( This will be wordy and sappy for a bit, so if you’re just here for the giveaway then skip to the bottom! )
Every so often a creative will reflect and rebrand and redirect their focus. It’s interesting and fun and often needed, but always takes longer than you’d expect and can be more more emotionally-involved than you’d prefer, simply because anytime you and others heavily critique your work you begin to question the meaning of work and purpose and life and struggle to find that “voice” we’re supposedly so chummy with and eventually find plenty of reasons to talk ourselves out of what we initially hoped to do. (Orrr maybe that’s just me?)
I don’t want to get too melodramatic, (being a day into 26 has made me so wise and nostalgic) but I do want to mention why this day feels so significant. Work started on the rebrand of a simple website (simple as in 127 pages of color-coded galleries arranged by editing style and emotion) last spring, and I feel like the process for designing has been the same for life in the year since:
A brickload of honest critiques, coming to terms of what I’m ok without, and a quiet contentment with the goodness that remains.
After months of burnout I went half-time with photography this year and got another job to make up the difference. I didn’t talk about it much but I just hit a pretty apathetic low of life. A few weeks ago I left for England hoping that some time away would help me find direction, since I was this close to quitting altogether. It was a weird place to be mentally since there was nothing else I wanted either, and then there’s the how-much-are-we-really-supposed-to-love-our-jobs argument that I have no clear answer for.
I prayed for peace and direction but didn’t quite have the faith to believe that God would answer…but He did beyond everything ever.
I had some of the best days ever during those weeks away, and as an answer to prayer I can say that I have that next step I was hoping for. It’s all still a work in progress and I don’t know how some new developments will play out, (hopefully a lot more work in Europe though!) but through peace and joy and a piece of caramel cheesecake – I’m fully back to photography and so happy to be here : )
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Soooooooo the website!
The design was a collaboration of my darling friend Jennifer and myself, with snippets of beautiful life thanks to the best clients in the world.
It’s wonderful to have a friend who is a graphic designer, and it’s even better to still be friends after a project like this haha. Jen is one of the most encouraging and influential friends I’ve ever had, and I can’t imagine life without her generosity, her sarcasm, and every beautiful thing that comes out of her kitchen.
For the website I wanted the feel of a guided tour through an art gallery in a Victorian home, (you can see my inspiration here on Pinterest) and she did exactly that! Over the months we changed and simplified the look a dozen times, and I can’t thank her enough for patiently making adjustments and coming up with so many fresh and genius ideas.
Here are bits of my favorite parts, but please go look for yourself! It’s meant to be something of an experience, so take your time wandering through.
THE FUN PART
So what’s a happy day without some presents?
To celebrate both the launch today and my birthday yesterday, I’m giving away a few pretty things to one lucky person.
- One of my favorite home-decorating books, to inspire your spaces
- Hair chalk, for the temporarily adventurous
- 100 darling hand-lettered post cards, which can also double as wall art!
TO ENTER:
Like my business page on Facebook, like this post, and leave a comment with your email address.
Super easy!
I’ll pick a winner by random Thursday night, and mail it out right away. Best of luck!
With much, much love,
Rebekah
Congratulations, Rebekah on the new website…it is stunning and home-y. Love it! shireyej@gmail.com
your work has been such an inspiration to me for several years now. thanks very much, and congrats on the new website! I wish I could travel europe with you. 🙂 emmeart@me.com
Ahhh Rebekah, the site is absolutely exquisite. It just makes me want to live in a world where life is that beautiful. While I am entering the giveaway, is there also any chance that I could get prints of some of your landscape photos? I’m in a redecorating stage, and your photos just make me sigh. With happiness of course. Either way, congratulations on the website. It’s truly incredible.
I LOVE your new site SO much! GAH!! I seriously cannot get over it! The music & the navigation & the overall feel… it’s my new favourite thing. <3
this is SO amazing!! what a great thing you’ve got going here. 🙂
sweetsbyjocelyn[at]yahoo[dot]com
Simply stunning.
rosere@ihopu.org
you know ive been stalking.. i already fill out a contact us form! ahha. but i love it. seriously love it. its so amazing, beautiful and so you. thank you for sharing your gift with the world! campbell.eleanor@gmail.com
Ps this is reason303030 why kevin should get facebook. he could have given us double entries!
you know ive been stalking.. i already fill out a contact us form! ahha. but i love it. seriously love it. its so amazing, beautiful and so you. thank you for sharing your gift with the world! campbell.eleanor@gmail.com
Wouldn’t it just be the most ironic thing if I won?
(And by “ironic,” I mean “wonderful,” and by “won,” I mean, “If you fixed the whole shebang so I win.”)
Loved every second of working with you, even the emotionally-ordered photograph matching game. Which is saying a lot. Proud to have you as a friend, and even more proud to have helped create something that showcases you so wonderfully to the world!
I love this, it’s beautiful!!!!
Love the new website!
Your website is absolutely breathtaking. And…I may or may not have kept it open all morning at work so I could listen to the beautiful piece by Dale. haha! Congratulations, keep up the amazing work. 🙂 info@micalamcclain.com
You know my email darling but here it is anyway 🙂
lirpa62@gmail.com
The website looks amazing and I’m so glad England was exactly what you needed!
