rachel may designs

Finished!

2011-11-28T07:54:00.004-07:00

The long Thanksgiving weekend was much needed and much appreciated in my house. We spent time with family, cleaned A LOT, and finished a few old projects. You can categorize the white afghan from the "Work in Progress" to the "finished" section from now on!

Happy Monday! It's chilly here. Glad I have a warm blanket to snuggle under:)

Rachel May

Payday!

2011-11-18T07:40:00.003-07:00

It's Friday already? No complaints, but this week just flew by! Today is also payday for me and let me tell ya, life just seems to get easier on payday. Not a care in the world, money in the bank and a smile on my face!

Until tomorrow, when I start paying all my bills....eep! Then it's like magic. POOF! It's gone. I'll enjoy it while it lasts:)

Have a Happy weekend! I will be catching up on blog reading, doing some projects around the house and buying furniture off craigslist. Fun!

Rachel May

5 Years

2011-11-17T07:54:00.004-07:00

Yesterday, Boyfriend and I celebrated 5 years together. It's such a feat for us, and I'm excited for everything still ahead.

I remember when we had almost made it to our 3 year anniversary, and I was so scared. Scared because I've never been in a relationship longer than 2 years, and I didn't know how it was when you were with someone that long. One of my friends, who's been married since she was 18(to her highschool sweetheart no less), told me "the best part about being with someone for the long term is that you always love them, but your love grows deeper for them. You appreciate different things."

I'll always remember that, and I feel it too. It's nice to have our routines (and we both admit to liking that), and it's fun to know so much about someone that you *think* you know how they would like this or that, or how they would respond, but the best part, to me, is having that person that makes you feel safe and loved, no matter what. And I'm so grateful for that.

Rachel May

Tuesday Quilting Progress!

2011-11-16T08:15:00.004-07:00

Like I said before, Tuesdays are for quilting. I feel so productive! I made progress on the Picnic Time Quilt that I started SO long ago, and finished the top to my new quilt-the Sherbert Quilt is what I'm calling it.

If I can finish it in time, the Picnic Time Quilt will be a Christmas gift. It's one of my goals, but it's a big undertaking, so we'll have to see what happens.

Once the last few rows are sewed on to the Picnic Time Quilt, I need to make a quilt sandwich and start quilting everything together. I think I'm going to go the easy route and sew strands of embroidery floss in the corners and tie it together. We will see though.

Have you been doing any sewing lately?

Rachel May

Happy Monday!

2011-11-14T07:56:00.004-07:00

I was prepared to write you a post today about lists, getting things accomplished, etc etc...but alas, I woke up late and I have no pictures to share, so it will have to wait.

My weekend was filled with sewing, home projects, friends and good times. It's hard to start the week when you've had such a great weekend that you don't want it to end.

I'll share more about the projects I'm working on later, but the friends part-oh, was it fun! I had purchased groupons for Boyfriend for his birthday so he and five friends could go paintballing for free. It was a great deal when I bought it, and I thought he'd have fun with his friends.

He decided to go yesterday, but one of his friends couldn't make it, so I was the alternate. I'm not going to lie, I was scared out of my mind and kind of excited-I went back and forth. But it was a BLAST! Most of the times I got shot, it didn't hurt (thank you, puffy vest!), but I did get shot on my knuckle and my thigh, and I have some pretty gruesome welts to go with it.

It was totally worth it.

I think Boyfriend and I should plan more group outings like that. It's so hard to connect with your friends after college, it's nice to have an excuse to get together. We were thinking maybe some mini golf, camping, snowboarding....we shall see, though. Right now, all he can think about is buying another paintball gun:)

Happy Monday to you! How was your weekend?

Rachel May

Weekend Sewing on a weekday

2011-11-11T07:22:00.002-07:00

I was in sewing mode last night. Have you ever checked out Weekend Sewing? If not, check it out here.
Last night, I made the Sunday-Dinner Hostess Apron. It was pretty quick and simple to complete. At first, my living room looked like a pattern storm went through it, but once the pattern was traced and the fabric was cut, the sewing part was pretty quick.

I used a "vintage" (aka: from Goodwill) pillowcase for the body of the apron and some scrap fabric for the waistband.

I would have had a live model for these photos, but they were taken at 11 at night and orange isn't Boyfriend's color.

Along with the thought to Pledge Handmade, I was thinking this might be Christmas Gift #1. I have some fabric napkins that go with it well. A nice pairing as-is, but we also have some raspberry jam in the pantry that I made this year, so that will probably go with it also.

They look so happy together. And I'm happy to get some progress done on handmade gifts! If I keep this up, handmade Christmas gifts are going to be aplenty this year!

Rachel May

TOMS

2011-11-10T07:49:00.004-07:00

A little while ago, I gave in and purchased a pair of TOMS for myself. I have wanted them for so long, but couldn't bear to spend the money.

But then I thought, "aww, heck with it" and bought them. And I couldn't be happier with them.

If you aren't familiar with TOMS or the TOMS story, you should checkout their website here. Basically, it's a One for One system. For every pair of shoes you buy, they donate a pair to a child in need. It's a great feeling to know that you get something with your purchase, and you help someone as well.

I may or may not have said to my boyfriend "These aren't for ME, they're for the children!"

Rachel May

Tuesdays are for Quilting

2011-11-09T07:20:00.006-07:00

On Tuesdays, my friend Jody and I quilt, eat dinner, gossip and drink beer. It makes for a nice pause in a busy week for me, with staff meetings being on Tuesday mornings and them being the longest of my day of each week.

Jody is learning how to sew, so our ongoing joke is that we make drink more than quilt, but we've actually gotten quite a bit done since we started. We're using 8 inch squares and just doing a normal patchwork square quilt-easy peasy to start.

I've finished my quilt top last night (or rather, I've run out of fabric AGAIN), but It's really long and narrow, so I think I'm going to add a long row to the side to make it wider (so not quite done, I suppose).

Work has been stressful this week as we look for a new assistant, but I've been looking forward to Tuesday nights and our quilting.

Rachel May

Are you pledging handmade?

2011-11-07T08:17:00.003-07:00

I have to write this super fast or I'll be late for work, but I wanted to ask:
Have you ever heard of Pledge Handmade? Here's an article about it. I'm thinking about pledging handmade this year.

The only problem? Well, there's two: Time, or lack thereof (isn't this always a problem?) and what to make? I have some things figured out, so once I complete them I'll share them with you.

What are you giving for gifts this year?

Off to work!

Rachel May

Start Something That Matters.

2011-11-04T06:30:00.000-06:00

Source: amazon.com via Rachel May on Pinterest

I've been reading this book and it's excellent. I'm a huge fan of TOMS shoes and everything the company stands for. Such a great mission and business ideal. I think this was the push I needed for motivating me to develop businesses that matter not just to me, but to others. It's an eye-opening read.

Rachel May

Remember this when you're having a bad day:

2011-11-03T06:30:00.000-06:00

Source: traceysthoughts.tumblr.com via Rachel May on Pinterest

Impressive Girls

2011-11-02T19:09:00.004-06:00

For the past two week and a half, I was hanging out with this girl. Now that she's gone back home, I'm trying to get back into my routines here.

I find it's always nice to talk with friends about everything-with life and work. I get so much motivation, inspiration and feedback when I do. While SkyleRae was in town, we had a few business meetings to discuss where we want to take our businesses and what we need to do to get there. I also have fun talking with this girl about those things too.

I don't know if it's November or the changing weather or the talks lately, but I feel very thankful for the friends that I have. I don't know what I would do without you all, but I'm grateful to have you in my life.

Through a friend, I joined the Denver Handmade Alliance, and at one of our events, I met this girl. I find her totally inspiring, and I feel exactly how she does in this post right now. I really need to find focus, delegate, and create systems. But most importantly, I really need to DO SOMETHING. So I'm blogging:)

On the business note, I watched a really great video regarding business planning today here. I like her approach: How much money do I want my business to make? How can I get there? Short and sweet. As much as you don't want a business that's all about the money, you can't have much of a business without it. It seems to be the subject no one wants to talk about. So I thought this was interesting. And you can enter to win a calendar too, so double points.

Rachel May

This Week!

2011-10-17T09:47:00.003-06:00

My best friend is coming to town to visit for a week and a half. She'll be here this Thursday, and I'm SO excited to see her. Every once in a while, you just need your girlfriend time, you know?

The picture of us was taken on one of her visits a few years ago (she visits at least once a year). You may know her as SkyleRae. She has a blog too. Check it out here.

I'll have so many pictures to share from this trip, we're going to try to hit a lot of fun Denver Must-see areas, so I'm excited. But today, I'm trying to focus, and all I can think of is...I can't wait until she's here!!!

