Neckties, Bowties, CROATIA!

my husband and i reallllly like to watch Dhani Tackles the Globe on Netflix
here's why:
1. the show explores the cultural background of sports all over the world in completely unique and interesting ways + we learn extra random facts about the countries he travels (this post was born from his trip to Croatia)

2. the cinematography is TOP NOTCH

3. Dhani is the perfect mix of class & crazy!

how does this have anything to do with neckties you ask?
welllll, Croatia is the mother country of the necktie! found this out while watching Dhani learn about the history of water polo.
here's to my new found knowledge of ties!

1. Oh Honey bow tie, self-tie. Silkscreened honeybees $40
2. The Lennon - Our linen bowtie in saffron yellow $28
3. green and pink .vintage. plaid 3 in1 necktie-bow $32
4. Navy Patchwork Madras Bow Tie $26

lastly, check out this STUNNING photo of a bowtie i found on flickr

(source)
hope you enjoyed learning and viewing
i think bowties are RAD:)
xox, rachel

not welcomed 2/365

DAY 2/365 on Flickr

not welcomed
[taken at a house that has been abandoned and locked up for over 2 years. lately people have been trying to clean it up, i assume in an attempt to sell it. truth be told, i hope nobody bites. i liked it better when nature had it's way with it.]

Hat Tangent

(image source)

fall is for hats, unless you live in florida like me, sad! BUT if you were going to take a road trip through the midwest and east coast (who me?..... maybe) you would be doing your lid a favor by keeping a hat close by. i don't know about you but my ears get COLD in the evenings. so i'm officially on the hunt.
these 2 hats from Parvana are ADORRRALABLE
i was really seeking out an animal hat with earflaps which led me to these 2 hats. i don't think i could pull them off for everyday use but they were too much fun NOT to share!
found the moose HERE and the racoon hat HERE

of course i searched Flickr and found some TERRIFIC photos of hats, kids in hats, unique designs of hats, you get the idea.

1. like a peasant, 2. Leave me alone!, 3. Untitled, 4. Victorian Hawk Fish
in conclusion
I NEED A HAT and i NEED it NOW! i also NEED to get out of this Florida heat.
i will share as more info. comes in. crossing fingers & checking flights, though the crossing fingers never works and just ends up hurting my phalanges (ode to Phoebe as Regina Phalange)
xox, rachel

a GREAT read + MY GIVEAWAY

i recently reconnected with a sister of a best friend of mine from high school who is hilarious!

soooooooooo...... big deal right?
well, what followed has been pretty fun & for the first time EVER i decided to do a
FULL FLEDGED GIVEAWAY- the REAL DEAL

sister of best friend, Kelly Ryan O'Brien is hosting it.
her BLOG is FANTASTIC! i suggest you go back and read it from the beginning because as Kelly says:
"This blog was born out of boredom, and most of it chronicles the insane journey of sickness to wellness I have recently concluded."
let me tell you, it reads like a gripping book. one where you cannot help but read "just one more page" or in this case "just one more entry". by the time you get to the present you will be wanting more.
so here it is:
www.KellyRyanOBrien.com

oh yes, go enter my Giveaway HERE if you so desire. there is a fun little interview/interrogation and it ends tomm.
merry reading!
xox, rachel

Flickr Favorites PORTRAIT

1. Untitled
2. Untitled
3. some exciting news....
4. lost in translation

i just can't get enough of these portraits.
they are semi-candid, the lighting makes me cry in the first one, the second photo- there is something about it, the child with his fingers covering his mouth is beyond words, the backward glance in photo 4 is harrowing.
i am moved.
please photograph it all.
come over to ARTMIND to see other mosaics and join in on the inspirational goodness.

