We are finally getting drenched with some of the rain that was dousing our northwest neighbors a few weeks ago. It's one of the few seasonal reminders we have in southern California - until recently, we really hadn't seen any "weather" to speak of - this winter has been incredibly non-existent, and I'm realizing that the threat of global warming is much more than a threat. I know that many of you living in harsher climates might wish you were here, but I really miss the seasons we had when we lived in New York and in Colorado. Sure, the weather here is very moderate and mostly nice, but imagine seeing almost no seasonal change, year after year. Honestly, I get a bit tired of the same old thing and long for the need to shovel snow (I love shoveling snow!), wear wool socks and sweaters, and make the home cozy and inviting for the cold months. I think that variety in the seasons is really what makes us excited when they begin to change, and also what makes us long for the next season when we're deep in the throes of another. Despite my complaints, I *am* enjoying the rain, simply because it's something a little different and I know that spring is coming.
In fact, I found a happy bit of spring for myself this weekend. I normally don't buy fabric at JoAnn's - I have been disappointed many times by the quality of the JoAnn branded fabric - pathetic thread count, weak dyes, etc. But, every now and then I find premium brand fabrics (e.g., Kaufman, RJR, Cranston, etc.) from past seasons at JoAnn's for ridiculous prices. This weekend I got really lucky! JoAnn's was having a weekend sale on their already reduced clearance fabric - additional 40% off - and I decided to take a quick look. I found a bevy of sherbet colored fabrics by V.I.P. Cranston from their Flirty Chic collection for $1.80 per yard! The sale was just a weekend sale, so I decided to buy some of everything. This is what I walked away with:
I just love looking at all these together... I normally don't stick to one fabric line when I make quilts - I love trying to come up with my own pleasing combinations - but these just look so fantastic together! Now I'd like to find a fun quilt pattern that will really show off these happy spring colors - any suggestions?