Our Home Tour on Modern CLE
Have you guys been reading Modern CLE? If not, what are you doing — head over there now and catch up! It’s a digital magazine for the modern Northeast Ohio girl, covering money, politics, lifestyle, career, and more. It just launched in early November and is already making quite a (well-deserved) presence for itself!
I was so honored to be their first home tour feature, and to share more about our renovations and design process. If you’ve been following my blog for some time, you’ll know we’ve been slowly working away on our Lakewood colonial, which is about to turn 100 next year. I’ve loved sharing the progress with you, and continue to receive lots of questions about the products and items featured in our home — and I truly appreciate all of the feedback and interest! We tried to list the sources for everything pictured in the photos, so hopefully that will be a helpful resource if you’re looking for something similar for your space.
You can head over to read the post here — with a huge thank you to Kayla Coleman Photography for her time and talent on these beautiful photos. I’ll treasure them always.
You can also click here to view previous posts on our home renovations.
Thank you all for reading!
Beach House Playlist | 2018
It's spring (finally!) and while the weather is certainly taking its time, we're in summer prep mode over at our house. I've been composing a few playlists for when warm days arrive, and wanted to share my little soundtrack for the season like I did last year. This playlist is meant to feel like a hazy summer day...for when you've been in the sun all day and your skin is warm and you don't have a care in the world, and maybe a little beer buzz ;) It looks like we'll be getting a bit of a warmup this week, so hopefully this will help get you in the spirit for rolling those windows down!
Jim and I dubbed last year "the summer of Steely Dan" so you best believe I had to sneak a little Steely onto this year's list. We're going to see them play at Blossom this summer and fully expect to be the youngest people there (#whatever). I have been playing some of Tom Petty's later albums on repeat, so I included Have Love, Will Travel, which is gunning for a spot in my top 10 tunes of his. I am also loving the vibe and storytelling of The Trip to Pirate's Cove — it's perfect for summer drive. The Tame Impala remix of Miguel's Waves is basically made for the beach and complements some of the hazier tracks on the list by Future Islands and Washed Out.
You can click here to listen, or use the player below. Feel free to follow the playlist to save it to your account! You can also find last year's playlist here. Enjoy it with a hearty squeeze of lime and sunshine!
Free Nautical iPhone Wallpapers
If you follow me on Instagram, you know I'm a huge sucker for a good lake photo (or ocean, or sea, or anything I can dive into, really) and marrying them up with quotes from my favorite rock 'n' rollers. SO, I hand lettered some of them for your own personal iPhone enjoyment. I struggle to find wallpapers that I love, so I made these for fun and hope you'll enjoy them too! Just click on the image you'd like and download from there. Enjoy!
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
MAKE WAVES WALLPAPER
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
VAN MORRISON WALLPAPER
CLICK IMAGE TO DOWNLOAD
TOM PETTY WALLPAPER
2017 | Year in Review
Photo by Thomas Sawyer
This year was pretty transformative. It pushed me to grow, it challenged me, and I'm pretty sure it gave me TMJ (stress, man!). The challenges I faced were all good ones, and I enjoyed the satisfaction that comes with achieving a goal and making it to the other side. No grit, no pearl, as they say.
I set business goals at the beginning of each year, and intend to do the same in the next few days. I went through some necessary evolution with my blog and brand, and I'm looking forward to blogging more now that I've established a balance that works for me. It's hard to accomplish my goals for SS while working full time, but I've made a focused effort on re-prioritizing to make it work. I cut out the time wasters that didn't serve me, and learned to manage my time more efficiently. I stopped spending time doing aimless shit online, and instead made a conscious effort to grow creatively. I bought an iPad Pro and learned to work digitally in a whole new way. I started making art for fun again, without intention. I read books on the porch swing and forgot about checking my phone. I worked on re-programming my thoughts to break bad habits. I polished up my social media approach, but I also didn't take it — or myself — too seriously. I think all of these things worked together to make me more focused, driven, and honestly — happier. The grass is definitely greener where you water it.
I was thrilled to work with new shops and partners this year — the people I've met through this little endeavor continue to be the special sauce that makes this so enjoyable. I welcomed Cuyahoga Collective and Love, Anji as new wholesalers, and enjoy the excuse to shop when I'm making deliveries ;) I was also excited to start working with the lovely Courtney of Fleeting Fox Photography, whose talents and presence have been a big part of my growth this year. I teamed up with Blair Ritchey and Lovely Paperie and Gifts to create our exclusive map tote bags, which have been a runaway success! It was a blast to do something a little different and a pleasure to work with these two brilliant business owners. Designing Blair's new logo was another custom project I enjoyed — you can check it out here! I launched a few new products and apparel styles and plan to bring you even more options in the spring.
