C.R.A.F.T. Free Trips: Portland Oregon

I have lived in Oregon all my life and I LOVE it!  There is so much to do and see.  This is one place you have to visit!!

 I was so excited when Jamie from C.R.A.F.T. was asking people to post fun things to do in the cities which they live.

There is so much to do in the Portland area!  Here are just a handful of things my family loves to do:

1.  Portland Rose Gardens.  These gardens are beautiful!  Located just minutes from downtown Portland in Washington Park, the Rose Garden features nearly 7,000 rose bushes, spectacular views of the city .

Local tip: During summer, visit in the early evening when it’s cooler and less crowded.

2.  Portland Saturday Market.  If you love to shop....this place is for you!!

Kids love to scour the booths at this festive weekend arts-and-crafts market (open Sundays too) in search of a handmade souvenir or three. Hours: Open rain or shine, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., March through Dec. 24.

 Admission: Free

3.  Portland Children's museum.  My kids absolutely love this place!!  It's also right across the street from the Portland Zoo!

One of the oldest children’s museums in the country, this beloved institution is filled with a collection of interactive exhibits where little ones can build, sculpt, and splash in the name of discovery. Popular attractions include the Play It Again Theater, which never goes dark, and the Dig Pit, filled with rubber gravel and located next to the Caterpillar Café.

Hours: March 1 - Sept. 6, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. The rest of the year, open Tuesday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Thursday 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Open until 8 p.m. the first Friday of every month, year-round.Admission: Youth and adults (ages 1-54) $9, seniors (55+) and military $8, members and children under age 1 free. Free on the first Friday of each month from 4-8 p.m.

4.Multnomah Falls.  A waterfall as magnificent and memorable as any in the country is located just a 30- minute drive outside of Portland. Visiting Multnomah Falls, a 611-foot-tall roaring, awe-inspiring cascade of icy water, lets you experience the power and beauty of nature up close and with ease. From the parking area off of I-84, a 5-minute 

walk is all that separates you from the exhilarating spray at the base of the falls.

5.  Oregon Coast!  It's as close as a 1 hr. drive and if you visit Oregon, you HAVE to go to the Beach!  It's true that it's colder than just about any other beach you go to, but it is BEAUTIFUL!  This picture is of the Astoria Column in Astoria, Oregon.  This is on the Northern Oregon Coast.  It is gorgeous!  One of my families favorite places to visit!  

6.Forest Park

This park is gorgeous!  So many hiking trails and places to have a picnic!

The 30-mile Wildwood Trail in Forest Park is part of the region’s 40-Mile Loop system that links Forest Park to pedestrian and trail routes along the Columbia River to Gresham, through southeast Portland, along the Willamette Greenway, and back to the Marquam Trail in southwest Portland. 

7.  Smith Berry Farm

Smith Berry Barn is a destination farm and garden market featuring the very best of Oregon’s bounty. Seasonal offerings include U-pick berries, farm fresh fruits and vegetables, specialty herbs and perennials, hanging baskets and more. The historic barn is filled with gourmet foods, distinctive gifts, an espresso bar and milkshakes made with fruit fresh from the farm.

8. Portland Farmers Market

Founded in 1992, Portland Farmers Market is a  nonprofit organization operating six vibrant farmers markets in Portland, OR. Our markets provide a direct connection to over 250 vendors with deep roots in Oregon and Southwest Washington, including farms, nurseries, bakeries, meat and seafood providers, cheese makers and specialty foods producers.

9. Powells City of Books

Spend an afternoon exploring Powell’s City of Books, the world’s largest independent bookstore, covering an entire city block. Boasting more than a million titles, Powell’s is a mecca for bibliophiles searching for used, out-of-print, rare or autographed books. While the browsing isfree, book-lovers will be hard pressed not to purchase something — especially from the bargain tables. Browsers are welcome to take up tothree titles into the coffee shop for perusing. Ride Powell’s three-door elevator – one of only a handful in the United States – or check out the Rare Book Room. Because Powell’s is located in Portland’s Free Rail Zone, transportation between Powell’s and the downtown hotels on the Portland Streetcar is free.

