'twas a beautiful day in my neighborhood

I spent a gorgeous morning with my friend Vicki at Coyote Point Park wogging the Bay Vista 5K.  

Aside from the great (sustainable) swag we received for this event, it supports a good cause, Building Peaceful Families. I also ran into (haha!) my x-running buddy Mike, who was manning the hydration booth sponsored by the store he works for.

I met some of Vicki's friends/co-workers and after the race, got to ride an electric bicycle manufactured by the husband of one of the ladies.

I think I look just like I did as a kid.  Some things never change, huh?!  LOL! (This is one of Vicki's shots.)

Vicki and I also strolled around taking some more pictures...

Doesn't paddleboarding look like fun???  I wanna try!!! (I think that's either SF or Oakland in the background.)

We finished up the afternoon shooting some snowy egrets and Canadian geese...

I think the two egrets in the middle look like Danny DeVito's Penguin from Batman Returns!

Sorry for all the bird pixs, it was too irresistible to not take a bazillion photos!

I worked on another card for the challenge/swap @ Simply ArTistiC.  It may look familiar : .)

I got the frame/mirror for $.50 at the flea market on Saturday!

I also started my first contribution to an Alice in Wonderland themed trade with Penny...just a little sneak peek for now!!!  heh, heh, heh!!!

I'm off to the Pacific Northwest on Wednesday to hang with friends and run Hood to Coast with some co-workers, so I'll be offline for a week or so.  I'm runner #11 (legs 11, I think 23 & 35, click on Course Maps under Race Information if you're interested in exactly what that involves.  My 2nd leg is around 2:20 am on Saturday, my last leg is the longest and hardest, uphill, when I'll be tiredest, yikes!!!  

I'll post pixs when I get back!  

Have a gud week!!!

so shine the light on all of your friends...

Its that time of the week again, the current song for the challenge at 

Scrapping the Music is 

The Remedy by Jason Mraz...

Did you know that Jason owns an avocado farm in San Diego County?

(Near my hometown!)

I love how he sings out of the side of his mouth : .)

Go see & listen to the acoustic version of the song at YouTube, 

its just fan-tas-tic!!!

 I took cardboard and painted it with gesso and acrylic paint, 

spritzed it a bit with spray ink for the base.

The sun and the flowers are tagboard, covered with

parts of an old sewing pattern (altho' you can't see that!),

and also sprayed with ink.

The photos form a heart, the idea was on a design site,

of which I can't remember the name.

Thickers and stamped alphas,

Martha's punched butterfly,

and of course, some of the song's lyrics.

Other fun...

 I went to spin class today, the first time in 2 weeks! 

I've been running and hiking, but

not cycling.

It was good!

Things are going well lately!

I've been having a run of good luck,

winning stuff, getting invited to do stuff, completing stuff!

I am quite happy!!! : .)

i found myself in wonderland

so yeah...

I have a huge list of things-to-do & promises (sorry Pens!) to keep
and instead I decided to work on a new challenge/swap,
which is over at simply ArTistiC.  

are you surprised that I'd be interested in an ATC challenge site???  

 hee!!!

my card...

Alice in Wonderland ttv self-portrait.
doncha you love the striped tights?!

I created the card based on the dress worn by Avril Lavigne
in her video for Alice,
as well as the song lyrics.

 card staging inspired by Debee Campos/Ruiz : .)

I love Debee!

ttv stands for Through the Viewfinder, 

specifically through my kodak duaflex camera, 

a gift from the gorgeous Madame Cupcake, 

shot with my coolpix digital.  

I personally like the over-exposed, messy, scratchy, aged,
out of focus, speckly ttv photos best, 

'cause what's the point of all the effort
if you're gonna take a "perfect" picture???!!!  

 LOL!!!

close-up of some of the bits! : .)

my Dad came back thru the bay area on Friday,
which gave me the opportunity to have him finish
a few projects that I had outstanding from his earlier visit...

isn't it a beauty???  Ikea.  gotta love it!!!
I got this b/c I just knew that I would never work in my craft closet upstairs,
so now I have storage in the living room.
I want to hang a curtain to hide my supplies.

we also hit the flea market again this morning
(at 6:30 am, on a SUNDAY no less!  eek!)

Dad & I scored some great goods!!!
Dad got tools!

I got...

awesome hand embroidered pieces for a dollar each!!!

cool shadow box for another dollar!

and a rusty star votive holder...I paid way too much for this,
but couldn't talk the seller down.
I'm happy because
now I don't have to go to San Antonio, TX to get one!!!
hee!
(some rude man told me I was a sucker for paying more than a dollar, what a jerk!)

time to cook dinner for Pops and get things ready for the work week!
I hope y'all had a gud weekend!!!