4 cheers 4 MONDAY!!!!

it's monday (still working on waking up, bear w/me)

i work from home, i set my own schedule, i can work in my pajamas if i want.
that being said...... i still am FULLY capable of getting a case of the monday blues. so what do i do?

i title my post something extremely cheesy like "4 cheers 4 MONDAY!!!!" with 4 exclamation marks to make me believe it more. lets face it, not every day is a bowl of cherries.

moving forward.....
WOW! check out these etsy artists. polka dots, baby hedgehogs, headbands of felt leaves. a simple necklace that i'm certain would make your day brighter every time you caught a glimpse of it in the mirror:)
here's where you can find all the goods:
1. Candy Thief Sparkle Band $37
2. Single Bead Strand Necklace $22
3. Baby Hedgehog $50
4. Upcycled ' button red' Kepp Jones hat $48

in closing, if you have a case of the monday's i say:
let's go shopping!
xox, rachel

a mixed tape SUNDAY

day twohundredsixtyfour: back then.
Originally uploaded by thelastdisco

(photo source)
happy sunday, happy listening and if you are like me- happy napping!
xox, rachel

oh saturday

my ultra-fantastic mother is here until october 9th- HOLLLA!
we ALLways go out and pick up some essentials when she first gets here. we like target because it addresses all of our needs: seasons on dvd, snacks, shampoo, starbucks. ONE STOP SHOP! we were on a mission to find the pumpkin spice hershey kisses..... we found that and more.
now, i am not a huge chocolate fan, never have been, let the moment pass, i am a girl, i promise. but there are some things you just have to try.
there were no questions to be asked when we saw all 3 of these new flavors of HERSHEY's Kisses. mom said we had to try them all therefore we had to buy them all. she is SMART. i didn't think twice & threw all 3 bags into our red cart. a successful trip indeed.

my second LOVE of the week is the blog of The Noisy Plume who, " WEAVES SILVER INTO LIGHT WHEN THE FEELING IS RIGHT". her "Ode to the Side Braid" has had me all up in smiles. her bloggings are nothing short of -oh so eloquent words made into stories of wonder and awe- i HIGHLY suggest you hop on over and have yourself a few days worth of reads. you can thank me later:) and she is now on the sidebar of my blog should you want to come back and read another time. just click on her adorable button and VOILA! entertainment for pages.

(photo found here)
happy saturday, buy yourself some kisses, check out the plume, report back.
xox, rachel

Dear Fall.....

oh how i love you! my michigan blood is pumping half apple cider just thinking about home. there is nothing better than the heat of the day and the crisp chill of the evenings. the fall accessories are the most fun. please buy me the bear tights above:
QooQooFashion

did someone say cowl? black and white houndstooth ta' boot!
check! buy it here:
piprobins

and i don't care if it's white and after labor day, or whatever that rule is..... i WANT this white vintage cardigan! and gimme gimme the plaid wool dress.
found here:
Minxshop

now i need to knit myself some fingerless wristwarmers so my hands can stay warm while i'm getting my draw on! because yes, believe it or not, it gets COLD here in florida. but not yet...... we're still waiting..... me not so patiently.
HURRY HURRY!
xox, rachel

Polarity GIVEAWAY!!!

* THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED:)*hey hey hey friends! you know what day of the week it is. yep, it's GIVEAWAY day. this week i am featuring another one of my stellar friends. CAT, of both Polarity & Uncorked (yeah, she runs 2 KILLER cool shops), is giving away from either one of her 2 shops. GET EXCITED!

let's get to know her.....

1. please tell us about your shop. when did you first open your shop and what made you choose to sell on etsy?

Hi- my name is Catherine (Cat) Ivins and I have 2 shops on Etsy- one called Polarity and one called Uncorked. I opened my first shop almost THREE years ago- which seems unbelievable to me! My niece found Etsy and showed it to me and I knew it was just the right place for me.

2. do you sell on etsy full or part time?

Full time plus (there are about 37 hours in a day now, right?)

3. what's your favorite part about running Polarity/Uncorked?

Definitely the wonderful, amazing people I have met. There are so many talented, open people on Etsy.

4. what are some of your favorite things/hobbies?

