Tasteful Tatters Winner Announced!

Yay! We have a winner! And lucky #1 is Becca! Just email me your address and we'll get that shipped to you ASAP =) I just love giving away free stuff.

Here is a cover by Owl City that I discovered the other day and it almost brought me to tears. I love this song anyways, but what he wrote really stuck out to be and I hope it inspires you this weekend.

I was up late last night and decided to record a “cover song” of sorts.

Not for anything special, just for fun.

I’m twenty four years old, yet something about this song makes me bawl like a baby. The way the melodies and lyrics swirl together is so poignant and beautiful. If I were to count on one hand, the number of songs that have ever deeply moved me, this one would take the cake. Last night I probably spent more time actually crying at the piano than I did recording it. Such are the secret confessions of a shy boy from Minnesota.

As I’m so often reminded what a priceless gift my life is, I ache with everything in me to make it count, so that when I finally cross the finish line, I’ll hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

To me, there is no greater reward.

Of course, all of this weighs heavily on the spiritual scale, so allow me to be completely honest and say none of it is intended to be “crammed down the throat,” if you will. That is not my intention. This is what I wholeheartedly believe, and to that belief, I remain steadfast until He returns or calls me home.

One thing is certain:

When He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me… because my banner will be clear.

Tasteful Tatters Countdown Giveaway

The Countdown continues! We are officially 1 week from the new Tasteful Tatters website launch! Woohoo! And to celebrate we are giving away another item from our Fall/Winter collection!!

:: Last week, on our Tasteful Tatters Facebook page we asked our fans what item they would like to see in the Giveaway - so here it is - you asked for it... now go win it!

To Enter:

You have until Friday, October 29th to 

1:: Follow us HERE

2:: Friend us HERE

3:: Tweet about us (only 1 entry permitted - don't bother all your friends)
4: Link to our FB Fan page or Etsy shop in a status, blog, tweet, etc

Then, leave a comment here to let me know what you did and I'll randomly select a winner!

DIY: Notebook Lunch Bag

Ok :: back to the real world! No one told me being engaged would be so distracting with - well - life ha. (For more on the engagement story :: go here) Anyways, I have the cutest DIY for you guys today! Perfect for this wonderful Fall weather and for those of you who are trying to be green. I recently got a ceramic Starbucks cup to cut back on my waste - and this little cutie will be perfect for getting rid of plastic bags, or brown sack lunch bags. We're going back to the lunch box ladies and gents :: but turning up the style level a bit =)

>> How stinkin' fun is this! Brought to you by Design*Sponge!

instructions:
1. take your fabric and lay it on a flat surface. measure and cut out a large rectangle that is 34.5 x 33 (the 34.5 should be cut parallel to/along with the stripes, and the 33 should be cut perpendicular/through the stripes). this will be for a bag that is 8.5″ x 11″ (of course!) and 7″ deep. actually, the bag is really 12″ tall so that when you fold over the top and clip it shut you still have a 8.5″ x 11″ writing surface on the front.

2. cut out four 12.5″ squares from each corner of the rectangle. this leave you with a cross shape that is the shape of your bag with .5″ seam allowance on all sides.

3. using cream thread, hem the top of each flap by folding down .5″ into the inside lining of the bag.

4. draw a light vertical pencil line 2″ from the right edge on both the front and back of your bag, on the side of the fabric faces out (the outside of your bag). sew a line of red thread down this pencil line from the very top of the fabric to the bottom of the flap that makes that side of the bag. this is the guideline of your “notebook” paper.

5. now turn you fabric so the inside of the bag is facing out and sew each flap to the flap next to it, sewing in .5″ in from the edge (you can use cream or red thread for this, i used red). when you are finished snip the excess thread and flip inside out.

6. you now have your bag complete!! you can write whatever you want however you want with your black fabric pen. if you want to write it first with a light pencil and then go over it to ensure good penmanship, feel free!

 YOU’RE DONE!! Now enjoy your lunch!!

