Rachael's Handmade Designs

Welcome back and thanks for stopping by. I'm so happy that you did because I'm looking forward to sharing my Seattle handmade cards and projects with you - seriously, you've come to the best place to find Seattle's BEST handmade greeting cards. I've been watching a lot of Bob Ross lately, and although not a rubber stamper, Bob has a point: there really are not any mistakes in art. Maybe that's why so many people enjoy creating? Usually you can work something out of an unforseen outcome, and if you're lucky it turns out even better than planned. I feel that as long as you learn from your shortcomings, they are not failures (in life and art). This is a new stamp that I purchased recently from a good friend of mine who owns an art store here in Seattle . It's a set of a couple in the rain and comes with some other stamps as well. I used the marker to to rubber technique (I will show you exactly what I did in a later post) and masked the image off aft...

How often is it that we just get so caught up with life that we sometimes forget to connect with the friends that mean the most to us? I've got a friend that I've known since 3rd grade. We don't talk much anymore, but when we do, its like we pick up right where we left off! So this card seems appropriate for those kinds of friends. I made this card using Art Impression's Texting BFFs set. I hope you like it! Leave a message in the comments!

Good Morning! Here is another entry that I have created to play along at Art Impressions challenge, Spring Colors. (http://artimpressionsstamps.blogspot.com/2015/03/challenge-156-spring-colors-challenge.html?m=1) I used the same background stamp that I used in this blog post. I love it! So retro, it just tickles me. I used an image from the Girlfriends line, Texting BFF s - and a sentiment that comes separately. I love how it turned out! Coloring this image with my copics was SO fun - and I've made other cards with this image (coming up) and it turns out completely differently just by changing up the colors a bit. Talk about versatility! Leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Good Morning!  Its a bright, clear and crisp fall morning here in Seattle, so I thought it was rather appropriate to list this Autumn Greetings handmade card I stamped out the other night. I love this card because of the colours used. After all, that's one of the best things about fall, right? I stamped out the leaves in creamy red and orange and added some small brown leaves around a farm cart full of seasonal foods.  This card was a lot of fun to make and not my typical type of creation.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Hiya, If you missed my last post , I've been catching you up on some of the projects I've been creating lately. In the evenings I am a tea drinker. I saved the tin from a pack of tea I purchased from Starbucks, removed the label and added my own decor. This image is from  Rubber Stamp Plantation  straight from Hawaii.  Aloha! I'm happy with this because it's an attractive way to store all those little trinkets and crap that just end up on my desk, bedside table or lighters and such.   Simple project, quick and easy, and recycles and repurposes something that would otherwise go to waste. What do you think?  Cheers!

Welcome Back Everyone! I wanted to share with you a card that I created recently using a sketch designed by Kathi at Bombshell Stamps. You can see all of her great sketches compiled thus far right  here ! Kathi is always creating fresh new sketches that you can play along with in the  Bombshell Forum  as well! As part of the challenge you have a chance to win something! (And really, who doesn't love free stuff?!) This card features the Bombshell Stamps  Ahoy There  set, Kathi's December 2011 Sketch and Spare Parts' teal brads. (I found mine at Hobby Lobby.) I love the detailed sparkly brad bits!! Anyways, I hope you love this sketch as much as I do. (Check out the sketch challenge in the forum! Its always fun to see what everyone comes up with!) Cheers!

Hiya Bloggers! I've got some new rubber stamps and layouts to share with you today. It may not be Christmas time, but you can always make Christmas cards year-round! So I've got some great Christmas bundles for you! This is the Westwater Enterprises Patchwork Santa. This Santa offers ample room for you to color in your stamp with either colored pencils or markers. It's in fair condition and pre-owned and loved. In keeping with the Christmas theme, I also have this three-pack of rubber stamps are holiday themed and have all been pre-owned and loved. They are all in better-than-good condition. Made by Stampendous in 2002 and one of the small ones is made by a company that I can't read, but created in 1993. I also found this way cute cat image with three little mice. I think it may be from House Mouse. It's a large background-type stamp and will be excellent for coloring. You can double this up to use it during the holiday season. The pines would b...

Hello and Welcome Back! Its hard to believe that I haven't updated my blog since before the holiday season. Things have been so busy! After the holidays I took a trip to visit my boyfriend in Canada. I just got back to Seattle a few days ago and re-opened the shop to a few sales, which was nice. Of course, there's snow all over Seattle right now, so my customers are experiencing delayed shipping as I have not been able to get home yet. On the bright side, everyone seems to be understanding! :-) Below is a photo of what has come to be known as "Snowpocalypse 2012" in Seattle. Going from -40 c weather with a foot of snow on the ground in Canada to Seattle's +28 weather with little snow and having the entirety of the city freak out just seems kind of odd! Anyways, in the store, the vintage stamps that I've started carrying are absolutely flying out the door. If you haven't had a chance to stop by and check them out, you should before they are all gone...

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. :( ...

Hello Everyone. I just listed a new, unused Magnolia Tilda Mounted Rubber Stamp for sale on Ebay. Little Tilda is holding a pumpkin lantern/bucket.  This stamp is mounted and brand new but does not come with the original packaging.  Ebay Here are some photos of this Tilda stamp. Tilda is up for sale, so check out her listing here . Cheers, Xo Rachael

Hi All, Well if you are not a stamper, you may not be famliar with Bombshell Stamps. I am, and so I'm pretty familiar with the company and their products - which I am an avid fan and actively support! They're having an awesome contest right now promoting their new stamps. Check it out and I'm sure you will enjoy their products!!  Bombshell Stamps Contest Cheers! Xo

Welcome Back! Today's post is reflecting on handmade custom orders. I do a very limited number of contract-for-sale custom orders - usually if I'm doing them, it's personal so it's just a gift for a family member. But in this instance my customer (and friend) is a long-time buddy, and her man is away fishing. Usually it's difficult to make cards for men, but in this instance I got immediate ideas and have finally had the chance to sit down and *really* create something that I absolutely loved. I'd even love to receive this card! This card has a little story, too. Often times in my personal life I get inspired to create things for people I meet or know. I was inspired by someone that I met to create a pirate card, one of which never came to be. I kept the map that I created and put it away in a ziplock bag for a later use. When my friend requested a custom card, I knew that the map would be a great addition and layer to a water-themed card for her beau! Th...

Hi All, Well, for a minute there, I thought I lost my mojo! I was feeling pretty desperate when it came to designing a card, but I was able to sit down and design two lovelies. I started the first one about three months ago. I knew I wanted to design something round the '50's theme because I love the background car paper and this little '50's poodle skirt girl. So I cut the card, stamped the girl and the oval die cut, dry embossed it and set it aside. I wanted to do something with it, but it wasn't sure what exactly it wanted to be. I'm so glad it turned out the way it did! So cute! Probably the card that's taken me the longest. Ever. (This one was posted on my etsy but has sold already.)  The second card I made was also using a stamp with copic markers. I'd say that the idea for this card took me a few hours because I wanted it to be something more than what *it* wanted to be. I think it's the simplicity and color-play that really makes this c...