redesigned and refined...

As promised, here are the new redesigns of my largest bag, now called the Courier Satchel, and my smallest bag, the much beloved Date Purse.

A few new Date Purses are already in the shop, and the Courier Satchels will make their way in next week.

The Courier Satchel is replacing the long-produced Bunch Bag, so if you just have to have one, there are still a few left :)

Happy Friday!

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

grab a bag...

Oh hey friends. Have you noticed the grab bags in the shop?

You can get one of these fun mystery bags for $10.00 (three items) or $15.00 (five items). Each bag contains an assortment of accessories, an assortment of slap bracelets, or an assortment of headbands, depending on what you want in your bag.

These are perfect as a fun treat for yourself, a friend, or to give as little gifts. Plus, everyone loves a little bit of mystery.

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

progress...

A couple of weeks ago, I wrote a blog post about all the epic new plans I have a brewin'. Just thought I'd update you guys on what excitement is happening in Rachel Elise world.

1. Very Jane clutches are all made and shipped out! Woohoo!

 Isn't that picture fun? I was really excited about it. I also took this one:

 That's a hundred clutches. Ahhh the colors. So happy. Ahem. Moving on.


2. I've ordered my first purse frames, and I await their arrival.

 It will take a while for me to perfect the patterns, technique, and order a big batch of frames, but the process is in the works.

 3. The Bunch Bag and Date Purse have been redesigned to be more cohesive with my other bag styles. The Date Purse will debut in the shop later this week, and the Bunch Bag will debut next week. Only it's not the Bunch Bag anymore! It's now the Courier Satchel, which is a name I used on a previous bag style, but I've reassigned to this new Bunch Bag-sized satchel, because... let's be real. It's an awesome name.

4. I've designed my first collection! It was a really fun and exciting process. I started out with fifteen fabrics for the Forgotten Summer Collection, but I edited down to just eight fabrics, from which I made 15 unique designs and 60 individual bags. None of them are sewn up yet, but here's the stack of cut out pieces. Also, cat. Because she's always around.

Look out for those new Date Purses later in the week! And have a safe and happy 4th of July!

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

Etsy-versary...

This Sunday, June 24th, marks four years since I first opened my Etsy shop! So insane! When I opened it, I had no idea that Rachel Elise would one day be my career, pay my rent, and make me unbelievably satisfied with my first job out of college.  I feel I'm living proof that God just giggles at us when we talk about "five year plans". Five years ago, I didn't know what Etsy was. Thanks, God. That was a good one.

Just for kicks and giggles, let's take a look back at some of the "awesome" stuff I've created over the years. I'm opening my soul here, so you are welcome to point and laugh, but please still be my friend afterward :D

June 2008
This is the first bag I ever sold on Etsy.

See the Etsy Listing

June 2009

See the Etsy Listing

June 2010

See the Etsy Listing

June 2011

See the Etsy Listing

June 2012 

See the Etsy Listing

Wow/Sorry/You're welcome.

Happy Friday, kids.

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

on the move...

So about every six months or so, I start itchin' to come out with something new. Usually it's like... a thing or two. This time...

OH MY STARS I'M OUT OF CONTROL.

Mind you, all these changes will take some time. I'm in the middle of preparing for my next Very Jane feature, which will be this weekend. Which means making 225 clutches on top of regular orders. EEP! But once all of that is behind me, I'm going to start cranking out some new and exciting things.


1. Collections

I've never made a cohesive collection of products before, but that's about to change. I already have the fabrics picked out for two collections that I will be selling exclusively on rachelelise.com via Big Cartel. I'm still trying to figure out Big Cartel/redesign my website to accommodate it, but I'm working on it.

Here's my inspiration board for the "Forgotten Summer" Collection:

Via Pinterest

Soft, vintage, nautical, summer. With some stripes. And lots of seafoam. Lots and lots of seafoam. Also, there will be bows.

My other collection is still nameless. It was going to be "The Denton Collection", but then ended up not being very Dentonie once I picked my fabrics. I may have to leave the naming up to the Facebook world once I get the collection designed. Regardless, here's the inspiration board:

Also via Pinterest

Lots of mustard, brown, and rich rich neutrals. With teeny pops of color. And a little bit of stripe action. And a Moroccan pattern that I will create with cutouts. And an amazing bird print linen. You're welcome.

