…well it felt like a Christmas present anyway!

I had just finished serving Isaac his lunch when the doorbell ran. UPS was  at the door delivering my very first box of products samples! I quickly signed away the package, closed the door, and squealed to Isaac. He was also very excited! I know this may sound dramatic but these are the first decor products I’ve designed and it was amazing to see my illustrations so professionally produced… and even more exciting that I could use them in my own home :)

I’ve mentioned before on my blog that I designed these products for Goodnite Moon Kids. My designs included clocks, canvas art, door hangers, and growth charts. The company offered to send a few samples my way so I requested some of my favorite pieces. Everything looks amazing but I’m most excited at how my clocks turned out. The quality is top notch and the printing/colour of my illustration is just how I wanted it. I’m planning on putting all these pieces in our almost-to-be-finished basement playroom/office.

My designs are perfect for a baby’s nursery, kid’s bedroom, or playroom. If you’re interested in purchasing any of the products I’ve recently designed, you can do so at Rosenberry Rooms.

I celebrated 2 years of blogging last Saturday and can’t believe how my career has evolved since the beginning. Starting this blog has brought forth many new work opportunities, along with many new friends :) One of these work opportunities has been designing stamps. I’ve released a fair amount of designs in the past year and am so happy with their great success. Lily and Milo have been wonderfully welcomed into the stamping world.

This brings me to introducing you to a potential new stamp character – Abigail. She is older than Lily and Milo and brings a bit of style and sophistication to the table :) I am interested to hear your thoughts of her. What do you think of having an older character? What are some things you’d like to see her doing? I’m gearing up to work on a new collection so this is your chance to get your ideas out there!

Thanks for taking the time to stop by :)

We’ve just started the exciting task of finishing our basement and turning it into a playroom/office. When we first bought our house we had no intentions of finishing our basement anytime soon but after a year of having our first child and him quickly entering toddler-hood, having a big open space for running, jumping, and dancing is suddenly a high priority!

A while ago I made a post about my workspace. I created a cute, colourful corner for my little one to quietly play with his toys while mommy does some work. This setup work well until about 2 or 3 months ago when my little one decided to get very mobile and explore beyond this corner and into the ‘off-limits’ computer zone. Needless to say, we needed more space!

We are in the middle of finishing this new space and I’ve jumped right into the decor/setup. I did a very rough sketch of the layout and where I plan to place the furniture (please ignore the horrid perspective!). I’ve also come up with a red/green/yellow colour scheme. My big plan is to create a large mural on the main wall where I’ll be placing this lovely Pottery Barn wall storage unit I just purchased. The style of the mural is a bit cleaner/simpler than my typical illustrations as this is my first real mural (unless you count painting on my bedroom wall when I was 16) and I don’t want to get in over my head.

It’s great to plan ahead, but in this case my lovely plans may not happen. After the workers left today, I went downstairs to inspect the progress only to see that they have framed around two pipes along the wall I planned for the mural and I no longer have the space I imagined!

Some redesign might be necessary! Hopefully I can still figure out a way to fit everything in as I planned but I’ll probably be waiting until they are all finished down there before planning anything too specific. I’ll post some photos of the room once it’s all said and done :)

Exciting news for all digital artists! I’m now offering some of my illustrations as tubes for digital artwork. For those of you who don’t know what tubes are (similar to myself before being approached to sell them!), tubes are simply graphics with transparent backgrounds (PNG files) which can be used to create signature tags, myspace layouts, blog layouts, email stationary, etc. These tubes are for personal, online use only. The full Terms of Use can be read on my website and should be fully understood before purchasing. If you are interested in purchasing a tube, you can access my online store and checkout with Paypal. Once I receive your payment, I will email you your tube(s) within 24 hours along with your license number which will need to be displayed anywhere you use the tube(s).

Now for the fun part! To celebrate this new section of my store, I am holding a contest! I am looking for the most creative creation with one of my tubes. You have until Nov 10th to email me (words@rachelleannemiller.com) or post a link to your creation on this post. Judging will be done on the evening on the 10th with the winner declared on the 11th. The winner’s creation will be posted on my blog (along with the creator’s blog/website) and will receive 10 of my original greeting cards. I look forward to receiving your submissions!

To My Dear Isaac,

You have turned my life upside down and made me fall in love in a way I never thought I could. This year has been a whirlwind to say the least. You are a wonderfully emotional, sensitive, sweet little boy who is full of life! You have taught me so much about myself and I’m so proud to be your mama :)

You are now turning one and I’m amazed at how you’ve grown. You have the most charming personality and always make laugh. You have such a strong character and have definitely put your dada and I to the test. I never thought being a parent could be so tough, yet there’s nothing in my life that has been so wonderful and rewarding.

As you continue to grow and thrive, a part of me is mourning the loss of my little baby. You have grown so quickly that it’s hard to believe you were ever once inside of me! We have been through so much together and I am in awe of the little boy that stands before me today. I am excited to continue to watch you develop, explore, and learn about the world around you. I pray that I am the best mother I can be for you. I pray that I will always be patient, loving, and understanding of you. You have brought so much laughter, joy, tears, and meaning into our lives. I pray that God will protect you in this life and bring you many blessings.

I love you more than I could ever explain and I am honored to be your mama. I hope you had a wonderful day today :)

A great big kiss from Mama!