My hat’s off to you, Rebekah — your new site is clean, whimsical and eye-catching with a good deal of heart thrown in for good mixture. Thanks for continuing to share about your journey of creating art with your trademark mixture of self-awareness, humor, beauty and faith. So glad that I can continue to pass others your way! (kateambrosepollard(at)gmail(dot)com)
Oh my word. Your site is too fabulous. I browsed around it yesterday and was almost in tears. Too much beauty! (The music you have there could not be more perfect. It matches the dramatic-fairytale-but-still-so-real style of your photography so well.)
If I wasn’t sure before that you were my favorite before, I am now. Oh, and happy birthday!
Love your new website & all of it’s uniqueness! So beautiful! And loved hearing your heart concerning your work. Thank you for sharing & being raw! xoxo
Love your new website and all of it’s uniqueness! So beautiful! And loved hearing your heart concerning our work & business. Thank you for sharing & being raw! xoxo
This website could use a photo or two of a bunch of groomsmen running around shirtless in bow-ties and suspenders… now where could we find a picture like that…hmm?
Truly beautiful. “The feel of a guided tour through an art gallery in a Victorian home.” <3
Love the new site…and that you’re in an area local to me!
erikajgebel@gmail.com
Discovered you through a friend of mine. Love your blog and website! Email address: jessigrace94@yahoo.com
I’m a huge fan! 🙂 lord.hastetheday@gmail.com
Dear Rebekah!
OHH how much I enjoyed your new page! I keep going back! I mentioned it before and I´ll write it again! You are an super HUGE inspiration for me!!!!!
I´m ever so glad you were able to face the break and make a new start! I hope you are all well and settled with the situation now! I´m soooo looking forward to your new projects!!
Thank you for sharing this on the Blog! I was wondering how you were.
If you would like to expand to Europe PLEASE shoot me a line if you have any projects in Germany/Italy! I´d love to hear from you, or meet up, or eat cheese cake, or work on a project together!
Loads of love from Germany,
Rici.
Your new website is off the chains. So great.
What a lovely little package give-away! 🙂 My email is as follows: earlydawn94@gmail.com. I liked your business page many moons ago, and I am now liking this post! 🙂
The website is gorgeous!
as always. . . AMAZING!
The website is fantastic!!! Glad you are sticking around to show us more of this beautiful life 🙂
Oh man, your new website is absolutely lovely! I adore your work as well– you’re so talented, and I aspire to be like you when I grow up. C:
My email is hanforsberg@gmail.com, by the way.
I love your new and improved website, Becka! It’s a lovely exhibition of your beautiful self and genius work. I’ll be looking forward to more of the love stories and adventures you have to share this year. xo hart.anna9@gmail.com
Beautiful! Very exciting.
Hello. I absolutely ADORE your photography. I feel like the places and events you photograph are something out of a storybook. You truly have a gift.
-Susannah
Email for the giveaway: slbretz@gmail.com
This is lovely! Thanks for the chance! for6warrens@windstream.net
I just recently found your work and I just have to say it is lovely! I understand the near burn out and am glad you took a break and are back on track! I look forward to following your adventures, and seriously this giveaway is awesome. Great way to celebrate a new site
Best wishes to you on your lovely new site! Happy belated birthday too!
and i forgot the email: sustoltzy@gmail.com
I love the feel of the site! I was inspired by how you integrated your faith in your work on the site and here on your blog. Hope to see more of that.
This is so creative.
mstauffer90@gmail.com
Your work is beautiful and the new website looks great! I’m excited to have found your work through other friends & I look forward to following your adventures!
I’m still swooning over your lovely site, perfectly perfect! and it wouldn’t be terrible to win these pretties either 🙂
Fabulous! Congrats on the new website and another year around the sun!scpape@gmail.com
Your work is always inspiring! Great job friend;)
Your new website is absolutely stunning..
I know how much of a trial that can be, and you have succeeded brilliantly!
Congratulations 🙂
lindsay.r.davis[at]gmail.com
I love the look of your new site! Props to you and Jennifer. Keep up the good work Rebekah 🙂 joodlesdoodles@gmail.com
If I win, I’ll wait until AFTER the child arrives to ask for a shoot. Just because I love you so much.
The new site looks AMAZING! I know the feeling of not being sure what path to go down but I’m so glad the Lord has given you such peace and direction now. He gives us what we need right when we need it. Awesome choices for a giveaway too! As always, you’re SO cool! 😉
your website is perfect.
your soul is beautiful.
and you are gorgeous.
(as always.)
mbmartens@gmail.com
I am in love with your new site! Amazing job to all involved! Keep up the good work!
Abby@abbyhartphoto.com
I love the new website!! Keep up the beautiful work, Rebekah! May the Lord continue to bless you in all that you do. 🙂
Lydia.Shen22@gmail.com
I love the authenticity you have when you write. I am so inspired by your natural gift and hope to see much more from you in years to come. Follow your bliss. 🙂