Rachel May

Exterior Paint Selection: Cabrera Residence

2011-10-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

One of the contractors I work with has decided that he's going to do a smooth stucco treatment to the exterior of his house. I was honored when he asked me to pick out a couple of paint color options! Here's what I came up with.
This is what his home looks like now, sans stucco. He's applying stucco this weekend. I came up with three options for him. He is reshingling right now, and his entire roof is going to be black.

This is the neutral option. The color is called Open Space.

This is the blue option, the color is called Renovation. It's highlighted by the white trim and dark grey foundation.

This is the yellow-toned option, again with white trim and a dark grey foundation. this one is my favorite, but I'm totally biased, as yellow is my favorite color:)

Just some quick photoshop work, but I think it really gives you the overall idea. Hope you like it!

What are you up to this weekend?

Rachel May

Advice

2011-10-07T08:06:00.004-06:00

I have a few BIG things brewing career-wise right now, but I can't seem to make a decision on ANYTHING. I keep playing that "what if?" game and it's hindering me from moving forward. I just can't seem to sort through everything in my head and organize my thoughts.

Have you ever had this problem? Any advice?

Feeling a little wishy-washy, and I blame the weather. Excited for fall, but nervous for changes.

Rachel May

Panama: Natural Solutions Foundation

2011-10-03T07:50:00.003-06:00

The primary reason behind our Panama vacation was to visit the Natural Solutions foundation. They're a great organization founded by a husband and wife team, with great intentions. They're located in Volcan, which means volcano (because it's by an old volcano named El Baru). Volcan is in the mountainous area of Panama, where the weather isn't quite as humid and the sun isn't quite as hot. This was our favorite location, for all of those reasons.

Natural Solutions Foundation is trying to startup a community in Panama. It's very eco-conscious and about self-sufficiency. These little guys are walking around in a movable chicken coup. It gets moved all over the yard so they will eat bugs and fertilize. Pretty ingenious.

Greenhouses were just built for growing new plants. The foundation already has a coffee plantation where you can buy beans that they grow and roast.

This was a really exciting part of the trip and a real eye opener for me. It's amazing to think how important self sufficiency is in other countries and how it's not as much of a priority here in America. I think we started that kick with the green movement, but really-not much of us would know what to do if we weren't able to go to the grocery store whenever we wanted. Just something to think about.

Rachel May

Panama Trip: Hostels

2011-09-30T07:45:00.000-06:00

One of the most fascinating parts of our trip were the places we stayed. This hostel is called Mamallena Backpacker Hostel, and while it scared me the first night, it ended up being one of my favorites.

Little to my knowledge, wrought iron and razor wire are common building materials in Panama. But when we arrived late at night on my first trip out of the country and I look around and see concrete walls topped with razor wire, the movie Hostel came to mind. I was scared and wanted to go home.

But in the morning, I saw the place in a new light. I paid a whopping $15 per night there for my share of a private room. If you get a dorm, it's $8. There's no frills, but the bathrooms are clean (and they're shared) and you get what you need. One of the perks though, is pancakes. You can have pancakes for free, you just have to make them yourself. That was a lot of fun.

Everyone hung out in the main areas and this place was probably the most social of all the hostels. We met people on world tours, people that had been to Panama before and told us what we needed to see before we left, and people that were passing through on their way to Costa Rica. It was great.

I tend to get in my comfort zone at home, so I think that's why it was hard to adjust so quickly to Panama. Ever felt that way?

Rachel May

Panama Trip: Casco Viejo

2011-09-29T07:25:00.004-06:00

If this is the first post you've read about my Panama trip, start here instead.

After visiting the canal, we ventured on to El Amador. There's not much to do there, but we ate dinner and enjoyed the view:

If you go to Panama City, there are very few things that are attractions there. The city is dirty and mainly business oriented, not a lot of tourist attractions.

One of the places to see is Casco Viejo, the old town and the French Plaza. The sad part is that the U.S. struck this part of town in 1989. I had no idea before I went on this trip. It seems like everything was pretty much left the same, so it's a mix of war aftermath and newly renovated buildings.

On the other side of this building, there is a large open plaza where the native Panamanian indians and people traveling through Panama sell their wares. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip, but I didn't get any pictures!

There's a really bad neighborhood just outside of Casco Viejo that you pass on the way there. It's pretty much made up of the people that were displaced because of the U.S. strike on their country. There was so much destruction and not enough new jobs, and a lot of people lost their jobs after they were finished building the canal. There are a lot of drugs and there is a lot of crime in the area. We didn't have any issues, but we avoided the area as much as possible.

It's hard not to take this area and the destruction that we caused and not wonder what it's like for the countries we're doing this to now. It really opened my eyes.

Rachel May

Lonny Magazine: 2 Year Anniversary

2011-09-10T16:08:00.006-06:00

I received a healthy dose of eye candy in my email inbox today:

Image found here.

The Sept/Oct issue of Lonny Mag is out today! If you haven't already, you should check it out (at www.lonnymag.com). They're celebrating two years of being in digital print. That's quite a feat for a shelter mag these days.

Keep up the good work, folks at Lonny! Your magazine is awesome.

Rachel May

Total Money Makeover?

2011-09-10T11:10:00.005-06:00

I should start this post with a disclaimer. This is not sponsored, this is all my opinion and I'm not paid in any way by saying this.

About a week ago, I called my Dad to announce to him that I had paid off my first student loan. I was very excited and told him that I was sort of loosely following this Debt Snowball method that I found online by a guy named Dave Ramsey (I had never heard of him before). My Dad, a very laid-back guy and not much of a talker, interrupts me, full of emotion "Dave Ramsey! I've been listening to him for the past year and it has totally changed my life! You know, when I started following his program, I had 20 accounts (debts owed), and now I have only 5! It feels so good! I'm getting there."

Picture found here.

I still can't believe we had this conversation. I congratulated my Dad and he congratulated me, and we're both so proud of one another. It's now something we have bonded over, which I love. He mailed me the Dave Ramsey book that he had read, Total Money Makeover, and I just finished reading it last night (I read it in two days...I couldn't put it down).

This book has been a huge wake-up call for me. I tend do be a dreamer and have big goals for myself, and let me tell you, debt is not one of them. But right now, I feel chained to student loan debt. I have to make some changes in my life, so that in the future, I'm in a better place than I'm in now. I'm excited and scared to death to get started, but I've already paid off my credit card (a while back-it felt GOOD!), built up emergency savings and paid off my first student loan. Now I'm gunning for the next one!

If you're unfamiliar with the Total Money Makeover, it basically breaks down everything by steps. Before you start, you need to have a written budget. Every single cent should be allocated before you get paid. This helps stop you from spending that extra money and to keep a close eye on your finances. You also need to make sure every debt owed is current. Then, the book breaks everything down into baby steps, so you can take it one step at a time.

Baby Step #1: Save $1k cash as a starter emergency fund. This is only to be used in emergency. Getting pizza is not an emergency. Your car breaking down and preventing you from going to work until it gets fixed counts as an emergency.

Baby Step #2: Start the Debt Snowball and use it to become debt-free except for your home. Start paying those debts off! Arrange them smallest to largest and pay them off one by one. (This is where I'm at. I'll be here a while).

Baby Step #3: Finish the Emergency Fund. Save 3-6 months of expenses, or about $10k.

Baby Step #4: Invest 15% of your income in retirement.

Baby Step #5: Save for College (for your kiddos).

Baby Step #6: Pay off your home mortgage.

Baby Step #7: Build Wealth.

Have you ever felt bogged down by debt? Anyone tried the Total Money Makeover? I'll update you on how it goes for me, but I'd love to hear anyone else's opinions as well! As for me, I'm excited for the day when I get a paycheck and the majority of it doesn't go to Sallie Mae.

And I promise to post more Panama updates soon, I've just gotta keep my nose out of these books long enough to edit the pictures!

Rachel May

House Update!

2011-09-08T18:00:00.000-06:00

I still have to fill you in on our Panama trip, but first, something crazy has happened that I have been keeping a secret.

We finally closed on our house. We're homeowners!

Took long enough (eight months!), but after all of the lender rules and regulations were followed and deadlines were met, passed, rescheduled, and rescheduled, and...you get the idea, we were finally able to close the deal.

I'm one very happy homeowner. And I'm so glad to call this place home.

Rachel May

IKEA is here!

2011-08-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

You know how I mentioned there's a new IKEA in Colorado?

I went there. It was crazy.
There were police directing traffic. There were event staff directing pedestrians to slow down the flow of people into the building. There were people bumping into me (now I'm having flashbacks of pickpocketing fears from Panama trip and I swing my purse to the front), kids freaking out, adults freaking out, little carts and huge yellow bags EVERYWHERE.

So it was pretty much awesome. Like Disney World (Disclaimer: I've never been to Disney World), only at the end of all the lines, there's more lines and you get lost trying to get out of the parking garage. I think I'll wait until the crowd dies down. It's been a month since the grand opening and it's still like this, so I can only assume I need to wait about a year. Needless to say, I didn't buy anything, but I managed to spend 4 hours there. Sigh.

