about this blog - elephantine

Hi! I'm Rachel, and I live in Seattle with my husband & our cat Rufus (and we had a sweet old dog named Bodhi for four years). Elephantine is a journal of bits of my days and a treasury of things I like. I started this blog in 2007 and two years later I opened a jewelry shop as a hobby, filling orders at night after getting home from my 9-to-5 job as a graphic designer. A year later and I quit my day job and hoped the first good year with Etsy wasn't just a fluke. In early 2012 I opened a little kitchen shop as an ode to my love of baking. My deepest aspiration is to be a novelist and I share snippets of my writing on this blog.

How do you say "Elephantine"?

I pronounce it "ella-fun-teen". You won't offend me if you pronounce it a different way :)

What camera do you use?

I mainly use a Canon T3i with either a Canon 50mm f/1.4 or a Sigma 30mm f/1.4. The majority of the film photos on this blog are taken with a Canon A-1. My mantra is that any camera can take a good photo; your perspective is a hundred times more important than your equipment.

What programs do you use to make your food videos? How long does it take?

I use iMovie to edit and Photoshop to make the titles/subtitles. It takes me at least 12 hours to produce a 3-minute long video (that includes prepping, shooting, editing, and blogging about the video).

Who designed your blog? What about Mignon Kitchen Co.?

I did; that's the useful thing about having a background in design! My kitchen shop is hosted by Shopify – essentially, I designed the website, and then heavily customized one of their templates to fit my design. If you're looking for a freelance designer, a few of my faves are Truly Smitten, Amanda Jane Jones, and Erin Jang.

I want to open an Etsy shop...any advice? Is it hard?

Yes, it's hard. I work way more than I did when I had a 9-to-5 job. But all those hours are worth it if you enjoy it. My best pieces of advice are to love your customers but also do what's best for your business, listen to your instincts, and pay attention to the little details.

Can I advertise or do a giveaway on your blog? Can I submit a guest post for you?

Sorry! I don't do any of these.

Will you feature my shop/website on Elephantine?

My focus has shifted to posting my own original content, so I'd recommend submitting to one of the many other lovely blogs out there that regularly feature shops.

Can I share your photos/videos on my blog?

Of course! As long as you link back, I'd love to be featured on your blog.

I tried to leave a comment on one of your posts, but it didn't show up.

I'm really sorry if this happens to you. Occasionally comments get filtered as spam, so please let me know if yours aren't showing up. I really appreciate the time you take to leave a comment.

Any recommendations for a visit to Seattle?

Yes, lots. Check out my Seattle guide.

I still have a question for you...

Feel free to email me! I love emails, but please understand that sometimes I'm unable to write back.

. . .

This blog is a mix of my own photos + images by others. Please link back if you share one of my photos on your blog. Email me if you'd like me to remove a post that features your images.

In the spirit of full disclosure: I use some affiliate links in my "what to wear" posts as a way to pay for my blog fees. In other words, I earn a tiny commission if you end up buying the item from my link. The posts are entirely curated on my own. I do not have sponsored posts.

P.S. Looking for something? Here's my archive!