed funding for research. Pancreatic cancer is the 4th leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the U.S. and has the highest fatality rate of all cancers – 99%! With no early detection methods, symptoms appear too late and the average life expectancy for a patient with a metastatic disease diagnosis is just three to six months. Despite these statistics, the research spending per pancreatic cancer patient is the lowest of any leading cancer.

The reason why it is so close to my heart is that I lost my grandmother Sharon four years ago this August. She lived courageously with pancreatic cancer for fifteen months. She was unable to have a very important surgery called “the wipple” that can add on many years of living to a pancreatic victim. Unfortunately she was not one of these candidates. Even though we lost her, she was a true miracle. People look at us funny when we say that but when you are sitting in front of an oncologist that literally says, “go home and get your affairs together you have weeks to live”…well she showed him. In fifteen months she experienced this… a trip to Vegas, a grandson was born, the most special Christmas a family could have, a grandson graduated from high school and not only a celebration for achievements but for life.

So last weekend we honored survivors and remembered our loved ones we have lost. I have to share this with you though… Shelia- she is a 9 year pancreatic cancer survivor who gave my grandma hope that she to could survive. Janice- is a 5 year survivor and our event coordinator/queen bee. Last but not least Ginny- a 6 year survivor who is a quiet inspiration with an amazing smile. These ladies are what I call hero’s women to look up too. They celebrate life so much that they haven given me my faith back that we can beat this disease. My mom says all the time that we do this because we have to make people aware and raise money so nobody has to lose someone they love to this awful disease. I encourage you to research pancreatic cancer read about the symptoms so you can help educate your friends and family.

Our faithful leader Janice emailed her team last week to let us know that we raised $10,000 dollars this year! That in it self is a small step to beat out this mean disease. As my mom said at the bowl-a-thon “we are here today to STRIKE out Pancreatic Cancer”! Hopefully one day we can.

P.S. it is an amazing feeling when we find people that help us heal. Please check out http://www.pancan.org/!

To-Do's

2009-04-16T13:29:00.000-04:00

So I decided to start typing my to-do list today and well I stopped. It was getting long and bringing ideas and other to-do’s up that I had not thought of. This is how I work …one thing at a time and once that is done I like to take a big fat red pen and cross it off the list. Although, I would say lately I have been jumping around a lot. I am not to sure why… I think it is the mix of emotions that I am having. Opening a retail space is quite an adventure…oh I think I may need to explain myself.

So obviously I have not blogged in a very long time. I decided and with the help of my two favorite cheerleaders (mom & dad) that I am going to open a quilt and gift shop! Actually it was dad who said “Kori just go for it” sooooo Mom and I looked at each other and was like oh it’s on! YES VERY EXCITING!!!! A dream that is actually coming true and well…it is hard to believe. I have a great space with practically no over head! The SCHOOLHOUSE

…it sits on my family’s property. The little red building will be the permanent home of Olive Grace Studios, LLC (an eccentric quilt shop). I have a bit of construction to do on the interior from trim work, new lighting, and mill works to be designed and built. The perfect little square approximately 400 sq.ft. has the ideal character for my unconventional little shop. Everybody keeps asking me when it’s opening? What are you doing in the meantime? Why can’t you open now? Well PEOPLE there is a lot of prep work from going to markets to buy product, finishing touches on business details, most importantly the vision that I have in my head is what I want to introduce to all of you. Early this fall is my projected opening. Actual dates to come…

In the meantime I have been working on my personal little studio here at home. My Libby Lou turned one and is ornery more than ever, my cousin had the most handsome set of twins Dane and Caden who have inspired me just not yet sure how, going on two big trips the International Spring Quilt Market (Pittsburgh in May) and Primitives of the Midwest with three of the most amazing quilters/women I know (Kansas City, MO in June). 2009 has really started off GREAT I hope it continues that way. I obviously have a ton of things to do…later!

P.S. One of the tasks on the list is being better about blogging... I am a little bummed can't use my red pen on this one.

Holiday Review

2009-01-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

Christmas and New Years was a very relaxing surprise! Although watching three dogs fight over three of the same exact toy was interesting. I haven't really talked about my pride and joy... Libby Lou! She is my eight month old English Bulldog who is the sweetest pain in the booty I know. So the long story short... I was lonely living in DC and desperately seeking a friend who would get excited to see me when I walked in the door. In my quest for a good smile I randomly started looking at puppies. I stumbled upon an English Bulldog breeder who was having a 50% off sale in Pennsylvania. So I rounded up Auntie Debbie(handpecked.blogspot.com) and we drove to York to pick up my new friend. My farting, snorting, wee zing, burping, bundle of joy! ALL THAT IS MINE... oh and about two weeks ago she had a tooth pulled because she was chewing on a Longaberger Basket and broke her right canine tooth. Although, I don't know whats worse the damage to the basket or my toothless dog. Oh and I found out why she was 50% off she has a black tail and that is not AKC acceptable! I am don't mind it gives her more character...

Our Canine Family!

