The Best Wedding Ever

I think I'm still recovering from a marathon wedding weekend! I've never been to such a beautiful event and had the best time with the girls in the bridal party! So much so that I kind of wish we could do that every month. Minus the sore feet from standing in wooden heels all day!

As some of you saw, I posted Instagrams throughout the weekend to not only document the details and special moments but to share the fun with everyone! Expect a photo heavy post tomorrow. As for now, I'm catching up on family time, giving Brett a much needed break, and getting the house back to a manageable state of disarray.

Also, that fantastic beehive took thirty minutes of conditioner and gentle untangling to get out. It was worth it.

xoxo,
Rachel

To Elsie & Jeremy On Their Wedding Day

Elsie, I remember the day I met Jeremy after having heard all about this bearded man that made beautiful music. I was nervous to meet this guy you held in such high regard because it obviously meant he was extra special. I had a feeling from the beginning that he was going to be a part of the rest of your story.

Jeremy, you and Elsie are so well matched. It seems as though you enable each other to step into your fullest potential and share a special understanding of how valuable each other's gifts and talents are. It makes me so happy knowing one of my best friends has found happiness with such an exceptional guy.

I'm so thankful to get to watch all of this happen and to share in your special day by standing up there with you two and all of the people that love you most as you commit your love to each other. I love you guys.

xoxo,
Rachel

Red Velvet Lookbook // Spring 2011

Red Velvet Lookbook // Spring 2011 from elsie flannigan on Vimeo.

It's finally here! I'm so proud of Elsie and everyone else that worked on this lookbook video! See more details and find out where she got her inspiration here.

Congratulations on your first collection, Elsie! The line launches March 1st so mark your calendars!

xoxo,

Rachel

All Things Red Velvet!

The new Red Velvet site is finally up and ready to wow you! Elsie, Emma, Corey, and a host of others have been working non-stop on this for weeks and I'm so proud of what they've accomplished. The site looks so professional and has some fun new features including a list of each of our favorites from the shop that we'll be able to change through the seasons and a beautiful lookbook! My thought bubble chalkboards are now available while they last!

Saturday night I joined everyone that was producing the video of Elsie's first dress collection to help with general silliness and fun in heels. I borrowed a pretty vintage frock from the shop and sported straight hair for the first time in as long as I can remember. I told the girls I couldn't stop running my fingers through it. It's like nail biting or in certain toddler's cases, picking your nose.

I played iPhone photographer and caught some glimpses into what went into this undertaking with my Hipstamatic app.

The shop is always a fun place to be but especially when there is that kind of magic happening inside! I say it all the time but I'm so proud of my friends and all of the hard work they put into doing what they love. I love hearing about an idea over coffee and then only a few weeks/months later seeing it happening in real life! It's truly incredible.

Go on over and see what they've been up to!

xoxo,
Rachel

Thought Bubble Chalkboards!

My chalkboard thought bubbles will be available on February 7th with the relaunch of the new and improved Red Velvet Website! My chalkboard thought bubbles have been featured in The Knot magazine as well as BUST and have been used by photographers and bloggers all over the country.

Perfect for your the photobooth at your next party, for client shoots, weddings, or general fun around your house. So, mark your calendars for Monday, February 7th and get one before they sell out again.

xoxo,
Rachel

P.S. Photo Credit: Elsie Flannigan and Mallory, Styling: Elsie Flannigan

Project ReStyle: Week Three Presents Stephen and Shauna of Something's Hiding In Here

This next project is the handiwork of the talented couple Stephen and Shauna of Something's Hiding In Here.

candle sticks made from salvaged spindles
inspired by our new years resolution to do more entertaining, we wanted to make our own candle sticks for a cozy dinner party. to get started we rummaged our studio and found some old architectural spindles. we hand cut them to length with a small japanese pull saw. then, drilled a hole into the top with a forstner bit to fit a small taper candle. that's it - so simple!
~Stephen and Shauna

I love the way they've not only given new life to old architectural pieces but styled them so well. They are truly a talented pair and always thinking up brilliant ideas. Thank you, Stephen and Shauna, for joining in on Project ReStyle! I'm off to look for a Forstner bit.

Here are a few of my favorite wardrobe ReStyles from the Flickr group.

Amorby.


The Velvet Bird


Heidi-And-Seek

It's been fantastic seeing how many members have joined up in the Project ReStyle Flickr Group! We're close to 1,000 people already! If you love turning something old into something new we'd love to see your projects. Ya'll are getting fancy over there!

xoxo,
Rachel

I Heart Red Velvet

I had fun in the Red Velvet studio with Elsie, Emma, and Mallory Friday night doing a little photo shoot for the Red Velvet lookbook and some items from the spring line! My hair is Cherry Truffle flavored again and I love that I no longer have roots showing. Styling and photos by Elsie.

