Welcome, friends!

I am thrilled to have you here on this creative journey with me. Beyond that, I hope this space can become a place where we can connect and chat about the good things and the hard things of life. I hope it becomes a place where we can sit and laugh and cry over a cup o' joe (in one of my mugs if you like, or not - no matter!) or something harder. I'm just so glad you're here! (Bonus points if you can tell me where I got my post title!)

How did Rakstar Designs come to be? 

Well, when a man loves a woman . . . Ok, maybe we won't go quite that far back, but if you want to know more about that story, you can read it here. 

I have always had a creative streak. Maybe it's a lefty thing, who knows! My mom spent countless hours creating as she would sew, knit, macrame (it was the 70s and 80s, after all), and embroider. My dad loved photography, woodworking, and tinkering with all kinds of power tools. It is inevitable that I would morph the two and then add a little of my own flavor!

Unfortunately, some of that creativity stopped after I had a junior high teacher tell me it wasn't my "thing." I wasn't so good at bringing a watercolor piece I envisioned to life, so he finished it for me and hinted that maybe art wasn't my jam. I never took an art class again. To be fair, I don't think he meant to extinguish my creative spark, but for a long time it did.

After my dad passed away toward the end of my college days, I picked up his camera again and took a few classes. It eventually became a new hobby, and that creative spark was rekindled. I loved the way light played with everything. I loved capturing little pockets of beauty hidden away. I even dabbled in some portrait photography for awhile. THAT, my friends, is how Rakstar Designs started.

But Rakhi, I don't see photography in your shop. So . . . what happened there?

Great question! Once the babies came along (numbers 1 and 2, anyway), I just didn't have the energy or time for photoshoots. More importantly, I couldn't dedicate the kind of time it takes to deliver the edited files in a timely fashion. One day, Jenna of Call Her Happy mentioned she was taking a handlettering class and invited others to join her. The rest, as they say, is history!

Being able to take this new art form and mix it with my love of our faith has been a gift. To take the words of Jesus, or the Psalms, or quotes from the Saints and create visual beauty out of them is a privilege. In so many ways, God unearthed this gift for me at a time He knew I would need a prayerful outlet as I faced some hard times in life. My husband can easily tell you I am transported to another world when I am creating in the studio (read: all over the house). 

I would love to get back to a little photography (and there is a tab ill stocked in the shop). In the mean time, I have truly loved exploring and growing in my art, with new techniques, styles, and media. Never in my wildest dreams would I have envisioned making jewelry. Yet my love of vintage, lettering, and color have led me to create a whole new line for this fall! 

Thank you for joining me here. 

While I would love for you to explore my shop, and I thank you for supporting this small business, my bigger dream is that you find here a sister in Christ. I hope you will find a place to rest, and sisters to laugh, struggle, dream, cry, and hope with along life's ups and downs. We don't face any of this alone, and I'm glad you're walking with me. 

Until next time, be a star and light the darkness!

Rakhi

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