Tara Jacobsen

This year I participated in the Sketchbook Project… scary since I am not an “official” artist. But I became brave and decided that I would at least try… and I think my Happily Ever After book came out great! Here is my live “Happily Ever After” Sketchbook on the Brooklyn Art Library site! The Sketchbook …

When should you take away the keys or get their driving privileges revoked? Tips and ideas for how to explain why Alzhemiers or dementia loved ones can’t drive their car anymore. Our Mom Driving Story We started noticing Mom having trouble a couple of years ago. She was forgetting things, repeating herself and losing weight …

I always worry about mixing purple acrylic paint with other colors that I will just get brown! But you can make some really fun colors by combining purple with all the colors of the rainbow! Today we are going to see what happens when we mix purple acryllic paint with different colors! I went with …

I love using essential oils for cleaning! Here are my best ideas for homemade cleaners using natural ingredients and essential oils. Includes recipes and tips for deep cleaning your kitchen! It’s time to deep clean the kitchen and instead of dragging out a bunch of toxic chemicals and cleaners, we are going to be finding …

Tips and ideas for how to mix purple acrylic paint with black and white to make shades and tints of purple. Great for adding dimension and depth to your backgrounds and journals! Mixing Purple Paint As a mixed media artist, I am often trying to find just the right color of paint to use as …

If you have a mouse problem, you are probably desperate to find ways to evict them! Tips and ideas for how to get rid of mice in your house. Depending on where you live in the US, the Fall is prime “mice come into the home” season.  It’s getting cold and they want a warm place …

DIY tips and a printable how to guide for cleaning all your smelly dishwasher problem naturally! Have you ever opened your dishwasher and thought “YUCK”?  It smells off and the inside doesn’t look anything like it did when it was new?   Your dishwasher, which you use to clean and sanitize your cups, dishes and utensils, doesn’t …

If you are looking for Christmas color combinations, these color palettes can give you some inspiration. All my own pictures and mostly my own decorating, I thought it would be fun to show you some of the colors I love! Classic Red and Green Christmas Color Palatte I love a traditional look and these colors …

I am allergic to everything, seriously, dogs, cats, grass, dust, food, mold… everything! And I hate to take to pills… sigh. I do it when I HAVE to, when the sneezing sore throat and watery eyes get too bad, but antihistamines make me fall asleep so I am not sneezy, but I am not awake …

If you are new to Junk Journalling or Scrapbooking, you may be wondering what the difference is! Here are my best tips and ideas for figuring out which one you should do. Scrapbooks Let’s start with scrapbook pages because I think that is what most of us are familiar with. This is where you use …

I admit it, I have a bit of a kitchen counter cleaning obsession. With 1 husband, 3 kids, two dogs and two cats all eating out of the kitchen all day long, the counters are always covered in crumbs and gook. Years ago I used heavy duty cleaners like Windex or Clorox all day long. …

Staring at a blank journal page can be intimidating! Here are some creative tips and ideas for writing in your Christmas journal. Christmas at its core is a religious holiday.  Sure, it’s become very commercial, but focusing on the meaning of the holiday, whether you are religious or not, can take some of the commercial out …

Tips and ideas for how to get rid of ants in your house! DIY natural solutions including essential oils, lemon, vinegar and more. Ants.  The bane of most homes. If you’re like me and have kids and pets, using pesticides isn’t an option.  Here are some other methods to get them out of your house. Years ago …

If you have a drip coffee maker or Keurig® machine, keeping them clean is probably not on your radar, but should be to keep your coffee tasting good and your family healthy.  Natural tips and ideas for how to clean your coffee maker! Machines that aren’t clean can contain yeast and mold, along with bacteria and scale …

Tips and ideas for when your loved ones starts shopping too much. How to help and what you can and can’t control in regard to your your family members compulsive shopping habits. My Elderly Mom Shops Too Much! As an Alzheimer’s or dementia caregiver, we have plenty to worry about. But recently I have started …

Decorative decoupage storage box for the chargers and cables on my bedside table. Tips and ideas for how to make a pretty and colorful cord storage box! Picking The Right Decorative Box When you are picking a box for your charger storage, you want something with a bit of substance. I chose this wooden box …

Living in Florida, I have spent A LOT of time figuring out how to get rid of fruit flies naturally. Tips and ideas for how to kill fruit flies 4 different ways! If you live in a warmer climate or are up North during the summer, fruit flies or gnats are probably around annoying you.   …

As a senior caregiver, new mother or pet owner, you may have to deal with so much urine and feces smell. Here are some tips and ideas about how to get the stinky smells out of your loved one’s clothing in the laundry! Today we are going to talk about how to get poop and …