Rebirth

I'm so excited to announce this blog is going through big changes! I'll be changing the url to taylorrachellemccord.blogspot.com within the next week so be sure to bookmark the new address! Also, if you haven't noticed already, I redesigned the layout and blog banner for a cleaner, more streamlined look. I need more simplicity in my life. Lately, life has been throwing a lot at me from all directions. I think that's what they call becoming an adult. Despite many moments of frustration, I'd say I'm handling it well. Although I've been wishing for a vacation to never never land, I'll settle for some good live music and a glass of wine.

Spring is the time of new beginnings, but I think the transition to winter can bring many of those too. With the cold weather and rain comes more time to blog, DIY, and discover new music and art. Since I spend  my free time immersed in music, I decided I should make that more of a focus here on the blog. I need an outlet to share the playlists constantly running through my head and the amazing concerts I experience here in LA.

This is what I'll be listening to as I travel home for Thanksgiving. A quick one hour flight, but the right music is essential. Can't wait to stuff myself with food and then burn off all the calories in the Black Friday shopping rush. Onward and homeward. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!




Image 1. Image 2.

Etsy Shop Announcement!

Friends, this is a big moment for me! My Etsy shop is officially open!

I've been trying to make this happen for years, but the timing never seemed to be right. Maybe it's also due to the fact that I was a marketing major and it's hard to plunge head first into a business venture without weighing all the consequences and work involved. Well, I finally threw my responsibility aside and took the risk. Putting yourself out there creatively is scary, but this has been a passion of mine since since I was old enough to make my first craft project. In the past, my customers mostly consisted of friends and family and I never made them pay, so I'm proud to make this dream a reality. Push myself to grow and learn.

I hope you enjoy! Bows and old keys are two of my favorite things! :)

Thanks to all my friends and family for their support, encouragement, and technical expertise. I couldn't have opened my store without you!

<3 Taylor

Everything's Peachy

Over the past year and a half, my life has been filled with transitions. School to unemployment to full time work. Relationships forming and breaking down. Happy to dejected to hopeful to lonely to busy to fulfilled. There's no end to the changes and the ways we must adapt. Right now, I'm absorbing the art, music, and friendships. The sunny days, delicious food, and steady paychecks. So much to feel blessed by. It doesn't mean that everything is perfect, as easy as that is to say. It means I have more to share.

Do you ever look around and feel shocked by way we spend our time? On our computers or our phones and filling our minds and hands with luxuries. Let's be more than consumers. Sometimes I forget how privileged I am to be able to put on a bright pink dress and heels and play around in front of a camera. It's so silly, but it's a little joy. Yet, shouldn't we be investing our extra time in more changes, outside of just our selves? Helping others with their transitions? It's easy to forget about community when living in a city. Passing by an endless stream of faceless people. Lately, I've been struck by the beauty in every person. Competition is a common theme in this city, but I hope little by little we can redefine community. Even if everything is peachy for me or you, it's not for every person. As cheesy as it sounds, we all have the power to make a change, though it might start as a tiny ripple.

Dress: Free People

Shoes: Shoedazzle
Earrings: Christi Jay

<3 Taylor

*Photo credit to my beautiful friend, Brittan.

Suburban Sunlight

Sometimes it's nice to leave the city and relax a little in suburbia. That's not a thought I express too often, but there's definitely a sense of relief when I find myself in an area where the whole street is available for parking.

I'll admit, I'm a true city girl at heart. Through thick and thin. I'll defend LA, even when I could string off a list of complaints and criticisms at a moment's notice. But who can't find negatives about anything if they try hard enough? It's much easier to dwell in the positive. Thinking about the opportunities and culture a city offers gives me butterflies. But suburbia provides the perfect refuge to slow down. Rent a movie and stay inside. Or have a photoshoot in the street, because the cars are that scarce!

Amidst the city lights, my frenzied brain needs a reminder: It's ok to relax. It's ok if I don't do everything. It's ok if I stay in on a Friday night. The world is constantly speeding around us, through us, but let's not lose sight of the value in breathing and resting in the moment.

 Blouse: Native (local boutique)

Lace skirt: Forever 21

Shoes: Modcloth

<3 Taylor

*Special thanks to my photographer, Brittan.

Color Me Bright

So much to tell and so much to be thankful for, I could burst. Amidst my crazy, hectic schedule, I managed to find some time to be productive and work on a couple very exciting projects. The second I'll announce later, but it's been near to my heart for a while now. The other project is this mini series of outfit posts one of my dear friends, Brittan, photographed around her new little home in Whittier.

Let me just say, being a model is much harder than it looks. I truly understand the concept of taking 50 photos to get that one perfect shot now. How do all the bloggers and models out there do it?? I think I'll go pop a giant bag of popcorn and watch a marathon of America's Next Top Model, so I can learn  insider secrets for next time. Maybe even start a daily facial expression exercise regimen. That might be a little dramatic, but a girl has got to do something to keep up with the best of them, right?

The material on this top is gorgeous, straight from the jungles (ok maybe not, that's just what I like to imagine) of South America. Sometimes you need a litte exotic in your wardrobe and this piece is perfect.