On a sad note, I checked out the HULTO chairs while I was there, and I think they're too small. LAME.

I'm still considering them though. Because they're still a possibility.

Rachel May

I'm Back! and the Panama Canal

2011-08-24T06:00:00.001-06:00

Hello! Oh, how I've missed you. I've been back in town for about a week now, just trying to get back into the groove of things. So far so good! I have so much to share. But first, why don't we start with a trip recap? Don't mind if I do!

click on the image for a larger view.

Our trip started in Panama City, mainly because that's where the plane lands. We flew from Orlando to Miami and landed at our destination. The next morning, we checked out the canal. It was really breathtaking. I really had no opinion about going to the canal or not, but after being there, I can say it's a "must see" if you go to Panama. It gives you a whole new perspective for all those things you're buying overseas. And it brings income to the city, which helps their area thrive.

Fun fact: It takes 8 hours for a ship to get through the canal.
Another Fun fact: They're currently constructing a larger canal to accomodate larger ships.

There's so much more to show you and to share-we were in Panama for 2 weeks. So I'll post more updates soon.

I'm curious to know what other people's favorite vacations/sights have been. Did it surprise you, or were you looking forward to it all along?

Rachel May

Vacation: Florida and Panama

2011-07-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm going to be away from the blog for the while. I'm going with the Boyfriend and his family to Florida, and from there, to Panama. It will be my first trip out of the country, and I couldn't be more excited, except that it's still so surreal. I've also never been to Florida, so I'm excited to see it too:)

I'll make sure to report back regarding my adventures:) but for now, I'll see you in a while. We'll be back mid-August.

Rachel May

Skills: Perspective and Rendering

2011-07-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Remember when you first learned a certain skill? You dedicated time to it, effort, a lot of energy, etc. Well, that's how I was with sketching when I was in school. I loved it! But since I've graduated college, I've fallen off the wagon. I'm trying to work on that (and rendering too). I think it's great for getting an idea across to a client.

Sometimes you find something that totally inspires you. I was totally inspired on Friday when I found this blog: A Schematic Life. It's filled with beautiful renderings by a talented interior designer named Michelle Morelan. Here is what I came up with, after looking at her archives for longer than I care to admit:

This is NOT my design, it's a rip-off of one of her renderings that I used for practice, located here. I drew the picture by hand, using her perspective and rendering as reference. I highly suggest you check out her work. She's so skilled, so inspiring!

Rachel May

IKEA does not disappoint

2011-07-22T17:30:00.003-06:00

Ikea is opening here in CO (Centennial, CO to be exact) on July 27th. I may be geeking out about it A LOT. I can just see all of my money going to this place in about one trip there. So many things to love! In preparation for my shopping trip (which I'm treating like a vacation, because I've only been to IKEA once before), I'm going virtual shopping.

It's always interesting to see how different companies style their products. I would LOVE to stage for IKEA. In exchange for free furniture and textiles, please.

I started perusing their website, and really liked this room:

Then I saw something...something that I've been virtual-shopping for a while. The perfect loungy-chair. And the perfect price (69.99). I might need two.

Hello, HULTO. I've been looking for you for a while. Sure, it doesn't look like much now, pretty much just a wicker chair. But the shape and size is perfect (our couch is really low to the ground) and the texture is much needed in our space. All it needs is a little color, like some throw pillows:

Maybe not these particular pillows, but colorful ones for sure. I think I know what my first IKEA purchases will be!:) (all pictures are from IKEA's website, here)

Have a great weekend!

Rachel May

My House: Living Room Seating

2011-07-20T06:00:00.002-06:00

So, I'm kind of totally in love with this chair. I think it would look amazing in our living room. And the price is right. But I really need to work on an entire design scheme/plan before I buy more furniture. This is going on the wish list though.

You can find it here.

I always go back and forth. Do I want a cute and comfortable chair with arms? Or a sleek, stylish chair without? What do you think? I would probably add an ottoman to this, and definitely a bright colored pillow. The reviews on this piece are hit-and-miss, but I suppose that's to be expected for a chair this cheap.

What do you think?

Rachel May

My House: Counter Seating

2011-07-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

Before we moved in, this is what our house looked like from the front door:

Yeah, not so glamorous, but good bones, right? That's what I love about this house. Everything vital is in place, good wood floors, great architecture, decent lighting (in some places) etc. All it needs is a little facelift and our personal touch.

I decided that painting the main area-living room, dining room and some of the kitchen, was vital before we moved in. I knew it was one of those rooms that we'd later say "Yeah, we've been meaning to paint that..." so I stopped packing boxes to move and headed over to Home Depot.

Most of the walls are a light brown/beige with a touch of grey, but I wanted to punch up the kitchen. So I painted the dividing wall a chocolate brown to divide the spaces and enhance the architecture (can you see those sweet track lights? Yeah, awesome.)

This is what it looked like when we moved in (before all of our stuff was shoved in, that is):

And now I'm thinking I need 3 of these for that peninsula (there are 3 people in our house-me, the boyfriend, and the roommate):

Found here.

Oh Anthropolgie. Why can't you be in my pricepoint? Sigh.

I really need to work on my living room. That was decided after watching 4 episodes Secrets from a Stylist and adding her blog to my blogroll. My house needs some style. And not the "we just got out of college so we're poor" style. That's not cutting it.

Rachel May

Sketchmania Sneak Peak #45

2011-05-18T08:00:00.001-06:00

Here's my submission for this week's Sketchmania Challenge! Check out the entire card here OR submit your own creation for a chance to win this month's prize!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania Sneak Peek #44

2011-05-11T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here's my Sketchmania submission for this week! Check out the rest of my card at Dee Dee's blog OR make your own card or scrapbook page and enter it for a prize!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Rug Inspiration

2011-05-09T18:00:00.001-06:00

I try not to "want" for things, but this rug is just lovely. I would like it for my living room, please.

Big Garden Printed Rug via Urban Outfitters

Look at all of those beautiful colors! And at $68, not a bad price tag.

This is one of those pieces that you could design an entire room around, or at least I would like to (and if it's a room in my own house, even better).

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Sketchmania Sneak Peek #43

2011-05-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a sneak peek at my submission for this week's Sketchmania Challenge over at Dee Dee's blog. Go check it out OR make your own and submit it for the chance to win this month's prize!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

My Job: Staging and Design

2011-04-28T08:00:00.001-06:00

My day job keeps getting cooler. I work for a fix-and-flip company as the Office Coordinator. However, my boss has been cool enough to alter my position toward something that appeals to my interior design background, which means that now I can get out of the office and go select tile, carpet, paint and lots of other stuff.

Lately, I've got to work on finish selections for the remodels-picking out tile, paint, carpet, kitchen layouts, etc. Then I get to stage them. Here's one of our finished homes, already under contract:

Front

Back

Living Room

Kitchen

Hall Bathroom

Master Bathroom

Basement Bathroom

This home is higher end than our usual fix-up,

What do you think?

Rachel May

Guest Bedroom After

2011-04-27T17:30:00.001-06:00

Finally, I'm ready to present to you the finished (well, nothing's ever really finished)Guest Bedroom! Don't be one of those people that skips to the end. Check out the before pictures here.

And now, the after pictures of the Guest Bedroom/My Studio!

I painted the walls Amber Yellow, which was a lot LESS yellow that it ended up being once it was on the wall. Jury is still out on whether or not I like it.

I also added new sheets and a new pillow from Tarjay (that blue rectangular one). Most of the other stuff I had at home already.

The overall budget breakdown is something like this:
Paint and supplies: $30
New Bedding: $40
Total: $70. Everything else was reused/repurposed.

I have big plans for more changes this space, and the wall color may or may not be one of them (we shall see). I'll keep you posted.

There's also a few adjustments to be made. This window will be getting a much smaller, lighter curtain, but this was a temporary replacement. This has got to be the smallest window I've ever seen in a main floor bedroom.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania Sneak Peek #42

2011-04-27T08:00:00.000-06:00

Here's a sneak-peek of my Sketchmania submission for this week. Head on over to Dee Dee's blog (here) to check out more OR make your own cards to enter for a new prize each month!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Guest Bedroom Before

2011-04-15T17:00:00.001-06:00

We were expecting company a couple of weeks ago (the Boyfriend's father, as a matter of fact) and I was determined to turn our guest bedroom/my studio into a space that he might actually want to stay in. It started out looking like this:

All pictures were taken post-spackling and pre-new paint.

I don't know how I was ever productive with my desk like this.

A purple accent wall? Why not!

Don't let that little closet fool you...it hides my craft supply inventory! LOTS of stuff in there.

I have way too much junk.