2. Out with accessories, in with bagccessories.

When I first started doing craft shows, I made little bracelets and headbands to supplement my bag sales at these events. Accessories were a HUGE part of my show income for a long time (and how I got my start in wholesale), but they never did too well on Etsy. And now, almost all of my income at craft shows comes from bags. And the accessories still aren't doing too hot on Etsy.

But a smart business woman always has a range of prices, especially at craft shows. So accessories are going out (except for the luggage tags.. because they actually do well and are bag-related), and I'm going to experiment with coin purses big and small to be my new "low end" item.

I'm hoping to sell them individually, as sets of a large and small bag that are in different fabrics but coordinate, and sets of multiples for bridesmaid gifts. I've never made a purse frame/kisslock bag before, so we'll have to see how that goes. But I'm excited.

Here are some kisslock purses I admire:

1. Cream and Lace // LeelaPurse on Etsy
2. Screen Printed Floral // CuriousDoodles on Etsy
3. Silk Linen Bird Print // FoxburyandCo on Etsy

 

Noms. Also, note that the bird print from my mystery-name collection is very similar to the one on that last bag. Yeah. I know. I told you it was awesome.

3. Cohesiveness in the line.

Last time I got the change-everything-and-redesign bug, I redesigned most of my existing bags and retired a few styles. I also left the Bunch Bag as it was and brought back the Date Purse, but I felt like these two never fit in with the new designs of the other bags. So, those little guys are getting mini makeovers as well. Actually, the Bunch Bag may morph into something else entirely, but we'll see what happens. I'll have to play the pattern-making game for a while, but I have little happy and perfect pictures in my brain. Hopefully it translates.

Aren't you excited now? You should be excited now.

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

collecting...

I realized the other day that I have a pretty remarkable necklace collection. This collection stems from a combination of three things:


1. Making trades at craft shows. Vendors often become friends (if they aren't already), and giving someone a Rachel Elise bag in exchange for one of their handmade items is usually a no-brainer. It's also usually a necklace.

2. The Boser is really excellent at buying necklaces for me on Etsy. Sometimes he stalks my favorites, sometimes he's just a genius on his own.

3. Sometimes I am gifted pretty things from friends. Like Laura. And Melissa.

Regardless of their origin, these individual works of art have come together in an epic and fashionable collection.

1. Vintage Sewing Machine // Wunderkammer Culture // Gift from Melissa

2. Peacock Locket // Mint Designs // Gift from Laura

3. Mustard Chrysanthemum // Peachtreelane // Trade @ Etsy Denton Summer Bazaar

4. Vintage Lace Pendant // The Mossy Fox // Trade @ Renegade Austin

5. Chiyogami Bead Necklace // Pretty Kiku // Trade @ Renegade Austin

6. Embroidered Necklace // The Mossy Fox // Trade @ Renegade Austin

7. Concrete and Metal Side Pendant // Green Couch Designs // Trade @ Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash

8. Vintage Doily Necklace // Wunderkammer Culture // Trade @ Etsy Denton Summer Bazaar

9. Vintage Doily Necklace // Wunderkammer Culture // Trade @ Etsy Denton Summer Bazaar

10. Patina Copper Feather // Frilled and Feathered // Trade @ Cowtown Indie Bazaar

11. Peony Flower // Peachtreelane // Gift from the Boser
(He actually surprised me with this necklace this week... just because.) :)

12. Terrarium with Mushroom and Butterfly // Woodland Belle // Gift from the Boser

13. Yellow Birdie and Rhinestone // Bellamantra // Gift from the Boser

In other news, Dagny also likes necklaces.

Happy Friday, kids.

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise

headband happiness...

 Oh hey. You look like you could use some Rachel Elise merch. And a free headband.

That's right folks.
 For the entire month of June,
get a FREE headband
for each item you purchase from

the Rachel Elise Etsy Shop.

Buy a satchel? Get a free headband!
Buy a Hobo and a luggage tag? Get two free headbands!
Buy five headbands? Get five more free!

Just simply put the style and color(s) of headband
you would like in the "message to seller" during checkout. :)

You can see all my headband styles here.

In other headband news, many of you know that I introduced bridal clutch sets into my Etsy shop in April. Well, now I'm extending the love to my headband line.

These little guys will be a simple, inexpensive, but impactful addition to anyone's bridal party get-up. And I think the photos of them all together are pretty adorbs, too.

Right now sets are only listed in the bow style, but I'll be adding them in the doily style sometime next week.

Loves and Hugs,

Rachel Elise