Paper Goodness

Paper Stories is Here!

Hello Lovelies! I've been so busy but I don't want to keep the photos away (or suspense up) for any longer! The Grand Opening of Paper Stories was such a huge success! A very special thank you to all of my wonderful friends and family who traveled both near and far to celebrate with both Kelly and I. It was a fabulous turnout and I already miss seeing each of your faces already! 

For those of you who could not make it- thank you for all the sweet notes and phone calls... you were all in my thoughts too! Hope to see more of you in the coming weeks, we still have lots of goodies in store and more coming soon!!!

Now if you'll please forgive my non-color corrected photography.... shipping 1000 cards in the next 2 weeks ;)

Here is the Grand Internet Reveal of PAPER STORIES- Boutique and Workspace:

View- walking in the front door:

The hand-silk screened wallpaper from Julia Rothman at Hygee & West

Fun Chalkboard frames made by Kelly

The Boutique Side... sooo pretty!

Wedding Album and display is very green... or should I say VERT by Yoko Chapman

The Inspiration Alcove (still some work to do over here!)

The un-paper goodies.... yumm!

Oh, just one more cupcake please! Boy, those SugarBliss Cupcakes sure went fast!

A popular lady: Chandy P

Chandy's lil' friend:

Custom Aprons made for the event by: MyDirtyLaundry 

Me in my cute lil' apron... they are reversible and were a huge hit!

Thanks for sharing in the fun! See you soon!

xoxo,

tam

Paper Stories Opens this Saturday!

What is Paper Stories? 

Paper Stories is an eco-friendly paper boutique and workspace located at the Shops of Station Square, on the nationally acclaimed Prairie Crossing conservation community in Grayslake, IL. An eclectic mix of modern style and motif, two in-house designers, and bursts of color counterbalance vintage printing presses and a reflection on creating art as it was done in the past. From the refinement and revival of the handwritten note to the painstakingly hand-set type of a story written long ago - this is our Paper Stories. 

 

Paper Stories is the shared vision and common goal of both Kelly Maron (of Paper Stories Letterpress) and Tami Rasmussen (of TamTam Design Studio). 

Our concept includes:

• Providing unique workshops and creative classes that explore each the book and paper arts, independent craft movement, and DIY generation.
  
• Reflecting on and preserving the creation of art as it was once done in the past. 
  
• Promoting the art of correspondence and reviving and refining the lost art of the handwritten note.
  
• Creating a boutique to sell our designs as well as the designs of other eco-friendly, independent artists whom we both admire.
• Encouraging collaboration and creativity through the sharing of workspace.
  
• Always doing the best we can by our precious planet earth. 
  

For more information regarding Paper Stories- Boutique and Workplace, visit: www.paperstories.com 

If you have any questions or comments you can reach both Tami and Kelly in one place via: hello@paperstories.com

And just in case you are confused or wondering... ;)

What about TamTam?

We will still be producing our own independent wholesale and custom card lines under our same name and company. Nothing has changed there... except that TamTam Design Studio Headquarters now reside within the Paper Stories - Boutique and Workspace, alongside Paper Stories Letterpress, and we no longer sprinkle cards with glitter in our kitchen! Wahoo! We are the same company- only better. And we get to work with our dear paper friend in a hip, new place. Yah! 

If you are in Chicago - We'd love you to join us at the Paper Stories Grand Opening!

xo

Tam

LOUIES GALA PHOTOS

Mila at GCA just sent me a few photos from the LOUIE'S Gala last month and I wanted to share just this one. Not the best photo of me- but of course my mom says she thinks it's good and that I look sooo happy!  (Don't all mother's say that!) But really... it truely was a surreal and VERY proud and happy evening. Yah!

Thanks to to all of you for supporting me and my lil' card company. We love you.. and without all of you this little dream of mine would never be possible!

xoxo,

tam

(Pictured from left to right: Presenter: GCA Executive VP - Valerie Cooper, CAE, Me - Accepting Card of the Year Honors, and Presenter: GCA President - Steve Laserson, American Greetings)

Photography by Photo Bureau Inc.

Color me Happy!

Since more and more cupcake cards are getting ready for departure to our beloved Paper Source everyday... I thought I'd take a peek over at the official Paper Source Blog  to see what was new and exciting on their end. You can only imagine how totally tickled "plum" I was to find this fun P.S. Colorscope that posted just a few weeks ago. 

If you missed it like I did here's a quick recap. Pick 2 of your favorite P.S. colors from above or view larger by clicking here. Then it's all a matter of determining your favorites and reading up to see if those colors actually reflect your personality. Do your choices sound like you? Even if they don't- if still fun right? ;) Mine do sound like me to some extent... although it certainly would be easier if I could pick just two! 

If I must though, here are my top pick's:

Big surprise- I know!

Time to make a trip to P.S. for some new papers treats soon! (A little bird also tells me they have the cutest little cupcake in-stock just calling your name!) Visit! Visit!

