Smile And Wave

Renegade Instax

Elsie and I worked really hard to get some gelato while we were at Renegade Chicago. We stopped by the gelato booth the first day but had to leave after realizing we didn't have cash with us. We got some cash and came back after dinner but all that was left was grape. Can you tell how excited we were about grape?

That excited.

Sitting in the Red Velvet booth for most of the weekend - in between laps around the fair picking up goodies for the family - felt like old times! It's been seven years since Elsie, Emma, and I set up camp at Cornerstone Music Festival and sold our handmade wares. I got a bit sentimental about the whole thing - in between gelato runs and bathroom breaks.

Here's to an even brighter future with Red Velvet!

xo,

Rachel

Renegade Chicago In Instagrams

I've been in Chicago with Red Velvet for the last few days and having the best time enjoying the atmosphere and lovely people at Renegade! It's been such a happy crowd. I've enjoyed meeting up with some online friends that were also vending, blog readers that stopped by the booth, and people watching in such a creative crowd.

Monday is for shopping with the girls before we head home on Tuesday. I've already found two beautiful vintage dresses from a pop up shop that I'll share more about later and can't wait to see what we find tomorrow. Brett is doing great at home with the kids and I miss them terribly but I'm really enjoying some time with the girls!

Photos of the last few days to come when we have a little better internet connection. EEK!

xo,

Rachel

Red Velvet Autumn 2011 Collection

Tonight is the release of the fantastic Red Velvet Autumn 2011 Dress Collection! Elsie, Emma, Mallory, and the rest of the interns at Red Velvet have been working so hard for the past few months and I know they've got to feel really proud of the end result. Each beautiful piece in this collection is handmade in the Red Velvet studio and available for purchase tonight!

They sold out quickly last year so this year they've expanded their production but I wouldn't wait to grab your favorite. They won't be on the shelves for long!

You can read about F.A.Q.'s here and see a few ways some of the pieces in the collection were styled here, here, here, here, here, and here.

The dress I chose from the collection is easy to style for extra special occasions but it's also easy to throw on with my favorite vintage belt and a simple pair of black flats for those days when I want to keep things simple. I wore this on my birthday yesterday to take Ruby on a thrifting trip. I was fresh out of the shower and ready to go treasure hunting with my favorite little girl!

Get there at 6:00 PM CST tonight to pick up one of these beautiful pieces. Once they're gone, they're gone!

I'm so proud of Elsie and all of the hard work that she and Emma and the rest of the team have put into this collection. So proud!

xo,

Rachel

Library Date Dress: Red Velvet Autumn 2011 Collection

The Autumn 2011 Collection from Red Velvet is ALMOST READY! I've seen the whole collection and it's beautiful. I'm so proud of Elsie, Emma and their team of interns!

During Red Velvet weekend we each picked our favorite dress from the new line and styled it three ways. It's amazing how versatile one dress can be depending on your mood or the weather. You can see the full post on A Beautiful Mess.

Expect to see this dress on the blog all Fall/Winter!

xo,

Rachel

Red Velvet Weekend: Saturday

So this past weekend was spent with the Red Velvet girls doing all the things we love to do most and welcoming Katie of Skunkboy Creatures! Holly came down from Canada in the most interesting way as I'm sure she'll share as soon as she's caught up on some family time.

I started Saturday off with my favorite thrifting friend, Katy, at the dollar sale at the D.A.V. where we battled hundreds of other crazy people for vintage sheets, cute skirts, and manly man shirts. My parents were in for the weekend and kept the kids for most of Saturday so the rest of my morning was spent on that pretty, yellow skirt and some gifts for the RV girls.

Then I met up with Katie and Holly at Urban, found a vintage lace dress, and then headed back with the girls to Red Velvet. There was bubble tea involved. Next it was off to Sephora, Panera, and The Cup before we split up and I joined my family for dinner at The Aviary. CREPES!

Post dinner there was a quick shower and then back to Red Velvet for a Three Ways To Wear It photo shoot where each of us wore a dress from the Fall Line. Everyone looked beautiful but mostly it was great to spend so much time primping and getting to play dress up together.

I loved this whole weekend. It was even easier to enjoy it knowing Brett was happy to let me have so much fun with all of my girlfriends and that even though my parents were in town, they were more than okay with just seeing the grandkids.

Girl time is so good for the soul, isn't it.

xo,
Rachel

My Early 30th Birthday Party: A Photobooth and Cake Pop Party at Red Velvet

Sugar rush! The Red Velvet girls were so sweet to throw me a 30th birthday party over the weekend! Emma made the yummiest cake pops, the girls made pretty drinks, and there were so many thoughtful gifts. There was a fun back drop in the back complete with props and Wess took our photobooth pictures the old fashioned way. We literally had to bribe and distract the kids so everyone else could have a turn! It was fun.

