Ode to Marden's

Oh Marden's! How I do I love thee?
Let me count the bolts of $2.99 fabric...

For those of you who do not live in Maine, Marden's is truly a bargain shopper's dream. They buy closeouts and discontinued items, etc., and sell them for super cheap. The Rumford store has a GREAT fabric selection - I can't believe it's just minutes from my house! (Especially because we live in the middle of nowhere with no good shopping nearby.)

My soon-to-be-sister-in-law Jenni and I went there yesterday to buy some fabric to make some pennant banners sort of like this

for her wedding to my brother Evan. Their wedding theme is a bright and fun summer picnic, which I think is so great and really fits them.

This is what Jenni ended up choosing for the banners. I think they're awesome.

There were so many great choices of fabric, and I don't think they sell a single fabric for more than $6 a yard, with nearly all of them in the $2.99-$3.99/yard range. It's so great!

Yesterday was also my birthday (35 - wow) so I had some birthday cash from my in-laws to spend specifically on fabric (thanks Jim and Lorna). Now that's what I call good birthday fun - fabric shopping with someone else who actually likes fabric with nothing in particular to buy except what catches my eye.

This buttermilk cake with chocolate sour cream frosting (made by Jenni, who is a professional baker at http://scratchbakingco.com/ in Portland) was actually my second birthday cake.

We already enjoyed a super tasty one made by my sister-in-law Tami over the weekend, as part of a family dinner/joint birthday dinner for my niece Kaylee and I. Thanks, ladies!