Now you know what our house looked like after we moved in, before we made changes. After pictures to come soon!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Signs of Life

2011-03-14T17:30:00.001-06:00

This weekend it was BEAUTIFUL outside, I just couldn't stay indoors. On Saturday, my sister and I went shopping (got some fun stuff to show you too) and Sunday was spent working on the backyard. My pictures don't do the backyard justice (screw you, dark shadows!) but overlook that and imagine a beautiful garden....it's nice, isn't it?

Before

After

Before

After

And proof that something will grow in our garden (and I didn't even have to plant it)

Irises, perhaps?

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Hello Organization, how have you been?

2011-03-12T07:00:00.001-07:00

I'm a big fan of being organized (not that I am. I am organized at work, and in my mind (most times) but my house isn't there yet-nor is the rest of my life). The other day I realized that this blog needs some of that organization. So I called in some help. Dee Dee over at UmWow Studio helped me add some lovely tabs to the top of my blog.

The top tab bar is here to help! So if you'd like to keep looking a pictures of my house (House Tour) or if you're just interested in my crafty abilities (Crafts) or my weekly Sketchmania submissions (SketchMania), or my freelance interior design work (Interior Design) it's easy as pie to find EXACTLY what you're looking for! Then again, if you want to follow along each day, that can't hurt either.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

House Tour: The Basement

2011-03-11T17:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry for the delay, I got sidetracked yesterday. Here's the last bit of the tour from our new home: The Basement.

When you walk downstairs, there's a landing with awesome built-ins and a closet.

Basement Landing

The studio is at the bottom of the stairs, along with the hallway to the laundry room

Studio (with major closet space)

Laundry Room (nothing too exciting except for that awesome yellow paint)

...and our bedroom and bathroomOur Bedroom (The Boyfriend and I)

Our Bedroom

The bathroom next to our bedroom is (to me) the worst room in the house. It really doesn't NEED anything (if we're going to be like that), I mean, everything works-the shower, toilet tub etc, but it's an eyesore (like that open toilet seat is-classy).

Our Bathroom

That's it! It can only get better from here (I hope). Can't wait to start working on this:)

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Sketchmania #35

2011-03-09T15:47:00.005-07:00

We're taking a break from the house tour today to share the card I made for the weekly Sketchmania Challenge. The house tour will continue in the next post:)

(click image to enlarge)

Check out the inspirational layout and other crafty people's submissions here!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

House Tour: Upstairs Hall and Bedrooms

2011-03-08T17:30:00.002-07:00

We'll start this tour backwards, as in...with the backyard (mostly because I'm blogger photo upload inept).

Backyard

Isn't it beautiful? There's already an arbor next to the garage that leads to a flower garden, a built in sprinkler system, a one car garage and a concrete pad to the right of the garage (other side of the fence) for added car storage.

Basement Stairwell

Here's the stairwell to the basement-you can see that it's open to the living room. It makes it really open over there.

Roomie's Room

This is our roommate's room, and probably the only picture you'll ever see of it, unless he lets me design it:) No offense to you, but a few reasons why we like our roommate is because he's awesome, he was willing to move from our rental to our new home even though that included a rent raise, and he's just very considerate. So to be considerate to him, I'll only show you the before pictures of his bedroom-a man's gotta have his privacy!

Upstairs Bathroom

This is the bathroom upstairs that's in between the two bedrooms. It's actually kinda cool, but there's definitely some design stuff to be done in there.

Upstairs Bathroom

Ignore the toilet....I had Boyfriend take the pictures and he doesn't understand necessary presentation necessities. Instead, focus on that cool curved shower curtain rod. Pretty sweet, right?

Craft Space!

This is THE CRAFT SPACE. Do you know how nice it is to have an entire room dedicated to crafts? Well I don't, because this is also the guest bedroom. But it's close enough and I'm certainly not complaining!

Craft Space

Here's the view of the entry. Look at that tiny window on the left...sad. But it's good enough for me (once again-I get a craft space! Not complaining).

There's still so much more to share: the basement studio, laundry room, other bathroom, and mine and the Boyfriend's bedroom!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

House Tour: Main Spaces

2011-03-07T17:30:00.002-07:00

FINALLY! Here is the start of a tour of our home in pictures, as promised. This post shows you the exterior, the entry, living room, dining area and kitchen of our new home.

Exterior

Dining area

This is what you see as you walk in-dining area in front of you, living room to the direct right and kitchen.

Kitchen/Living

This is a good shot of the main area upstairs, taken from the dining room. You can see the kitchen, living room and front door.

Kitchen

This shot was taken from the living room, facing the kitchen. The doorway on the left is to the hall and the banister on the right overlooks the stairs to the basement.

Kitchen

We use our kitchen A LOT. It's nice to have a space that's open to the living and dining areas. It's nice for all of us to be able to chat (there's 4 people living here now-two couples) and for whoever is cooking to be able to get involved in the conversation as well.

I'm so happy with our new house! I have lots more to share, I just didn't want to overwhelm you in one post:)

Enjoy!
Rachel May

First Look: Basement Landing

2011-03-06T21:54:00.008-07:00

I still need to share a "before tour" of our new space, but I couldn't wait to show you a little project I worked on Sunday. We've only just begun chipping away at unpacking since we moved in a couple weeks ago. The move went from organized to free for all in a matter of a couple of days, so our stuff is EVERYWHERE. It's also driving me crazy.

Sunday my goal was to clean out the basement landing. When you walk down the stairs, there's a bunch of junk lying in the middle of the space. I imagine this space to be a lovely reading nook in the future, but right now, it's a total Hoarders episode in there. Pictures will help clarify this for you.

Here's the view as you walk down the staircase (surprise!):

Before

There's some amazing paneling, a built-in and a closet behind all that junk. Hello storage! I need you in here.

And here's the space after I cleaned it up, took 6 boxes of junk to Goodwill (hello, tax deduction!), recycled some cardboard boxes, took out the trash, put the other items where they should actually be, pulled nails, blue taped and spackled:

After

It's nothing spectacular. It's more of a blank slate, but it's a BIG difference, trust me. Now I can walk downstairs without sidestepping to the laundry room or my bedroom.

Here's another view. Check out that built-in (such potential):

Before

And here it is after:

After

We're planning on demolishing the small shelf above the dresser and building bookshelves all the way across for all of our good reads.

There are a few things we will need to do in this space. For one, that curtain has got to go, and the cabinet is spoken for, so it will go too.

After

And currently, you have to stick your index finger in the door to pull it open...not the most effective method.

Doorknob (or lack therof)

We're going to have to replace the doorknob (we have the old one...it fell off). I've been thinking one from an architectural salvage yard would be fun, but I'm not sure how well that will work out (or if I should just keep it simple and make my life easier).

Before (taken from the hallway)

After (told you there was a closet there!)

Here's an After picture taken from the corner where the built-in is, directed at the hall. The door on the left goes to our studio (you thought the landing was gross! I had to close the door for this space), the laundry room door is through the hall doorway and our bedrom door is on the left. Phew! Lots of doors. But look how clean the space is!

After (facing the hallway)

I'll definitely share more once I have it, but for now, you can find me at the bottom of the stairs making carpet angels.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania #34

2011-03-03T08:00:00.003-07:00

(click image to enlarge)

Better late than never, here is my submission for the Sketchmania challenge for this week! Check out other people's submissions on Dee Dee's blog, or make your own card and submit it for a chance to win a lovely prize.

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Exciting News: We're Moving!

2011-02-27T14:40:00.000-07:00

We're in the middle of moving from our old rental house. Why, you ask? Because we bought a house! It turns out that Boyfriend and I are financially responsible enough to own our own place. Or atleast the mortgage company thinks so...and that's good enough for me:)

While this is all very exciting, it's also an emotional rollercoaster. So much paperwork, so much packing and cleaning, so many details....very overwhelmed over here.

Right now, we're moving from this (approx. 700 sq ft):

.....to this (approx. 1500 sq ft)!

The upstairs square footage in the new house is the same size as our previous rental house, and we have a finished basement. So we're getting double the space we had, which is very exciting, but much needed as well.

Yellow is my favorite color, so you can imagine my excitement in finding this beauty! Still need to name her though, any suggestions?

I totally didn't plan the creepy cloudy sky behind the old house and the beautiful blue sky behind the new house...but it works.

Rachel May

Sketchmania: Challenge #33

2011-02-25T17:15:00.002-07:00

(click to enlarge)

Please excuse my absence...trying to get back on the blog wagon. Here's my submission for the Sketchmania challenge this week. Click here to see the sketch and what other people came up with!

If you'd like to join in the fun, please do! There's a new sketch out every Wednesday and you can create your own scrapbook pages or cards using the sketch as inspiration. Then, send Dee Dee a link to it so you can enter for some awesome crafty prizes each week. Just check out the Sketchmania section for more info:)

Enjoy!

Rachel May

First Snow!

