Country Living Fair

Mark and I loaded in the van and headed to Columbus, OH for the Country Living Fair 2012.  It is always a fun time.  Last year it was cold.  This year the weather was perfect!  Could not have asked for a more perfect day.

I had a shopping list in my head...hoping to find an old ladder to replace the one that I had in WI that I hung my quilts on. I saw a cute simple pumpkin on Pinterest made from old canning lids and wanted to make one. Not a big list or an expensive one...

When you go make sure you take plenty of cash.  We had this much to get in and then a pocket full of twenties.  When I go places like this I almost always discipline myself to pay cash.  But is there is something that is just totally awesome...someone usually whips out the plastic.

One of the first booths featuring we stopped at was an artisan that was a gourd carver.  Really neat stuff as you can see.  But his wife was just a little bit on the bossy side, shall we say.  I didn't read anywhere in all the literature and there was no sign posted that I saw you go  stating that you couldn't take pics.  This little lady jumped all over me in a very embarrassing way...but I got the shot anyway, so there mean old lady! (hear the sound of a raspberry in the background?)

Just a sampling of one of the tented areas.

Wonder if he would be scary enough to scare the deer away?

Love this idea!  And it comes from Cari of Cash & Cari on HGTV...love her stuff.  I was thrilled to see her...Mark not so much.

These guys were good.

Love all the old buildings.  The Fair was held at The Ohio Village.

You will for sure see a snowman family at our house this winter.  They look like stone but are actually hyertufa.  And check out that heart.

Of course we had to stop at the only nursery vendor in the entire fair.  This little number is on Mark's wish list...it is a purple red bud.  This one was only priced at $80.

Okay...I learned something.  This is called a porch crib.  Mainly because it was put on the porch where children could nap or play.  When I was growing up we had one with a lid.  Which we affectionately call The Cage.  It is actually called a Field Crib.  It was places in the shade under a tree whiles everyone worked in the fields.  The lid keeps all those unwanted things out like leaves, bugs, acorns, and creatures.  I remember seeing pictures of ours.  I was in it and my mom and dad were working on the building our house.  I love that thing!  My Aunt Dory has it for now and I am hoping that I can talk her into letting me buy it from her when they are all finished with it, so I can take my babies out in the yard with me while I pull weeds and things.  

And play pioneer woman.

You know how when you go somewhere you have your favorites that are a must to see, do or eat.  Mostly in our case it is eat.  This will be one of our stops every time we get to go to the Fair.  Miss Parolee's cobblers are to die for!

Mark's peach cobbler topped off with ice cream.  He had his warmed up too.

This is my blackberry cobbler.  I got the last piece and all of the scrapings in the pan which amounted to another extra piece.  And oh my is it good!!!  Bryce you would have kissed the cook for sure.  There was so much that I had to bring some home and I had it for dessert last night.

I didn't buy too much this year...ideas are going around in my head like crazy, so much so I can hardly sleep at night.  My creative juices are in overload!  This little plate is going to be a bird feeder.  Pictures later when it is hanging out in the tree.

And this is my big purchase.  A hand pieced and hand quilted table runner that I am going to hang on the wall to hide the ugly thermostat in the kitchen.  It was made by the nicest lady, Jain Faries of Mox Nix Textiles.  Now to make a hanger for it....those are OHIO stars by the way.  Check them out on Facebook and visit their Etsy shop.

So I found the perfect hanger...one of my Dad's old pants hangers.  Love it and now the nasty thermostat is hidden and not an eyesore.

And as if we hadn't already eaten enough to explode, we had, just had, to stop at Katzinger's Deli for a late lunch early dinner...I don't think I will ever have to eat again.  But oh yes...we ate dinner again when we got home.  Emmy made Korean Beef Tacos.  Just roll me over to the corner and call me when I come out of my food coma!

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