I'm Engaged!

So many of you have already seen the pics and heard the story... but in case you haven't :: last Sunday I got engaged to my best friend. Andy and I met when I was 10 years old. We were childhood friends and didn't date until half -way through college - and 3 + years later he popped the question! It has been quite an adventure and I wouldn't change any of it for the world. It is going to be so weird finally planning a wedding for ME haha :: so used to doing it for other fabulous ladies.

 > So here is the story: Andy and I decided earlier in the week to head out to Ventura to sell some clothes at the Buffalo Exchange. Something we do all the time, so not really out of the ordinary. While there he kept having to go the the restroom and saying his stomach didn't feel well. I thought that was kinda weird (guess it was nerves!)

So I got this new phone (Sprint Evo :: it's awesome) so I'm not paying attention to the road at all, next thing I know we're driving into Emma Wood camping ground. A place I hadn't been back to since I was a senior in high school at a church camping trip. It was that camp that Andy and I really became close friends so I was thinking - oh how cool that we stumbled across this place!

So we're walking around, reminiscing on all the funny/embarrassing things that happened on the trip and of course I don't suspect a thing. We see these kite surfing guys with those cool para sail type kites in the air so we start walking towards the water. I immediately see this cute little set up on the rocks & my immediate reaction was, "oh my gosh - someone must be doing a photoshoot! how cute!" It took me awhile but I finally got it =) Andy got all these cool vintage books and glued the pages together & cute out squares where he put these Polaroid photos of himself holding these signs with nice little messages on them ::: awww.

So... the best part:: my old roommate and her photog hubby were hiding in the bushes capturing the WHOLE thing! They are amazing photographers :: should definitely check out their fabulous site Troy Grover Photographers

This is me shocked to hear that Aimee & Troy were there!

My handsome fiance

I said Yes!

 

>>> Let the planning begin!!

Blog Design Giveaway!

Happy Thursday Bloggers!

So excited to share with you guys this amazing giveaway from Lindsay over at her Blog Design Shoppe. She designed my blog (the one you're reading right now!), the blog design before this one, as well as  my website - can  you tell I love her work?? She is AMAZING! And her work just keeps getting better and better. I love these new designs - how awesome that you can get one for free! Hurry the giveaway ends TODAY at 5pm!

So you'll definitely want to enter!

Check out all the details HERE

And The Winner Is....

I apologize for the lateness of my post! Originally, I planned to pick the winner Sunday and then do the whole write up for the post to be ready by Monday. However, my well scheduled out plans had a little bump in the road >>> I got engaged!!! Crazy - I know. Obviously, Andy doesn't read my blog haha! (come back later this week to see photos from the engagement documented by the amazing Grover Photography duo

:: So with out further ado, the winner for the first Tasteful Giveaway is... JAF!

WooHoo! All you have to do is email me your address and I will ship it to you- yay for winners!

Here's a little sneak peak of our Tasteful Tatters shoot (more coming soon!)

Big Changes :: Giveaway!!

Bride wearing custom Tasteful Tatters veil. Photography by Margaret Jacobson

I know I've been MIA lately in the blog world. I apologize. Well... not really! The reason for my absence is some very exciting stuff is happening with my Etsy Shoppe Tasteful Tatters - like a lot. And I've been a tad bit busy haha. I'll be slowing leaking out more details throughout the month: but just to give you a little sneak peak -  

Launching our new website :: November 1st

Showcasing in a huge boutique :: November 7th

Featured in Yoo N' LA Magazine :: TBA

:: Doing a whole slew of giveaways before then!! ::

>>> So, first up on the agenda! Giveaway Numero Uno: Follow us on Twitter and or Facebook!

You have until Monday, October 11th to 

1:: Follow us HERE

2:: Friend us HERE

3:: Tweet about us (only 1 entry permitted - don't bother all your friends)

>> Then, leave a comment here to let me know what you did and I'll randomly select a winner!