Make Lemonade

05/09/2024

Okay September, LFG!!!

9 events(!!!!!!🙃🫠😅) will be powered by:
✨limited screen time
💐a lock tight calendar
🔥badass freelancers
🍋routine with .co & regular walks
🍇protein shakes, coffee, and meal prep
😌chill time to just BE
🎙️my fav podcast,

Shout out to for my fav calendar! ✏️ (once I receive a client's deposit, THEN I write the event down. As us small biz owners know, nothing is real 'till the money is on the bank!🥲)

But first, a quick trip to Algonquin for some LITERAL peace and quiet before the flower magic madness begins! 🛶

16/08/2024

Creating magical floral art in any medium. Added bonus is when the painting & live flowers match! ✨✨✨

02/08/2024

I've been debating on how to 'show up' here all summer long.

Is this IG space a portfolio for my floral work, an archive of the physical and virtual coworking business that started it all, a visual diary, a highlight reel?

Is there a right way or a wrong way to show up? It is a business account afterall...

But 'Make Lemonade' has always been what it's been cause I'm in the drivers seat, steering this thing in the direction of what I *think* is the next right step (10/10 my intuition is always right).

'N for now, this 'next phase' is leaning heavily into my creative side, more than I ever have. Yes, fresh florals. Yes, painting. Yes, written from the heart Hump Day Magic letters, and yes, more Monday Motivation quotes that inspire the sh*t outta me.✨

Something is shifting inside, I can feel it. Something lighter, more fun, more play, more confidence, more lemonade.🍋

13/05/2024

For momma bear. 💘

08/04/2024

Whether it's by literal stem or paint brush...it's all flowers.💐

This weekends weather was just TOO GOOD so I stripped down to shorts 'n a tank and played with some paints.💛

18/03/2024

I've had a funny start to the season, so I've made it a point to fiiiinally put together a portfolio! That way you can gawk at more gorgeous shots like this one by from last season's .ca at . ✨❤️💐

06/03/2024

There's nothing quite like whipping together 50 bouquets in an afternoon and looking at your completed hard work.💐

Special delivery all packed and ready to go for a special Women's Day Celebration tomorrow!✨

Thank you to my flower fairy for all the studio help today - we whipped these out in record time!💛

29/02/2024

When the client asks for blue (and yellow) and I DELIVER! 💙🐤💠🌼🌀💛

Cute lil corporate job served spring and VIEWS!😍

If you're looking for a gorgeous dose of springtime that your guests can take home - give me a ringy dingy. 🤙🏻

27/01/2024

Ok, they deserved their own spot in the feed.

😍

21/01/2024

I cannot WAIT to share what's in these boxes!!!!!

It may be -8° out there but today I worked up a sweat packing my latest project...ready to be shipped across the country. 🤯

Still pinching myself that I landed this gig.

Keep warm lovelies! 💛💛💛

11/01/2024

Y'all I've been sick as a DAWG this week and everything I wanted to do got shifted. Including starting up a blog/portfolio that showcases all my work!

So this week I watched a lot of TV and took it real slow...only doing the bare minimum.

Until I recover, I couldn't resist sharing this beauty shot from 's wedding in October. How freaking gorgeous?!?✨✨✨✨

02/01/2024

My wish for 2024 is more unimaginable projects that lead me to think "holy sh I had no idea I could do that!"
..like that one time in summer of '23 when I was hired by by recommendation of to create a "paint by flowers" activation - in which I decided "yep, I can totally paint something!"- hosted at where they loved the mural so much they asked if they could keep it on display for the rest of the summer.
..yeah. More projects like that please!

With flowers as a muse, I'm aspiring to trust the artist within and paint my way through the year.🎨

This year's in's & outs are:

IN
✨Trusting myself
✨Having fun
✨Eating good food and resting lots
✨Making art with real flowers, faux flowers, paint, 'n out of the box mediums
✨Paying off my loans
✨Drinking lots of water
✨Believing that the right projects will find me

OUT
✌🏻Self-doubt
✌🏻Overworking
✌🏻Undereating
✌🏻RUSHING

Happy New Year to you all, I can't wait to see what this year has in store! 💘

20/12/2023

What would a day visiting my parents be without a random photoshoot around the house with an arrangement I made?🙂

Three things:
1) What an incredible year in business it's been. Thank you SO MUCH to all of my incredible clients for trusting me to bring a little flower magic to your world.
2) I'm officially on holidays...taking a social media and email and all ways of digital connection break. If you need me, call my parents landline.😂
3) What a privilege it is to 1) spend time with family and 2) take a break while so many have been stripped of so many basic human rights.