: .)

'cause there's beauty in the breakdown

this week's song 

for the challenge at Scrapping the Music 

is Frou Frou's  

Let Go

I didn't think I had any connection to the song,
so I wasn't going to do a piece this week.

but apparently I did...

this morning,

I was looking for some thank you cards I made

and I came across a bunch of pictures

taken by my friend Chad.

one photo in particular, 

a hummingbird in flight was my favorite

because hummingbirds remind me of my Mom 

who died in 2003 

and Chad knew this.

Chad gave me a custom 8"X10" print of this photo.

it was soon after that Chad decided that 

I should embrace photography

and gave me my first digital camera.
what a defining moment!

Chad also loved music, 

and was a budding musician.

one of his favorite bands was Frou Frou...

in 2004, Chad decided to take his life.

it was a huge loss of a generous spirit
&
 a brilliant and talented person.

this morning, it was as if he was talking to me.

so here's my piece for the STM challenge...

~ dedicated to Chad ~
 I miss you!

we've no time for later now...
 

that's my signature Linda music lyric background : .)
spray paint splatters,
a technique I learned in
Debee Ruiz's {Inspire Lovely} class last week
a feather I found in my friend  Mary's backyard,
Stamper's Anonymous clock stamp,
dymo'd lyrics,
deco tape,
paper flowers,
a piece of a doily from Sharmaine,
and a copy of
Chad's hummingbird photo.
(and yeah, its obviously my signature layout style {she chuckles})

I credit Estor for suggesting the black & white theme.
thanks Estor! : .)

I broke the #1 rule of hiking...

NO COTTON SOCKS!!!

Or there will be blood.

And there was.

ow.

Bisters, on both heels, big ones  : .(

The hike was nice tho'...8 miles of hills.  eek!

 Can you see the bubbles in my water bottle?!
Coolness!!!

A couple of views from the trail.


I love these red reflections from the sun.

Sometimes I can get macro mode to work!  LOL!

Look closely...What can you see?

Mama deer looking back at me!

I also "volunteered" at the Scrapbook Expo.

It was a pretty good gig,

work for 4 hours and make $36.

The perfect amount of spending $$$.

A budget.  LOL!!!

Here's my haul...

Graphic 45 has the coolest (new) papers for Halloween,
they're called Hallowe'en in Wonderland!
I only got one sheet, I wanted the entire collection, but...
I also got cool buttons,
music note brads,
gel pens,
a Tim Holtz masque,
black paper roses,
and
some skelly and lace trim.
Its all quite neutral,
I have a hard time buying colors...

Shan & I have plans to hit the DeAnza Flea Market tomorrow.
Then I'll be off to Donna's for dinner.
I gotta bake some cookies for her girl!
Also,
Long run, crafting, and deck furniture finishing.

Busy, busy!!
I hope can get everything done!
: .)

Shiny Happy People

Scrapping the Music's challenge song for this week is 

REMs Shiny Happy People : .)

Concurrently, Marit had posted a challenge to create a "skinny" layout, 

something thin & long

maybe 4"X12" or 3"X10"...

I got both challenges, I think! : .)

I would have liked to have planned better & 

  taken more time to develop my piece, 

but my weekend was booked, 

 and a deadline is looming,

so here it is

in all its glory!

 hee!!!

(I got the idea for the happy faces from the X husband...)

I dedicate this to Smiley Julie who loves happy faces!

A Beautiful Meeting

Today at the Renegade Craft Faire
I had the pleasure of meeting one of my
artistic/scrapbooking/entrepreneurial crushes, 

Elsie Flannigan 

of A Beautiful Mess/Red Velvet Art fame!!!

I'm still acutely embarassed about babbling incoherently, 

AND asking for photos, 

AND not asking the questions I really wanted to ask. 

Talk about being STARSTRUCK!!!

Aren't Elsie and her sister, Emma just darling?!  

That made my day!

The next time I'm in the presence of such {holy} cuteness, 

I promise, I will suck in my stomach!
: .)

200 indie art vendors and a massive mob of people,

great energy, so fun!!!

I spent a lot of quarters here today! 

I got the coolest gift for my biking friend, Jack!
I heart running necklace!
Screen print poster! (not this original!!! LOL!)
Face stuff! (I love the anti-aging serum!)

I guess that means pb&j for lunch for the next 2 weeks!

hahahaha!!!

oh, and on a completely unrelated note...I vote no on the pretzel m&m's.
yuck.