Personally, it was the first year that we didn't have a wedding to plan or a big renovation to complete, which freed up our time and money to do/see/experience other things. Jim and I opted to take our Italy trip that we'd been planning, and that fulfilled us both on a level I can't describe. It's a strange feeling of déjà vu when you find yourself in a scene that you've dreamed about. The places you go really become a part of you. I can't wait to plan our next trip, we just have to choose a destination...so send your suggestions!
We did some light redecorating this year — after five years in the house (!!) there were a few rooms that needed a facelift, and I'll be sharing the details here on the blog in the coming weeks. We're finally going to be renovating our bathroom, so that will be our big project for 2018. I get a lot of questions about our house, so I know many of you are interested in seeing what we're up to — I promise I'll be sharing along the way!
Thank you guys for reading this novel of a post ;) and for your orders, your support, your comments and feedback. As I said before, the people I've met and collaborated with along the way make this journey really special and for that, I'm grateful. I can't wait to bring you fresh products and content in the new year. Cheers to you + yours, and have a safe and happy new year!
xo
Rachael
Summer Beauty Favorites
The season of sun and sand is finally here (yay!) and we've been taking full advantage over at our house. The last few years, our summers have been full of house projects and weddings and all kinds of craziness, so we've made a point to have some more fun this year. That means saying "yes" to beach days and boat rides and lots of dining al fresco. Enjoying the weather is my #1 priority in the summer so I really try to be outside whenever possible. However — as this past week of oppressive humidity has proven — it's hard to look your best when you can feel your hair frizzing the second you walk outside.
To be ready for whatever outdoor plans lie ahead, these are some of my favorite products for enhancing my summer glow and keeping those beach waves looking fresh:
Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray // Have you ever found a product that makes you say "where has this been all my life?!" This is mine. Better late than never I guess. This spray works SO WELL for keeping my makeup from sliding off my face in the summer heat, and is great for preserving a full face for a night out. Perfect for summer wedding season, too.
OUAI Rose Hair + Body Oil // My hair takes a beating in the summer – between humidity and pools and tangled hair from boat rides and bike helmets. I like using a hair oil to keep things smooth and moisturized and I love that this does double duty on skin. It absorbs really quickly and doesn't leave that coated feeling like lotions do, which is so gross in the summer. Plus I LOVE the way it smells – just like roses in the most delicate way...it's so dreamy.
Fresh Sugar Rose SPF Lip Treatment // I've been more diligent about sunscreen now that I'm older and wiser, and I try not to forget an SPF on my lips too! This is my go-to because I love the tint, unless I'm packing a beach bag because *warning*: this stuff will melt like crazy in the heat. In those cases I prefer Maybelline's Baby Lips with SPF which is equally fabulous.
Kristen Ess Beach Wave Spray // High-five to my sister for turning me onto this wave spray! It works so well and I also love that it adds a nice bit of shine. Bonus points: I can pick it up at Target, along with all of the other impulse purchases that I didn't need ;)
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer // This is my holy grail bronzer for an all over glow. It's goddess-level amazing. If I'm skipping my foundation, I can dust this on and still feel put together. It looks shimmery in the pan, but doesn't go on with any shimmer effect. It's similar to the other Hourglass Ambient Lighting powders in that way (if you haven't tried them...do it). You don't need much; I use a big fluffy brush to apply all over my face and neck, and bam – you look like you've spent the day at the beach.
Oribe Humidity Spray // Humidity + my hair = no bueno. It frizzes instantly. This stuff acts like a humidity shield and for that I'm forever grateful. I like to buy the travel size because 1) it ain't cheap and 2) I can throw it in my purse for touch-ups throughout the day.
NYX Waterproof Mascara Topcoat // I absolutely hate waterproof mascara, but it becomes necessary in the summer when bodies of water are on the agenda. I prefer to keep a waterproof topcoat around for these situations, so I can use my normal mascara and layer this on top. The Anastasia topcoat I use has been discontinued, but this NYX version gets great reviews and the price is right!
If you have any products you rely on for the season, leave them below! Hope you are all having a fun summer!
Beach House Playlist
After that insanely gorgeous weekend, I know I'm not the only one 100% in summer mode. Beer in the fridge, porch furniture dusted off, let's go. Anything we can do to turn our home into our own personal beach house — we're game for (this sounds like a Corona ad but hey...#findyourbeach #idonthateit). You can't have a chill fest without tunes, so I thought I'd share what I'm playing this year.
I've listened to this mix on repeat and made plenty of edits — we're down to 20 songs here but they are all pretty glorious. Quality > quantity. This is ideal for playing nice and loud while you cook or grill or drive with the windows down — no actual beach needed. The shake-your-ass beach mix is a tale for another day — this one's full of atmospheric indie, a few classic throwbacks and some let-your-hair-down rock. That Van Morrison buried treasure — hot damn, the breakdown! The Childish Gambino track is one of my summer favorites — it has seagulls in it, for goodness sake!