2010-11-10T07:42:00.002-07:00

We got our first snow here yesterday. I'm really trying not to complain, because I do love blankets, cuddling and hot cocoa, but I'm not a big fan of being cold. So to try to counteract the negative side of snow, I focused on this card for this week's Sketchmania challenge. Check out more entries and even submit your own for a prize on Dee Dee's blog!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Schoolhouse Tunic Finished!

2010-10-25T12:00:00.000-06:00

I went to the Schoolhouse Tunic class at Fancy Tiger and had a blast! I finished my tunic and went home all giddy about it. Here's a picture of me in it this morning-it's early, be nice.

I'm really proud of the craftsmanship. It's the little things that make it look good, like matching up seams and taking a little extra time to make sure that all of the edges are finished. We had a really good instructor and it was a super fun class. I'm already planning which class to take next (hello kimono robe)!

I didn't prewash my fabric before class (i totally know better than to do that too), but it ended up working out to my benefit. The tunic was just a bit too big on me, and after a good wash it fits perfectly. Not tight, not too loose, just right. Can't wait to show this off at work today!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Washburn Residence: Dresser Redesign

2010-10-25T06:00:00.000-06:00

I've been helping out a client(finally using my interior design degree) with a few selections for her home. She had already purchased an unfinished wood dresser for her bedroom (top left is a look-alike) and wanted it painted. She wanted red, but we needed to narrow down what she meant by that, so I came up with this mood board.

click to enlarge

I created this to help the client and myself get on the same page as far as what "red dresser" meant. That's a big deal-people have different perceptions of things. We decided which dresser we liked best (all images found on Google after searching "red dressers"), the bottom right was our favorite. I used that selection and a rug as inspiration to select the paint colors/finish look on the piece.

I'll make sure to post updates as I move along on this project.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Schoolhouse Tunic

2010-10-24T06:00:00.000-06:00

Today, I'll be here, learning how to sew this. So excited!

Rachel May

Happy Saturday!

2010-10-23T14:52:00.004-06:00

Last night I did something really weird..got into cooking mode and baked squash, made pizza (from scratch), baked chocolate chip cookies (from scratch), and threw together a salsa (scratch). Why? I have no idea, I'm just odd sometimes.

I intended to make pizza for dinner. The rest was for...the rest of the weekend, I suppose?

Result: Cookies and coffee for breakfast today and squash for lunch. Maybe I should rethink this and cook healthier items next time (although everything else was pretty healthy...but I can't resist the cookies).

Rachel May

Art by Craft

2010-10-16T10:17:00.003-06:00

Hello! This is what I was up to last night: volunteering for the Denver Handmade Alliance at an amazing art opening and exhibit. It's called Art by Craft, runs through the next two weeks and can be visited between 12 and 4. Very cool-I highly suggest it.

If I were smarter, I would've taken pictures, but I didn't. Oh and funny story-I took the light rail to get to the event and took the wrong one to get back home. Not very funny last night, but I'm ready to laugh about it now. Took an hour and a half to get home, but I did make it, and I got a lot of book reading in. I made sure to sleep in this morning to make up for that adventure.

So if you're smart enough to know your route there and back, definitely go:)

Rachel May

Paint Swatch Organizer

2010-10-10T06:00:00.002-06:00

You know those clear plastic business card sleeves? You could use them for business cards (standard), but you could also use them for TONS of other things. I was trying to organize some paint swatches for a client and thought of this idea. Using a business card as your template, cut the paint swatches to size.

You can cut the name off and use double stick tape to adhere it to the back, or cut it so the name shows on the front. See?

Very nice-and it looks so clean an professional. I'm pleased with the results! I'm sticking extra smaller paint swatch scraps in there (no need to throw them away) in case my client would like to keep them for reference, or if they're unsure of which color to choose. Also-if they don't like a color, it's easily interchangeable! No commitment whatsoever:)

Enjoy!

Rachel May

More Wabi Sabi Goodness

2010-10-09T10:23:00.005-06:00

I took the Wabi Sabi article (mentioned before here) into work this week for our staff meeting to share with my coworkers and it went over really well. It seemed to really make an impact on the people I work with and I was SO excited to be able to share something that really enlightened me with other people.

Our office culture is really changing in a positive light which makes all of those hours spent at my day job so much more enjoyable. It's so easy to start overlooking things at work and get frustrated, and to let that frustration build day after day. I'm so glad we've noticed it and are taking action to work towards a more positive, accepting culture. If you want to check out the Wabi Sabi article, it's in this month's Whole Living (a Martha Stewart Publication). I highly recommend it.

In the spirit of Wabi Sabi, I found the best Wabi Sabi coffee cups at Caribou Coffee the other day. They look handmade and have the neatest little circle handles on them. And, at 50% off, I bought two. Can't get much more Wabi Sabi than that.

Today I'm doing some interior design research for a client (can't wait to share more on that topic with you!) and soaking up a creative day. What are you up to?

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania #14

2010-10-06T12:00:00.000-06:00

Here's my card for this week's Sketchmania challenge!

I tried to go for more of a collage style, but I think I'm too linear to craft like this. I'll stick to what I usually do:)

If you want to check out other cards, go to Dee Dee's blog.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Whole Living: Wabi Sabi Your Life

2010-10-04T22:04:00.007-06:00

I was hanging out with my sister yesterday and she mentioned an article that she thought I'd like. It's titled "Wabi Sabi Your Life" and it's in this month's issue of Whole Living (pg. 103). I read it tonight and really felt the message, it's exactly how I want to be and what I strive for now. Here's the basic idea:

"Wabi sabi is the beauty of things imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete, the antithesis of our classical Western notion of beauty as something perfect, enduring, and monumental."

My very own Wabi Sabi: handspun yarn. The first thing I'm embracing as imperfect yet absolutely beautiful.

Wabi sabi celebrates imperfection and flaws and embraces that. I really feel like this is something that everyone can take into their own lives. We worry so much about the laundry not being done, our home not being "perfect" when we show it off to others, or our bodies never being skinny enough.

On the contrary, it doesn't mean letting everything go, living like a hoarder and never bathing. You still need to have some sense of control and order in your life, but it's about embracing those things/people/ideas that you cherish, and giving them recognition and value.

I would highly recommend picking up this issue and checking out the article, SO inspiring!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market

2010-10-02T14:50:00.004-06:00

Happy Saturday! Today I ventured out to the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market. It was awesome! Here's what I found:

Handmade Soap by Clean Getaway in Almond Vanilla (mmmm)

Earrings made using recycled skateboards by Mukee (perfect fall yellow color)

I also purchased an event tote bag, the new Fancy Tiger Class Schedule, some granola and coffee from a shop called Cake (whoever was the genius behind the whole coffee-at-a-craft-fair thing is my hero).

I saw some other cool shops that I want to check out as well: Presents for Pirates has cute notebooks and things, Dandy Social Club makes me want kids-cutest kids clothes ever, Bluedoor had an amazing sewing machine painting that I REALLY want, Vital Industries and Tomte Craft (same place) were also there.

Such crafty success! So glad I attended.

How's your Saturday going?

Rachel May

My Bedroom: End Tables

2010-10-01T07:34:00.004-06:00

I'm working on a bedroom redesign for mine and the Boyfriend's bedroom. It's going to be awesome. Right now I've only gone as far as to purchase end tables (couldn't wait!) that go next to our bed, and to assemble one of them. Here's what they'll look like:

Room Essentials Nightstand in Espresso, Target $59.99 (each)

We've had a file cabinet and an Indian-style carved nightstand next to our bed since I can remember, so it's super exciting for me to have end tables that match AND go with the style of the room. I can't wait to turn it into the fun-but-relaxing space that I know it should be!

You also might remember my bedroom "befores" from when we were building our bedroom shelving, that's here. The "afters" are here.

I'm on a very tight budget, so I'm working on a design board to post and show you and I'll be revealing my budget, how much I've actually spent, what worked and what didn't, and progress along the way.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Blog Crush: Little Green Notebook

2010-09-29T07:26:00.003-06:00

Here's a really fun interiors blog for you to check out. I've been reading through the archives for the past two days...very good stuff. It's called Little Green Notebook.

This blog inspires me to design more. Which reminds me, I discovered the most perfect side tables for mine and Boyfriend's bedroom. I'm going to purchase them this week, then I'll have to do a big reveal! Stay tuned!

Rachel May

Sketchmania #13

2010-09-29T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here's my submission for Sketchmania's 13th challenge! Ooh..I had SO much fun with this one!

If you want to see other people's submissions, check out Dee Dee's blog!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Hanging Lake Part Two

2010-09-25T06:23:00.002-06:00

Here's more pictures from our hike this week.

We hiked a little further once we saw Hanging Lake and tried to get under the waterfall. We got pretty far.

Then we backtracked a little bit and hiked up to Spouting Rock. This is the original water source for Hanging Lake-it's an aquifer that's flowing out of the mountain. We were totally able to walk under this waterfall.

