a Kawaii Cute Fruits give-away!!

as promised.








I really enjoy making gift tags! They're practical, super cute and the perfect finish for any gift. When I was about 5 years old, I had 2 dream jobs. One was to work for Crayola, naming the different colors of crayons and markers. :) Seriously, how cool would that be!! The second job was to gift wrap presents. (ahh, the dreams of a 5 year old :) Even after all these years, I still am so in love with papers and ribbons, and making gifts look pretty!!



So lets hear it, what was your dream job as a kid?!! I'll do a random number pick from the comments on Friday!!

she...

is one of my favorite crafty friends! We stay up entirely too late every night she's in town. I try teaching her every thing I know, but little is actually accomplished because we're too busy catching up with one another. I always look forward to Danielle visiting, and Alaina loves her sooo much!!

I've been working on so many fun projects lately that I'm a little behind now with the blog. I'm guest designing this summer for a couple of super cute people, so my next couple of posts will be filled with scrapbook stuff! I'm also doing a little give-away.... or RAK, whatever you want to call it. I made a set of gift tags, and since they're my new fav thing to make, I thought I'd give away the newest set. Must take some photos of them first. :)

I have brownies coming out of the oven in a few minutes. The house smells like chocolate. Yum!!! Happy Fathers Day, to all of the dads in my life. ~ T

i'm leaving on a jet plane....

or rather a large SUV. I got a very nice offer that I couldn't refuse, and I'm now taking the kids and heading south to Tucson for a few days, and we're leaving in the morning. So, this changes my plans a little for updating my store. I've had lots of family coming and going for the past 5 weeks, and I really had planned on working the entire week to be ready for the update, but a full house can change plans as I've come to realize.

Fingers crossed** I'll be ready this weekend. I'm also finishing my project for the kit that I put together for the store. I feel like I always want to have a sample that goes along with a new product. I love pretty little projects!

Some highlights from this past weekend:

*Making the best fresh lemonade
*Shopping at Anthropologie with Grandma Judy & Alaina
*talking with the sweetest person on the phone about her horse ranch
*Bringing home a couple more bouquets of Peony's
*Finding a cute pink vintage makeup hard case (just like the one my grandma had)
*Making Mickey Mouse Waffles for the family at Sunday breakfast



I need to pack some suitcases tonight, and a couple of cameras. Alaina's been packing her bag and it's now full of Barbie's and Bratz dolls. :) Hopefully I'll be posting some good photos of beautiful south AZ when I return.

Placemats, part 2

a quick post, with mostly photos. I've found that I'm much better at showing someone how to make something, rather than trying to explain it. It's most likely because I tend to learn more that same way. Here are a few photos of a placemat I made yesterday.

1.I gathered a bunch of pages from some magazines.



2. Then fold the page in half, about 3 times.



3. you'll need about 20 folded strips of paper and they don't have to be exactly the same width.



4.I used a long piece of tape to hold the edges of paper together. It makes sewing them together easier.



5. Once you've sewn along both edges of the place mat, carefully remove the tape, and continue sewing down the length of the placemat.



Hopefully the photos will help explain the process a little better! If you have any questions feel free to ask!

Repurposed Placemats

On a mission to find cute placemats for a dinner party I was having this past Sunday, I ran into Pier One. I found these placemats that were made from magazine articles all sewn together. I didn't purchase those, but the idea stayed fresh in my mind, and once everyone had left the house, I knew just what I would be staying up late to create. My own repurposed magazine placemats... only more colorful.




As it turns out, they are super-duper easy to make and only took me about an hour to make 2 placemats. I used 2 Modern Brides magazines for mime. (my favorite magazine ever!) I just tore out the advertisements that were brightly colored or that had interesting photos/graphics. Don't worry if you didn't tear the entire page evenly, I went through and trimmed each page to about 3/4 to 1/2 the size of the original page. Fold the torn pages in half, and then in half again and in half one more time. (3 folds all together) I used 20 strips of paper for each place mat. I took a piece of scotch tape, sticky side up and arranged the strips of paper so that the edges were stuck to the tape. This made sewing so much easier! I just sewed down the length of each placemat about 12 times, and then took the tape off. If you want to seal them, which you probably will, you can use a few coats of matte or gloss mod-podge for paper, or clear contact paper.

