{country living fair : : fun projects for the holidays}

{photo: Country Living Fair circa 2011}

Think Halloween colors.  Or reds and greens for Christmas.

Cookie baking.

Celebrations.

Teacher gifts.

You'll find the Farmhouse Funk, Dorm Room Diva, Schoolhouse Clutch, Patsy Ann Apron Top, and the Pocket Full of Posies Banner patterns now on sale in my shop for 50% for a LIMITED TIME!

AND if you are planning on coming to the Country Living Fair in Columbus, Ohio this weekend - well, come see me and say hello!  The fair is absolutely AHHHH - MAZING! Country Living puts on a great show and you'll meet fabulous people like: Jennifer Paganelli from Sis Boom, Cari Cucksey from Cash and Cari on HGTV heck, just check out the schedule of events right HERE! I'll be over in the Modern June booth with Kelly McCants, cutting fabric like crazy!

Happy Sewing!

{country living fair 2011}

Ok, so last weekend was the Country Living Fair.  And I kind of gave you the backstory here.  And it was awesome.  Do you love crafts?  Antiques?  Vintage wares?  Cute displays and fun clothes and bags and home decor?  This place is HUGE and oozing of delightfulness!

My sweetie pie girlfriend, Kelly, was there with a booth and promoting her fab new book, Sewing with Oilcloth.  And we cut a LOTTA oilcloth baby.  We barely stepped away from that cutting table...it was fabulous that so many people were excited to make something!

I wish I would have taken some more pictures but um, seriously, this was the view I had most of the fair!  I did sneak over to get my obligatory hugs from Jennifer and saw a few of my other friends too wondering around (including my Loft and Lunch buddy Jill who took most of these photos of me!).

If you haven't been to the Country Living Fair yet, I highly recommend it!  The next one is in Georgia and come April, there will be one in Austin, Texas.  People come from all over the country to these fairs and it certainly is worth it!  I've never been to anything else like it.

Back one post, I wrote about my inspiration link party.  It's still on baby!  I know I sprung it on you all rather fast and you weren't ready but I do have THIS 

to give away to one of you!  You have until Friday this week to link up an inspiring blog post and one of the linky folks will get this book and oilcloth yardage compliments of Modern June.  So head back over to the Monday Mornings Inspiration post and link up!

Next Monday, we will link up again so get ready.  I have a handmade item I'll be giving away and the linky will ONLY be open on Monday so be ready to post!

I have some fun sew along surprises on the way too...gotta get my gear in order and I'll be ready to share the surprise!

{country living fair}

Remember THIS from last year? It is so much fun!  Arts and crafts, good food, vintage wares, and this year...I'm not going as visitor!  Nope, I'm working at the Country Living Fair this year!

The story goes like this.  Last year, when I was at the fair, I met Kelly McCants of Modern June (oh, she's a doll and her stuff is so very cute!).  Kelly and I had already been "twitter friends" so when I walked up to her at the fair, I was like, "Hi!  I'm Trish Preston, from twitter?".  We squeeled, hugged and chit chatted away.  A few weeks ago, Kelly remembered that I live in Columbus and sent me a note asking me if this year, I'd help her out at her booth...cutting fabric and stuff.

Seriously?

Me?

Cut fabric.

HECK YEAH!  I'm not a girl to ever say no to anything that has to do with fabric and sewing.  No, really.  I won't.

I'd love to help out!  So me and one of my girlfriends are headed down to the Country Living Fair on Friday and Saturday (September 16th and 17th) to hang out, cut fabric and help in Kelly's booth.  (I'll have some of my SPROUTS sewing patterns in her booth too!)

{are you local?  Kelly is also going to be doing a book signing over at Sew to Speak on High Street in Columbus on the 15th?  Right Kelly?}

Are you planning on coming to the Country Living Fair?  You should be!  No joke people!  It's a seriously sweet fun event!  Stop by the Modern June booth and say hello!  Kelly will also be doing a book signing for her new book, Sewing with Oilcloth.

I'm already dreaming about the booth that had the fresh bruschetta.  And Jeni's.  Oh, Jeni's ice cream is there.  And fresh kettle corn.  Have I ever mentioned that probably my favorite thing to do besides sew is to eat?  I love hanging out with friends over a great bowl of salsa and chips.  Or artichoke dip.  Or...Hey!  I haven't eaten yet today!  No wonder I'm babbling about food!

Back to the fair.

Guess who else is gonna be there on Friday doing a book signing for her book?  Jennifer!  Sis Boom designer, Jennifer Paganelli will be over at the Earth Angels booth with her book, Girl's World.  Jennifer and I have not yet met in person but I count her as a friend.  As many of you already know, she is one of the most personable, warm and kind women I've ever...not yet met.  And incredibly talented.  Looking forward to meeting her.

So, I guess that's it then.  Have I convinced you that you NEED to make it out to the Country Living Fair?  If you go, will you PROMISE to stop over at the Modern June booth and say hello to me?  I don't get out much, I'm REALLY, REALLY looking forward to a full two days of GIRL TALK / SHOPPING / EATING.  That made me excited just to type it.  girl talk.  shop.  eat.  Better than...well, let's keep it PG here.  You know what I mean.  (Just don't tell my husband I said that hee hee nervous laugh, just kidding honey!)

See you at the fair!

Country Living Fair {swoon}

My Mom has had a subscription to the magazine Country Living since I was about as big as Sprout.  I grew up laying next to her at nap time gazing at the photos and falling asleep while she read.  Now, when I get the magazine delivered to my house - I run up to the bathroom, run a tub of hot water and read cover to cover (come on!  I'm not the only one who escapes to the bath to be alone...I do have to lock the door otherwise children will come in 20 times but seriously...there is no reading a complete sentence unless I hide out.) I do love the magazine.  My parents love antiques and I got drug every weekend to some stinking antique store, antique show, blah, blah, blah...look at this piece of furniture and the dovetail, tiger maple...yadda, yadda, yadda.  For my 16th birthday, I didn't get a car.  I got a victorian dresser.  It's now Sprouts dresser.  And I adore it.  Antiques.  And everything old, dusty, beat up and well loved.  {thank you Mom and Dad for inspiring a love of old}

This weekend was the Country Living Fair here in Columbus.  I've read about it in the magazine and it looked incredible so I was so excited when I called Aunt Carla and asked her to go with me and she said yes!  It was fabulous!

See...for my Mother, if I got a feature in Country Living magazine, it would be like winning an Academy Award.  She'd totally freak out!  I could be asked to be on Oprah and my Mom would be like..."oh, that's nice".  But get a feature in Country Living...she would be ear to ear smiling crazy happy!  (Me too!!!).  So, I was super excited to meet Sarah and pitch a few article ideas at her.  Who knows...maybe I'll get that feature someday!  I was kinda hoping for Spring...around Mother's Day actually.  A girl can dream, right?!

Anyway, the next Country Living Fair is in Atlanta, Georgia.  If you are near - it's a must go!!

xoxo,

trish