G'night my lovely paper peeps ;)

xo,

tam

National Stationery Show 2009 - Day 1: Set Up

Hello My Friends!

I am happy to say we have arrived in NYC, the TamTam Booth is ready to go, and NSS begins tomorrow!!!  Yah!

Here are a few peeks from Set-Up... and then it's my last BEDTIME before SHOWTIME!!!! I'll try to post more tomorrow! (Hope to see many of you then!)

Entering the Javitz to Register... I love it here. 

Welcome TamTam Design Studio!

The Booth (and Mom) - fairly close to arrival time.

 

I was to busy admiring the walls that my mom started assembling  before I remembered to take a "before" pic. Ooops! The wall were installed for me by Manny Stone Decorators and built before my arrival. Turned out awesome = immediate sigh of relief. (Please let rest of show be this easy!) The sign you see in the background comes with your booth and company name printed on it. Yuck! It was torn down almost immediately but, of course, I had to save it anyway. It will be coming home with me in my already-full suitcase. Haha.

No photos because....

We were working hard for 8+ hours.

Here we are nearing the finish line... Mom and Booth - Almost Done!

She did so good... I love my mom!

Cards!

Me! 

(Sorry, the photos are pretty bad and I have no time for photoshop... or make-up at this point! Eeek!)

Well, thats all for tonight, more photos tomorrow if possible. And don't forget - stop by the TamTam Booth #1930 this week if your in NYC... I promise it's even prettier in person!  Yah! 

xoxo, tam

My plans for this weekend include....

...making this fabulous cake for my rainbow-colored-heart's (and mouth's) delight!

Oh but wait - it gets better... it's DIET Rainbow Cake!

That's right my friends... we can all try it AND compare notes come monday in our skinny jeans. HaHa. ;)

How to taste the rainbow:

Full tutorial with more photos right here at Omnomicon

The short story on the skinny version below: aka... all you need to know to bake your cake, quick! =)

Recipe below also from Omnomicon

Sunny Day Rainbow Cake:

2 boxes white cake mix
24 oz of clear diet soda (2 cans, ginger ale and sprite work well)
gel food colouring
16 oz whipped topping
2 oz instant fat-free sugar-free pudding mix (2 smallish boxes)

The Dieting
Mix the cake mix with the soda according to regular instructions on box. It will be lumpy afterward. 

The Rainbowing
Measure the total volume (by my estimate, 64 oz), then divide by 6 and measure into separate bowls. There are 8 oz in a cup, so 64/6 = 10 to 11 oz, or 1 cup + 2 tbsp.

Stir colour into each bowl with its own spoon. For the first colour into the pan, measure out 2/3 to 3/4 of your mix (in this case about 1 c) as close to the middle as you can. Drop in your first three colours, then work on the other pan with the last three colours. So if you’re doing rainbow order, the first pan should have red, then orange, then yellow, and now the purple, blue and green go into the second pan. As a recap, this is so both layers are roughly the same size.

Bake the cake as instructed on the box. Check it when the box says to, but usually it’ll need an extra 5 or 10 minutes because of the density of the soda method. Just keep baking, checking back every 5 minutes or so until a toothpick to the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before moving to a wire rack.

 

Wow! I can taste the rainbow already! 

The Frostinging
Meanwhile, make your frosting. Just mix the pudding mix in with the whipped topping for a few minutes. Dye if you’re into that.

Frost your fat-free cake with your fat-free whipped frosting. Eat immediately! 

Enjoy every last bite of your Friday!

xoxo, tam

Ha-choo!

You know that feeling you get every once in a while when you see something so clever that you can't help but laugh out loud and think to yourself: "Who on earth got paid to come up with that?" and "Why on earth didn't I think of that myself?!"  Well folks, one such item is at Trader Joe's right now and I can think of 5 obvious (yet so darn cute) reasons why you need it now... (besides that it's PAPER and totally goodness!)... Enjoy =)

photos courtesy of distressed.

xoxo,

tam

Won't you be my french fry? (Happy Valentine's Day!)

AND... I don't even like french fries, haha. I know, what-a-weirdo! 

Anyhow, I thought this was too cute not to post and I wanted to wish you all, my dear friends, the very best of Valentine's Days. My greatest hope is that this economically difficult year is a wonderful year of love and happiness for us all. Keep on shining and kissing and loving. This above all- is the GREATEST gift.

xoxo, tam

<3 thanks again to EZ for her mention of Cup of Jo - which ultimately landed me at Le Love.

(oh how i love that blogging and inspiration is such a journey =)

Define your creativity!

Just what kind of creative individual are you? Take this cute lil' quiz and don't wait another minute to find out! I was pleasantly surprised to be a "Hand's On" creative and thought it was a very true-to-me definition. You can take the quiz yourself right here... and be sure to comment back with what insightful (or if nothing else - delightful - information you find out!) I'm interested to know what other types are out there =)

G'night Wednesday.

xoxo, tam