Rachael's Handmade Designs

Welcome Back! Happy Holidays everyone! I hope you all are enjoying the season thus far! Christmas is so much fun, but it's a bit cold and wet and dark in Seattle, so I find myself bundled up and avoiding going outside a lot of the time. I have some new items to show you! I found this image in my local stamp shop and it seemed appropriate because, after all, I'm from Seattle. I've colored the scene with copic markers and distressed the edges to form a frame, then layered with grey metalic paper and framed it all with striped divine twine. I made this adorable wedding/engagement card the other day as well. I covered the sparrow in glitter like Tim Holtz did, using the technique from his 12 Tags blog entries. I love how the lace frame turned out! I framed it all in grey for a muted color pop. Reads "Best Wishes" inside. There are a few other new items in my shop that you can view here ! I've started carrying a few rubber stamps to add to my collection. Onc...

Hi All, Well, it's three fifteen in the morning and I can't sleep. It's not for lack of trying, let me tell you! In the morning I plan to get up early and go for a jog, but in little more than three hours away, I'm not sure that will happen. Or maybe it will?! I may just slightly doze and go into work early after my jog. Anyways, I'm rambling. The point is, I can't sleep. I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. Mine was pretty enjoyable itself, although I didn't get a family picture for my thanksgiving layout (yet to be made.) I've been busy lately with a number of different cards which have recently been posted in my shop and on my flickr. This is for the November Sketch Challenge over at Bombshell Stamps. This is the first time I used the "fading effect" technique for stamping and I really love the way this card turned out!!! I love this dress stamp. It's elegant and simple and chic. I never feel like I have enough stock! Like...

Hi All! Thanks for joining me again. Just some housekeeping news for you, the fall sale in the shop has ended - but you can still save with your code "blogger" at checkout. I've also added some new vintage rubber stamps to the shop this week. They're pretty cool, so be sure to jump on over to the shop and check 'em out! I'll be adding more as the week progresses, so don't miss out on any of them! Join my facebook page for continual updates and freshly listed items. New items are in the works! Cheers, Xo, Rachael

Ciao and Welcome Back! In the last week or so I had run out of supplies, so I have been pretty limited on what I could create. After purchasing new supplies, I've been working on more gnome-themed items. Also, woodland creatures and items are making their way to the shop as well. So that's what's happening in the studio right now. :-) Check back soon for more updates. Cheers, Xo, Rachael

Hi All, I've been getting some messages lately that comments are not available on my blog. OH NO! :P So I have done some fiddling and hopefully the problem is resolved. I'm absolutely loving my new crafting space! I've got more room to spread out and craft, and I find myself crafting more often. And best yet! I live alone, so I don't have to clean up if I don't want to! (And better STILL - NO ROOMMATES!!!) Not that I ever did before because I crafted in my own room, but now I'm using the space dedicated in my apartment for a dining room as my crafting space, so it's not taking up space in my bedroom. (Just making my apartment look messy - ha!) Where do you craft? I'd love to see your crafting space and how you organize your creative space. I've started on a new card featuring an image from Anita Be Stampin. I chose Sasha. First I colored my image with my copic markers. I chose a cool color palette to form a cohesiveness with the entire card. ...

Happy Monday everyone! I hope your weekend was nice and relaxing. New in my shop today is a sweet little winter-themed card that was posted Saturday. I decided not to go with a sentiment for this card. I think having a sentiment on cards has a tendency to classify cards too much. At any rate, this card is clean and simple. I used a sheet of acetate to give it a cool glossy effect. This is my first time using acetate on a card that is not a shaker card. The image is a digital stamp from Anita Be Stampin. By chance, I can't seem to find Anita Be Stampin on facebook, does anybody have their link? Whenever I click the F on their website it just takes me to my own fb site. Weird. I'm going to be going into detail about how I made this card later in the week. Be sure to check back about that! Don't forget, I'm having a fall sale in the shop right now! Use coupon code "Fallsale2011" to save some money and get cute greetings. :) Cheers, Xo, Rachael

Welcome back everyone! I’m really excited because I broke 180 fans on my facebook fan site. Wahoo! I’m still going for 200, so when I reach 200 I think I’ll have a giveaway. What should I give away? Leave me a comment and let me know what you think! Wow, have I got some great cards to share with you! I’ve been busy stamping and coloring and piecing items together for the upcoming holidays - Halloween and Dia de Los Muerte, which are probably my two favorite holidays of the year. I was so happy with how these cards turned out, I listed them in the shop before posting here about them. I love this Día de los Muertos because it features one of my favorite sugar skull stamps from Bombshell stamps. It's altered with rhinestones and is handcolored. I love this card because, again, it features a couple wonderful images from Bombshell stamps, one of my favorite companies, and has been hand-colored. I also used my Tattered Angels glimmer mist for the first time on this card to ad...

