mabel & ethel's

our little house of fabric has been closed for less than one week. and already the sadness is setting in. so i decided sarah and i needed to go on a little road trip, especially because the sun was shinning today. i'd heard about a new shop in sandusky. i was pretty sure it was two women's names...you know...like thelma and louise. only that was yielding no web results other than the ever popular 90's movie. then all of a sudden i saw an update come across facebook for mabel & ethel's quilt shoppe. yes!! that must be it so we quickly packed a snack and jumped in the car.

i've been making the drive to sandusky since i was a young girl. it's been a family tradition to visit cedar point at least once a summer. sadly, i don't think i ever realized there was a charming downtown area. today we found it.

the minute we walked in, i knew our blues were about to be swept away. sure enough. mabel and ethel invited us to sit down and have a chat.

only mabel isn't mabel. she's actually debbie. and ethel...well you guessed it...isn't really ethel. she's jackie. you'll have to ask them to share that story. oh how fun they are. we had the best time getting to know one another.

and then sarah went for a stroll through the store. there's bright fabric that she really liked...

and some primitives too. perfect for one of her down right charming quilts for the new house she shares with her grandparents she decided.

there's a little bit for everyone including some great wool.

it's always so much fun to meet new quilters that share our journey. and when they are as delightful as debbie & jackie, it is better than therapy as they say.

mabel & ethel's quilt shoppe is located at 279 e. market street, sandusky, ohio 44870. it is well worth the drive for not only the fabric selection but the chance to meet the real mabel & ethel. 

so just how close to cedar point are they you ask? close enough that i'm sure come summer you'll be able to hear the screams coming from that big coaster behind my freezing girl. 

and while you're in the area, be sure to drive on down state route 250 to d'vine designs at 29 park street on the square in milan. a most exquisite ole fashion gift shop. and to my delight one of the few authorized trollbead dealers in the area.

olive grace studios

it was suppose to be a beautiful, yet cold sunday. a perfect day for a little road trip.  so sarah and i got up early and headed for fowler township in cortland, ohio.

 

with the exception of a very brief period when i lived in grand rapids, michigan, i've called ohio my home.  over the years, i've traveled throughout the state for both work and pleasure.  yet somehow i've missed this corner of the buckeye state. 

 

 

as we turned off of state route 305 onto route 193, also known as youngstown-kingsville road, we were greeted by a charming gazebo complete with a general store and a saloon now turned salon. it felt reminiscent of yesteryear for sure. driving just a short distance down the road, we spotted our destination...

 

olive grace studios.  one does not need to even step foot inside to recognize that it is going to be an unforgettable experience. 

 

once we pushed open the side door, our expectations were not disappointed. in fact, there really are no words to describe that first wave of delight.

 

everywhere you look there are adorable attractions to catch your eye. such as this delightful bunting created with the new 2 1/2" candy precuts by moda.

 

 

the display pieces are also worthy of inspection.  this antique cupboard is just perfect for the eclectic collection of trims and ribbons.     

 

the owner, kori turner, also has her own line of patterns available.

 

by square footage standards, this shop is not large. yet the details of each display are so extraordinaire, you leave feeling extremely satisfied. i do believe i circled the original hard wood floors at least a dozen times before taking my selection to the cutting counter.  

 

 

all the while, sarah was as content as can be sitting with her new friend. while we were there i forgot to mention to sarah there is another reason to love kori, she and her new hubby josh are the ultimate buckeye fans.  but don't just take my word for it...click on over to their exquisite scarlet and gray wedding photos taken by Genevieve Nisly.

 

to read more of our delightful sunday excursion click on over to sarah's blog.