My birthday isn't until August 31st but it worked out to celebrate this weekend with all the Red Velvet girls in town. Technically, I have TWO MORE WEEKS of my twenties to enjoy. And enjoy, I will!

Towards the end of the party Sebastian was getting restless so Katie stepped in and provided the entertainment. She and Sebastian picked a balloon to share with someone else and he dictated an informative letter to explain things.

It read, "Dear People, This balloon is pink. I hope you get my balloon. Have a good day."

Katie rolled it up and tied it to the balloon and they went outside and released it into the world. Sebastian was thrilled!

All in all it was such a fun little party and a great way to celebrate my entrance into a new decade. I am so thankful for my friends and family.

Oh, and if you haven't heard, Katie is our newest Red Velvet addition! We're so happy to have her and I know she's been dying to share. Go give her a virtual hug!

xo,

Rachel

Photos c/o Wess, Katie, and myself.

 

Leather, Lace, and an Evening at Red Velvet

What a full weekend! Friday morning started out with a garage sale/thrifting run with my friend, Katy, where I found these fabulous vintage boots. Then it was an afternoon trip to the YMCA, a little housework, and then time to get gussied up a touch and join in the fun over at the Red Velvet shop.

I'm wearing: Vintage lace dress, Red Velvet. Black slip, a department store years ago. Vintage leather belt, thrifted. Vintage boots, thrifted.

Elsie, Emma, and the interns have been hard at work getting everything ready for the lookbook shoot for the Fall Collection. I hadn't seen anything except peeks they'd posted on Twitter so I was kind of gushing over everything when I saw it hanging on the sample rack. WOWZAS!

I think Elsie and Emma are the best at making work fun!

In between distracting Emma and eating peach pie with Mallory I tried on some dresses from the store racks.

This one is technically a wiggle dress but there's not a lot of wiggle room left! I felt like Joan in Mad Men. It came home with me.

This one needs hemmed to just above the knees and possibly taken in on the sides but it's quite comfortable and I love the large print.

It was a lovely night full of gorgeous dresses and shoes, some of my favorite friends, and yummy pie!

Brett was kind enough to watch the kids so I could have fun with girl friends all weekend! I got to have coffee with Stacie of Gingiber on Saturday afternoon and then the whole family went to Big Cedar Lodge to visit friends from college and their sweet family.

That much fun means we're recovering today and keeping things low key. However, I enjoyed every bit of it!

What kind of fun did you have this weekend?

xo,

Rachel

 

Day Sixteen and A New Project

Saturday night Elsie, Emma, Mallory, and Jeremy came over and we transformed our side yard into the backdrop for a summer s'mores party. We've been working on this little project for a few weeks now so it was fun to see some ideas come to fruition! Really... this is the best kind of work.

Oh, and I finally finished Elsie and Jeremy's very belated hexagon daisy quilt and gifted it them! I am so proud of how it turned out and hope to have some good shots of it available later this week. EEEK!

Head over here for more details on our little shin dig!

xo,

Rachel

 

The Best Wedding Ever

I think I'm still recovering from a marathon wedding weekend! I've never been to such a beautiful event and had the best time with the girls in the bridal party! So much so that I kind of wish we could do that every month. Minus the sore feet from standing in wooden heels all day!

As some of you saw, I posted Instagrams throughout the weekend to not only document the details and special moments but to share the fun with everyone! Expect a photo heavy post tomorrow. As for now, I'm catching up on family time, giving Brett a much needed break, and getting the house back to a manageable state of disarray.

Also, that fantastic beehive took thirty minutes of conditioner and gentle untangling to get out. It was worth it.

xoxo,
Rachel

To Elsie & Jeremy On Their Wedding Day

Elsie, I remember the day I met Jeremy after having heard all about this bearded man that made beautiful music. I was nervous to meet this guy you held in such high regard because it obviously meant he was extra special. I had a feeling from the beginning that he was going to be a part of the rest of your story.

Jeremy, you and Elsie are so well matched. It seems as though you enable each other to step into your fullest potential and share a special understanding of how valuable each other's gifts and talents are. It makes me so happy knowing one of my best friends has found happiness with such an exceptional guy.

I'm so thankful to get to watch all of this happen and to share in your special day by standing up there with you two and all of the people that love you most as you commit your love to each other. I love you guys.

xoxo,
Rachel