Ugh- I don't have time anymore for much- and I really miss reading, napping and basketball.
5. what is your MISSION-STATEMENT (i picked this one just for you because i love how eco-friendly you are and i know you will come up with something great:)

OK- my mission is 1. to make really cool, unique and interesting new things out of other things- things that are already being produced for a more useful purpose and to use as many sustainable, recycled and industrial parts as possible 2. to promote and support handmade 3. to open people up to new ways of looking at the things in their own lives and in particular how things can be used for multiple purposes

{GIVEAWAY TIME}
Cat is giving away a choice of ANY NECKLACE OR LOCKET FROM EITHER SHOP!
there are lots of ways to enter and each entry will give you a better chance at winning so lets get on with the different ways you can participate...

to enter:
● follow my BLOG (on the right sidebar), if you already do, just let me know.
● Follow Cat's blog: HERE
● visit Polarity or UNcorked & let us know which item is your FAVORITE
● tweet about this GIVEAWAY
● blog about this GIVEAWAY

leave me a comment below letting me know all of the ways that you've entered. also, make SURE to include your e-mail address so we can contact you should you be the winner:) have fun, good luck and happy hunting
xox, rachel

*this giveaway will end on thursday september 30th at noon*

THE WINNER OF THIS GIVE AWAY WAS:
"Karen said... I like the "Bloggers need love too" magnetic locket set. I'm so impressed by these two shops!

karenDOTerkertATgmailDOTcom

September 24, 2010 5:49 PM"

WINNER of ThePeachTree GIVEAWAY!!!

THE WINNER OF ThePeachTree GIVEAWAY
IS.....
Jennifer P!!!
HUGE THANKS TO AMY & EVERYONE ELSE FOR PARTICIPATING:)
xox, rachel

Pumpkin & Meds

{PUMPKIN}

i got my mitts on 2 cans of pumpkin and let me tell you, my house smells like heaven! if you follow me on twitter you know i have been trying to find pumpkin for WEEKS with no luck so today when my eyes fell upon it at sam's club i was DEEELIGHTED:)
on top of finding pumpkin i also scored a vintage brown samsonite messenger in MINT condition. t'was a good outing.
{MEDS}
i started a new medication today- it's ooooold skool and i can't even pronounce it so i'm not going to type it. we're mixing my cocktail until we get it just right. my ADHD has morphed into a giant ugly beast this past year. my dr. has really been on top of things as of late. he is determined to get my quality of life up. as annie would say, HE IS SO IN MY CORNER! i didn't realize how much hope i had lost until i saw him and got it back. sooooo, despite my lethargy and focus issues i am staying positive because i know i'm moving forward- moving towards something better!
lots of exciting things happening with the shop, branching out and a new giveaway. all coming to YOU soon:)
xox, rachel
(and now i am going to eat a slice of my bread!)

Flickr Favs: MY EMOTIONS as of late

1. Δ
2. ...and suddenly i woke up!
3. Her fleeting imprint
4. 67
this is how my emotions have been going this week.
i wanted to stay buried beneath my pillow and in my bed all day, then i was high and floating with life, then i was a monstrous scattered wreck and a little bit manic, finally i just crumbled..... definitely felt like i got kicked down a flight of stairs by the time sunday rolled around.
hoping for a better week.
COME JOIN US over at ARTMIND for Flickr Favorites. it inspires me every single week:)
xox, rachel

UNacceptable

beware, i'm not happy (and i'm wiping my eyebrow like Rachel's sister from Friends when i say it- there's a shout-out to you amy!)

serious amounts of exhaustion have been upon me for DAYS now- with NO explanation!

i am eating a giant bowl of protien at 12:30p.m because i haven't eaten in a long time, seeing as how it took me about 2 hours to get out of bed- thank you laptop for entertaining me.

every single limb in my body feels like lead. i thought if i took the day off from working out yesterday and slept well that i would be better by today, but that would be way to conveinent for my body. it likes to act up on me. i keep forgetting FULL WORDS as i type this. i have no other physical symptoms (depression doesn't count) but i feel like i MUST be sick. some sort of sick? this had better pass soon because quite frankly, i am 2 steps away from having a TOTAL mental collapse, the one i had saturday night at church where i was flat out SOBBING in the courtyard doesn't count because believe it or not i was restraining myself. all those poor people thought they had seen me at my worst. you have no idea the magnitude of my meltdowns. it sounds like i'm bragging, i am NOT! i wish i only knew how to sob my eyes out for 10 minutes and be done with it. this post is 15 sentences longer than it should be, that may be the entire thing.