This time of year brings up so much for so many. Big hugs, all my love.💘

xoxo,
Rachel

27/10/2023

This past hump day I turned 33!

When I think back to everything I've done in this year I kinda can't believe all of the goals I've achieved, beyond amazing projects I've been a part of, destinations I've brought myself to, and new and old faces I've seen.✨

It's been a big year of growth, change, trusting myself, diving deeper into my creativity, and ultimately building a life and a career that I am so proud of. It's been hard, but it's also been fun.

I'm so lucky for my always happy to help (and challenge me) flower dude, my parents for limitless volunteer hours, and all of my friends. What a wonderful life.💘

In this next trip around the sun I wanna hustle less but dream bigger. I wanna play with paint and see just how far my delusion can take me.

Here's to another year of taking wild chances on myself.💐💐💐

24/10/2023

Love a 'bout. 💐

'n I love all the bouts ready to be packed up, with the floor covered in flowers, eager to be placed for the party.✨

10/10/2023

It's been a wild season of playing with flowers - lots of highs and some major wtf moments.

Through it all my momma bear has come to the rescue; either by phone or to help me lug boxes of beautiful flowers up yep, another set of stairs.

Through every season of business, no matter the business model (hiiiiii OG lemons who shared office space with me), always asked if I was/am happy, encouraged me to charge more, and humbly reminded me it'll cost twice as much and take twice as long. 🥲

Snaps are from a weekend away the last weekend of summer where we brought a lil arrangement with us so he could enjoy the weekend away too. What's the point in bringing flowers home if you're not there to enjoy them?!💐

05/10/2023

From nada to Prada. 💁🏻‍♀️

Last month I hinted at some super exciting projects in the works....

Somehow this artsy fartsy chick ended up in a luxury retailer with buckets of flowers.🌸🌸🌸

This activation was an invite only event for Prada regulars 'n for the sake of secrets & exclusivity, I can't share on social media what happened behind those fancy (see through) glass doors.🙊

Swipe through for a few shots I can share....and all the way to the end for my first all black outfit in literally 100 years. Special thanks to Alex at Aritzia for helping me find a pair of black pants that I wasn't so sure Prada would approve....and ALL THE PRAISE TO .paper for making this flower connection. 💘💘💘

Learned a lot about the world of luxury retail, so, Louis V, Burberry, Diane, Dior....I'm ready. ✨✨✨

04/05/2023

It's HAPPENING y'all! ✂️✂️✂️✂️✂️

I'm so freaking excited to announce....

THE ART OF FLOWER ARRANGING: A WORKSHOP.💐

Hosted at the most special place in the city, , you're invited to play with flowers with me. It's all going down May 31, 6-7:30...in time for a late dinner at home with a new arrangement for your kitchen table.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle and unwind by creating a one-of-a-kind floral arrangement. You'll learn the principles of flower design, get access to gorgeous blooms you can't find at the grocery store, a vase to take home, and learn some sneaky tips to extend the life of your flowers. Plus, snacks! 😋

4 tickets are already snagged....are you gonna come?! Makes for a lovely Mother's Day gift, a bestie adventure, or solo skill to hone in on. I can promise good company, twinkly lights, good energy (seriously, Labour of Love is a vibe), and GORGEOUS FLOWERS!!! 💐💐💐

Link is in the bio and all that jazz! See you on the 31st!!!! 💘💘💘💘

20/03/2023

Last month I asked y'all to vote on your fav pic and then I made like the friendly ghost. 👻

Well, hey, hi, hello, sunshine! You probably know my face because I've been running this business since 2017.

BUT THINGS LOOK DIFFERENT HUH?!

I opened a coworking space FULL of delusion, built a community and life felt bumpy but GOOD. The panini messed up all my plans, forced me to squeeze us into a virtual community....and that worked for a LONG CUTESY TIME!

