300 Sales on Etsy!

We're so excited to celebrate 300 sales on Etsy! Woo hoo!  We first created our Etsy shop in September of 2009 in the middle of the financial crisis...why not, right?!  I remember posting three listings and I naively thought they were going to sell immediately.  When you're competing against thousands of other shops you need to stand out.  I didn't understand then about how to properly photograph and market my product for online sales.  We slowly began improving our photography skills, learning through trial error and making sales.  I mainly worked on Rice Rafferty at night while I worked a full time graphic design job.  My 10 years of working design experience plus all of my knowledge from working on Rice Rafferty has taught me SO much.

Our accessory designs led us on the path of designing wedding veils and bridal hair adornments. We participated in fashion shows at Buffalo State College and in St. Augustine, FL, Love Your Mother Fashion show. We feel so grateful to have been published in Well Wed Magazine, The Buffalo Spree, Saint Johns Magazine and The St. Augustine Record. Our journey has led us to meeting so many amazing people and vendors.

Now that I'm a full-time mom, we've expanded our product line to marketing services, home decor (printable art), party decor (printable graphics), and textile designs (fabric, wallpaper, wrapping paper).  I feel like I've come full circle.  Working on art projects with my son has really inspired me.  I love to watch how he is totally in the moment while he's creating art.  My goal is to create accessories and art that bring joy and inspire you.

Thank you so much for supporting us!  We're so exciting for the projects ahead!

Celebrate with us!  15% off now https://www.etsy.com/shop/ricerafferty?coupon=300SALES when you spend over $50.

Cheers!

You can see more designs from our shop here.  www.ricerafferty.etsy.com  

My Baby is One

You might have noticed I've been MIA this past year. Last September I gave birth to my son and I've been watching him grow leaps and bounds ever since. He brings me so much joy. It feels like we just brought him home from the hospital. For his one year birthday we had a little party with family and a few friends. I wanted it to be special to commemorate the occasion.

He loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, so we decided that would be the perfect theme. I made all the decorations (handmade tissue paper flowers, flag banner, signs, cake topper, etc) and my mom helped me prepare the food and she made his Brady's birthday banner for his high chair (the chair is a family heirloom). My husband was busy with the landscaping. Brady just started walking a week before his first birthday and hasn't stopped since. Since I'm a designer I knew that I wanted unique personal touches for his decorations.  I chose the color scheme red, yellow and black.  I wanted polka dots, colors, and touches of Mickey Mouse silhouettes to give the suggestion of mickey and a few images of Mickey Mouse, of course! It was a very special day that we'll never forget!


If you're interested in any of my designs for your Mickey Mouse party you can purchase them here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/ricerafferty?ref=hdr_shop_menu&section_id=20104815

 

 

Quick and Easy Summer Salad Idea

After working all day and being pregnant it leaves very little energy to cook dinner.  I decided I wanted to make a fresh salad with some grilled chicken.  I wanted the chicken to be very flavorful, so I mixed up a honey mustard marinade.  I mixed dijon mustard (old style whole grain for some texture) and a spoonful of honey.  I used my Deni meat tenderizer on the chicken and placed the tenders in my marinade for about 20 minutes.  I grilled the chicken until lightly golden brown and placed over a bed of fresh spinach leaves, tomatoes, and some croutons.  The chicken was so flavorful that I didn't even need a salad dressing.  Yum!  I know this is super simple, but not every dinner needs to take 2 hours to prepare.  Even my hubby loved it.  There were zero leftovers.  :) -->

My Favorite Candles

I'm completely in love with Anthropologie.  There's such a cozy feeling when you walk through the store and I find myself feeling very inspired and relaxed.  One of the major things that makes Anthropologie so inviting are the candles.  Not only is the aroma heavenly, the candle jars are so pretty.  Reuse the jars as a container for jewelry or special keepsakes.   -->

Here are some of my favorites:

Aspen Bay 20 Oz Jar Capri Blue Candle - Volcano

Paddywax Mixology Collection Poured Glass Candle, Old fashioned

Voluspa Decorative 3 Wick Tin/Santiago Huckleberry, 12oz Tin

Enjoy!

Begin with Paint

When we were house hunting in Jacksonville, FL (over a year in a half ago) I wanted a house with good bones that I could add a personal touch.  Home renovations can be extremely expensive, so I am slowly updating little details around the house.  PAINT is the fastest, most cost effective way to add a fresh look to your home.

Our house had renters in it before us, so when we moved in EVERY room needed painted.  The task of choosing paint when we barely had furniture was a bit daunting.  My husband and I spent weeks discussing paint colors and decided on the neutral color AF-85 Frappe by Benjamin Moore.  We liked that it has a warm yellowish glow, but more like a tan than a yellow.  We painted (with the help of our parents and in laws) our living room, dining room, husband's office, and hallways Frappe.  