Hopefully this is easy enough to follow along, but if you'd like, I can always make another quick placemat and take step-by-step photos? They really are so simple and fun to make. Hope you like them!!! I'm thinking of making some scapbook paper this same way too. It'd be a great way to re-use my ever growing stash of magazines!

may I have your attention please...

My name is Tara and I suck at blogging. Yes, there is no way of getting around the fact that I am a terrible blogger. I admire so many woman that seem to be able to manage their time well enough to keep clean homes and find the time to blog after the dishes are washed and the kids are asleep. I however, am not there quite yet. Granted my home is clean, and the dishes must be washed right after the last person has finished their dinner, my kids are tucked into bed around 9pm and by 10:30, I'm usually ready to start work. Unfortunately, my cute blog isn't included in the category of work. Guilt ridden, I'm back... and making a mid year resolution, to blog at least twice a week. I seem to have been introduced as crafter/blogger alot recently, which makes me a bit anxious because in fact I'm not a blogger, an imposter blogger would be a more accurate title. But I will be diligent in my efforts to uphold my resolution. With that, my sincerest apologies if you check in regularly to see if I've posted!!

this post is a rambling mess in itself but it's something I felt compelled to write about. Up next is a post about placemats, making your own that is. Be back in about an hour.

i'm running late!

First off, Sorry!! I'm checking in quickly to say that my inbox is over-loaded with emails I haven't opened yet. So if you've emailed in the past week and a half, I'm not ignoring you!! We all have been sick with a virus, lots of trips to the doctors and a trip to the emergency room for Alaina, and I'm hoping to not have a repeat of that with Chase. He's the last one that needs to get over this and then, fingers crossed, no more illnesses! xo ~ Tara

twitter

So, now I have a twitter page too. :) We'll see how many different sites I can keep with. :)) I'm having a hard time trying to find people I know have profiles with them, I guess I'll have to play around over there until I get the hang of it.

http://twitter.com/thepinkcouch

I'm suppose to be getting a couple of scrapbook pages done today, but it seems as though I'm easily distracted! :) I'm also working on a new flower tutorial for next week. Be back soon with that! xoxo ~ Tara

most of my ideas,

start with a combination of colors that I like. I love color! When I was little I loved when Grandpa needed to go to Home Depot, because not only could I tag along with him, it also meant a stop by the paint sample counter. Don't all kids like those paint sample cards?

from this combination of colors:



to the actual products


Fast forward 20 years, and now I just make my own little color samples. I put together a new 'Color Idea' book over the weekend. It's an index card book, that I made a quick cover for (must love random stickers and left over rub-ons!!) and started adding little squares of paper. Combos that I want to remember next time I need a creative spark of inspiration. :) and it's only 3x5 inches, perfect fit for in my bag so I can take notes when I'm out and about.



a page from my color book


So, the next time you're at Target look for a little index book. I also made one for Sketches, I'll share the contents of that one later. Happy weekend!

thrifty finds,

I love to go to thrift stores! Didn't care too much for it as a child (old stuff that smelled funny) but I really do enjoy hunting for new/old treasures. I love finding things that I imagine one of my great-grandmothers would have owned or made. Once, while at my favorite second-hand store I found a very worn sewing kit, and inside were projects that were only half finished. Of course, I had to give the kit a home, and I finished one of the embroidered pillow cases. (I also cut it all up and then used it on a scrapbook page, but that's another story.)

I was so-so excited to find a large bag of vintage seam binding and lace during a recent treasure hunting expedition. After getting home and opening, or ripping the bag apart like a child on Christmas Day (either one works), I found 60 packages of seam binding and lace in the most perfect shades of pinks, greens, and yellows. I've tried to explain to my husband how truly monumental of a find this was, but he doesn't seem that awe-struck by it. and so, I dedicate a whole blog post to old sewing things that will be used on new scrappy projects.