But then in the middle of closing the space, working from home, staring at my magical hands seeing that all they were creating were scripts, calendar invites, nicely worded emails, and going for long bike rides, I realized I needed to do something else.

Naturally I went to Florida (haha, could you imagine?! That was just autocorrect)...I went to FLORISTRY SCHOOL! 🌸🌸🌸🌸

And life started on this whole different, incredibly laborious and rewarding and BEAUTIFUL path.✨

April is my last month of the virtual community (I know! 💔💔💔) and then I'm gonna be a florist FULL ON!

My 2020 self could literally NOT.

Take wild chances on yourself.
Delusion will take you farther than you think.
I believe in you.

OK TRENDY "hi I have so many new faces here" INTRO POST DONE!

Oh, I'm Rachel. 💘

Photos my with ✨

20/03/2023

23/05/2022

My sister-in-law coined my favourite quote "if you don't ask, you don't get." AKA, the answer will be a guaranteed no if you don't get a lil uncomfy and ask for it.

Last week, 20 entrepreneurs gathered for a super special dinner put on by & at with the purpose of connecting, returning to a 'new normal', and the potential for 2 lucky ducks to win $10,000 each in grant money.💰

Super inspired by Lucy of (a former lemon and mentee in ML's accelerator way back in 2018!!!) - dog treats made from discarded juice pulp, and Nadia of , a company designed to make the tampon experience a good one. I'm so damn excited to see the reach and impact the grants allow them to accomplish.

Conversations Tuesday eve swirled around grants in general and putting yourself out there. Yes, there's a potential for a "no", but also a big fat "YES". And honestly, the pros outweigh the cons when getting your application in: a refined pitch, spotting loopholes in your business plan, getting your name in the eyes of stakeholders, and prepping you for when the next grant comes rolling around.

So, as you're chillaxin' this holiday Monday, start brainstorming all the potential 'yeses' you can bring into the week.

Cheering you on.💛

04/05/2022

Sometimes (read: most of the time) I get a little existential and think about how life is just a never-ending series of...doing things. Things that make you laugh, that make you cry, make you weak in the knees, bored to tears, fear for your life, jump for joy or make you wish you could be anywhere else but here.🥲

Maybe I'm late to the game, but this whole pannini-not-lockdown-but-life-is-still-very-weird situation is growing real tired on this 'gal.

I wake up, take my million supplements, go to the gym, enjoy a nice walk, and...do things on my computer. From sending pitches, booking sales calls, hosting Club calls, 'n even going to therapy. It's all on this dang device that is a blessing and a curse bundled into a million-dollar Macbook.

Now, I love me some computer time - it's how I make a living, 'n hell will freeze over before I handwrite Hump Day Magic (remember in school having to cursive write your essay draft's 1, 2 & 3?!?! Blasphemy), but I'm feeling like the me to computer ratio needs a 'lil reset. My whole schedule needs a reboot. Mondays used to be my fav, and lately, they've tasted a little flavorless.

Next week (May 9-12) I'm hosting the WFH Reset and yes, there will be emails and Zoom calls, but I'm committed to making it a reset outside of computer/ digital time in addition. Incorporated will be prompts to explore new paths in your neighbourhood, journal activities involving pen and paper (cursive writing optional), playlists to stroll to, stretches to try, and new ways to think about your relationship to work. And what "work" really means. Productivity vs. success vs. hustle vs. ease.

Y'know, the good existential stuff.😉

It's free for lemons in The Club, and a small fee to sign up. In it you get a sneak peek into what happens in the Club, along with this juicy curated week to rethink what working from home looks like to you. Pretty sweet, huh?

We kick off on Monday! 👉🏽👉🏿👉🏻 www.makelemonade.ca/reset

18/04/2022

I just love this sweater from .

