As a maker myself, I appreciate other makers and want to celebrate them and what they do. Every so often, I will post about a maker I admire. A few simple interview questions to get to know them better and images of their work will make up this Maker column. I know you will love them just as much as I do.
Today’s maker is Rachel from the colorful shop, Pencil Shavings Studio. I met Rachel, in person, when I attended Alt Summit in Salt Lake City this past January. I had a limited knowledge of her creative work but after hanging out with her and enjoying her warm, friendly personality, I scoured her shop (and check it often) and love her work all the more. I know you will too.
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Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Rachel Shingleton and I like to think that I’ve never met a color I didn’t love. I’m a graphic designer and blogger, and I added shop owner to the mix (as if I weren’t crazy enough!) in 2011.
How did you get here?
After studying graphic design in college, I went to work for a small apparel company for a year. It was really eye-opening, and I got a firsthand view of how small business works, as well as major insight into how to promote yourself, how to work with retailers, etc. I then went freelance in 2005. It was about around that time that blogs started to pop up, and I fell in love with blogging. Blogging was, in my mind, a perfect way to meld my own personal style with the work projects that I was doing — it gave a broader view of who I was and what I could offer to a client than just having a static portfolio site. Finally in 2011, I launched my shop and kept it stocked full of the invitations I’d been custom designing over the previous few years. It really got me excited to see what else I could design, and I began to widen the offerings a little bit to what you see now. Blogging really lights my fire – it’s what I’m passionate about, and my products represent all those passions too.
Tell us about your day.
I kinda laugh at this because every day seems to be different than the next. When my son Jude is in school, I’m working those hours on blogging, designing new things, meeting friends for coffee, and shipping orders.
What inspires you? How do you stay inspired?
I think as much as I’m inspired by Pinterest (aren’t we all?!), I’m really loving what Bri Emery at Designlovefest is putting out these days. She is so crazy creative and I love how she thinks outside the box. She’s creating really amazing original content all the livelong day, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Offline, though, I think is just as important as what you can find online. I’m endlessly inspired by color, interior design, books, etc., but I also think that travel is totally essential to me. I have to step away from the regular routine of daily life and see something new and different. Travel is the best way to do that.
If you weren’t designer, you would be a _________.
If I wasn’t a designer, I’d totally be a Broadway performer. Well, in my wildest dreams – I can’t dance to save my life! Hehe!
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Isn’t her work amazing?! I loved holding the pieces in my hands. Good products, bright, happy colors, it all makes me smile.
For more Rachel, you can find her here:
Site: www.pencilshavingsstudio.com
Shop: www.etsy.com/shop/PencilShavingsStudio
Facebook:@pencilshavingsstudio
Instagram: @pencilshavings
Twitter: @pencilshavings
Pinterest: @psstudio
This is not a sponsored post. I have hand-chosen the makers because I like their work. To keep the style and look of this blog, I did photograph their work myself. The pieces were then returned to their makers.