10.  The Grotto

This 62-acre Catholic sanctuary is one of Portland’s most visited attractions, greeting more than 175,000 guests of all faiths each year. Visitors can stroll through this natural gallery in the woods; view the marble replica of Michelangelo’s famous Pietà, carved into the base of a 110-foot cliff; or ride the elevator to the top of the bluff for an impressive, panoramic view of the area’s highlights, including the Columbia River Valley, the Cascade Mountain Range and Mount St. Helens.

Hours: Open year-round; hours vary. Admission: There is no charge to see the lower-level gardens and structures. To access the upper gardens, each visitor must purchase an elevator token. Tokens are $4.00 for ages 12-64, ages 6-11 $2.50, and seniors over 65 $3.00. Children under 6 are free.

I hope you enjoyed seeing some of my favorite places to visit in the Portland, Oregon area.  There is so much more to see, you just have to come visit and check them all out!!

Watermelons!

Even though it's still Spring weather here with lots of the wet stuff, I am still wishin' for Summer!  I love everything about it.

BBQ's, Shorts, Capri's, Pools, Vacation, and WATERMELON!  

I love the color of Watermelon.  It's so pretty:)  I love the deep color of red and green!  Here are some things I thought would be fun to do with a real watermelon and some creative ways to make a watermelon!

Wouldn't it be cool to grow square Watermelons?  I love this picture!!  These are Japanese Watermelons....I saw this on Recipes Room.

Don't these look divine?  I found the recipe on Family Fun.

Yummy Watermelon pie at Makes and Takes.

These sure look Yummy!  Found these art CupCakes, Kisses and Crumbs.

Love this cute Watermelon picnic Caddy.  Saw it at Craft by Amanda.

How about some Watermelon Cookies?  Find the recipe HERE.

Here's my favorite!  I want to make one!!  Find out how to make it on Craft Jr.

Looking at these pictures gets me soooo jazzed for Summertime.  Hope it does for you too!!
Have a memorable Memorial Day...

Cute Posey card tutorial

I did a tutorial for this card a few years back when my blog was in it's infancy.....not very many followers at that time, so I thought I should repost it and revamp the tutorial, now that I have a little more experience! This card is super EASY! I hope you enjoy it!!

Doesn't it just scream SUMMER?

Here are the supplies you need:

-super duper cute paper!  I choose "Quite Contrary" by My Minds Eye.  I love paper that coordinates without me having to think!

-3 buttons

-scissors

-glue

-3 1/2 x 5 card with envelope (you can just cut up a 8 1/2 piece of white cardstock to 2 cards this size!)

-glue dots (gives extra strength to keep the buttons on)

-ric rack (I used green)

First you take a green piece of patterned paper and measure it a tiny bit small than the size of your card.  Can you see my little pencil marks?  

Then you take the paper and rip. Yes, you heard me, start ripping where you marked the paper.  Do it slowly and try to rip in a semi-straight line.

This is about what it should look like when your done!  There should be lots of white paper from the card showing around the edges.  Glue the paper down to the card.

Now, here's the fun part!  Can you see where I drew a flower wiley niley on the pretty flower paper?  Just free hand it.  You can't really screw up, promise!  Then cut it out.

Take that cute little flower and smash it and smash it till it is very wrinkled and you think you ruined it!  It's gonna look fabulous, trust me.

Then, make 2 more flowers like that, and glue them onto the card.  Next, cut the rick rack to the size you need for a stem.  I just measured it from the flower down to the bottom of the card.  Glue the stems down leaning them so they are not sticking straight up, but leaning away from each other. 

 Take a tiny piece of ric rack and tie it in a knot, as seen in the picture above (these are the leaves).  Glue the leaves onto the stems in different places.  