Anyway, have the best Thursday! I love Thursdays, because you can treat them like a Friday, but then you realize you still have the whole weekend ahead. At least that's what I like to do to speed up a long week. Maybe I'm the only one, but either way, go celebrate with an Autumn-y treat! I'm starting to rekindle my romance with pumpkin. It's going to be a good season, I can tell.

Bandeau/Bustier- Rojas Clothing

Leather Skirt- Buffalo Exchange

Red Shoes- Shoedazzle

<3 Taylor

Take A Walk

Go for a walk. Really, I'm not kidding. It has become such an underrated activity, but it opens the world. It is catching snip-its of people's lives. Gathering observations. Soaking in the elements.

Ironic that I live in one of the most spread out cities in America. The car is the most ideal form of transportation, yet I prefer walking, whether in the occasional (let's be honest) rain or in the blazing heat. 

It is my therapy.

My time to process.

Every moment and every decision is so fragile. So volatile. One step. One decision to stay or go. It can all drastically affect our journey. That's what makes life beautiful. The walks. The twists and the turns. The paths we choose to invest our time along.

Stars In My Eyes

I've always been fascinated with the stars. When I was a kid, I would walk around my neighborhood at night with my head thrown back, staring at the stars. They made me feel very small, but in the best way possible. Not much has changed as I've grown up. I'm still drawn to the those far away balls of light. Funny that I now live in a place where they're mostly hidden. But those moments they do peak through are like falling in love. They remind me that all my worries are so insignificant, that we are a part of a universe bigger than we could ever fathom.

I recently discovered the artist, Summer Heart, and his music would be the perfect soundtrack to laying under under the stars, imagining the future and dreaming in the present.

And if I could wear the galaxies, I would only be the happiest! I believe opals are little bits of space in tangible form. It's only natural they are also my birth stone. My connection to the stars began early and continues to entwine itself beautifully throughout my life.

Picture 1&2: Romwe
Picture 3: Etsy

Life In Color

I've been itching to write another blog post for weeks, but the month of July demanded my undivided attention. All my ideas and thoughts are dying to spill out now!

I thought after I finished school summer might lose a little of it's magic, but it is just as sunny and full of possibilities. Days spent with friends and family in the company of art, music, movies, and the gorgeous outdoors. It's a beautiful time. I've missed staying indoors crafting, although I've found time for a few small projects I can't wait to share soon. My August must incude more arts and crafts for the soul, you know?

Living in a place where the actual seasons are so mildly different, you could blink and miss the change, has caused me to appreciate the seasons of self. They aren't defined by a calendar or weather pattern. For the past year, I've been in what I would define as "winter". A little icy, a little fragile, maybe even a little treacherous, yet allowing for perseverance and cleansing. Full of spring's seedlings peaking out. But now is my time to appreciate life's color. Now is my summer. Not just in the temporal, emotional sense, but deep in my heart. The kind of feeling that comes from the inside out, where I am giving rather than receiving. Every season is one of beauty, and with this change I appreciate my new season even more profoundly. What season are you in?

<3 Taylor

Life Through Frosted Glasses

It's been pretty quiet here on the blog, but I've missed sharing my creative thoughts. Trust me, they haven't stopped. I've just been busy investing in friends and family and exercising my concert junkie tendencies.

I've also been learning hard lessons about love. Like, sometimes the person you choose to love, doesn't choose to love you back. And that's all it is, choices that don't align. If anything, the person who lost is the person who did not accept being loved. This world is caught up in temporary emotions and desires, but love is an eternal action. So let's never stop choosing to love.

Through all this, I've come to realize the value of perseverance. Especially when crafting on a regular basis, this has become a common word in my vocabulary. Projects don't quite turn out how imagined. In fact, I would dare to say none of mine have ever gone as planned. Part of this could be due to my impatience and inclination to jump into projects headfirst. Oops! I originally intended this DIY for frosted wine glasses (to drink from), but food-safe glass sealants are not readily available. This is exactly where perseverance came into play. I wasn't ready to ditch these pretty glasses, so I brainstormed an alternative use... mini succulent garden! Perfect for my Mom's birthday present. So here's how to turn something gone wrong into something gone right.

Materials:

• Frosted glass spray paint
• Rubber bands
• Wine glasses
• Optional Materials: succulents and soil, candles, flower clippings

1. Start stretching the rubber bands around the tops of the wine glasses. 

2. You probably need to put at least 4 or 5 on each, but keep going until you have the design you want.

3. Turn the wine glasses over and spray on a few coats of the frosted paint, so they're fully coated.

4. Let the glasses dry completely. 

5. Remove rubberbands.

6. Unless you mark off space around the lip of the glass, these wine glasses won't be food-safe. I used them as planters for succulents. You could also turn them into candle holders or vases. Wherever your imagination takes you!

My mom loved her birthday present! 

DIY: Idea Jar

Today was one of those days I couldn't wait for work to end so I could run home and play with paint and popsicle sticks. That's normal right? It was definitely worth the 9 hour wait, because now I can finally put this little project to use.