Next, I painted our additional bedrooms.  I painted the guest bedroom a beautiful pale blue - Breath of Fresh Air by Benjamin Moore and my studio Glidden - Belgium Waffle.  The pale blue creates a relaxing oasis for our guests and for my studio the Belgium Waffle color gives the room a nice warmth while I'm working hours into the night.

What are some of our favorite paint colors?  

Cost Effective Guest Bathroom Updates

We just bought a house in Florida several months ago.  Being a homeowner is a dream come true!  It's way more work than living in an apartment, but it's worth it.  It's nice to add your personal style of decorating to your living space, but expenses can really add up.  We did a few cost effective updates that really breathed new life into our space.

Our house is traditional with a modern flare, so I wanted to keep this theme throughout the decorating process.  I also wanted a beach vibe since we live a half hour from the ocean.  Pictured above is our guest bathroom before and after.  When we moved in, the wallpaper was peeling off, the drains were busted, the air vents were rusted, and the ceiling was stained.  I dewallpapered, painted the ceiling and painted the walls soft sage.  My husband and Dad installed the new light fixtures yesterday.  I love blue and green colors in bathrooms.  It gives the room a nice clean fresh feeling.  Next, I plan to paint the cabinets a lighter wood stain.  Stay tuned!

Lights - Lowes - allen + roth 3 light merington brushed nickel bathroom vanity light
Paint - Walls - Glidden - Soft Sage - semi gloss paint
Kilz Primer Paint
Paint - Ceiling - Ceiling White
Shower Curtain - Marshalls
Vase - Terrain - Sofie Conran

Total cost: less than $250

www.ricerafferty.com

The Veronica Mars Movie

One of my all time favorite television shows, Veronica Mars, was cancelled only after three seasons, but thanks to its loyal fans it's now a movie!  Veronica Mars is about an intelligent and sarcastic young woman who strives to fight against the corruption in her Southern California hometown when her best friend was murdered.  She is a teenage detective who works on cases as small as missing dogs to murder cases.   The stories always have me on the edge of my seat.  The film raised over 5 million dollars on kickstarter by its fans to make the movie.  You can buy the movie here or check out the entire series.
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Hashtag Sorry Not Sorry, Lady Gaga

I recently heard about Lady Gaga's coffee filter dress.  I prefer the designs by Carol Ann Rice Rafferty.  Her dresses are made from up cycled coffee filters.  Which do you prefer?  https://www.etsy.com/shop/ricerafferty?section_id=11913983&ref=shopsection_leftnav_2

 

 Art by Carol Ann Rice Rafferty

 

Art by Carol Ann Rice Rafferty

 

 

Lady Gaga wearing a coffee filter dress

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A Winter Wedding

We recently worked with a bride who got married in December.  She wanted a winter wedding with all custom accessories.  We designed her long curly veil, garter, flower headbands for her flower girls and corsages for her grandmother's.  We're in awe of the beautiful photographs from her wedding day.  December is definitely a beautiful time of the year to get married with all of the beautiful Christmas trees, lights, and decorations.  If you're interested in any of these designs please visit our website www.ricerafferty.etsy.com or email us!
 

 

Our curly veil style is 100% hand cut and hand sewn. One of the best things about this veil is it looks gorgeous with ANY dress style - short, long, sheath or ballgown. The curly veil style is the perfect way to add a little personality to your wedding look.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/174219020/midlength-curly-veil-made-to-order?ref=shop_home_active_23

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Maureen's Wedding!

We're so excited to share photos from Maureen's wedding!  Isn't she gorgeous?! 

Maureen had a high fashion vision.  She wanted a vintage inspired veil and hats for her bridesmaids.  Maureen's love of 1930s fashions came from watching old movies with her grandmother.  Maureen wanted to had lots of vintage glam to her wedding. 

Maureen chose a pouf style veil - layers of tulle and russian netting https://www.etsy.com/listing/103993452/large-pouf-veil-tulle-and-russian.  The pouf veil is a very easy to wear style that works with ANY bridal gown style.  We made a blusher of russian netting and a custom hair adornment that Maureen designed. 

The goddess headpiece was a gorgeous addition to Maureen's veil.  It really added that extra glam and gave her a more personalized look.  https://www.etsy.com/listing/164014174/goddess-bridal-headpiece-white-tulle?ref=shop_home_active_17

Each hat was made from blue tulle, silk, and feathers.  Maureen wanted the hats to coordinate, but wanted each one to be a little different.  Gorgeous ladies!

 LOVE this elegant cake cutting photo

A close up of the ladies getting ready and a gorgeous shot of our hat!

It brings us such joy to make our customers dreams come true!  Best wishes Maureen! xoxo