We hiked further and were able to look over the edge down to Hanging Lake-sort of get an aerial view of it all. It was breathtaking. You can see the boardwalk that's around the lake. This was taken from above.

Why I love Boyfriend: I told him I needed a picture with my sock in progress. He doesn't ask why, he says "Well I'm going to focus on the sock, the waterfall will just be a blur in the background, okay?" That's a man with his priorities in place. (if you don't understand why someone would take a picture of sock knitting, go to the Yarn Harlot's blog).

We had a blast.

I'm already planning our next hike-this one was SO much fun!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Adventure: Hanging Lake

2010-09-24T07:44:00.005-06:00

Boyfriend, his mom and I went on a hike yesterday to Hanging Lake. If you live in CO or you're visiting, I highly recommend going here. It.Was. Amazing. This is what you see as you're walking to the trailhead (you don't hike this part, this is just the background..but really? Beautiful!).

Boyfriend took some amazing shots. I named him photographer for the day. I was the lens cap assistant (very important role, don't you know...).

I spotted this little guy moseying up the hiking trail. We helped him to the side, so he wouldn't get injured by any hasty hikers. Isn't he the coolest Halloween caterpillar ever? Boyfriend says he's seen them before, but this was a first for me-very cool.

And since the girls over at the Fancy Tiger blog were talking about seeing some elf houses in Iceland, I thought I'd share with them that those elves must vacation in Colorado. Here's proof! True to their Icelandic nature, they like staying at a place with ice-cold lakes. Makes sense.

And this is what everyone hikes to see: Hanging Lake.

Nuff said.

Even more pictures tomorrow, some with crafts! Stay tuned!

Rachel May

Catch-up: Sketchmania #11

2010-09-23T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here's another past challenge card I created for Sketchmania! To check out the template or other people's work, stop by Dee Dee's blog!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania #12

2010-09-22T06:00:00.000-06:00

Here's my submission for this week's Sketchmania challenge. Hope you like it, I had a ton of fun making it!

Check out other people's submissions at Dee Dee's blog!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Home Staging: Westminster

2010-09-21T06:00:00.001-06:00

Today's post is all about staging. At my day job, we call our houses by their street name (hence the title of my post). I won't give you addresses to the houses that I'm staging because some of them have sold since, but I'll label them this way throughout all of the staging posts I do.

I really liked this house and had a ton of fun staging it. The major staging focus was art and accessories. They can really transform a space and make it look warm and inviting.

My favorite space in this home: the bathroom. I'm so proud of how adorable it looks!

Looking back at these pictures, I had a thought: I love this job:)

What do you think?

Rachel May

Catch-up: Sketchmania #10

2010-09-20T06:00:00.000-06:00

I keep forgetting to post my weekly challenge entries for the Sketchmania challenges, so I'm playing a little catch-up the next couple of weeks.

These challenges are great-Dee Dee does an awesome job coming up with the designs, and I'm proud to say I'm one of the designers in the great group she selected. Here's what I came up with a couple of weeks ago:

If you want to see the template for the challenge, or other designers and readers submissions, check out Dee Dee's blog for more info! You can enter to win prizes as well:)

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Excited for Fall!

2010-09-19T06:00:00.000-06:00

I was flipping through my newest copy of Travel and Leisure magazine and found this: knit goods! I've been thinking about knitting so much this month, with it being featured in magazines and on Fancy Tiger's Blog- the owners just went on a trip to Iceland-how cool is that?

Now I must go knit something! And all this has me thinking about Christmas...oh boy the work that needs to be done!

Any hand knits on your horizon? I saw that knitinsage is doing a mystery knit along-very cool. And the Yarn Harlot always has something (well, multiple things, really) on the needles. I'm thinking socks and hats myself. I would love to have some nice wool items by winter this year!

Oh and did you see the Fall Getaway cover? I'm really lusting for a vacation right now and that was such a tempting cover. I dropped everything to start browsing the pages for more info. But in the end, the hand knits got me-and they're a little more accessible to me than a trip to the Carribean for a spa getaway (at least so far anyway...one can dream).

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Card Club Challenges

2010-09-18T23:45:00.002-06:00

Hello All,
I've been working on some fun things for the blog, but first-some bad news. I've decided to dissolve the Card Club Challenge. Why? There's a lot on my plate and I've been struggling to do it all. I think this is for the better, but it was a tough decision. I'm hoping this will help me to focus on all of the other projects I have going on right now that are demanding my attention.

But there's good news as well! If you still want to see awesome card challenges, check out Dee Dee's blog,(for which I am one of the designers) where she holds them weekly!

No worries-there will be enough craft content to go around:)

Enjoy!
Rachel May

TGIF

2010-09-03T07:56:00.003-06:00

This has been a long couple of weeks, and this poor blog has been shoved aside in the meantime. I'm just so glad it's Friday, I can't say it enough! I hope to get back on track this weekend and start sharing with you one of my newer endeavors...home staging.

I don't think I've addressed my day job on the blog too much, probably because I'm there all day and my blog is what I do on the weekends and in the evenings. I'm the office coordinator for a house-flipping company called HomeVestors (the We Buy Ugly Houses company). It's a challenging job, but it mainly demands that I sit at a desk all day answering phones and emails (or at least that's how it feels sometimes). I've been there over a year now, and it's taught me SO MUCH about homes-not just making them beautiful (which college taught me) but the entire process of purchasing, remodeling, marketing and selling them. I can't believe how much knowledge I've gained from my position. With that being said, I dearly miss designing!

I have a pretty cool boss that sees my interior design potential and wants to help nurture that. He started a company for him, me and a third partner (she's also education in interior design). I won't get into the personal details, but basically my partner Pat and I do the staging and my boss is our built-in client. I'm kind of still letting this sink in, I mean I'm part owner of a company now (but I still have to keep in mind that I'm full owner of another company too...)!

I've taken pictures of some staging I've done lately and I have some images of staging that my partner has done as well and I'm going to start posting those soon...sharing another part of my life with you readers. Hope you like it!

Rachel May

Card Challenge #8!

2010-08-22T22:31:00.003-06:00

My results for Card Challenge #8!

This card challenge required us to make our own patterned paper for an anniversary card. Here's what I came up with:

You can join the challenge every two weeks as well! See what the other members are doing:
SkyleRae
DeeDee

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania!

2010-08-04T06:00:00.001-06:00

As you may already know, I'm a designer in this weekly challenge over at Sketchmania. If you don't, go check it out! It's held at Miss Dee Dee's blog.

Here is my entry for this week:

Enjoy!

Rachel May

rachelmaydesigns: Handmade Paper Garland

2010-08-01T10:41:00.004-06:00

Check out my site for new products like Handmade Paper Garland! I'm adding items weekly, so make sure to check back:)

You can use paper garland for decorating a room, wrapping a gift-anything you want! I'm able to make different quantities than what is available, so let me know if you need more and we can set up a custom listing!

Handmade paper garland is made using paper that I handmade myself, then punched out different shapes. The shapes are then sewn together to make a garland.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Book Report:The Richest Man in Babylon

2010-07-31T06:00:00.000-06:00

It's time for another book report!

Each week (right now it's scheduled for Saturdays) I will post about a book that I've recently read, embellishing with a summary (without giving away the enjoyment of reading the book) and my point of view on it (good or bad). I'm not a publisher, an editor, or a writer (besides on this blog), just a reader, so take my opinion how you like and definitely form your own as well. But who knows, maybe you'll want to read these books too!

The Richest Man in Babylon
Author: George S. Clason

Summary:
This book is a collection of Babylonian parables that explains tips and money management knowledge through different events that the characters experience through their lives and how they handle them.

My Take:
I actually had to read this book for work (my day job). After reading it, I really understood the value. It's a difficult read at first, but once you get into it, you'll learn a lot about money managing. It's the type of book that tells you the money tips you should know, but maybe don't actually perform. It also gives you different perspectives on how money management can help you attain the life you desire. If you're interested in learning more about success and money, this is would be a good read for you-but you'll have to get used to the language used, it's written "in language as simple as the Bible" which seems like a huge oxymoron to me.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

You've Got Mail

2010-07-30T06:00:00.000-06:00

I'm getting excited for fall to come around again. I love summer, but the changing leaves, the fun clothes and the memories of school and change that fall brings make it all it's own (and I don't have a/c, so I'm biased as far as temperature goes). With that, one of my all time favorite movies, You've Got Mail. This gets watched A LOT around here-mostly at my computer, since we're not the type of people to have a tv in our living room (you can see our living room in this post).

If you haven't seen it, you should-it'll take you back to those lovely days of dial-up internet connection, those days where waiting twenty minutes for a page to load was a-okay.

Don't you love how much technology has progressed? I do miss snail mail though. We need more of that.

