DIY Card Kits

These will be added to my shop tonight. These kits come with one card, an envelope, embellishments, and handmade paper scraps so you can create your own sentiments! If you aren't into creating, they'd make a great gift for a crafty friend! I hope to have many different colors available soon, but right now, you can check out my shop and see what's available!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

She Purrs

My computer is healthy again! I've been back to Etsy-ing and getting a bunch of new listings up, providing a healthy selection of EcoBooks for you to peruse! You should check it out at: \

www.rachelmaydesigns.etsy.com.

I'm taking new pics, posting new items, and soon I will be working more on the blog action. I hope all is well!

Enjoy!
Rachel May

New and Improved!

So, I got to thinking about the EcoBooks, because they have consumed my life (I love, love, love them). I was thinking about the eco-friendliness and the users, and I have made large improvements to the EcoBooks.

I started a new line: EcoBooks SkEtCh. The new and improved part comes in probably in one of those places that nobody thinks about, but I'll explain that element in a minute. The cool thing (for users) about the EcoBook SkEtCh line is that it is a super heavy paper, so you can write in ink or pencil or whatever and it shouldn't bleed through. It also makes a good weight of notepad, feeling more durable and substantial without being bulky.

The OTHER improvement:
I changed the glue. I'm now using a water-based non-toxic glue. I was really excited, because I know that adhesive is one of the tricky parts to making stuff green and eco-friendly. Now what's great about this glue is that it seals in the handmade paper cover and back so that you don't have to worry about durability, and it keeps everything together. It also offers endless design possibilities as now I can create patterns on the handmade paper if I want to.

I felt as though this was a great move and hope the EcoBooks catch on soon. It's a great product if I do say so myself.

http://www.rachelmaydesigns.etsy.com/

Enjoy!

Rachel May

Eco-Crazy!

I'm getting really excited about this new line for my Etsy site. http://www.rachelmaydesigns.etsy.com/ (warning-plugging for the website will be throughout this post, at least I warned ya!)

Process:

I recently got into making my own paper. I take things like junk mail and old bills and such and shred them in my paper shredder (partially for function later, partially because who doesn't like shredding things, and partially because I would like to keep my identity). After it's all shredded up, I have a white paper mulch-which is fun all in itself.

You can make an interesting handmade paper with just white shreddings, because the ink on the paper adds a purply-blue tone to it, but I usually choose to add color. I take scraps of cardstock from cardmaking and shred them up too. I then dump the white and colored shreddings into my blender(used only for papermaking) and add water. I blend the concoction and ta da! I have a weird pulp.

Taking the pulp and the handmade paper kit I got from another seller on Etsy (http://www.basicingredients.etsy.com/), I make the paper by sifting and drying the pulp (it's much more confusing than that, but no fun to read-lots of fun to do, though).

Drying is the worst part...it takes forever. I hate waiting, but the paper looks amazing when it's finished.

After all of this labor, I've made one component of the EcoBook. I then take the handmade paper and some paperboard(100% recycled and saved from food boxes and such) and back it for strength. I then cut some paper to go into the book for writing and doodling on, and bind it...all myself.

This has been one of the most satisfying craft things I have done in a long time, and I feel really proud because I truly feel like it's unique to me. I like that it's environmentally conscious-you know how it's made, where stuff comes from, it uses responsible materials, and when you are finished, you can rip off the binding and recycle the paper! What more could you want?

I hope everyone likes the EcoBooks. It's a new craft product that I really stand behind and I'm so proud of it. If you would like to purchase one, check out my Etsy site: http://www.rachelmaydesigns.etsy.com/

I have three versions available: Journal (6x8), Listmaker (3x7), and Reporter (3x5).

Enjoy!

Rachel May