Hopefully it passes the vibes on to you, too. And if you have an actual beach house I can hang out in, hiiiiiiiiii, I'll be right there.
Shop Talk: Working the Weekend
One of the realities of working a full-time job and operating a creative business: there is never. enough. time. in a day. I used to try to cram my entire to-do list into my evenings, then before I knew it, it was midnight and I'd accomplished nothing other than stress eating a bag of Reese's Pieces. Hopefully none of you have ever found stray Reese's Pieces in your orders (and if so, you're welcome) ;)
Getting my business tasks done on the weekend is inevitable, but I now enjoy setting aside dedicated time to work and it helps my weekdays feel less scattered and stressful. There's a fine line here — I definitely think it's important to allow for personal time and socializing — which should be prioritized in the same way you prioritize work. These are some of my main practices for staying productive, but not overworked, when I find myself working the weekend.
LIST IT
I carry a Field Notes steno pad with me and write down everything I need to do, no matter how small. Even if it's to order more supplies, or follow up on an email. When juggling a lot of tasks, it really helps me keep things straight. I used to use a day planner, but instead of assigning tasks to days, I prefer to keep it fluid. I like to check off the small things during the week, and save the tasks that take the longest for the weekend. Running to the post office is easy to do on my lunch break or after work, while sitting down to sketch for a few hours is better saved for the weekend.
PRIORITIZE
Some weekends, my priority is to finish off a project, and other times my top priority is to have brunch with a friend. Or take my dog for a long walk. Both are important and it's okay to put your project on the back burner if you don't have a pressing deadline. Self motivation is key in an independent business, but not everything is worth stressing over. I schedule time for things I enjoy — like baking, reading, or working out — and give them equal weight. You can't be your creative best if you're not feeding your soul, so take care of that, too.
SET YOUR SPACE
I'm fortunate enough to have a studio in our house with plenty of space to work and store my products. We recently did some minor updates and reorganized, and the space feels better than ever. I feel very 'at home' in my studio and never dread heading there for a day of work. Figuring out how I needed the space to function made it so much easier to make a plan and execute it. We added shelving into the closet to store my apparel, mugs, and packing supplies and it's so incredibly helpful to have everything at my fingertips. It saves time, effort, and frustration. It sounds obvious but having baskets, bins, and files organized makes such a difference, whether you have a single desk setup or an entire room.
COZY UP
With my space set and ready to go, I like to create an environment that's enjoyable and relaxing. I like to light a candle, turn my music up, and clear off the armchair for Cooper so he can keep me company. Grabbing a drink and a snack allows me to focus and not have to get up if I get hungry. If I leave my desk too much I tend to get distracted, so I make sure I have what I need before diving in.
UNPLUG
On that note (and I'm so bad at this) — I also recommend putting your phone far, far away. Like for real, in the other room. It seems like one minute I'm responding to a text, the next I'm somehow watching a DIY video about making your own lipstick...is it just me? Haha. It's a time suck, and the sooner you get your work done, the sooner you can get back to the other stuff. So put that darn phone away!
As with anything, my to-do list ebbs and flows. There are times when I have my weekends free, and times when I'm hitting the studio on Saturday and Sunday. I truly enjoy doing it, though, and I also enjoy my full-time job. And that's okay; it's just about balance. I've figured out what works for me, and it helps to know there are a lot of people out there doing the same thing. If you're passionate about your side gig, there are ways to find the time and still enjoy the journey!
Shop Talk: Five Favorite Podcasts
Well, it's back to work this week (boooooo), so to get back into productivity mode, I thought I’d share my favorite way to crank through work – podcasts! I don’t know how I survived the workday before I dug into the endless variety of podcasts out there.
I still listen to music when I work, especially during my left-brained tasks like writing or even looking at numbers (not my forte haha). When I’m working on a design or piece of artwork, I like something a little more engaging on in the background since my brain is in visual mode.
I’m pretty sure 80% of the podcasts in my feed are about murder or ghosts or conspiracies or crime (wait, is that weird?) and the rest are either storytelling or comedy (or a good recap of The Bachelor when it's on!). However, these are my current favorites that I'm always blazing through:
SWORD & SCALE
This is a true crime podcast that I can’t get enough of. Each episode focuses on one true story (or two, if they relate) and it’s really well produced. The stories are told by a narrator, with clips of real audio or interviews throughout. It really puts you in the shoes of the criminal/victim — so it’s totally gripping and can definitely be a little creepy. I remember listening to the episode about the Gainesville Ripper while I was walking Cooper at night, sometime around Halloween — I was thoroughly creeped out (but I loooove a good scare). Not all of the episodes are like that, though; some are more focused on crime or just unusual stories. I’m so addicted to it, I’ve almost gone through the entire archive! Going to be really sad when that happens.