Rachel May

Craft File: White Afghan

2010-07-29T06:00:00.001-06:00

I started to crochet this afghan a while ago, then ran out of yarn and it fell by the wayside. Hopefully posting it will encourage me to buy more yarn and finish crocheting. It's actually not too difficult and the bulky yarn allows you to see a lot of progress rather quickly. I wanted to stay away from making it look like a typical grandma's afghan and to sort of modernize the look, so I'm using all cream-colored yarn and a stitch that add a lot of texture.

Details: Yarn: Lion Grand Wool-Ease, Color 099 Fisherman and a size N hook.

Tips/Tricks: I use a huge hook and a bulky yarn to help the afghan grow faster and to make the project seem less daunting.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

rachelmaydesigns featured on Etsy Treasury!

2010-07-28T12:00:00.000-06:00

My Yellow EcoBook Journal was featured on a treasury today! You can check it out here.

Or check out my shop for other awesome items!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Sketchmania!

2010-07-28T06:00:00.000-06:00

Just a quick post to share that I'm a designer on the sketchmania team! It's a great group of amazing designers led by Miss Dee Dee. Each week she comes up with an amazing sketch for a card or scrapbook page. If you enter through August, you'll be eligible for a prize! Check it out!

To see the inspiration sketch and other designer's interpretations , check it out here.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Design File: Paint Chips

2010-07-27T06:00:00.000-06:00

The Boyfriend and I like to go on walks a lot. Well, I should say that boyfriend likes to take me on walks and I like to say "but I have so much to do!" or "that's not productive."

All whining aside, there's a house near ours that has the most beautiful dusty faded blue paint. The paint is also completely peeling off of their concrete retaining walls right next to the sidewalk...which may have been how we scored a piece, I'll never tell.

I think I'll keep this color swatch in my interior design file to use in on a future project somewhere. It's amazing how much inspiration you can pull from your surroundings (or other people's). Either way, that walk sure was productive!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Bedroom Sketch

2010-07-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Once upon a time, I went to art school. Just recently I was looking through my old school work and missing the creativity and enjoyment I got out of my work. Then I started sketching.

Inspiration:
I thought I should start out simple, so here's a bedroom image from Dwell Studio that I've seen floating around the internet. Don't you just love the colors of that bedding?

My work:
Once I started drawing the inspiration image, I realized just how much I wanted to slide the lamp a little to the right so that picture frame wasn't hanging over the edge-does that bother you too?

My sketch is even simpler than the actual image. I think I'll go in later and add some texture and stripes, maybe even render it. Right now it's a decent line work drawing for rendering (do you know what rendering is? It's like realistic coloring), just a little plain.

Mediums used: Pencil (mechanical) and eraser (a lot of eraser), pen (micron in .3 and .7)

What do you think? Do you like sketching? If so, I'd love to see your work! Send me a link or comment below.

Please don't steal my sketches for your blog or other use without permission. Thanks!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Card Challenge 7 Requirements

2010-07-25T14:17:00.004-06:00

We've made it through challenge 6, great work!

Next Challenge: For the next to weeks, your challenge is to create a birthday card for a child. It must include an animal in some form or another (it doesn't have to be the main focus) and you must stamp one thing on a patterned paper somewhere on the card. I expect you all to kill me with cuteness, and I can't wait to see what you come up with!

Due Date: August 8, 2010
Designer for next challenge: SkyleRae
Other Designers: Dee Dee

Post a link to your completed cards in the comments below, I'd love to see them!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

rachelmaydesigns Featured on Etsy Treasury

2010-07-25T11:53:00.005-06:00

My brown and blue EcoBook Listmaker was featured on a treasury today! You can check it out here:
http://www.etsy.com/treasury/4c4b931bea126d914f9f1400/recycled-reduce-reuse-regift-all-about

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Card Challenge 6 Results!

2010-07-25T08:00:00.003-06:00

Results from Card Club Challenge #6! In this group, we create a card challenge every two weeks. The person that decides the challenge requirements then tags the next person. If you want to see other's challenge cards, check Dee Dee and Skyler Rae's blogs.

Here is what I came up with:

The challenge was:
Theme: "Remember When"
Requirements: any type of nostalgic idea/feeling/sense you have, and at least 7 embellishments (for a collage feel).

I think of this card as a "remember when" for a couple in love. For the first time they said "I love you" to one another.

The embellishments I used were handmade paper and sewing, stamps, marker, brads of all sorts, prima flowers, raffia bow, and a funky paper clip.

Later today I will announce the next challenge and tag the next designer! Stay tuned!

Rachel May

Book Report: The Friday Night Knitting Club

2010-07-24T07:52:00.003-06:00

My book reading habit has become more like an addiction than anything else lately, and let me just say that living within 5 blocks of two AMAZING used book stores doesn't help! Reading is a great way to expand your horizons, learn something new, and a great escape when you just need to go somewhere else.

Each week (right now it's scheduled for Saturdays) I will post about a book that I've recently read, embellishing with a summary (without giving away the enjoyment of reading the book) and my point of view on it (good or bad). I'm not a publisher, an editor, or a writer (besides on this blog), just a reader, so take my opinion how you like and definitely form your own as well. But who knows, maybe you'll want to read the books too!

First up: The Friday Night Knitting Club
Author: Kate Jacobs

Summary:

This is a story about a single mother and her daughter. The mom, Georgia Walker, runs a yarn shop where a small knitting group starts to develop between a range of different individuals, all at interesting turning points in their lives. It explores how each person finds similarities in another and eventually help each other through the tough stuff.

My Take:

This book is a roller coaster of emotions and a total page turner. You'll fall in love with each one of the characters-there's something you can relate with in all of them. There's also a bit of knitting lingo mixed into the writing, so it feeds your crafty appetite as well. Warning: I'm not gonna lie, I cried when I read this.

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Craft File: Striped Dishtowels

2010-07-22T07:00:00.000-06:00

This was a great quick project to get me back into sewing. I was only going to make one towel, but it seemed silly to not have a set, so I made two!

If you would like to make them, all you have to do is take two different kinds of ribbon, pin them to a tea towel however you want them (I chose stripes, you could do something more wild if you like) and sew the edges of the ribbon down using your sewing machine.

I then hemmed the two sides that contained the ribbon ends, so there wouldn't be any raw edgs, and voila! Not sure if I'm going to keep them or give them away...hmm.

Supplies: Tea towels, ribbon, sewing machine, thread

Tips/Tricks: pin the ribbon first if you want a streamlined look. If you want to make it a little more wild, don't pin the ribbon and do free motion sewing over the ribbon. It's important to sew down both edges of the ribbon so it doesn't curl when washed.

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Craft File: "I Like You a Latte" Card

2010-07-15T07:00:00.001-06:00

I've been thinking about friends a lot lately, how it's so great to have that support. I thought I'd tell a couple of my friends that live oh-so-far-away that I was missing them and that they're special to me, so I sent out a few cards. Now that the cards have been received, I thought I'd show you this one. It's one of my favorites, so it was hard to send out (it's hard not to have a favorite when you make the card just the way you like it!).

Details: stamped and embossed image colored with prismacolor markers, background is kraft cardstock, and patterned paper is from the Green Stack 70% recycled cardstock collection by DCMV and the circles embellishments are brads I purchased at Archivers a while back.

Tips/Tricks: Double stick tape glue runners. Don't leave home without them!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Card Challenge #5

2010-07-11T20:12:00.003-06:00

Here's my card challenge results! The challenge was to use black white and one other color. I chose yellow, since it's my favorite:)

Supplies: Black, white, yellow and patterned cardstock, button brads, Forever Friends stamp, ink, marker, colored pencil and a touch of handmade paper made by me!

Dee Dee is next for the challenge-check her blog for more info!

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Happy Birthday!

2010-07-10T11:59:00.003-06:00

Today is the birthday of two very important people in my life, my sister and The Boyfriend.

So Happy Birthday to both of you-I love you both oh so much! And to prove that, old pictures:)

Sister and I at her bridal shower.

The Boyfriend and I posing for a friend's film festival project.

Love you!

Rachel May

Craft File: Purple Socks

2010-07-08T07:00:00.000-06:00

I could've sworn I've blogged about these socks, because I started knitting them forever-ago, but I couldn't find it in the archives! Anyways, sometime soon (hahahaha) these will be my purple socks. You may remember that I made socks for The Boyfriend on Valentine's day of last year...well now I want some. Hopefully they turn out better this time. I'm slowly churning away on them, it's my nighttime knitting project.

Details: yarn is merino sock yarn, don't know much else, but I bought it here, needles size 2.5, aluminium dpns (4), knit in the round using the Yarn Harlot's Basic Sock Recipe from this book.

Tips/Tricks: Try to focus on your tension. I didn't do that when I knit my first pair of socks and the first sock fits perfect but the second sock is HUGE!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Craft File: Handspun Yarn

2010-07-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

Last Thursday, my sister and I took a class at Fancy Tiger for spinning yarn on a drop spindle. It.Was.Awesome. Our instructor was Jamie, she was so nice and very skilled at spinning. I left the class with a new knowledge and a ton of roving, excited about the craft. By the next night, I had spun up all of the roving, washed the yarn, dried it (Saturday I made cute tags) . I can't wait to spin some more, I'm totally hooked!