Take some of your green paper to make the grass.  I just randomly cut into the paper making jagged slits in the paper.  Then cute them off to make short little pieces of grass.  Glue each blade on the card as seen in the pictures below.

I know I took a ton of pictures, but I am a visual person:)

Glue the buttons on last with the glue dots.  This will keep those babies on.  Cute, huh?  This is my favorite card!  Could be for any occasion!

Thanks so much for stopping by....

Linking here at these parties:
Tea Rose Home

Answer is Chocolate

Lolly Jane Boutique
Under the Table and Dreaming 
To Sew With Love 
The Creative Crate 
Young and Crafty
Craftomaniac
Skip to My Lou

Thrift store Shelf makeover

Here is my Houndstooth Shelf redo that was posted on Sugar Bee Crafts last week.  I thought I would post it in case you missed it over there.

Like many of you, I have had an obsession with Houndstooth recently.  Don't you just adore how it looks?  There is something about it that makes me want to have it...NOW! 

Well, Here is a project I made last week with an old shelf I bought for about .50 cents at Salvation Army (my favorite store in the whole wide world!). 

Here is what you need:

an old wood shelf, frame...be creative!!

Mod Podge

brayer

sandpaper

Your favorite color of paint

First, I painted my shelf with my favorite spray, Rustoleum Heirloom White.  I let it dry for about 2 months.  You don't need to let it dry that long, it just took me that long to get to this project.  What can I say, I am a procrastinator. 

Don't you love the curves around this cutie?  I fell in love, when I first laid eyes on it.

Next, I found some houndstooth paper at Michael's craft store.  It goes on sale at least once a month.  I can't resist a SALE!

I took the paper, laid it on the shelf and pressed the paper on the shelf, so you can see all impressions of the paper.  Then I cut out the paper.  It worked really well to do it this way. 

Then, I brushed a layer of Mod Podge on the shelf, laid the paper on the shelf, matching all the corners.  If the paper goes over the edge, no big deal, because when it dries, we are going to sand the edges.  I used a brayer to smooth down the paper.  You don't have to use a brayer, but I love my mine!  It works great!

Next, I put another coat of Mod Podge on top of the paper to make sure it sticks down really well.  

After the Mod Podge is completely dry (about 1 hour), sand the edges, getting the excess paper that is hanging off.  Don't forget to sand DOWN!  If you sand upwards, the paper will lift and rip, ruining your lovely project.  

When I was finished, I had no idea what to do with it!  I had this cute little bird, so I painted him with Rustoleum Aqua.  This is one of my favorite colors!  Isn't he cute? 

I looked at it and that blank space above the bird needed something, so I looked to see if my cricut had anything cute I could cut out.  The one I used here is called Flrdelis from the Don Juan cartridge.  I love how it turned out!  It fits perfectly on a little corner in my kitchen!  

Hope you like it!  I love where it is in my kitchen, where I can see it as soon as I walk in:)
Have a great week!!

Black Shirt makeover

My SIL gave me some clothes a while back that she didn't want anymore.  I was happy to take them!  I don't mind hand me downs!  Here is what the shirt looked like before:

It's cute, and I love the gross grain ribbon tie, but it was a little plain and needed some more color.  Here is what I did:

I took some black and white fabric from my stash and cut 3-4 strips about 12-15 inches long and about 2 inches wide.  I liked the thinner strips better for this shirt.  

Now, I didn't take enough pictures for this tutorial and I apologize! 

 I have to tell you something that I have learned lately with my sewing machine.  I made ruffles out of these strips turning my thread tension to about 6-7 and the thread stitch length dial all the way up to 7.  Don't back stitch.

 I was so excited when I found out about this!  It makes the ruffle for you!!  SOOO COOL.  This piece of precious information made me jump for joy.  I was jazzed!!

Here is where I have all the ruffles pinned.  I decided to add a little ruffle embellishment on the right side.   