Thanks for the great ideas!

So, I took everyone's advice and sorted through everything to make smaller ( & more manageable) little groups! I'll warn everyone now though, that my photos are less than stellar. I'm so use to having alot of time on my hands to arrange my photos and spend the time editing, well, with 2 little ones now, I don't have so much spare time anymore. I'm taking a 'good enough' approach to my photographs this time around.

I'm hoping for Saturday and Sunday to get everything into the store. I've made groups of buttons, stickers/rubons, Prima/Making Memories flowers, ribbon, a couple of smaller scrapbook kits and 1 big-huge one, Jolees, idea books and magazines, stamps, chipboard shapes, titles and journal tags, paper packs..... that might be everything. I love Spring cleaning!!





46 cards of vintage buttons. (I've been collecting these for a little while!) I love using whole cards of buttons for scrapbooking!!

a craft yard sale!

I've been spending a few weeks now reorganizing my studio. I've already went through and sold locally all of my paper, because there is nothing in the world that I hate to ship more than scrapbook paper. But now I have two huge boxes of embellishments and other crafty things to sell. But I need some advice!

What is the easiest way to sell everything?





**The last time I cleared out my studio I sold everything all at once in one very large, very heavy box. I'm thinking that would be the easiest thing for me to do. The thought of having to photograph every item is a little overwhelming. Any good ideas out there??

If life worked as a drive up window..

this is how my order would sound:

I'll take 3 cases of Bronchitis, (1 for me and each of the kids) 3 trips to the doctors and pharmacy, 4 boxes of tissues, and 2 breathing treatment machines.

will that complete your order?

No, actually can you add one large sinus infection for me too. Thanks

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It does kind of make me laugh when I think about how bad this past week has been. It's been very eventful, both good and bad. I had lots of time to think while I was sick and suppose to be sleeping. (Thank the heavens above that my husband is as helpful as he is!! He's a good little nurse to us when we're all sick!) It seems though that we're slowly getting over it. Chase and Alaina are on meds and are doing breathing treatments every 4 hours. Two little kids sick at the same time has been quite the adventure..... one I'm hoping I won't be going back on any time soon!

I had time to complete a huge little mini book! (if that makes sense) I've been making these only as custom orders for almost 4 and 1/2 years now, and this one is the first non-custom book I've made. A first time for everything!! A few photos:





I added in a little blank notebook, because I know that I'm always looking for something to write on when I have an amazing idea (in my opinion of course). Color combos, scrapbook page sketches, ideas for embellishments.... my list could go on and on!




I'm already planning the next book I want to make for myself. I need to reorganize the studio and then I will disappear for a week and reemerge with a brand new book! I'm also trying to talk the husband into taking a day trip somewhere sort of close by. I have a bit of cabin fever being stuck inside so much. I would love to drive up to Sedona or even Prescott, but I think we shall wait until Spring when the forests are green again! Maybe just a quick trip to the lake this weekend. :))

I am..

sick.......again. How does one catch 2 colds in 2 months? Luck I suppose, mixed with a little talent. I've traded catching up on emails for sleep. Chase is also sick, it makes for a very long and tiring day. If you're waiting on an email, it's coming, hopefully this weekend. (Sunday & Monday) I'm off to make some more peppermint tea and start a pot of chicken noodle soup.

have you....

ever had one of those weeks? Where you look at your inbox, expecting to see 'Bill Notification' and instead are greeted with an email subject line that makes you look twice? I have! This past week has been so unexpected and out of the ordinary but exciting and busy all at the same time!

The store and one of my scrapbook pages are being published!! Yay for handmade!! and drumroll please............... I'm now designing for Danielle Thompson with Kitschy Digitals!! I've been a fan of hers for so long, well since I got into scrapbooking about 4 years ago! I'm so overjoyed at the opportunity to be working alongside some incredible talent! I don't think I could ever fully commit to only digital layouts, I love paper and glue too much, but hybrid layouts are right up my alley, and so I'm very fortunate to be designing with such gorgeous digital kits. It truly makes scrapbooking easy when you love the products you work with.

