Having parties and worrying no one will show up is apparently a thing with me.
Maybe it’s because stuff happens at the last minute.
Maybe because everyone thinks everyone else will be there so they stay home and watch Downton Abbey.
Maybe it’s because of the Christmas shower that really wasn’t.
But I worry.
Every. Single. Time.
Except for this party.
This party I didn’t need to worry if anyone would show up because I had imported all my relatives to come…..
….with strict instructions to act like they didn’t know me.
I spent hours and days getting ready for the party.
The company shipped projects and quilts and fabric and giveaways to the store.
There were bags and aprons and poufs and quilts and stacks and stacks and stacks of fabric.
I had the fabric printed onto card stock and we cut it into triangles.
And punched holes.
And formed an assembly line and made banners that we hung from the ceilings.
We layered the tables with burlap and ordered the yummiest of catering.
And cut out tiny triangles.
And scattered them every where and any where.
The twins and I cut out card stock labels for water bottles.
We wrapped the water bottles with the prints of the fabric.
Then my son printed labels for us and we stuck them on.
And my favorite thing?
I had cookies iced to look like the fabric.
I sent her pictures of the fabric and she made dozens of cookies in different patterns.
The store was ready.
The fabric was in place.
All was quiet and calm.
There was an hour to go before the party started so I thought I would snap a few pictures.
This is the only picture I took before the party started.
See how blurry it is? It’s completely out of focus.
I couldn’t help it.
Because as I was taking this picture. As I stood there in the party room with the water bottles and the banners and the food and the tiny triangles of fabric and all those cookies…
….someone ran into the space and said the words that made my hands shake and my stomach quiver.
Words that made my giant earrings shake and my red lipstick grin and made me smile right down to the bottom of my fancy black boots.
“There’s a line!!!!!!!!!” they shouted.
I ran to the front of the store and looked out and jumped up and down right there in the middle of the store.
Yes. There was a line to get in.
And the best part?
I was only related to one of them. 🙂
Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all the bloggers like Bee and Jemma and Randi and Dee and Rebekah and Mariah from the DFW area who came out to support the fabric line.
And to all the wonderful, incredible readers who came out and supported and laughed and giggled and danced and shopped and munched on those amazing cookies.
I adore you.
Forever and ever.
Amen.
PS If you missed the party, but still want to order fabrics. Click here to see where you can get them at a retailer near you or online.
So proud of you sweet friend!! Bet it was an amazing evening! xo
so happy for you! I would love to see pics of the quilts :)
How fun! Of course there was a line! It all looks wonderful! Congratulations, KariAnne!
I so enjoyed meeting you in person and I loved walking away with some of your pretty fabric. I am so going to make those placemats and do a little a blog post on Wednesday sharing a photo or two of you and I! xoxo Jemma
omigosh...omigosh! a total dream come true! i feel your excitement all the way across the country. you seem to be checking dreams one right after the other on your list...i am incredibly pleased for you. so happy. i love the font on the water bottles. can you share please? i hope this venture is every bit as successful as all your others...i see no other way about it. you are a shining star, my friend.
I LOVE the water bottle labels and would also like to know name of font used. Everything looked amazing!
I'm almost as bummed about missing getting to meet you as I was about not winning the lottery. Don't worry, though; I'm sure I'll do both some time soon.
So happy you had an amazing opening - your designs are beautiful!
Wish MN was closer as I would have loved to be there to celebrate (and buy). Loved the way you decorated with the fabric and the cookies were darling! You go girl!
Congratulations!!! There was never a doubt that you wouldn't have a looong line. Yahoo!!!!
Way to go! With your talent and grace it was sure to be a success. Happy feet dance.... :)
Congratulations! Your fabrics are so pretty. The closest store to me is 50 miles away. Guess I'll have to plan a trip in the Spring when hopefully, the snow is gone. Everything looked great for your party. So happy for you...see, worrying does no good, all things work out in the end.
I would have chewed off my right arm to be there (but then how I glue, sew, quilt all that beautiful fabric). I'm so glad it was a huge success...those cookies are killing me!
So tickled someone came besides your fantastic family! But knew they would gal. You are a superstar! Thank you for sharing your amazing adventures with your friends like me who currently is back in Bed waiting for timer for store bought cinnamon rolls to go off! Yep loser but warm in Kentucky!❤️
I'd stand in line for hours if I had to, just to get a chance to meet wonderful YOU!! Congratulations!! Love, love all of this!!!
Congrats, what a beautiful launch party! I would've been in that line if I lived in Texas :)
So happy for you, Karianne!!! You rock!!!
Wish I could have been there. Hate to miss a good party! :) :) :)
I'm SO, SO happy for you!