That's it. That's the post.💖

14/04/2022

No risk, no magic friends.✨✨✨⁠
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Y'all have ONE MORE DAY to apply to the ReferHer grant opportunity.⁠
⁠
Just share from the heart of freaking amazing you are, why your business is badass, what sets you apart...*then* go do your Easter Egg hunting.🐰⁠
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This opportunity is HUGE, 'n the answer will be no unless you ask.for.it.⁠
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Here's the reason WHY you should apply. If you get selected you'll get invited to an exclusive dinner co-hosted by Vista & I Fund Women. You'll receive access to resources and tools to help your businesses succeed, including services, memberships to & the Get Sh*t Done Club, and the opportunity to win a monetary grant.(!!!)⁠
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Like. ⁠
⁠
I cannot.⁠
⁠
It's good. ⁠
⁠
Just apply!!⁠
⁠
👉🏽 👉🏻 👉🏿 www.ifundwomen.com/vista-referher

14/04/2022

No risk, no magic friends.✨✨✨

Y'all have ONE MORE DAY to apply to the ReferHer grant opportunity.

Just share from the heart of freaking amazing you are, why your business is badass, what sets you apart...*then* go do your Easter Egg hunting.🐰

This opportunity is HUGE, 'n the answer will be no unless you ask.for.it.

Here's the reason WHY you should apply. If you get selected you'll get invited to an exclusive dinner co-hosted by Vista & I Fund Women. You'll receive access to resources and tools to help your businesses succeed, including services, memberships to & the Get Sh*t Done Club, and the opportunity to win a monetary grant.(!!!)

Like.

I cannot.

It's good.

Just apply!!

👉🏽 👉🏻 👉🏿 www.ifundwomen.com/vista-referher

13/04/2022

The answer is always 'no' if you don't ask.

The ReferHer applications are closing on April 15th, 'n you don't wanna miss your opportunity...right?

✨ The opportunity? An exclusive dinner co-hosted by & . You'll receive access to resources and tools to help your businesses succeed, including Vista services, memberships to IFundWomen, a Get Sh*t Done Club membership, and the opportunity to win a monetary grant.(!!!)

Pretty freakin' casual, huh?!

It's worth taking the time to get that application in!!
Apply today 👉🏽 👉🏻 👉🏿 www.ifundwomen.com/vista-referher⁠

Artwork by the oh, so talented ✨

11/04/2022

Halimah of created the reminder we all need every morning when we wake up 'n go to sleep.✨⁠
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It's all going to work out for you.⁠
⁠
Promise.⁠
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Let this be the encouragement to send the scary email, ask for the raise, 'n apply for the grant. The answer is always no if you don't ask...so you might as well try.⁠
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The and ReferHer applications are closing on the 15th, and friend, you are TOTALLY invited.

Apply today 👉🏽 👉🏻 👉🏿 www.ifundwomen.com/vista-referher

✨✨✨✨

29/03/2022

Earlier this month I took a real vacation.

Probably the most real since I started Make Lemonade. This was a no laptop, no phone, I've got my ducks in a row, proper out of office, very much needed vacation.

And my advice? Set the date.

Book in the 'no worky' time in your calendar and immediately feel the flame beneath your ass get ignited as you transform into super-duper 'get sh*t done' mode. It's wild the ignition a date in the calendar will do for your accountability.

That's my for you today.

💗💗💗Artwork, and reminder that 'it's already yours' by the super:

28/03/2022

Coffee, tea, or just more zzz's?🍵☕️😴⁠
⁠
Personally, I'm a Monday morning, jump outta bad and happy to start my day on adrenaline kinda gal. But you'll find me stirring honey in my tea every afternoon. ⁠
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What about you?⁠
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Love Mondays? Hate Mondays? Can't start 'em without coffee? Or are you lemon water at 6am kinda roller?🍋⁠
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🎨 Design by the uber-talented

22/03/2022

Y'all. I can't even.⁠
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This is VERY exciting. VERY.⁠
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Make Lemonade is partnering with two huge players in the small business game: & . Yup, yup, yup!🍋🍋🍋⁠
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It's exciting 'cause this partnership is taking to heart the very real opportunities us small businesses need support with: coaching, community, and capital. Yeah, the hard cash to make our businesses do the damn thing. (and y'know, put dinner on the table).⁠
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So, here's the dealio, lemons...⁠
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Introducing ReferHer: an extra juicy, extra special dinner to get access to the golden trifecta: capital, coaching, and community.⁠
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How do you get to join the party? Fill out the application, and then, refer someone else. If you get chosen, your pal does too!⁠
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Juicy, huh?!⁠
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Apply today 👉🏽 👉🏻 👉🏿 www.ifundwomen.com/vista-referher