hope to be back with some more uplifting thoughts, photos, etsy finds etc. later.....

xox, rachel

sorry for the rant but i had to get it out of me!

a mixed tape SUNDAY

(source)
when i first started this blog i was going to try and post a song every day and a playlist on sundays. um, yeah, that wasn't possible. i was bummed but kept on blogging. i decided i would just have to make a little playlist when i found the time..... which is NOW:)
my friend brooke and i used to make insane amounts of mixed tapes when we were in middle school. we would sit in front of my dads stereo set up and pick out cds and get them to transfer to cassette tapes- making sure we had just the right amount of space between each song and NOT cutting off a second of the song! we had it down to a sick science. it's pretty amazing how many hours we spent doing this. now we can just throw a bunch of songs in a playlist on i-tunes, adjust the amount of seconds you want in between each song and burn it to a cd. who would have thought?!?! this would have blew our 12 year old minds!
HAPPY LISTENING:)
xox, rachel

VINTAGE Houseware Loves!

1. vintage 1969 family affair thermos $30
2. Set of 4 Retro Mugs Cups with Holder $23
3. Owl Salt and Pepper Shakers $14
4. vintage ceramic nut and squirrel bowl covered dish $15

i'm such a sucker for these colorful. woodland, retro, vintage housewares- one of my favorite sections to browse and favorite on etsy. they make great housewarming gifts!
xox, rachel

wanted.....

dead. or.......

ALIVE
really struggling here. playing with my camera, feeling so tired. taking pictures of all of these leaf hearts, getting the mail at dusk, roaming around my yard snapping silly.
but seriously, where's all the happiness?
i got asked that question by my best friend today and all i could respond with is:
"FOR REALZ?!"
it's friday and life is good for happinesssakes?!?
so we continue the search.
i am crushing on these photographs:here's to the heart that is lush, green, ALIVE and bursting at the seams with LIFE!
xox, rachel

ThePeachTree GIVEAWAY!!!

* THIS GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED:)*
yep yep, it's GIVEAWAY time again!!!!
so thrilled to have my dear friend Amy of ThePeachTree here this week.
i love her shop, i love her personality, i love her to pieces.

so let's dive right in and get to know about her....
1. please tell us about your shop. when did you first open your shop and what made you choose to sell on etsy?

Opening my shop on Etsy starting January of 2008 was probably the only New Years Resolution I've stuck with for more than 2 weeks let alone over 2 years! Three months prior, I ran into a gal on a flight returning from San Fransisco to NYC who had this intense fire and passion for everything etsy. I took her card and, to be totally honest, let it fall into my giant pile of 'to check into'. I eventually came across it again just before the end of the year, felt the excitement of our conversation, became an avid buyer, caught the creation bug and the rest is DIY history :)

2. do you sell on etsy full or part time?

That's a tricky questions. I'd say yes, full-time. We have another business that my boyfriend and I run together but as of late, he's greatly taken over that venture allowing me to delve fully into my jewelry.

3. what's your favorite part about running thePeachTree?

You :) And by you, I mean the ever giving, inspiration, compassionate community that is Etsy. The people. The comradery. Our little virtual office.

4. what are some of your favorite things/hobbies?

I'm an avid reader. I love anything that could be considered a classic. I just picked up Tropic of Cancer and man alive are the first 10 pages strangely intriguing :) I also love nature and music and watching my felines make ridiculous fools of themselves. Oh, and TV on video.

5. what are 2 of your favorite items in your shop?

