Tag Archives: Holidays

Washi Tape Cards & Gift Wrap

washi tape craft

I often find myself in a bind when it comes to occasions that require (maybe not require, but look more favorably upon) greeting cards: I frequently forget to buy one. So recently I took inspiration from this pin to create my own card using washi tape. (Side note: washi tape is probably one of the greatest inventions of our time. Right up there with mobile phones and home espresso machines).

It’s simple. Just grab a piece of cardstock and cut it to your preferred size/shape. Then grab some rolls of tape and go nuts! Layer different tapes on top of each other to create unique patterns and color combos. Or just keep it simple, if that’s more your style. I added a paper flower and brad to my little handwritten birthday banner for some extra pizzaz.

As I was digging through my wrapper paper and gift bag options, nothing was really jumping out at me. So… back to the tape! A bit of craft paper, a few pieces of tape, and there you go = A nice little coordinating set šŸ™‚

washi tape craft

DIY Easter Garland

DIY Easter Egg Garland by Two Purple Couches

I really loved how my Valentine’s garland turned out, so I whipped up an easy DIY Easter garland to make my mantel more festive.

I created eggs with felt and a variety of ribbon and the pom-poms with some fun multi-colored yarn. I picked up all of the supplies at my local craft store.

Felt Easter Egg Garland by Two Purple Couches

This would be super-cute with felt bunnies or chicks, too!

Here’s a shot of the garland and my Easter-ized mantel:

Easter Egg Garland by Two Purple Couches

I think it’s pretty cute! And I love all of the bright, springy colors popping off our white mantel.

 

Linking up here:
Photobucket
The Shabby Nest

Spring Forward?

Is it really the end of March? If so, could someone please tell the weather patterns to start cooperating with the normal average temperatures and behaviors for this time of the year? I don’t know how much more of this dreary, snowy, rainy stuff I can take. It literally took everything in me to muster my bee-hind off the sofa yesterday, change out of my flannel pjs into sweats (yea, you read that right), and attempt to put together some springy/Eastery vignettes around the house. Who can get motivated for Easter decor when there’s two inches of snow on the ground? At this point, I firmly believe that it will be 35-degrees with grey, cloudy skies for the rest of 2013. Blah.

Anywho, here are a few signs of Spring that I sprinkled around our house…

framed felt egg -- diy, crafting -- TwoPurpleCouches.com

diy’d washi-tape eggs / framed felt egg / vase via my March UmbaBox

personalized egg -- TwoPurpleCouches.com

My grandma made the eggs in the foreground – she even personalized one for me <3

Hopefully these little signs of Spring inside will encourage more signs outside. Hopefully.

DIY Valentine’s Bookmark

Need a last-minute Valentine idea? How about a bookmark!

S&S bookmark

What you’ll need:

– scrapbook paper

– cardstock

– ribbon or yarn pom (optional)

P&P bookmark

What to do:

Measure and cut both your scrapbook paper and cardstock to the same dimensions; the ones I made are about 6-inches x 2-inches.

Glue your scrapbook paper to your cardstock. Add any extra shapes, letters, whatever you please. I “embellished” mine with some scrapbook paper hearts I made with a paper punch.

If you want to add a tassel, yarn pom or ribbon, use a hole punch at the top of your bookmark, and thread through.

Add a little hand-written note on the back to your special Valentine <3

vday note

What’s your favorite romance novel or romantic story? Mine is clearly of the Jane Austen variety šŸ˜‰

Holiday Traditions: Krohn Conservatory Pointsettia & Train Display

mini Krohn Conservatory - Two Purple Couches

One big holiday tradition in Cincinnati is the train and pointsettia display at Krohn Conservatory. I remembering going as a young child and being mesmerized by the trains; I always loved watching them wind their way around those tiny tracks, and I still do!
The Conservatory was built in the 1930’s and has a cool Art Deco style. The annual holiday display features tons of pointsettias and evergreens as a beautiful backdrop for an impressive train display that snakes all through one of the main areas of the Conservatory. Scattered among the train tracks are replica buildings of some Cincinnati landmarks, all make out of natural materials! There’s even a lifesize Nativity scene on the grounds outside the Conservatory, with live animals (apparently a lamb was born the day we visited, but I didn’t get a pic b/c there were tons of people crowding into the stable to see it).

train tracks - Two Purple Couches

replica bridge - Two Purple Couches
This is a replica of the local Roebling Suspension Bridge that connects Covington, KY and Cincinnati, OH. It served as the prototype for the Brooklyn Bridge, which was also built by John Roebling. The “stones” of this bridge were actually tree bark, cut and applied to look like stone.

pointsettias - Two Purple Couches
I have never seen a speckled pointsettia before. So beautiful. I’d love to fill my house with them, but I’m sure Molly would eat them and get sick.

natural flower - Two Purple Couches
The giant Christmas tree in the Conservatory lobby was full of ornaments made from natural materials. I loved this flower; the petals reminded me of pistachio shells, but I’m not sure if that’s what they actually were.

While we were there, we also wandered through the other Conservatory greenhouses. Here are a few images I snapped in the desert room and the orchid room (my fave!).

succulent - Two Purple Couches

orange orchid - Two Purple Couches

green orchid - Two Purple Couches

orchid - Two Purple Couches

Hope you didn’t mind that this post was so photo-heavy. I took all of these pictures with my iPhone 4s… and am pretty impressed with the quality! Not a bad little camera in that thing!

Do you have a favorite holiday tradition in your city?