I wish, I wish, I wish I could have been there but I'm so happy the launch party went well, KariAnne. And the fabrics!! They are just wonderful. If I could still manage to jump, you'd better believe I'd be jumping up and down for you--right now!
Congratulations! Enjoy the fruits of your labor! You deserve it!! Sherry
Well, good for you Karianne - but then who wouldn't come to see you! so glad it was a success. Love the fabrics and the table looked so inviting! Congratulations on a wonderful Launch!
Congrats!! I love all of the fabric. And, of course people came, you are the best! Shonee www.hawthorneandmain.com
Tears of joy for you this morning! I would have been in that line, too! Love all the amazing details and WHAT??!! Those cookies are amazing!!! ❤️ you rocked this, my friend!!!
I am so sorry I missed it :( My 9-yr-old and I have the flu. But when I went to order online (because I shop from my bed while I am sick and stir crazy... shouldn't everyone, right?), I "clicked here," but didn't find the list. Am I crazy and not seeing it? Is there a direct link? -Mir
Congratulations!!!! I knew it would be a great success. Pictures look super, just wish I could have been a party attendee.
Not sure how I missed that you have a fabric line but I am so darn happy for you!!!!! No one deserves it more. Plan on ordering in the upcoming weeks!!!
KariAnne, I was in that line ... along with a few diehard quilters. I had to admit to them that my reason for being there was to meet you in person! But, of course, I adored one of the quilts, so I just had to purchase the fabric to make it for myself! I'm fairly new to sewing, and it will be my third quilt. Later that evening, I found the remainder of Simply Eclectic fabric I needed online. Now, I'm just waiting ... and waiting for my shipment so I can get that quilt started already!! I was so excited to meet you in person. I'm fairly new to reading your blog, but I have enjoyed every post. I look forward to a few giggles, smiles (I know I look silly smiling at my computer) and your wonderful photos. Indeed, you're my most fantabulous favorite blogger! Baskets of Blessings to you!
Such a lovely party! Congratulations!
Yay!! So happy for you! I so wish I could have come and hugged you and ate cookies that looked like fabric. Bring that show to Ohio girl! :) Maybe after the snow melts??
Beautiful! I hope you can have a fabric party on the east coast sometime, maybe before you visit Cape Cod! We live close on the North Shore(hour from Boston!) Our daughter lives in Falmouth so a fabric store on Old Cape Cod sounds terrific!
I am so thrilled for you!! ;)
So happy the party was such a success. Loved the cookies. When my house was on tour a friend from out of town sent me iced cookies that looked like my house. I was so thrilled and displayed them on the kitchen island during the tour.
You Really are a Rock Star - Congratulations! Can't wait to order some fabric on-line!
For the first time in my life I'm actually wishing I lived in the DFW area so I could have been there to support your wonderful party!! I'm so glad it was a huge success, KariAnne - congrats to you!! xo
No way! The cookies look just.like.your.fabric!!!!! What a wonderful day--for a wonderful person. :)
Delighted for you! Wish it hadnt been 4 states away from me or I would have been standing in line too! Tried to order on line, but couldnt locate on fabric.com......listed as supplier in Kennesaw, GA but the search box on their website isnt pulling any matches for simply eclectic, thistlewood farms, or by your name. Any idea what I am doing wrong? Thanks, and again, congrats. The fabrics look incredible.
I had to doubt it would be a hit! Congratulations!
I had no doubt that is.....lol Congratulations!!!
You throw the most fabulous of parties! Congratulations on your success! :)
Miz karianne, it would seem that EVERYBODY except for you.....has the utmost confidence in you!! LOL I know it's nerve wracking and the what if's are ginormous at times, but I had no doubt it would be successful. I had wanted to schedule a trip to Dallas so I could stop in McKinney, but it wasn't meant to be. Maybe next time.... oooh, maybe you could schedule a showing in Tulsa, OK or Kansas City, MO! I bet I could make that one! Best of luck to you in this venture.
Awesome! Congratulations! And finally my material stach will be growing with some of these gorgeous fabrics.
Congratulations my dear friend! You are extremely talented and you deserve every good thing that comes your way! I'm so glad this little old blogging world brought us together!! xoxo
Congratulations! You had a dream....a passion...and the wherewithal to make it happen. So proud of you!
Congratulations, Friend! So thankful the party was a success! Wish I could have been there....but it was a little far from Virginia! Blessings to you....
I am glad it was a big party. I need to get some of that orange. Hope my shop here carries your fabric, when I ordered on line they didn't have all the colors or patterns. Cant wait to make something. You are an inspiration.
So glad to hear it was a success, but not at all surprised! You are amazing!
Only one store in Kentucky??? Hope the quilt stores in Lexington stock your beautiful fabrics soon!