I pinned it REALLY good.  

Next, I sewed the ruffles on using a regular stitch and making sure I back stitched at both ends.

I made sure that I sewed right next to the ruffle stitch.  Then after I am finished, I could just pull out the ruffle stitch.  

Here is the after picture.  I was really pleased how it turned out!  Here's is what the picture looks like when I took it in the mirror:

Looks like an "S" ha!  Reminds me of those shirts that Laverne and Shirley wore (does that date me big time?)!!  It was NOT meant to be an "S!"

I think I'm gonna wear this to school this week! 

I {heart} Picnik- it's so EASY!

Have you ever used Picnik?  Wow, I just followed THIS tutorial and made this collage!  How cool is that??  And it's FREE!
These are pics from Mother's Day and Easter Egg dying with the fam.  I am excited to try this with lots of my other pictures!

Hope your having a fantabulous Sunday evening:)

Fabric Rosette Headbands

My friends Tami had asked me to make 5 rosette headbands for her granddaughters.  I LOVE, LOVE making these headbands and I have a gynormous amount of fabric that I need to get rid of  use up. I spent a lot of the afternoon today making them, and I love how they turned out.

 Take a gander:

 I am in LOVE with the blue one!  The polka dots make me happy:)

I love how easy these are to make.  Go here for an super easy tutorial!  There is one thing I do that she doesn't in her tutorial.  I like to wrap strips of fabric around the headband first. 

 I think it looks nice and I like to coordinate the fabric with the rosettes.  You don't have to do this, but I did and it doesn't take much time at all!

I just rip a strip of fabric about 1-2 inches wide and as long as you want.  You can always cut off the excess later, or add more if you need too.  I use my glue gun to adhere the fabric at each end of the headband.  EASY!!

  Have a fabulous weekend!! See you Monday with another shirt redo.  I can't wait to show you:)

Linking at these Lovely Blogs:
Young and Crafty
Lolly Jane Boutique
Craftomaniac
I Heart Naptime

Guest Post: Mandy from Sugar Bee Crafts!

Hi everyone!! So excited to be here - thanks Karen!! I'm Mandy, from over at Sugar Bee Crafts:

 

Here's the whole gang on our recent impromtu smores night:

I enjoy all things crafty and have lots of DIY and tutorials on my blog.  I even have a link party on Tuesdays so I can see your craftiness - then I show off a bunch of you on Wednesdays.  You might know me from a few of my fabulously popular posts (click picture to check them out!):

You can see more projects in my new Tutorials Page, so check that out as well.

Today I want to show you how to make a quick and easy Felt Flower Hairclip - -

Grab some scraps of felt and cut ovalish shapes - this doesn't have to be precise.  If you want rounded petals, make them rounded - if you want pointed, make them more pointy.  Cut a few more than you think you'll need - just in case.

Fold the petal in half and sew from the middle to the edge along the fold line - see picture:

Then flip it over and you can see how it made the petal have a little dimension:

Repeat the sewing for all of the petals.  Then get out your hot glue gun and hot glue them to each other however you would like them arranged.

After it's looking how you want it, cut a circle of felt.  Then on the back of your flower, put a puddle of hot glue and press the circle onto it - this will cover the back.  On the front to cover the middle, you can glue jewels, etc.  On one I rolled up a strip of felt and glued that on - on another I wadded up a hunk of felt and glued it in to look like a knot.

To add the clip, cut a square of felt and cover it in hot glue:

Then open your clip and shut the square inside:

Then press it on to the back of the flower and hold until it's stuck down:

Then you can see when you open it the square of felt is holding the clip onto the flower - voila!

You can make these in all sizes - the big ones are great for jazzing up ponytails - here I am modeling it, photo courtesy of my kindergartener:

And my girls modeling theirs:

These are really so quick and easy to make.  Go try it!!


Aren't those just too adorable??  Thanks so much for stopping by Mandy:)