Aunt Bea & Libby Lou

Savannah with one of the 3 Candy Canes

So the holidays! Hmm... the fast version on both. Christmas I helped mom do power shopping, made Fruit Baskets, Sandwiches and Catered to help alleviate the holiday rush at my parents grocery store. Power wrapped gifts and then the day was here. Grandma Janet(the Grace in the Olive and Grace) came and had Mimosa's and breakfast, got a visit from my eccentric Uncle Jim turned Canadian citizen, played guitar hero with Hunter my little cousin and finished Christmas with watching hours of Two and a Half Men the First Season! A week later it was New Year's eve and I made dinner for Mom and Dad. Let me tell ya I impressed my self... Fillet Minion, Green Beans wrapped in pig flavored ribbon candy (bacon) and roasted potatoes. Watched marathon elf, saw the ball drop and was in bed by 12:30 pretty great. Yesterday went to grandma's and mom and I started a 2009 quilt. To wrap it all up I ate the traditional New Year's day dinner of Sauerkraut and Pork!

I am one happy girl it was a happy two holiday's that went way to fast. I don't think that I will ever understand why we prepare for months and end up only celebrating for 1 day for each. Crazy I tell you crazy. I don't usually make resolutions they are really easy to throw out the door so what I do is make lil' goals and try to work on things that need worked on. I forgot... I am happy to report that I recieved an order to design a quilt for a dear friend from high school. More to come on that in a later blog! In closing I hope that everybody had safe travels and happy holidays this season and Best Wishes in 2009. I know in my heart that this year is going to be a great one.

P.S. I am not fond of that traditional meal but they tell me it's good luck for the New Year.

Aunt Bea

2008-12-17T00:35:00.001-05:00

Aunt Bea is one of my pets...actually Bea is my dad's beautiful Yellow Lab! So I have been baking Apple Cranberry Pies all night for my mom. She hired me to bake them for a catering job she is doing tomorrow. It's a nice compliment from the Paula Dean of the Midwest (that's what I call her) to ask me to bake pies. She asked me though because I learned from the best! Grandma Sharon...she was one amazing lady (she is a whole blog in herself). Anyway...so back to Bea.

BEA ATE ONE OF MY PIES!

It is almost one in the morning and I am out of pie crust and apples. Oh geez... hopefully I can get 32 pieces out of 5 pies. Well, I need to go make a truce with Bea and tell her I love her then hit the hay!

Website and Blog

2008-12-12T22:18:00.000-05:00

Website
I officially bought the rights to Olive Grace Studios last night! Gotta love: godaddy.com I was so proud of myself after two hours of saying curse words and finally getting an under construction page done and published. Today though I decided that I need to either take a web design class or PAY someone to design it. So…my mom was looking at quilt shop websites tonight and she pointed out one and said “your’s need to be like this”. The funny thing is it was all flash based and fancy. Something this girl can’t do on her own. Oh and this came from the lady who is just learning how to email (I love you mom)! Maybe, Santa will send me some cash for a cool website instead of two front teeth. In conclusion to website design it may be a while for my COOL website to be up and running but I have moved up in the world. I have my very own web address http://www.olivegracestudios.com/! I have so many ideas for the website and hopefully can find someone to help me get them from my brain to the web! Next subject...
Blog
So today I am looking at my new website that links to my blog and of course I am all proud of myself. I then realize that I have comments…yes comments. So I clicked on them and wow I had one from a friend that gave me a hard time for not blogging the correct way. Then I was more embarrassed that it was all the way back in September along with others I did not realize were there. I am officially a bad blogger but practice makes perfect and I am going to try my damnedest to dazzle my readers. I will get better…I hope! Please be patient with my blogging skillz…

P.S. If anybody knows a good web-designer let me know!!!!!

Better Late Than Never...

2008-12-05T00:50:00.000-05:00

So my last entry was back in September and I think it came soon after I put my month's notice in at my corporate job. I was anxious to see my new logo appear somewhere on line and to feel like my future job was legit...Whatever that means... sounds good to tell people when you proceed to tell them that you quit your job in the big city to purse a "dream" of owning a quilt shop and being a traveling crafter in a bad economy. Wow, I am out of breath just typing that. So yeah I left good money and a power career to move back to Ohio to pursue my dream of being a "entrepreneur/urban farm girl/quilter/designer" the list goes on. Actually, founder of a little idea call Olive Grace Studios.

So... hear I am back in the Under Pant State planning... doing a lot of planning. I am trying to figure out what craft markets I want to go to and when I want to open a permanent shop! Just so you all know this big idea a.k.a. my "dream" has been brewing for a long time probably since I was a little girl...from Mom pushing me into quilt shops in a stroller and buying me fat quarters to Grandma Olive and I going to craft shows I being her assistant while she sold her hand made wares to Great Grandma Janet letting me have a needle and thread when I was 4 or 5 sewing scraps together making who knows what but always having Grandpa Bum's approval. I think that's what did it! It's getting late next time I will have pictures and stories on how I came up with the name Olive Grace.

P.S. Ohio is shaped like a pair of Under Pants look at a map you will see it!

Olive Grace Under Construction

2008-09-09T23:43:00.001-04:00

Lots to Come!!

I didn't know that I was born in the year of the dog...learn something new everyday!