Wander With Rachel
“Not all those who wander are lost.”
~ J.R.R. Tolkien
As announced in a recent blog post, I set up my own YouTube channel My Illustrated Life a few months ago. I have been sharing days in my life as a freelance illustrator, along with snippets into other areas of my life including my love of gardening and collecting lovely vintage things. It takes a lot of work to film and edit each video, however I enjoy this new outlet of my creative mind, and even if the YouTube algorithm is working against me, it won’t stop me from making content! Since the beginning of 2024 I have been consciously trying to remove stressful things in my life (things that I can control) and one of them has been stepping back from Instagram which has been a major stress-inducer the last year or so (hello algorithm changes.) I use it now more like a noticeboard to announce new projects and news from my studio. I post, then walk away from it. It’s not very ‘social’ of me but Instagram isn’t even showing the people I follow in my home feed anymore. I find that whole palaver really stressful, so I made a promise that I have to look after ‘me’ first and foremost.
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And with that self care came my love of filming happy moments in my life. I love to visit historical sites and get lost in the daydream of the lives who once lived or worked there. My wonderful parents instilled a love of history in us since we were very young children. We would visit great houses of Ireland, castles, old ruinous churches, incredible scenic landscapes, and ancient Viking settlements. This fascination and curiosity has never left me, and so I wanted to share this big part of my life with my lovely followers…
Join me in my new series 'Wander With Rachel,' where I will take you on a journey around beautiful sites in Ireland which inspire me as a daydreamer and an illustrator. I illustrate mainly historical themed children’s books, and I hope my ‘artist’s eye’ can help you also to see the magic that surrounds us. It is a visual journey, with moments of written reflection. These words are inspired by what I see in the moment, and help me to truly engage in the world around me and how it affects me. The combination of a daydreamer and illustrator can sometimes be a burden as it can lead to procrastination and a feeling of isolation from the ‘real world.’ However, it is a gift which I have fully embraced and I hope that sharing what my eyes see and how my mind thinks will infuse some good vibes into any like-minded soul.
My first video is a trip to a magical gem; Florence Court in Co.Fermanagh, where you can walk with me through the ancient forests and gardens; visit a charming little book shop while also window shopping for miniature cottages, and step inside a giant tree to experience a secret wonderland. With each site I journey to, I will be drawing a sketch to decorate my slides, and to remember my time there. I hope you enjoy watching my videos! Please subscribe to help my channel grow, and to never miss a chance to journey into the past with me. Take care friends, Rachel x