With that said, here is the newest page I made yesterday morning, the whole page took about an hour! I really wanted the focus and the color to only be Danielle's products so I started this page by taping the edges with some scotch tape, then took 2 pieces of lace and placed them over the paper and spray painted with black to give the pattern of the lace. (I wanted more of the teal to show through and less of the actual lace.) All of those packages of Basic Grey rub-ons I've been collecting over the years came in handy! I added the rub-ons over the spray painted areas. I printed the feathers and flowers/leaves onto textured cardstock, and then cut each out and layered everything together, add in some real feathers and voilà! It is finished!! A super simple and quick layout, with a little punch of color!




* I used the Feather kit and the Olivia kit from Kitschy digitals. *

and just like that....

I'm back! I'm not sure how I feel about Blogger, I log out only to be greeted with an error message, time after time, when trying to log back in. It's what lead to the demise of my first blog..... I will play around with the idea of switching over to Typepad as so many have before.

As for my little Giveaway! Jennifer who left a comment here on the blog, was so lucky to be picked by Alaina who said that she liked her name! :) I'm so excited to be back on a workable routine, and have so much exciting news and photos to share! We're on our way out tonight to celebrate. Be back shortly for more updates and new photos!

xoxo~ Tara

a celebration ~

We celebrated Alaina's 4th birthday yesterday! Where does the time go? I think now that she's getting to be older, and understands different holidays and celebrations, it's even more fun to share in her excitement. Before bed last night, she told us that 'today was the best day of my life!" I love-love that little girl!

While I was working on a project, she came over to ask if I could make her a chocolate cake with pink icing and sprinkles, that she could hang in her little play kitchen. (Alaina truly believes her mom can make anything out of paper!) So we headed into the studio to gather up supplies, and I made a little birthday-cake wall hanging for her. She was so excited, she absolutely loves chocolate cake and sprinkles right now!

It has a very 'Charlie and Lola'-ish feel, one of our favorite tv cartoons! I'm so in love with that show~ the music and the hand drawn characters!! I'm always inspired to make something every time we're able to watch an episode! I'd love to know what shows/movies inspire you to create!

one more photo ~ of a little gift adorned with girly flowers and a sparkly butterfly~ I have entirely too much fun gift wrapping!

Happy Friday!

Since the month of September is all about celebrating (birthdays and a new baby!) I though it was a perfect time to start something new for my blog! My first monthly-kit giveaway!!



Each month, I'll be giving away a kit, filled with colorful little products from my Etsy shop. I have the most wonderful and loyal customers that I thought it would be fun to do a little something extra! There will be 2 ways you can enter, for each product sold on Etsy your name will be entered into the drawing, or just leave your name below in the comments. (This way all of my Flickr friends are invited as well!) I'll be picking a name (or my daughter, rather, will be choosing) on the 25th of Sept. ~Good Luck!!~

Summer Blueberries

Blueberries, or rather all berries really, bring back summer memories at Grandma's house! Warm summer evenings are the perfect setting for serving berry-desserts, and who doesn't love sweet berry-muffins! Blueberry muffins are always a hit in my home, and with a simple recipe, these muffins will surely impress your family!




Blue Berry Muffins
will make 11 to 12 muffins

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 cup fresh blueberries

Crumb topping:
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

2. Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil, the egg and milk into a separate bowl and stir to incorporate ingredients. Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture. (I always pat down the crumb topping slightly, and then a little more.)

3. To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

4. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done. Remove muffins to a wire rack, and let cool just a bit before serving.

Enjoy!

Something New!

Why a pink couch? Who doesn't love the feeling of a big comfy couch to settle into and daydream about all of those creative projects waiting to be started?!! I really hope to create a warm & cozy 'living room couch' feel for this blog. A place to drop in and find some crafty inspiration and maybe even a few tips and tricks for the inner domestic-goddess in us all!