As I'm sitting down to write my inaugural entry on Chaucer + Lily, I can hear the clanking of metal as my kitties wrestle breakfast out of their food bowl. Outside it looks like the innards of a snow globe. I am easily distracted by the bajillion tabs open on my Internet browser: a few particularly luscious retail websites I've been screen-grabbing like there's no tomorrow; a Facebook message from my brother in Israel; an article about the CEO of SeaWorld stepping down; some nut cheese recipe I looked up then forgot about; and several pieces of furniture or art I've been coveting but haven't gotten around to Pinning yet. Like everything else in my life, my Internet browser – at any given moment – is a mishmash of several different topics and tasks. This blog will almost certainly follow suit; however, there are a handful of subjects you can expect to spot on the regular:
Weddings:
I've been working in the wedding industry since 2011 and don't plan to stop anytime soon. Like many girls, I grew up thinking weddings were forbidden territory until you got engaged. This was before Pinterest, Instagram, Say Yes to the Dress and a much wider visibility of the wedding industry in general. What captivated me from an early age, however, was the notion that weddings weren't merely social occasions or "happy endings" to singledom but artistic mediums in their own right: intricate little worlds that were painstakingly created, down to the very last detail. It took a Royal Wedding (thanks William and Kate!) for me to realize I wanted to be part of the creative process that brought these worlds to life.
Since then, I've done a lot of stuff: writing for various wedding publications, working on photo shoots, developing website content for industry professionals and – most recently – becoming a bridal consultant and stylist. Fortunately, the wedding industry is brimming with just as much talent and creativity as when I first started, and I can't wait to share even more ideas and inspirations that find me along the way.
Interior Design: I have always been captivated by interior design and making ordinary spaces special. Lately I've been engaging this hobby with particular gusto, so be sure to check back early and often for some major eye candy and morsels of momentous design.
Fashion + Beauty: I'm continually inspired by interesting and extraordinary fashion, bridal or otherwise. While there is no shortage of killer fashion blogs out there, I'm hoping Chaucer + Lily will serve as my own little tribute to the sartorial world. I'm also a stickler for beauty products and hunting down cruelty-free alternatives, which I will be more than happy to share!
Branding: As a digital media specialist for wedding and lifestyle brands, I can't help but relish the opportunity to sink my teeth into a deep dish of delicious content: reading, writing, editing, or all of the above. I also love connecting with fellow branding enthusiasts – let's make some waves together!
Animals: Like every other human being on the planet, I've gone through untold transformations (as Joan Didion said, "I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be"). With every new chapter, phase or hair colour, however, one particular constant has been my lifelong love of animals. This wasn't too hard to come by, growing up in a household full of four-legged friends like Chaucer, a black Labrador retriever, and Lily, his feisty feline companion. Though both sadly passed away several years ago, the love that they taught me for animals has spilled over well into my adulthood.
At present, I am the proud "mama" of two kitties, Eloise Matilda ("Ellie") and Isobel Sabine ("Izzy"), who I fostered and later adopted through Toronto Cat Rescue. I also volunteered at a local animal shelter, where I encountered cats and dogs who had suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of their former owners. This heartbreaking experience caused me to seriously consider the cruelty that I, myself, was enabling. I began to research and eventually adopt a plant-based lifestyle, which I've maintained to varying degrees for the past five years (though not without the occasional slip-up, of course). It's been an incredibly challenging and rewarding journey so far; some days I'm determined to take the road even further and become vegan, others I can't even imagine giving up cheese. Then again, I think everyone is a work in a progress, in their own myriad of ways.
Much more, very soon. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest so we can keep in touch between posts!
–Rachel
Weddings:
I've been working in the wedding industry since 2011 and don't plan to stop anytime soon. Like many girls, I grew up thinking weddings were forbidden territory until you got engaged. This was before Pinterest, Instagram, Say Yes to the Dress and a much wider visibility of the wedding industry in general. What captivated me from an early age, however, was the notion that weddings weren't merely social occasions or "happy endings" to singledom but artistic mediums in their own right: intricate little worlds that were painstakingly created, down to the very last detail. It took a Royal Wedding (thanks William and Kate!) for me to realize I wanted to be part of the creative process that brought these worlds to life.
 | |
| Industry event with Abby Larson, founder of Style Me Pretty, in 2012 |
Since then, I've done a lot of stuff: writing for various wedding publications, working on photo shoots, developing website content for industry professionals and – most recently – becoming a bridal consultant and stylist. Fortunately, the wedding industry is brimming with just as much talent and creativity as when I first started, and I can't wait to share even more ideas and inspirations that find me along the way.
Interior Design: I have always been captivated by interior design and making ordinary spaces special. Lately I've been engaging this hobby with particular gusto, so be sure to check back early and often for some major eye candy and morsels of momentous design.
Fashion + Beauty: I'm continually inspired by interesting and extraordinary fashion, bridal or otherwise. While there is no shortage of killer fashion blogs out there, I'm hoping Chaucer + Lily will serve as my own little tribute to the sartorial world. I'm also a stickler for beauty products and hunting down cruelty-free alternatives, which I will be more than happy to share!
Branding: As a digital media specialist for wedding and lifestyle brands, I can't help but relish the opportunity to sink my teeth into a deep dish of delicious content: reading, writing, editing, or all of the above. I also love connecting with fellow branding enthusiasts – let's make some waves together!
Animals: Like every other human being on the planet, I've gone through untold transformations (as Joan Didion said, "I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be"). With every new chapter, phase or hair colour, however, one particular constant has been my lifelong love of animals. This wasn't too hard to come by, growing up in a household full of four-legged friends like Chaucer, a black Labrador retriever, and Lily, his feisty feline companion. Though both sadly passed away several years ago, the love that they taught me for animals has spilled over well into my adulthood.
At present, I am the proud "mama" of two kitties, Eloise Matilda ("Ellie") and Isobel Sabine ("Izzy"), who I fostered and later adopted through Toronto Cat Rescue. I also volunteered at a local animal shelter, where I encountered cats and dogs who had suffered horrendous abuse at the hands of their former owners. This heartbreaking experience caused me to seriously consider the cruelty that I, myself, was enabling. I began to research and eventually adopt a plant-based lifestyle, which I've maintained to varying degrees for the past five years (though not without the occasional slip-up, of course). It's been an incredibly challenging and rewarding journey so far; some days I'm determined to take the road even further and become vegan, others I can't even imagine giving up cheese. Then again, I think everyone is a work in a progress, in their own myriad of ways.
Much more, very soon. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest so we can keep in touch between posts!
–Rachel
No comments:
Post a Comment