I spent a good chunk of today picking up and purging our house of unnecessary items and getting rid of more boxes from the move. It feels like we're making progress! I'm going to be in my studio all week painting my chalkboard thought bubbles to get them stocked and ready for spring weddings and finishing up my mood board for my blog makeover. If I play my cards right I'll be able to finish up a DIY for kids this week and have another great interview with another wildly creative mama!

We DID get to go bowling, still have our fort up, and enjoyed some chocolate but it was in the form of No Pudge brownies and quite tasty! Bowling pics coming soon! How has your weekend been?

xoxo,
Rachel

Playing Catch Up...

The lovely Mandi of Here's Lookin' At Me Kid just wrapped up a feature called Catching Confetti that included New Year's Resolutions from a few of her friends. I was more than happy to be able to contribute an encouragement/challenge of sorts and a few small ways to make it happen. Read the full post here and then don't miss all of the other great posts that ran that week! Thanks for the invitation, Mandi!

The lovely Katie of Skunkboy Creatures had her baby girl this week! Congratulations Shelton family!!! I'm so looking forward to meeting little Poesy in person! Another local mama friend, Janae, had her little boy recently and soon my new favorite neighbor will be in the home stretch! Babies, babies, everywhere! It's enough to get a girl pregnant!

Elsie, Emma, and their new fashion intern, Mallory, are in the throws of dress making this month! Elsie's first collection will debut sometime this Spring and I'm SO eager to see a few of the samples later this week!

That's all folks! At least all I can remember. (I hope to regain the super power of memory in a few years when eight hours of uninterrupted sleep is probable.) Thursday is for studio cleaning, a guest post DIY, and plenty of time with the kids while Brett is at class. We may even build a snow man.

xoxo,
Rachel

Project ReStyle Is Officially On!

Elsie kicked this week's Project ReStyle off with a fancy makeover for her shoes! Go see how her golden touch gave her worn out pair of heels a new lease on life. I see sparkly shoes in my future! I've really been enjoying the talent being shared by everyone who has posted their ReStyles! Below are some of my favorites from our Flickr group.

Posted by Sunshine and Carousels

Posted by Dee-Construction.

Posted by Skunkboy Creatures.

Happy First week of 2011! If you still want to join Project ReStyle, find details here.

xoxo,
Rachel

Modern Patchwork Is Now Available!

My first e-course, Modern Patchwork, is finally available! It's designed for fabric-loving crafters with a modern aesthetic who want to make uniquely personal pieces for their home but don't know where to start. It includes nine patchwork projects with step-by-step tutorials that build on each other so that even beginning sewers can feel confident in their ability to stitch together a colorful lap quilt and then recover an ugly chair!

My goal in writing this e-course was to create a place that brings many of the basic skills you'll need to become a more confident sewer, share a few ways you can pair traditional patterns with modern colors, and leave you with some tips and tricks for getting started on future projects!

I cover all the tools you'll need, how to select and care for your fabrics, and a sweet story about my great-grandfather's star quilt in two videos, as well as my favorite binding technique and the simple steps involved in paper piecing. This course is designed for beginning sewers but even seasoned seamstresses will enjoy original templates for quilt blocks and one of my favorite projects, the Make A Statement Pillow.

Projects Include: Striped Dino Plushie, Stars in Your Eyes Pillow, Chevron Half Apron, Cross Your Heart Doll Quilt, Patchwork Chair Makeover, Cutting Corners Lap Quilt, Make a Statement Pillow, Hexagon Flower Block, Original Diamonds Are Forever Block, Make Your Own Binding Tutorial, and an original bonus block!

Modern Patchwork is an e-course, not a class, so all of the information is available to you once you receive your private log in information. No waiting on daily updates or worrying about missed chat times. There are no deadlines so you can work at your own pace!

This E-Course is available exclusively through Red Velvet for the cost of $32.00. Your private blog information will be mailed to you immediately upon purchase!

Thank you for all of the excitement shared in the announcement of my first e-course and a big thanks to Elsie, Emma, and Corey for their behind the scenes support! I've learned so much about this process and have already started another quilt top based on the hexagon tutorial in Project 8! Who knew that paper piecing was the new granny square?

xoxo,
Rachel

Modern Patchwork Is Coming Soon!

I'm so happy to finally be able to share my very first e-course, Modern Patchwork, with you! I've been cutting, stitching, and writing for weeks and it's finally available for purchase this Tuesday! Modern Patchwork includes nine patchwork projects with step-by-step tutorials that build on each other so that even beginning sewers can feel confident in their ability to stitch together a colorful lap quilt and then recover an ugly chair!

I cover all the tools you'll need, how to select and care for your fabrics, and a sweet story about my great-grandfather's star quilt in two videos, as well as my favorite binding technique and the simple steps involved in paper piecing. This class is designed for beginning sewers but even seasoned seamstresses will enjoy original templates for quilt blocks and one of my favorite projects, the Make A Statement Pillow.