Hi Again! I'm a bout to break 180 fans on my facebook page ! Help me reach 200 fans!! Refer a friend to 'like' my page and tell them to leave a comment saying who sent them and I'll send YOU some free goodies!! :-D It's a great way to earn cute free items for yourself and introduce your friends to my awesome creations! So hop on over to my page, become a fan and send your friends my way for some awesome and cute free items for yourself! Cheers! Xo, Rachael

Hi All! Welcome Back!! I'm so happy to be blogging again! Do you know why?! I'm FINALLY - YES, FINALLY moved into my new place!! I'm unpacked and have my new craft room set up! Actually it's not so much a room as my apartment dining room/part of my living room, but...sure beats scrapping in my room on a card table! I can actually SPREAD OUT! *So* nice!! I sat down to make a simple Halloween card two days ago. I think it turned out quite nicely! I just love purple and orange and teal together!! What do you think? Leave a comment and let me know! ;-) Cheers, Xo, Rachael

Hi Ladies! I wanted to share with you some of my first layouts. Please keep in mind when viewing these that I *just* started scrapbooking, and although it's not really that different from cardmaking, I am truly more of a card maker at heart. ;) I know, excuses, excuses, right? :P So here's my first ever layout and they're listed in order. I think I can actually *see* the layouts progressing, can't you? lol Please leave comments and let me know what you think!!!! I'd love to get better at design elements and I'd love to hear your feedback! (not completed) Comments welcome!!! Cheers, Xo, Rachael

And everything in its place. Isn't that how the old saying goes? Thanks for joining me again today. As you may know, I'm in the middle of packing my things up for a move to a new location. I was thinking that since I'll be in a new space with more room, I should be thinking about a little more storage for my rubber stamps.  The EZ Mount cling rubber stamps aren't a problem to store (I've got them filed in a cling-mount EZ Mount storage binder currently) but my wood-mounted stamps are a bit more trixy. Currently I've got my wood-mounted stamps stored in an Artbin case. (I also use these Artbins for my papers!) They're great because you can stack them, they have handles, and the top folds over and snaps shut. You can really tote them anywhere and they're very versatile for storage. But they do have one major drawback: I can't *see* what I have. As a consequence, many of my beloved wood-mounted stamps don't get used as often as they should. :( ...

Aloha again! Gah. Still no stamping or binding in my life right now. I'm complaining to everyone who will listen -won't you lend me your ear?!? It’s very frustrating having to move! I’ve packed most of my creating things except for my markers, and all I want to do is sit down at my craft table and MAKE something! LOL So, I busied myself a few nights ago coloring this beautiful image I found online! He reminds me of my boyfriend’s brother Adam. I’ve added some pieces to the shop. This first gal is a birthday card and features a great little gal from Kraftin' Kimmie. Also featured on this sweet card is so awesome classic car paper that one of my best friends picked up at a book sale, of all places. (Lesson learned - check second-hand book stores and sales for craft supplies!!) and I also added this seven piece birdy invitation set. Each invitation is a little different - the papers alternate between stripes and dots, and there’s birds on every one and the inside...

Hi All! Welcome! I haven't been able to create much lately because I've been busy looking for apartments, cleaning out my garage and packing for a move. But I *have* been feeling really inspired by Tim Holtz lately. I put together a set of vintage findings and hardware that I love this week! I hope you likey! As always, click the image for a larger view. Also, I've been busy order items to that when I get to my new place, I will have a stocked craft table ready for me to create with! :-D This morning I was purusing around and came across Color Combos Galore. What a cute and inspirational site! BEAUTIFUL! I can't wait to get started with them! Here's some of their latest inspirations. Lately I've been toying with the idea of Glimmer Mists. What is your opinion on these items? Pricey - yes, they can be. But if they add to your craft and you USE them... What do we think ladies? I need your input! Have you ever used any? If so, which brands do you like th...

Heya! Thanks for checking back! Today I am pretty stoked because my Vintage Par Avon Envelopes came in. It was pretty difficult for me to find these as the post office has discontinued them. I had to ordre them from HONG KONG! I'm stocking up on some mail rubber stamps to go with these, but I think they're just adorable. They'll add a vintage look to my cards and a little something extra, you know what I mean? Have you ever used this type of envelope in your projects? I would love to see them if you have! Post a comment with a link below so I can check 'em out!!! :-D I also recently finished my sister-in-law's birthday gift here  Leave a comment and let me know what do you think! Cheers, Xo, Rachael

Hola Chicas! I don't know if you love vintage items as much as I do, but I can't get enough of them. Especially farm house style things, I love them! I'd like to have a little guest cottage that I can decorate with just vintage items! Nothing says farm house vintage to me more than lovely milk glass pitchers, plates, pedestals and glasswear. So with that, here's this week's addition of Stuff I Love! As always, click the image for a magnified view. Follow my facebook for 10% off in my store. Cheers! Xo, Rachael