Do you ever have that hour, that day, that weekend you need a little help figuring out what to do? I'm constantly taking note of activities I want to try later, but when later comes, suddenly all those ideas fly out of my mind. Anyone else have this problem? Or is it just me? Well, I hope you can relate, so you can be as excited about this DIY as I am!

Idea Jar:

Materials:

• Jar
• Paint (craft paint or spray paint)
• Paint brush
• Popsicle sticks
• Cloth
• Twine
• Pen (not pictured)
• Scissors (not pictured)
• Ideas and creativity**

1. Pick your idea categories and color coordinate. I chose red (costly/24 hour+ activity), purple (arts&culture), green (outdoor activity), yellow (inexpensive/no planning needed), and blue (food&drink).

2. Paint those popsicle sticks! It might help to make a list of your ideas first so you know how many of each color you need... or improvise!

3. Pick a fabric to wrap your jar in and cut it down to fit your jar. I folded the edges, wrapped the fabric around the jar, and tied the twine around it. If you want it to be more solid, you could put a few stitches around the edges and/or at the back. If your jar has a label, you might want to take it off. I just covered it to save time.

4. Write down all your creative ideas on the popsicle sticks and stick them in the jar.

Last is the best part: go find (or make) some free time in your schedule and see what activity you pull out of that jar first!

<3 Taylor

I Promise

With work, planning for my Etsy shop, graduations, birthdays, weddings, and lots of dates and phone conversations with my favorite people, life has been full of distractions. Sometimes your life looks wonderful on paper, but your heart is shattered. Putting those pieces back together is the most beautiful experience though, because you can only start that process when you are completely honest with yourself. It starts with a foundation: promises that I want to define my life and hold true in my heart.

I promise to treat myself with kindness and respect.
I promise to hold myself to realistic expectations and forgive myself if I fail.
I promise to be honest with myself and with others.
I promise to feel my emotions with all their intensity but not to dwell on the negative.
I promise to stay true to my heart and my soul.
I promise to challenge myself even when I don't want to be challenged.
I promise to stop holding back when I need to let go.
I promise to stop trying to control what only God can.
I promise to trust that God has my best interests at heart.
I promise to give the Lord my past, present, and future.
I promise to never stop asking questions.
I promise to never judge.
I promise to always create, imagine, and dream.
I promise to never stop trying new things.
I promise to always have an open heart.
I promise to love others the way Jesus loved and love with my whole heart.
I promise to never cease praying or forget its power.
I promise to never live in a bubble and to never stop exploring.
I promise to never settle for the ordinary.
I promise to stop being scared.
I promise to be content in the present.

What have you promised yourself?

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day! If there's one thing in the world I know, it is how special mothers are. There's no one else on this earth who knows you from the very moment you were created. I'm very blessed to have a mom who loves me so unconditionally. I have never felt more accepted, supported, and encouraged than by the words and actions of my mom. I've been through some rough times in this past year and I would never have survived without my phone and a mom who is willing to talk to me whenever I need her, however long I need her. Hope your Sunday was filled with beauty and appreciation of the love in your life.

Here's a little project I worked on for my beautiful mother (and she definitely liked it!):

DIY: Bleached Shirt

This weekend was beautifully sunny and I finally had the opportunity to try out a project that's been stuck in my head for a long time. Inspired by a couple different blogs, I knew exactly how I wanted to personalize the idea when I heard the phrase, "I could sail the world", at a Honey Trees concert a couple weeks ago. I have a terrible case of wanderlust, always planning the next city to explore. This is the perfect little tank to wear at the beginning of any adventure. The routine of life can become so oppressive, but that's why we have dreams. Don't ever let them go.

Materials:

• Shirt
• Cup of bleach
• Paintbrush
• Cardboard
• Gloves (optional)
• Chalk (optional)

1. Sketch out your design/words with the chalk or skip to step 2 if you're free-handing it.
2. Dip your paintbrush in the bleach, making sure to wipe any extra drops off on the side of the container.

3. Trace over your chalk outline or paint freehand. Go slow and steady, no need to rush!

4. After the bleach dries, you will probably need to go over the parts you missed or that need to be evened out and made thicker.
5. I flicked a few drops of bleach over the whole thing with my paintbrush to finish it off (the more bleach on your brush, the bigger the spots), but go for the look that suits your design best!

Instagram Loving

Hi friends!

I know I'm really far behind the times, but I finally have an Instagram account! I can finally indulge in this hipster pleasure and it feels wonderful! I guess they sold out to Facebook, but I'm still enjoying this new (to me) form of media sharing. It's fun to have images to look back on documenting where you've been and what you've been doing and see the same things in other people's lives. So please make my day and follow me at taylorachelle.

Love and sweet dreams.

Little Obsessions: Color

Color is such a beautiful part of life. It lights up the world and wraps us in its depths. Although I love a good black and white film or LBD, color adds a vibrancy I could never live without. It's always been hard for me to pick a favorite color because each shade creates a unique impression on the soul. They elicit feelings and emotions just as a song or smell conjures an old memory. I never want to stop playing with color because I think at that moment, I stop imagining.

Inspiration:

I know this is music but it adds color to my life and the cover of the album is gorgeous. Listen here.


Credit: Video. Image 1. Image 2.