Cape Cod Getaway

I left Thursday morning, to spend a few days in Yarmouth with my cousins. I always have a great time when I go to Cape Cod for mini vacations. I love visiting the small shops, quilt stores, thrift stores and of course going to the beaches and eating delicious seafood. I live less than an hour from my cousin's, but I always enjoy my visits.
After, I cross the Bourne Bridge I travel down Route 6A. 6-A is scenic and has lots of lovely old homes. The scenery is always beautiful no matter what season it is. Traveling the back roads of the Cape is the only way to see how the Cape use to be, before it got so commercialized. The old half houses, picket fenced yards, stone walls, flowers...so pretty.
I made a stop at Tumbleweeds, quilt shop on 6-A on my way to Yarmouth. The wisteria was absolutely beautiful climbing on the wooden trellis as you enter the shop. Wisteria can be found blooming all over the Cape this time of year, and you can see it growing wild on the sides of the road.

closeup of the wisteria flowers

At Tumbleweed's I bought 2 quarter yards of owl fabric, needles to use with metallic thread for my sewing machine, a container of gold and silver Lumiere paints, and 29 little bits, which are 1/8 yard fabric pieces for 50 cents each. I found 10 of these in Batik fabric's. I love these little bits, because they are great for using for applique's and fabric ATC's.

With my cousin we hit several thrift shops so I could look for old lace, fabric, glass for garden totems, embellishments or whatever caught my eye to use in my art.

I didn't find much this time in the way of old lace, but I did find a large piece of off white wool that had a small stain, some small plaid pieces of wool. I use the wool for felting projects. I want to try making some small penny rugs with the wool that I have collected over the past couple of years. I also found an old hankerchief, and a small crocheted doily. The small pieces of wool and the large white wool piece came to a dollar, the hankchief was 50 cents, and the stained doily was 25 cents. I was thrilled with my bargains.

I also picked up the new Touring the Thrift Shops of Cape Cod brochure. The brochure tells the hours and shops addresses of thrift stores in the different towns on the Cape.

I have been looking for glass ware lately. I want to create some glass garden totems, bird baths and bird feeders with the pieces. An online friend, Shelly Rae, showed us some of the wonderful pieces she and her husband have created.

 The glass/porcelain  in the photo below are pieces I have found over the past couple weekends. I did find a small blue plate in a thrift shop while I was on the Cape. I found a vase with swirled colors in a Saver's store in Plymouth last Wednesday that is beautiful. The pieces have ranged in price from 25 cents to $2.00. I still need to find more pieces and pieces to use for toppers. I will add the finished pieces in my flower garden in the back yard.

I also stopped at Colorful Creations, on Main St, Hyannis. I love this scrapbook store as the owner carries a great selection of paper, stamps, and all kinds of supplies. I was looking for new Tim Holtz products, but I didn't find any new items, as their new product shipment hasn't arrived yet.
 At the store, I did buy 2 small stamps that were 75% off.  I also bought a mermaid stamp. So, between the ocean/beach themed papers, and finding a mermaid stamp that I didn't have, I was happy.

I always like finding new beach themed papers, and mermaid images.

My cousin, her mom and I also took a ride to several of the nearby beaches. Friday turned out to a gorgeous day in the afternoon. The ocean was so blue, and the beach sand warm and beautiful. I love walking on the beaches with the wind in my face, and the smell of the ocean breeze, and hearing the gulls. 

 I saw beach plum shrubs in bloom at one of the marshes that we went to. When I was a child Beach plum bushes could be found everywhere there was sandy soil. My mother use to make Beach Plum jelly with the fruit, and it was so good.

I saw several Osprey nest. Their nest are built on high platforms in the marshes, or in the water. The nest are big and bulky, made up of  sticks that they keep adding to each year. I tried getting pictures, but the birds didn't

co operate by standing up in the nest so I get a picture of them. We have osprey here too, but I love watching them whenever I see them.

My cousin and I had planned on doing crafts while I visited, but that just never happened this time. We ended up just going shopping, eating out, and going to the beaches. I had a wonderful time while I was away, but then I always do when I spend time with my cousins. 

 I got back home after 8 p.m., last evening. I was afraid if I stayed away too long, I would come home and find that my husband had brought home a puppy. I'm still not ready to get another dog.

Hope you all had a nice weekend. I know I did.