Wowee!

I just read my comments and found out I won a contest over at FreckledNest! Leigh-Ann does beautiful work so I was excited to hear that I would be receiving one of her Fabulous Totes! I was struck by how generous that was to be giving something away that is so personalized. Thanks Leigh-Ann.

I also FINALLY signed up over at SISTV today under the name RachelDenbowlicious. (How fun is that!) I was resisting because I didn't need another fabo site to suck me in for hours on end but I think its worth it. My favorite thing is how user friendly it is. My only complaint is how many talented people there are to see and how little time I can justify scrolling through them all!

Shop Talk:

I'm looking for someone to join us as a Guest Designer for the July Project Kit! I'd love someone who has at least one year of sewing experience. Embroidery experience would be fabulous as well! Send me 4-6 examples of your work, a short bio and a story about why you sew and what makes you a good fit. We are looking to make a decision before Monday, July 3rd so don't hesitate if you're interested. We'll be announcing the GD spot by July 5th. We can't wait to find out how many of you love fabric as much as paper!
Please e-mail your info to Rachel @ redvelvetart@hotmail.com

THANKS!

R

Tagged by Amber S.

The great Amber Skolnick tagged me and I'm a little sucker for these. Who doesn't like to talk about themselves?

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
Rachel from the Bible story.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?
Today Brett read me a poem about a dog that died and I teared up. Surprised me.
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
sometimes
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE LUNCH MEAT?
ham
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS?
I have A kid
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU?
I think so.
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?
Only with my husband
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS?
Yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP?
Nope.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE CEREAL?
Something healthy or Oatmeal
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
No
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG?
Physically, yes. Emotionally, depends on the day.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE ICE CREAM?
I'm a big fan of Gelatto
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?
Hair
15. RED OR PINK?
Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVOURITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF?
My post baby belly. Please go away.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST?
Not fair.
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU?
of course.
19. WHAT COLOUR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING?
I'm wearing running shorts and no shoes. Its late here, too.
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Fat Free, Vanilla Yogurt with a few chocolate chips to spice up my life.
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
Camera Obscura
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOUR WOULD YOU BE?
apple green
23. FAVOURITE SMELLS?
Lavender
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
Someone from High School
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU?
I think she is RAD!
26. FAVOURITE SPORTS TO WATCH?
No thanks!
27. HAIR COLOUR?
brown
28. EYE COLOUR?
brown
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS?
No
30. FAVOURITE FOOD?
Grilled Chicken and Mashed Potatoes
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?
happy endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED?
Evan Almighty although I'm craving some Amelie.
33. WHAT COLOUR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING?
red
34. SUMMER OR WINTER?
summer
35. HUGS OR KISSES?
hugs
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND?

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND?
hmmmm...
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
The Time Traveler's Wife. Actually, its being read to me by my fabulous husband.
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD?
Mouse Pad? How 'bout a Mac laptop!
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT?
Can't remember
42. FAVOURITE SOUND?
Peace and Quiet
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES?
the Beatles
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME?
Germany
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
I can squat to pee thanks to a few trips to China.
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN?
Ft. Worth, TX
47. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE?
To know how to host a mad party!

I tag:

GinaJam

Jenna

Dani Johnston

Have fun ladies!

July Paper Kit Sneak Peek!

Check it out here.

Borrowed this from Elsie's post...


1. What is your favorite word? pretty


2. What is your least favorite word? Moist....eeeewww!


3. What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Traveling, people watching, getting out of the everyday


4. What turns you off? Bad breath, the unteachable, finger pointers


5. What is your favorite curse word? Can't publicly admit that I sometimes use them.... ;)


6. What sound or noise do you love? Taize songs


7. What sound or noise do you hate? The Garbage Truck, the phone ringing


8. What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Fabric Designer, Magazine Editor


9. What profession would you not like to do? Secretary, Childcare!


10. If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? I've got something to show you!


If you care to share, post it on your blog when you've got some time. Then leave a comment to check yours out!

The Longest Post Thus Far...

This is the beginning of a beautiful Queen size quilt for my friend Jessica B from Etsy. We've been going back and forth over the details for about 3 months and she has been very patient with schedule interruptions due to a very exciting and very secret project from the month of May. Finally I made it to our local quilt shop and gathered Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Moda together and decided it was a good thing. I'd love to use one designer exclusively but its so much easier for me to match fabrics when they are in my hands rather than online and unfortunately, its hard to find an entire line at one store.

So with washing, pressing and cutting out of the way, the pretty rectangles are ready to be organized and pieced. We are just waiting on one fabric from an online order before we proceed. I am hoping to tackle this beast and be finished with it in two weeks but I tend to overshoot. I am in love with these fabrics so I think I'm going to have to pretend I'm making it for myself until its shipped to its rightful owner! (These pics are in bad light but their floor time was limited.)



How cute is my son! He was playing with my craft box when he heard me open the back door and out he ran with his fists still tightly closed around some Love, Elsie ribbon and coordinating markers. He has good taste at least.



These are up in the shop.




Sebastian's first baseball game and all he wanted to do was read his ABC book. I don't blame the kid. We went with some friends from church and had a great time.