1. This is my new favorite. It was a custom order that I couldn't resist putting into the shop:NEW Purple Rain - Necklace . Chain . Gemstone
2. And I have my own personal pair of these that see a lot of daylight:
Sol - Earrings . Sterling Silver . Gemstone

{GIVEAWAY TIME}
Amy is AWESOMELY giving away this stunning piece: Corsica - Necklace . Beaded . Longer

there are lots of ways to enter and each entry will give you a better chance at winning so lets get on with the different ways you can participate...

to enter:
● follow my BLOG (on the right sidebar), if you already do, just let me know.
● "Like" ThePeachTree on Facebook: HERE
● visit ThePeachTree & let us know which item is your FAVORITE
● tweet about this GIVEAWAY
● blog about this GIVEAWAY

leave me a comment below letting me know all of the ways that you've entered. also, make SURE to include your e-mail address so we can contact you should you be the winner:) have fun, good luck and happy vintage treasure hunting
xox, rachel

*this giveaway will end on thursday september 23rd at noon & the winner will be announced on friday the 24th*

WINNER of the CAPRICIOUS TRAVELER GIVEAWAY!!!

THE WINNER OF THE Capricious Traveler VINTAGE GIVEAWAY
IS.....

ANA PINA!!!

HUGE THANKS TO CAPRICIOUS TRAVELER & EVERYONE ELSE FOR PARTICIPATING:)
xox, rachel

what Caroline wore...

since i'd rather be behind the camera shooting i figured outfitting caroline and posting it would be the next best thing- or even better!
transformers sweatshirt - from Target
plaid skirt
grey flecked tights
vintage brown oxfords - thrifted
birdie headband - from london but u can find TONS of headbands all over etsy:)

we had fun shooting these photos. i wanted to share.
tune in tomm for my NEW GIVEAWAY!!!!
happy wednesday eve from the U.S. east coast
xox, rachel

p.s.- we may be getting the banner shot tomm- weeeee- i'm excited:)

Flickr Favorites... ways to stand, rest, float and fly

1. vintage colours
2. to love is to hurt.
3. Flotsam
4. swing
yesss, it's tuesday and that means ARTMIND is doing flickr favorites Mosaics:)
these make me happy. come join us, it's realllllly fun!
xox, rachel

sketchbook randoms

honestly, i'm quite zapped but i snapped a few photos of the inside of my sketchbook that comes with me wherever i go. just some scribbled out designs. some custom order stuff and other possible new ideas. i thought i would share.....
sort of having the monday blues.
off to draw some more!
xox, rachel

a Party Carnivale

i wanna throw a party! for no reason at all other than the fact that i stumbled upon this FUNtastic etsy shop last night when i was making treasuries and now i want to buy all the party supplies this place has to offer:) Fort&Field has got your back for prepping the prettiest party for any occassion. look at those adorable cups singing happy birthday, hanging from closepins, surrounded by balloons..... you know it's gonna be a fantastic afternoon.....
1. i want to drink out of striped straws everyday because everyday should be fun!
2. i would bake my husband fresh muffins & cupcakes every evening if i had these liners
3. i might go overboard with this red n white bakers twine but everything it touches will be 10 times cuter after i'm done with it
4. i will make rainbow swirled lollipops covered in cellophane and caramel chews to put in these striped bags and i will pass them out to all those i love

i'm in dreamland but i think with this shop a whole lot of magic can be captured:)
dream onnnnnnnnn
xox, rachel

Banner quandries

let me start out by saying that i absolutely ADORE my Chalkboard Thought Bubble that i purchased from RedVelvetArt

and i LOVE the above photo that caroline and i shot with it. i love all of the colorful bags hanging from every which way off her body! i just wasn't loving it for my banner....

i have this vision for "the perfect banner" and while it's still not where i want it to be, i am getting closer. so bear with me as it switches up over these next few weeks. i will eventually get it to be EXACTLY as i want it and then it will be there for a good long time.

thanks for reading my random ramble about my blog banner quandry. i've changed the thing about 5 times since i started this here blog!

wish i was going to the franklin cider mill tomm in michigan but due to the fact that i don't have a private jet to get me there i am going to attempt to make pumpkin bread instead- AGAIN! rumor has it that sam's club has it in stock!

xox, rachel