USA and an Echo Park shout out!

I just couldn't help it after I saw THIS I had to make one myself!  I bought the frames 3 1/2" x 5" at hobby lobby (they are half off this week.)  

I cut my paper (which is ALL October afternoon--Rocket Age, it's included in the new Blast Off kit for Scrapbook Circle.  I LOVED working with it so much I bought some more!).  then with my cricut gypsy cut my letters and star.  The vinyl is actually fuzzy and by silhouette, I misted it with Red apple, it's so sparkly and fun!  I had excess spray so I just flipped my letters up and soaked up more ink.  here's a little closeup of the S:

Do you see the sewn edge?  I put the paper in the frame with out the glass and traced the edge of the frame, then set my sewing machine to sew left of the line.  EASY!
The star is distressed just a little bit to give it an edge.

In other creative news my card Happy day was featured on the Echo Park blog today!  So totally excited--thank you ECHO PARK!

after the vinyl had dried from being misted I placed it on the center of the glass--(yes, it's on the outside.)
I put it all together in under 45 minutes--most of that was drying time, well really I did it this morning and was doing the morning routine with the family.... :)

I hope you have a WONDERFUL long weekend--we plan to hang out with family and swim!  Thanks for dropping in!

my favorite zoo in pictures....Echo park flickr gallery....

so I HAVE been creating like mad just want to wait to share.....I know HOW mean! :)  But I do want to share pictures of my favorite zoo.  It's not large, but hold sentimental appeal to me.  We would spend summers with my grandparents, we would visit.  The animals are different than our zoo here in Phoenix.  Once my grandmother went to demonstrate carting wool and spinning.  She was set up in the petting zoo area, I sat next to her knitting.  (I thought I was pretty cool, all I could make was a hot pad....)  Anyway, this year I went with my siblings who were here and my parents.

This guy was so proud, I got about 5 feet away from him, last year he showed me his stuff (oh and our zoo has peacocks--I just think they're cool.):

 and elephants too....

yes, tigers (this was taken through the glass....)

but not coral:

or sea horses:

or monkey puzzle trees (isn't it weird?):

we don't have penguins--they were putting on a show that day:

sharks/tuna either--this makes you feel VERY small, the largest shark in the tank is a nurse shark....

we do have otters, they are ALWAYS fun to watch:

lemurs they were napping....can you imagine this--looks very uncomfortable:

no reindeer or Arctic foxes I think they would melt....

And that is Pt. Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington...

After the zoo we went on the 5 mile drive through this BEAUTIFUL park, it is a five mile loop.  We did stop and have some adventures and saw some amazing heights and views.

the above pictures really is a very scary drop off, it is STRAIGHT down--pictures really don't do justice to this....

below is scottish broom--it's EVERYWHERE, it wasn't blooming last year when we were there but just GORGEOUS!

 Thanks for hanging in there through all the pictures! (sorry about the spaces between pictures--blogger was NOT cooperating today....)

I do have some fun crafty news I was contacted by Jen Gallagher from Echo Park to see if they could feature one of my projects.  I of course was OVER the moon excited.  I asked which one....

it would be THIS one from last year.  One of my FAVORITE creations of all time!  Pretty neat that they have a flickr gallery now we can see everyone's creations in one place.  

Thanks for stopping in!  Hope you are having a GREAT day!

field day. Cars 2!

alright, I found my last layout from the Garden Party kit from Scrapbook Circle.  you might think garden party--boy layout?  Yep:

 I even used my cricut to cut the sunshine shapes out of the numbered paper. I then backed it with another sheet.

Here is a closeup of the star on the layout.  it too was cut with my cricut, but I wanted it to be slightly different, so it was cut from coordination's cardstock then embossed, I then used my glossy accents to fill in the holes:

Cars 2 comes out today!  my house is a buzz of excitement!  ALL the boys are pretty excited! :)

I have to admit that that my daughter and I are looking forward to it too, Cars was so cute and funny!  well, I'm off and running today.  have A LOT to do before the movie!  thanks for popping in!

cardabilities #33 and some FUN scrappy news!

I had so much fun playing with this sketch from Cardabilities, my term hasn't officially started but I still wanted to play!

the sketch:

the card:

supplies used:

Scrapbook Circle July kit!

rubons: making memories

jewel: $1 section Michaels'

So excited to be using up from my stash, the rubons are ones that I've had for 2005!  those are some great rubons, they haven't cracked or flaked in all that time....

my scrappy news?  this morning as I was looking through my blogs (on my google reader) I went to the October Afternoon blog and LOOK!  I was featured with my layout!! :)  Made my day!

today is supposed to be 112 degrees!  yeah, that is DISGUSTING!  I will be staying inside in my nice air conditioned home--LOVE my air conditioning--I DO! :)

I'm off to hang out with the kids, thanks for the visit--hope your day is WONDERFUL!

last week through my lens.....

this special small town is the town where my grandma lives, where my mother grew up.  these are the things which I treasure and was happy to capture through the lens of my camera:

her front door:

her deck which has wonderful views:

she loves to feed the birds:

I will always remember her house for their wind chimes, this particular one came home with me:

 her wonderful garden:

 the ferry:

 yes, that is a prison....far...far...away...that water ICE cold....

 the narrows bridge:

 yes, that is a raccoon, I nicknamed him fatty...I shot this with my telephoto lens ready to run....

 around town, they have historical houses:

 

 

the trains run right behind her house:

 the flowers are not native to AZ:

 the ocean changes so quickly:

 the sky was covered with clouds and parted a little to give a peak at what color the sky was:

 Love the view at night:

 And the last view I had before I came home, those are the Olympics peaking out behind the islands, the first time I saw them the whole time I was there....

 it was a wonderful trip visiting with family remember someone special.  Also, catching some things on "film" that are captured in my mind....

Thanks for stopping in for a visit today!