I'm also working on an album for my Grandmother. Its about their 50th Anniversary so it's going to include photos of them growing up, getting married, growing older and finally culminating in a ton of pages about the cruise we all went on in 2003. I've only finished these first two pages (minus the journaling) but I'm using KI's 'Just Married' collection as well as others that coordinate so it's going to look good no matter what I do to it. I'm trying to do something they'll appreciate so I'm staying away from funky ideas and sticking to Lo's that are easy on the eyes and flow well.
Does anyone else feel like taking on a whole album is harder than just doing one page at a time? Other than having to gather all of your matching product, you have to think so much ahead so that it doesn't feel choppy. I think its probably like writing a book.
So, what are your secrets? How do you all start your LO's whether they are part of a predetermined album or not?
I'll be taking this album with me when we visit at the end of July so I need to get moving! Thanks for reading...

Yosemite!

Brett and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary on June 22nd by getting away from the city and our son (bless him) to remember how much we like each other. We were supposed to go on a guided tour but hit a traffic jam on the way and missed our group. So, we wandered around on our own for awhile and had an adventure. It was beautiful. We needed it. We talked about what we want to be different this year, what we need to work on now, how much things have changed since Sebastian...We flirted and teased each other like we used to when it was just us.
Sebastian will be one year old on the 4th of July. We've been parents for one year. It feels much longer. Not ready for any more right now. I want to savor this little one while he's little.
Brett is in the best shape of his life right now since he's been running with the club. I'm weaning the boy. We're taking it slowly. We're planning to see the rest of our family next month in the Midwest. Elsie and I will finally be able to play together again!
I've got the fabric for a commissioned quilt bought, washed, ironed and almost completely cut. Its going to take over my room! It was a good week of catching up (slightly) with the many details in the crafting compartment.
Our Art Journals did so well! I appreciate your comments about them and thank everyone who was able to buy one! We're doing a pretty fun July Paper Kit with some imported tape, vintage plastic flowers and unique robot illustrations from an Etsy artist!
Its good to be back. Thanks for reading!

Down Time

Taking a week off to finish some projects from Etsy customers. I'll post some pics when they are finished.
This little boy is almost one year old!!! He no longer fits under these nursing covers...too squirmy.

I had to tear myself away to post this!

I didn't feel like I was working on a sample when I was making this journal. It was a time crunch but thats almost better for me. I got so into it. I kept making more pages and getting more ideas on things I wanted to challenge everyone else to try.
Check out Amber's pages on the RVKC blog. They are so beautiful.

June Project Kit On Sale Now!

(Kit Includes One Owl Only)

These kits are so much fun! We're offering free downloads to everyone who purchases this kit to print out onto the included transparency sheets. (Customized overlays!!!) Amber Skolnick and I are working on ours right now so they should be posted in OUR GALLERY on Saturday.
Thanks for looking and thank you to everyone who had encouraging words in response to my last post. They are a reminder that this is a good thing. I'm thankful for you all and your shared love of creating pretty things! Now, back to the paints and papers!

Playlist Therapy

I had a frustrating conversation with someone yesterday about the state of my "career" that left me feeling anxious. I went to bed sad because I felt a little pressure to do something that promised a paycheck and no time for myself. I deal with these voices in my head on a regular basis but when someone verbalizes those self-accusations they feel true. Family can be my life saver and my heart breaker at the same time. So, I went running with my iPod and borrowed earbuds and invited the endorphins to join me in my emotional circus. First came Corrine Bailey Rae's 'Put Your Record On'. This helped me let go a little.
Then there were these lyrics from a surprising source, The Drive-By Truckers...

"So if what you have is working for you, or you think that it can stand a reasonable chance,
and whatever's broken seems fixable and nothing's beyond repair
If you still think about each other and smile before you remember
how screwed up it's gotten or maybe dream of a time less rotten
Remember, it ain't too late to take a deep breath and throw yourself into it with everything you got..."

I finished off my run with a select few songs from Jenny Lewis', Rabbit Fur Coat. I ended up feeling that I was okay and that situations like the one last night can be good stress points if it makes me think long and hard to examine why it was said and the value of the thoughts that came from it. The last two years have been a strain on my spirit but I think I'm growing with it. Thats the point of life, right?

Um, on a lighter note, I have finished a lovely summer tote that is going up in the Etsy shop later today. I've also had these catch-alls lying around since my last festival. I've seen some on Etsy and thought they were a great idea so I've tried my hand at them. They hang on your door handle and are perfect for storing frequently used children's books and small toys or all of the things you take with you on the way out. My husband could use one of these!
I'm all about encouraging the marriage of beauty and organization.
I also found this fantastic shop that has some of the cutest onesies I've seen! Check them out!
Off to feed the boy. Thanks for reading.

In the Mail Today...

I ordered these from May Third over at Etsy last week. You'll see something equally as unique in the upcoming Art Journal over at the RVKC. They go on sale Friday morning @ 9 a.m. EST! I think I'll be using these fun alphas in something soon. Go check out May Third for more paper goodies.
Thanks for looking! Love those comments.

I heart Pirate babies.

I found Project Grab Bagtoday on Etsy. I'd seen these dolls on One Good Bumblebee last week so was so happy to have stumbled upon them today. So freakin' cute.

We don't worry too much about germs.

This morning, Sebastian and I took a walk to Starbucks to get some Iced Chai. When we got home, we turned the water on to fill up the swimming pool for my dad. (It evaporates pretty quickly in Fresno heat!) I guess Sebastian was parched from sitting in the stroller for 3 miles! I had to run inside to grab the camera before he lost interest.