If you haven't already tried spinning on a drop spindle, I highly recommend it-it's fun, you can spin while watching a movie or hanging out with friends, and it's a no-waste craft (which eases my eco-loving heart).

Tips/Tricks: Jamie suggested that once you finish spinning your yarn, you make sure to label it. It's much easier to remember the yardage right after you make the yarn. I couldn't agree more.

Details: Merino roving, Shetland roving, and another kind I can't remember, drop spindle (it's a basic one-only costs like $10)

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Free Spirit

2010-06-30T07:00:00.001-06:00

I know what you're thinking-"OMG Rachel, what a sweet bike!" I totally agree. I scooped up this sweet ride at an estate sale.

The bicycle was originally priced at $150, but we made it to the estate sale on the last day, so everything was 50% off. Luckily, I had my master-bargainer sister along, who talked them down to $50 (they were really nice about the price change, we didn't have to fight dirty or anything, but we would have if the situation called for it-we liked the bike THAT much).

It was love at first sight. She's from the 1970's, a Free Spirit model (like it was made just for me) and we thought it would need a lot of work, but we aired up the tires, greased her up a bit and off I went! She's been a lovely bike so far, although we do plan on taking her apart, cleaning her all up and putting her back together so she stays with us for a long time.

I also plan on adding some baskets, possibly a little headlight and most likely a bell. All in good time.

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Design File: My Living Room (June Progress)

2010-06-29T07:00:00.000-06:00

Here's what my living room looks like now! There are still a lot of things that I would like to change, but the space will keep evolving as I invest time and money into it.

I think this room went from an 8x8 jail cell to a lovely space. We use it all of the time-whether it be reading, crafting and for having guests over.

Changes:
1. I moved the chair out of the space-I have other intentions for the space that the chair just doesn't suit. Eventually we will get there, but at least right now we gained some space in the room.

2. The couch was slipcovered, by me! I used canvas dropcloths at Lowe's, pinned them all over the couch, and sewed away! It took me a day for the main body of the slipcover, and I'm still working on the cushions (procrastination!). It looks SO much better.

3. I added a quilt wall. This wasn't really intentional for the room, but I like it. It adds a punch of color to the space and it's totally functional. I think I'll come up with a nicer way to hang it and keep it there.

4. The gray curtains were changed out for some semi-sheer ones. This really brightened up the space, and in such a small room, you need all the sunshine you can get! I've relocated the gray curtains to the other side of the room, blocking the studio space from view.

Hope you like it so far!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Design File: My Living Room (May Progress)

2010-06-28T07:00:00.001-06:00

You've seen the before pictures, and here's some progress I made in the month of May:

1. Sold the purple couch. The Boyfriend was SO mad at me for getting rid of the most comfortable couch in the world, but I told him he'd have to deal. An 8' couch in an 8' space is just too much (especially if it's purple).
2. Purchased a new couch (only $40-score!) that has a pull-out mattress, so now the room functions as our guest space as well. Changes to said couch are forthcoming!

3. Rolled up the red area rug. I say rolled up because I meant to sell it, but it's still sitting in the corner, leaning against the wall. I'm a procrastinator.
4. Gave the room a good deep clean.

This is great progress, and I still think the room is okay, but it could be better. Luckily, there will be more progress to show soon!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Design File: My Living Room Before

2010-06-27T08:00:00.002-06:00

The space:
We live in a small house (me, The Boyfriend and The Roommate), approximately 600ish square feet. Our living room is actually supposed to be the dining room, but we opted out of a large living room to have a nice studio space (I believe you should design a home around how you use it and your priorities). This room is equivalent to the size of a jail cell (8'x8'), but it's got a lot of potential.

The layout:
The setup in the before pictures are crazy, I know. I decided to mix purple and red-wowsa!

The furniture:
The couch was free (and oh-so-comfortable) and so was the chair, so that's what we had for our budget. I purchased the shelf for Target (it's actually for towels in a bathroom) and loaded it up with books, and the chest/coffee table was made by The Boyfriend's Dad as a college gift (very nice. very heavy).

The Accessories:
When we moved into our little rental house, there were no window treatments, so I've slowly been adding my own. I installed rods and hung grey grommet curtains from Target, threw in an old area rug, bought a vase and stole a pillow from the bedroom. The artwork is an unfinished self portrait of The Boyfriend, and I find it hilarious (he scrunched up his face and painted it that way) so I had to hang it up.

Problems/Concerns:
This space worked alright, but we really never used it. The couch was comfy but far too large for the room, and the rug and curtains were so dark that it seemed like a cave. It has been ready for a redesign for a while now.

I've started the redesign, so I'll post my progress on that soon-I think you'll be surprised:)

Card Club: Update

2010-06-26T11:40:00.003-06:00

I spoke with Miss SkyleRae, our next Card Challenge leader, and she will be posting a new challenge, as well as her challenge card tomorrow. We got a little behind, but no worries, we are just behind one week and that's the joy of this club-we aren't slave-drivers here!

Can't wait to see what she comes up with!

Rachel May

Craft File: Picnic Time Quilt

2010-06-26T10:21:00.004-06:00

Last weekend I decided I wanted to be a quilter...again. So I started the easiest quilt I could think of, a simple checkerboard quilt. I love the idea of just a mish-mash of reds and creams for a blanket, taking it out on a sunny summer day for a picnic. This was a scrappy project (I'm lucky enough to have to aunts that are big-time quilters, and they share their scraps with me) the red scraps were from the aunts, the creams are from my stash-I have a love for unbleached cotton fabric-so natural, such a great feel to it.

I'm pretty far along in the project, all the squares are cut, I'm in the middle of sewing the blocks together to make rows, then I will sew the rows together to make the quilt top!

I'm thinking of using a red binding and and unbleached cotton backing, but we will see. Those are fabrics that I'll actually have to purchase!

Details: 5x5" squares, 1/4" seam allowance, 11x11 rows/squares, cotton fabrics

Tips/Tricks: My aunts taught me that if you use a tablecloth with a cotton backing (like shown), the fabric squares will stick to it. It's a really helpful (and inexpensive) trick, especially if you're living in a tiny house like mine!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Wowsa

2010-06-12T12:33:00.003-06:00

...and now our roof is leaking. This is a rough Saturday. Luckily the leak is over the sink. It's a preexisting condition to the home that apparently no one knows how to fix. I'm going to ignore it, talk to our property manager on Monday and go back to my craft space (aka sanctuary-and the roof doesn't leak in there).

Rainy days make me whiny.

Rachel May

Rainy Saturday

2010-06-12T12:12:00.003-06:00

Oh dear friends, my Saturday plans have been bumped! It's rainy and overcast today. I had high hopes of bouncing between garage sales, venturing to thrift stores and enjoying the sunshine.

That will have to wait for another day I suppose, but in the meantime, while I'm cooped up in the house (which really isn't much punishment for moi) I suppose I will get some much needed cleaning and crafting done.The rain has made our backyard "grass" (read:weeds) shoot up and now we have a jungle to work through. That will have to wait until the rain subsides.

What are your Saturday plans?

Card Challenge #4 Requirements!

2010-06-06T16:47:00.003-06:00

Now on to the next challenge! For the next two weeks, you need to create a flat notecard. Something that you could use to pass a note to a friend, tuck inside a gift bag, or tell your S.O. you love them. Your only requirement is that it must be flat-you can use any size you want, but keep in mind that you will still need to be able to write on it, so bulky embellishments might not work so well.
I used funky fibers to create dimension without adding bulk to the front of the card. This was designed to look like a postcard, the back is blank white for writing your message. I added bulk by adhering heavy cardstock to the middle, so even though this is a notecard and not a folded card, it still feels substantial. I might mess with the fiber a bit to push it away from the lettering on the stamp, but other than that, I'm pleased with the result.

Skyler, you're next!

In this Challenge: SkyleRae and Dee Dee

Good luck on this challenge and happy crafting!

Rachel May

Card Challenge #3 Results

2010-06-06T16:10:00.004-06:00

Our challenge for the last two weeks was to create a monochromatic card, using 2 different patterned papers. I have to say that I really enjoyed this challenge. Here are my results:

I used Where the Heart Is/My Mind's Eye papers by Zoe Pearn, two different ones of course! And a stamp from the Boards and Beams stamping set from Papertry Ink, embossed in white. I think this would be an excellent card to give someone who just moved, or just purchased a new home.

Next Post: Card Challenge #4 Requirements

Enjoy!
Rachel May

Breckenridge Weekend

2010-06-06T16:06:00.002-06:00

Happy Birthday to me! Boyfriend and I spent the weekend here:

Breckenridge, CO

Rachel May