I'm so happy it was a success for you. That nervous "no-show feeling" should be dissipating right? By the way...super cute outfit! Have a happy day!
Way to go! Of course there was a line, you goof-ball! I'm not surprised in the least!
Everything looks wonderful! Please tell me you will be doing easy non quilting crafts with your fabrics for barely sewers like me!
Congratulations. What a thrill!
So happy you had a wonderful party! Your table and also the fabrics look great.
Oh that party looked incredible!! How exciting for you with your new fabric line!!
Congratulations KariAnne! I'm so glad your party was a great success! Those cookies and all the work that goes into an event like yours are certainly worth it in spite of the anxiety! Hopefully when I have a home of my own again (soon I hope), I can put some of your fabrics to perfect use!! Keep on dancing KariAnne!
YaY!! I am so excited for you!!! What a party and I'm sorry I missed it. Now, I have something to ask . . . do you think you'll do Internet business? None of those stores are anywhere close to me :-( So glad your party was a success, dear friend. Hugs!!
So enjoyed all your wonderful party ideas, how festive and yummy and those cookies! Perfect and so cool..loved them! Congratulations and love the fabrics and will be forwarding the info to all my quilter friends. May your journey in 2016 be all that you wished for. Sure wish I could of been one in that long line of people to take a peek, munch on your treats and meet the gal with a fondness for red lipstick and upbeat nail polish. A fun posting Karianne!
So excited for you! Your fabrics are beautiful and I cannot wait to see them in person. I am practically your neighbor (Knoxville) but I am willing to travel a bit (Lexington?) to line up for your showings. Keep us posted!
Congratulations on your successful party!!! So wish I lived closer....I would definitely been there to support you!!!
Hooray! So happy for you! The party sounds wonderful and the cookies look wonderful! Love them! And all your other fun touches and fun fabric co-ordination.
I thought about you and wondered how your day was going. So excited for you and your beautiful fabric line. Congrats from South Texas!
I'm so glad your party was a success, it looked like a lot of fun, wished I could have been there, enjoy KariAnne, you deserve it.
YAY for you!! I'm so happy for you! Your party was a success. You had everything beautifully prepared. Shaky photo or not, the table looked like one straight out of a Home and Style magazine! Never worry again, your parties from here on out will be a smashing success.
CONGRATULATIONS ON THE LINE OUTSIDE THE STORE AND ON THE LINE OF FABRIC! I'm sure there will be lots of your fabric in my home!!! Here's to a hugely successful venture! YOU GO GIRL!
Congratulations! This is why Hoffman chose you...talented and so loved! And as for there being only one family member in line...you do know that all your fans consider you family! So great for the twins to share in your success!
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How EXCITING FOR YOU!!!!! the fabrics are gorgeous ... and , btw... so was your food table !!! What an exciting and fun venture for you KariAnne Blessings!!!
Where can you get the fabrics? Could not see them
Congratulations from Alabama on all of the hard work! Everything looks amazing and those cookies are precious!
Congrats on the launch, Karianne. Lovely details with pretty food and the cookies are just adorable. How clever to create them to look like the fabric. I'll buy a few yards and make something special (I'll think of something you've never seen before-lol). Good luck with the line. It's beautiful.
Awww...your just so gosh darn adorable! It sounds like it was a hit!!! I'm not shocked at all:) I sure wish I could've been there...I totally would've ate the cookies!!! LOVE your fancy black boots;)
I would love to live close enough to have attended! Oh well - I guess online shopping will have to do! Good luck on this venture!!!
Congratulations Karianne! How exciting for you. If Texas weren't so LARGE, I could have been there! Laura
Oh my gosh, Karianne, you should be so proud. What an accomplishment - you go girl!!!!!
Congratulations Kari! I am so happy for you and your success!
Karianne, It was so fun for my daughter and I to meet you! You are so bubbly and funny in person, just like all your great blog posts. My daughter said "I feel like I have known her forever!". I don't sew but we had to come out to see you! Thank you for the beautiful fabric. I will be using mine to line the back of my bookshelves in my gameroom and will make patchwork pillows out of the sample swatches. Every time I go in there, I will think of you! Blessings to you and all that you do. I love your blog and reading your posts, they always make me smile! Angela and Amy
I am sooooooo overwhelmingly happy for you, KariAnne...how I wish I could've been there as a show of support, but like so many of your readers who live many miles away, you always have my support nonetheless! Though I would've really liked some of those cookies. :) I can hardly wait to order some of your yummy fabrics and do some amazing things with them...I hope I will be up to giving such beautiful fabrics their due! MANY HAPPY CONGRATULATIONS on a job well done, KariAnne...I am soooooooo very proud of YOU!!!