It's been refreshing to be able to spend time working on these projects. I now have about fifteen quilt ideas floating in my head since I've been back in my studio! If you've been looking for something to help you with that desire to sew your first quilt or the structure that keeps you on track to finishing something crafty you may want to check back on Tuesday!

xoxo,Rachel

Dress Up Felt Board Tutorial and Template

The fancy new Red Velvet shop opened way back at the end of October (feels like ages ago) and I was deemed the Children's Section Stylist. I really wanted Elsie and Emma to make me a badge with my title but they had dresses to hang and cupcakes to make so I had to settle on a borrowed staple gun.

I wanted part of the children's section to include something interactive that kids could play with while their mamas and their papas shopped. I remembered the felt boards my Sunday School teachers utilized to teach stories from the Bible and paired that concept with paper dolls for a kid-friendly, dress shop-themed activity. I was also inspired by Olivia Mew's felt dress miniatures. She made one for each dress she didn't purchase and then stitched them together to create a human sized dress. I love the attention to detail and how realistic they look.

More than a few people have asked how to make their own felt board so I've listed my supplies and described the easy process of putting it together. I built the sandwich board in a hurry at night in low light so I didn't get any step-by-step photos but ya'll can do it!

You'll Need:

* 2 pieces of 3/4"x2'x2' plywood (similar to this). You can buy a larger sheet of plywood and cut it down but these come pre-cut at Lowe's for easy assembly.

* 1.5 yards of felt for your background (assuming length is 58") I used gray as a neutral.

* 1 yard of felt for your backing (assuming length is 58") Mine is white.

* Two hinges (similar to this) and screws that fit and are no longer than 3/4" long so as not to poke through like mine did.

* 20" of sturdy chain.

* 4 screws smaller than 3/4" long (to attach your chain) with wide heads

* Assorted felt for dolls and clothing

* Access to printer

* Staple gun and staples

* Pencil, ruler, electric drill, scissors, protective eyewear

Step One: Cut your outer felt to get two pieces that measure about 29" x 29". Lay each piece o felt down on your clean floor. Place one piece of wood on one piece of felt. Wrap one side of the felt over and staple in the center about 1.5" from the edge. Pull the opposite side taut and staple it in the center about 1.5" from the edge as well. Then staple the other two sides in the center. Check your front and make sure your felt is smooth and fits snugly to your board. Continue stapling opposite sides of your felt until it feels pretty secure. Fold your edges neatly like a present and trim excess felt.

Step Two: Cut your backing felt so that you have two pieces measuring 23" x 23". For a quick job place one piece over the back of your board making sure it overlaps the front felt edges and staples. Secure it with staples about 3" apart. You could use spray adhesive for a more finished look.

Step Three: Lay your wooden boards on the clean floor with the wrong sides facing up. Place them so the top edges are about 1/2" apart and place your hinges where you'd like them (I suggest about 3"-4" in from the outer edges). Make sure your hinges are also going to allow the boards to close the right direction. Mark your screw holes with a pen or pencil and set your hinges aside.

Drill pilot holes for your screws on one board and attach the hinges to that board. Then realign it with the other board and check your markings. Make sure your outer edges are lined up. Then drill and secure the other board to the hinges. Test to make sure it stands straight.

Step Four: Measure up between 6" - 8" from the bottom of your boards on the outer edges of both sides and drill pilot holes for your screws. Screw one end of your chain to the board. Stretch your board as wide as you'd like it in it's resting position and then cut your chain to fit. Screw the opposite end of the chain into the opposite board. You don't want your board to tip over when being used so make sure it's resting position is about 15" or more wide.

Then get your dolls set up and organize their clothing and accessories. I suggest you let your little ones help design their own clothing or design their own pets, toys, houses, etc. I think a few boy dolls would be nice for the little guys that want to play, too. The beauty of this sandwich board set up is that two or more children can play together or one side can be used as storage for felt shapes not in use.

Below I've included the same dolls and similarly styled outfits as the dolls at the Red Velvet store with new accessories! Just print them out onto card stock or paper and use them as templates for your new felt board.

There's plenty of time to make this a special Christmas present for your little girl(s) or favorite niece(s) and you'll be sure to make it on the nice list yourself! I'd love to see your version of my Dress Up felt board and share it with readers. Just send me an e-mail at racheldenbow (at) gmail (dot) com with a link to your blog and a photo of your creation! Please note the template provided is for non-commercial use only.

EDITED: I've had a few questions e-mailed about how the felt dolls stick to the board. Felt sticks to felt so just press it on the board lightly and it'll stay up. Just pull it off and readjust it over and over and it'll continue to have a strong hold unless it gets too dirty, I imagine.

Thanks for your patience on this much anticipated project as we packed, moved, unpacked, and then got sick over here. Your readership means so much to me and I appreciate your encouragement and support!

I hope you have a lovely, unrushed weekend ahead of you.

xoxo,
Rachel