This made me smile...

it's lovely right!?

pretty clever too if you ask me.

tara louise. 

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DIY: Chalkboard Labels

Chalkboard labels have been everywhere lately and you can pay an arm and a leg for them. I'm a cheapskate  always looking for a cheaper diy version for most things and thought there must be one for this.
Ages ago I found a few DIYs on pinterest where you directly paint the glass jar with chalkboard paint (i'm still borrowing the laptop and it's a mac and i can't work out how to save/copy a picture to paste in here, so sorry - no pictures to demonstrate what i'm carrying on about).
Now, I'm also lazy and haven't been in the mood to sit down and tape off a heap of jars and then paint them all. As a little experiment Saturday arvo, I had a go with this tutorial. I LOVE it! I can't believe it actually worked either. I was pretty excited and started reorganising my filthy kitchen at about 5pm on Saturday arvo.

It's a simple tutorial, so please keep reading.

STEP 1: Take a sheet of label stickers (any type will do) and simply paint the chalkboard paint onto them. 

Allow it to dry.

STEP 2: Peel off a sticker, stick it onto your jar. 

 STEP 3: Write on it in chalk what will be in it. Then fill your jar.

So simple! I'm so excited about this tutorial. I really am. 

I found it easier to write on the labels before you peel them. I also found it easier to do this with your chalk:

shave off the end with a stanley knife to make a "pencil" and wrapped the length in masking tape so my fingers didn't get all chalky. 

Have a go at this - it's very satisfying! 

I think the next thing on my experimentation list with this is to make some hot pink chalkboard paint and have a go with that. 

i'd love to see your versions of this. put the photos up on my Facebook page. 

tara louise. 

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fridays faves...

Some blogs that i've discovered this week....

 ;

And 3 posts i'm loving right now....

one |   some lovely marimekko decorations: must see and must try!

two |   check out this mt tape expo documented by hello sandwich (heaven and total eye candy for the stationery obsessed!)

three |  this post for beautiful interior ideas

it's been a rough day so that's all for today.

enjoy your weekend.

tara louise. 

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How To: "fake" mt tape

so by "fake"mt tape, i mean digital mt tape i suppose. i love the look of mt tape and created some the other day while playing around on the computer. here is the tutorial:

Start by opening a blank/new workspace ina  photo editing program. i use photoscape, which is a free download and is like photoshop but simpler to use. This tutorial is to create mt tape that is striped. I't's easy and looks effective.

 step 1: Draw diagonal lines on page. Once you do one, you can clone it (press the + button to the left of the box that appears around it) and just keep adding until you have a few.

step 2: When you have a decent amount of lines and you like the way it is all spaced, press the {photo + objects} button. This will flatten the image and makes the lines and everything just one image.

step 3: now go to the crop tab and crop your picture into a long rectangle....this basically shows you know what your mt tape will look like.

You can leave it here if you like this look. Skip through to step 8 step 7 which shows you how to apply it. To add more layers to your tape....continue on and do the next couple of steps.

Step 4:  Repeat the same steps as before to draw another set of lines in. Change the colour or add dots. It's really up to you!

Step 5: Press {photo+ objects} again and this box will pop up. Make sure you tick the {combine all objects with photo} or it says something along those lines. This will erase everything that went off the edges of your "tape".

Step 6:  This is your completed digital mt tape.

Read on to see how to apply it to images now.

Step 7:  Open the image you want the tape to be taped with. Click the picture icon and click {photo}. This allows you to add a photo onto your chosen image.

Step 8:  Your "tape" should now be on your image. Slide the opacity slider to the left so it becomes transparent. Have you ever seen opaque mt tape??? nope, i didn't think so. This gives it the papery see through look the tape has.

Step 9: Use the rotate arrows and spin it around so it  looks like it is sticking the image to the background. I think it always looks best if you leave it on an angle. Then save your image as....make sure to tick the box that says {enlarge your image to include objects outside the image}, this means the top of your mt tape won't be chopped off.

and below is the finished result:

very sweet i think!

if you make these, it would be great to put them on facebook, so everyone else can see your creations and we can all use each others!

tara louise.

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love this to pieces

from new online mag dedicated to paper: paper runway

tara louise.

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finders keepers + op shop finds

i was going to do this post last night however ended up making a mouse trap car (we ended up copying this dude's video tutorial) that needed to be due in today. so here it is this morning instead.

on the weekend i had many markets i wanted to get to. i had my handmade market on the saturday morning which clashed with nothing, but on sunday i wanted to go to finders keepers, the young designer market, the village markets and then read about little jane st's yard sale.  i was already going to finders keepers, so decided to stick to the one side of brisbane and go to finders keepers and little jane st.

I was pretty excited when i walked into winn st and saw the flamingo cafe too!

i was then really excited to get some mt tape and bakers twine from little jane st.

i finally have mt tape!! yeehhaaaaa.

thats a whole post all for itself : )

after driving around in circles for abit (damn you brisbane and your one way streets), we found our way the very close distance to the old museum where finders keepers was. i didn't buy much but loved just seeing how everyone else displays their products on their tables.

i'm always trying to better the look of my table at the markets.

there were 4 rooms full of lovely designers and pretty goodies linked by stalls on the verandah.

i was pretty excited to see the frankie stall too.

and so excited about their new book spaces to be released in a couple of weeks.

i took ma and pa with me and met a friend up there, but unfortunately couldnt stay all day as i had to come back and clean out my house.

wasn't going to wait until my husband didn't feel like it anymore!!

i had a short timeframe and had to act quickly.

i had a great day.

came back full of inspiration.

wish i was as clever as some of the other peeps out there!

tara louise.

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Monday: Make. Create. Sew

mt tape. i seriously want some. thinking of how to get it in the shop. it's pretty. practical. so useful. colourful. fancy. minimalist. coveted.

there are so many amazing things you can do with it.

and it's just so pretty!

at the moment i'm also finding some pretty bits and pieces to pop in my envelope for the envelope project (check out the link on the right).

harder than i thought it would be.

i can't find any pretty bits worthy enough for it.

sure i'll find some more when i clean up.

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Wednesday: Want It. Need It. Love It.

(Love it.)

stripes & florals by taralouise featuring Miss Selfridge skirts

i posted about stripes and florals about a month ago i think and i just can't get this amazing combo out of my head. i just love them both together!! i acquired another striped top on the weekend - $2 country road t-shirt from a garage sale down the road) and i just love it. i also got a pair of floral shorts from the same garage sale (also for $2) and paired them together immediately. i just love it love it love it!!

the other thing i'm loving at the moment is the stapler i treated myself to the other day. i have quite a love affair with stationery and can find joy in the simplest of stationery items, but this is my new love...

(source)

a green baby stapler from smiggle. being a teacher, i've seen smiggle everywhere in the classroom and had never really had a good look in-store. i was surprised and extremely delighted to discover how cheap it is! and how many great things there are in there (however i could easily ban ALOT of their products from the classroom!) this little baby was only $4.95!! and it takes baby sized staples (No. 10) and is oh so simple to use. i love love love it too!

enjoy the rest of your week,

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