in spaces between – Rachel MacDonald

In Spaces Between Turns 1 + A Mid-Year Review For Us All!

11 June, 2012

Don your party hats, In Spaces Between turns the big ONE today! Hip hip hooray!

It’s hard to believe that a full year has passed since I set out to create my own “shiny corner of the blogosphere.” In Spaces Between began as a creative outlet for a spot of self-expression, a place for like-minded, happy spirited woman (and some men!) to hang out and connect the dots (often then connecting with each other, which has been a joy to watch) and a home for snippets of wisdom or cool things I’ve found along the way.

I feel like a proud mama watching her ‘bouncing bub’ evolve into an ‘ambitious, excitable toddler’ at the moment, and for a plethora of reasons – mostly because I’ve just finished one rather huge undertaking (our wedding) and am about to launch myself into another (watch this space!) – I’m spending some serious time tightening/ evaluating/ getting ruthless with my intentions so I can ensure a smooth trajectory as we move forward here. Little tweaks in the “in between” time.

You already know I’m big on setting intentions, creating vision boards and years in review, so given we’re 6 months in to 2012 and it’s such a momentous occasion (right?!), I want to propose mini-review of where we’re all at because, quite frankly, clarity is sexy.

I’d love you to join me in the comments by adding your answers to the below prompts:

+ What goal/ intention are you ready to say YES to for the remainder of 2012?

+ What goal/ intention are you ready to let go of (because it’s just not doing it for you anymore)?

+ What are you most proud of right now?

+ What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned so far this year?

My answers:

I’m ready to say yes to…

Getting damn good at manifesting. The next things on my list: a new house (same location, bigger space) and a business name.
Exciting collaborations!
Rewarding work (rolling up zee sleeves).
A redesign for my blog.
Coaching/ investments in my personal growth.
More of what makes me happy.
More time with friends.

I’m ready to let go of…

Things that feel like a burden (also known as “sucky tasks”).
Playing small, playing safe.
Going it alone. Stepping into my big girl delegation pants!
Sugar.
Guilt around “doing” – I feel best when I’ve got things on the go, and that’s OK.
My Spotlight VIP card.

I’m most proud of…

The work I put into our wedding.
And subsequently – smashing the Guinness World Record for ‘Most Individual Visits to Spotlight.’

The biggest lesson I’ve learnt this year…

To accept and overcome challenges – with a smile. Perspective is everything. Thank you bumpy wedding ride for teaching me all that (how else would I learn?)

Your turn gorgeous… and don’t forget to wave your sparklers with reckless abandon, a gal doesn’t turn 1 every day!

Image: Brunch at Saks

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A Bit of An Update!

30 January, 2012

If you’ve been checking in on the blog over the past few days you may have noticed a couple of little changes, so I thought I’d talk you through them quickly.

1. IN SPACES BETWEEN IS NOW ACCEPTING SPONSORS!

I’m excited to tell you that in a relatively short time, In Spaces Between has become a gathering place for thousands of like-minded, life lovin’, inspiration seekin’ people just like you, and as a result, I have made the decision to open up a select number of ad spaces on my right sidebar.

These spaces are perfect for bloggers who would like to generate a sweet flow of traffic to their gorgeous sites, or business owners who are keen to have a bright light shone on their company’s grand offering.

If you have a small business of your own – or perhaps you’re an amazing photographer/ a brilliant graphic designer/ yoga teacher extraordinaire/ life coach/ virtual assistant/ vintage clothing store owner/ artist – then this could be the leg up you need to really put yourself and your services “out there.”

My media kit is currently being professionally beautified but if the idea of In Spaces Between + {insert your rad blog/ business} making magic piques your interest, shoot me an email on rachel@inspacesbetween.com so we can chat and I can send you through all the relevant information.

And, finally, as a special introductory offer, I’m taking $20 off the standard monthly ad cost for February and March, so lock down your space today!