CRIMINAL
As stated in their description, Criminal is a podcast about “people who've done wrong, been wronged, and/or gotten caught somewhere in the middle.” Some of the crimes discussed are more playful and occasionally funny, so it's a bit of a lighter listen. Each episode is accompanied by an illustration, and they're not to be missed. You can see the images on the show's website.
SERIAL / UNDISCLOSED
Who in America isn’t addicted to Serial by now? This feels like an obvious pick but it’s one of my favorites. Serial wrapped its second season, and Undisclosed is the spinoff which picks up where Serial leaves off. In addition to diving deeper into the cases discussed on Serial, Undisclosed explores other wrongful convictions and bungled cases and investigations. It’s an eye-opening look at how the criminal justice system works (or doesn’t). A similar podcast I like with an Ohio connection is Accused — a re-investigation of the 1978 murder of Miami University student Elizabeth Andes. A few friends recommended it to me and I finished the series in a weekend.
THIS IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING
Unlike the previous shows, this podcast is full of stories told in the first person. There’s no narrator or audience — just a well-produced story hour with perfectly placed music. The topics are those those dark “what if" questions, which range from “what if you were supposed to be on that plane?” to “what if your roommate had a dark secret?” I never know where each episode is headed, so the show keeps me on my toes. I find myself sitting in my car after I've parked just so I can keep listening. Definitely mysterious and occasionally haunting.
RADIOLAB
I love stories (and not just scary ones!) and the tales on Radiolab will make you laugh, think, and break your heart. Happy or sad, I always take something personal away from each episode. I also listen to This American Life religiously, but these stories are a little more specific and usually only include one tale per episode. They dig into the human experience with great sensitivity and excellent storytelling. This one is always a good listen!
I’ve learned so many interesting/helpful/weird tidbits and anecdotes from all of the shows I listen to, and I'm always looking for more. If you have any you'd recommend, send them my way!
2016 | Year in Review
The new year lies ahead, and while I don't believe much in resolutions (I will never stop eating candy so forget it), I do believe in reflection and taking stock of the milestones of the past year. It's been a busy one for SS, and also a year full of personal growth. Without a wedding to plan, I've had more time to explore, create, COOK and enjoy the pace of life without so many moving parts. That was much needed after the chaotic (but oh so amazing) year prior.
Jim and I have made it our New Year's Eve tradition to treat ourselves to a nice, long dinner out, sip some bub and make our plans for the year ahead. It really helps us focus (if you know us personally, you know we're totally GO GO GO all the time) so we have to prioritize.
Last year, we talked about putting our kitchen remodel on the short list, and we're both so insanely glad we were able to do it this year! My home studio got a much-needed refresh, which has given me more storage for inventory and space for packing orders (or as we call them, "shore-ders"...haha). We also celebrated a couple of big milestones—my 30th birthday, and shortly after, toasted to our first anniversary with a lobster-filled trip through Cape Cod. As an extra surprise, our wedding was featured by BRIDES with the help of Kayla Coleman Photography's gorgeous photos!
I'm thrilled to have met some new collaborators and clients this year, who have also become friends. The year started off with a full branding and website project for Stella & Shay Beauty Bar, which opened right here in Lakewood. Many, many meetings and brainstorms led to the design as it is today, and it's so fun to see the salon in full swing! I also loved working with Sapphire Pear on their exclusive tea towel designs for everyday and holiday.
And let's not forget - Cleveland had quite the year! Between the Cavs becoming NBA Champions and the Indians' amazing World Series run, we spent most of the year entrenched in playoff sports (which is something I never thought I'd experience as a native)! I hope we can do it all again next year, although two game sevens are more than my heart can take!
So in our usual style, we'll be headed out tonight and looking forward to what lies ahead. We have a trip to Italy planned for the end of summer, but the rest is mostly a blank canvas, which is my favorite kind. Thank you all for reading, for shopping, for your continued support. I wouldn't be able to do what I love without you. THANK YOU and I wish you guys the best in 2017!
Shore Society for Sapphire Pear | Holiday Edition
I teamed up with Sapphire Pear again on a tea towel collection – this time, for the holiday season. Being the color lovers they are, we went with a bright palette and included some eye-catching patterns and phrases. I love the charming little ski scene too!
They're available exclusively at Sapphire Pear, so be sure to stop in before they're gone for good. You might also find a few things you'll want to take home (their throw pillows = adorable) so consider yourself warned!
