Have you ever appliqued at the beach? I hadn't - until Wednesday! My hubby is on vacation this week so Wednesday we packed up the van and headed to Hampton Beach. It was a beautiful sunny day, but very windy and a wee bit chilly so while the kids played in their swimsuits oblivious to the cold, I wrapped a sarong around me and quilted to my heart's content. Hubby got burnt, I didn't :)
After the beach we went north about 20 miles to Portsmouth, a lovely historic town right on the border of New Hampshire and Maine. There is a quilt shop there which I have always wanted to visit, Portsmouth Fabric Company.
They go to all the quilt shows here as vendors and I always drop a pretty penny in their booth due to their fabulous selection of Kaffe and Amy Butler fabrics. Well I walked into their store and nearly fainted. If I thought their booths at quilt shows were good, their store in person is AMAZING! They had every single Kaffe ever made - old and new, and every corner I turned bought more gorgeousness! I was completely overwhelmed and spent far too much money. I had hoped to spend around $30 but had to stop myself at $75. 
I also was told that Kaffe himself is going to their shop in the Fall and doing a class and a lecture. You better believe I added my name to the waiting list!In non-quiting news, my lilac trees are in full bloom, so today I brought some inside and my whole house has the beautiful scent of lilacs.
There's a song which the children at our church sing, and it was always my favorite when I was a little girl. It talks about lilacs, so I'll finish this post with the sweet lyrics which I think of often at this lovely time of year...
Whenever I hear the song of a bird
Or look at the blue blue sky
Whenever I feel the rain on my face
Or the wind as it rushes by
Whenever I touch a velvet rose
Or walk by a lilac tree
I'm glad that I live in this beautiful world
Heavenly Father created for me.
What a sweet post this is. Lucky you getting to that quilt shop and I do hope you get into the class. I was at the beach this past week as well and it was chilly in SC too.
ReplyDeleteYou found some great fabrics. Lucky you.
ReplyDeleteOooh lovely lovely lovely! (the fabrics and the flowers)...
ReplyDeleteWow! What wonderful fabrics you got!!! :) I am curious as to how you are going to use them!
ReplyDeleteLooks like fun!!! and of course, you have to see at least one quilt shop on vacation! some day, I will tell you about going to a quilt shop in Vegas! My son was not amused.
ReplyDeleteI can just imagine you in that quilt shop, your head spinning in glee. I love Portsmouth! Any time I have family in town I always take them there.
ReplyDeleteWow, I haven't heard that song in a million years, but it was always one of my favorites. I could always picture myself sitting on green grass on the edge of a river, watching the world go by, and smelling the lilacs, mmmmm. The song came right back to me though, every note. So what do you think for our first guild meeting? And we need a name for it too. Get your thinking cap on. I can't wait.
Aw Joanna what a sweet post. I love that song too. I even remember learning it in primary when I was little. I can remember the song leader and where I was sitting in the room. Isn't that strange I should remember that? I wouldn't have been more than 6 probably. I love lilacs. Our season in Alpine is behind a bit so mine arent' out yet. Yours are beautiful. And quilting on the beach!!! Wow. Two wonderful things wrapped up together! And a great quilt shop to visit (I have a couple of those fabrics, too). Love the post.
ReplyDeleteWhat beautiful fabrics! Looks like you had a lovely day and I just love lilacs. I wish we had a lilac bush here. There's a huge one up at the big house, but I don't think she'd appreciate me nicking them!
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