2. A FEW DESIGN TWEAKS

Lovely Jo from The Darling Tree did a bit of rejigging on my right sidebar late last week and although the changes were relatively minor, I think it has such a great impact on the overall look of the site. Clean and ordered – just the way I like my design!

I can’t speak highly enough about working with Jo. Super professional, ultra accommodating, and mega efficient… I could seriously go superlative crazy describing this girl! Her work is impeccable. She also alerted me to (and subsequently changed) a couple of things she’d noticed were playing up on my site, just because. That kind of service is RARE.

Head over to Jo’s beautiful blog, August Empress, for a poke around and while you’re immersing yourself in all things Jo, be sure to check out her online course Your Darling Blog. I think you’ll love her stuff as much as I do.

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In Spaces Between in the Gold Coast Magazine!

1 September, 2011

Time to spill that secret I’ve been talking about!

A few weeks ago, I received an exciting email from the beautiful Aimee Ley, editor of the Gold Coast Magazine, asking me if I’d like to be part of a blogging feature the magazine was running in their September issue. It took me a minute or two to get over the initial shock of being asked considering my little ol’ blog was only just turning two months old, but (of course) I was absolutely thrilled and knew that it would be a heap of fun!

A First Time For Everything

Given that this was my first ever “photo shoot,” and I was asked to bring a selection of clothes and props, I packed ~~way, way too much~~ a few of my current faves in a big bag and trotted off to Bella Amante Studio in Currumbin, where I got my hair and makeup done (a bit differently to my normal look – always good to shake it up a bit!), laughed my way through a photo shoot and sat down and did an interview with Aimee.

The below is the result of an incredibly fun few hours with a gorgeous group of people (I should also point out that although I wish I’d had 5000 followers in 6 weeks, it’s actually 5000 visits!) What also blows my mind is the fact I’m featured alongside the bloggers behind some of the amazing sites I read daily, including Daydream Lily, Unknown Pleasures, Oracle Fox and Girl With A Satchel.

Sending a gigantic thank you to Aimee and Kirra from GCM who I’m so happy to now call my friends. The best part of the day was definitely connecting with these two lovely ladies!

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Hello + Welcome!

29 May, 2011

If you and I ran into each other on the street and started chatting, it wouldn’t take us long to get to what we love. The things that fire us up.

I’d tell you that I love pretty much everything (with great enthusiasm… and a series of sweeping hand gestures) and there’s a good chance I’d gush about that intangible, majestic feeling I get when I stumble across something that really inspires me. You’d smile and nod in agreement and I’d take that as a cue to continue, revealing that, amongst other things, I obsess over travel, beautiful stationery, chocolate, brilliant blogs, creative endeavours and sushi. We’d laugh and you’d say “me too!” a lot and then you’d tell me all about you and how you adore awesome photos that have a ‘thing.’ You know, you’d say, that thing you can’t quite put your finger on, that feeling a piece of art can conjure up.

Same! Me too! I’d exclaim excitedly and then we talk some more, hug goodbye and continue on our way.

At that point, I’d realise I had left the conversation manifestly more inspired than when I entered it. Because that’s what sharing inspiration does. It multiplies the feeling. Amplifies it.

Essentially, I want In Spaces Between to serve the same purpose.

I’ve created this site as both a creative outlet and an invaluable resource for bright sparks like yourself who are on the search for new ideas and new ways to super-style your existence. I plan on filling this space to the brim with pretty details that will colour your world – cataloguing the things I find beautiful in the realms of creativity, interior design, wedding styling, photography and art, and wrapping it all up with lovely words on health, wellness and living a luminous life. For blushing brides-to-be, I’ll also be documenting my wedding plans to provide you with a ton of inspiration for creating the wedding you’ve always dreamed of.

What inspires me is constantly evolving and changing shape, so until that fortuitous day we run into each other on the street, let’s connect the dots in the comments or on Facebook and Twitter. Tell me a bit more about you. Oh and if you’re on Pinterest, I’m a mad pinner and can be found here.

Big love,
Rach x

Image: via a beautiful inheritance

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