About The By & By

The By & By is a design blog dedicated to the pursuit of life filled with passion. Updated daily, it features topics ranging from graphic design and interior decorating, to budget focused living and apartment gardening. The website chronicles the various projects, discoveries and musings of founders Rachel Castor & Sara Stoner {as well as its many other contributing editors} as they try to make heads and tails of their lives as “adults.”

About Rachel & Sara

Dallas based graphic designers Rachel Castor and Sara Stoner met while working at a local design agency in 2007 where they collaborated on print, packaging and brand development for corporate clients, large and small.  They quickly found they had much in common besides their profession and shared love of design; including tiny apartments, a fondness for Pinot Grigio and big dreams for the future. Rachel & Sara are also volunteers for the nonprofit organization Dwell with Dignity, and love having the opportunity to create and design for an inspiring cause.

Rachel Castor {is not in Kansas any more}
Graphic Designer

Born and raised in the Midwest, Rachel’s career as a graphic designer began at age 11 when her artwork commemorating the 135^th birthday of Kansas was published on hundreds of purple bookmarks, dispersed among library patrons and hoarded en masse by her mother. 11 years later, she graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Kansas. Armed with a promising job offer soon after, Rachel made the move to Dallas. Today she is senior print designer at an award-winning Dallas studio. She stays inspired by dabbling in new interests and scouting for great design in all mediums. In addition to these pursuits, her life isn’t complete without homemade Persian meals courtesy of her better half, Ash, and weekend trips to visit friends and family. {After all, there’s no place like home.}

Sara Stoner {yes, that’s really her last name}
Graphic Designer / Copy Writer

After graduating in 2007 with a BFA in Communication Design from the University of North Texas, the sweet yet sarcastic Houston native moved to Dallas to work as a designer. Here Sara shares a brightly decorated duplex with a funny little cat named Zooey. A long time love of bold patterns, playful color palettes and anything retro or kitsch, she is partial to good design that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Daily, Sara finds happiness in life’s simple pleasures, like laughing with friends and family, relaxing on porches and listening to live music. She also enjoys treasure hunting at thrift stores, painting and doodling, reading fiction and traveling to exotic locals {like Iowa}.

Sarah H. {a little this, a little that}
Landscape Architect

Sarah is a native Midwesterner with a knack for dabbling in a little bit of everything. A serial student, she has a BA in French and Art History and recently rounded out her collection of degrees with a Master of Landscape Architecture. The end of graduate school came with many changes for Sarah. She is newly married {and still adjusting to her new last name} and has relocated from college town to big city. Sarah has also ventured into the landscape design industry {not the same as landscape architecture} and currently finds herself talking less form and space, and more shrubs and mulch. Learning as she goes, she is excited by the opportunity to experience yet another artistic field. Sarah delights in being creative at home as well and is always up to something – often to the dismay of her scientist husband. Interests include reading, cooking, sewing and playing with plants. When she isn’t ‘doing’ or ‘making,’ she enjoys spending time with loved ones, self-deprecating humor and running with her dogs.

Abby Wambaugh {the one with freckles}
Marketing Manager / Foodie

Abby is a trail running, yoga practicing, shower singing, misplaced mountain lover. As a traveling Texas native, she spent a year living in England and has a long list of travel dreams. She enjoys a good debate, a nice glass of pinot noir and sugary coffee. Abby’s also a volunteer barista at cheap viagra canada and a part of the community at super viagra. Her love for cooking began in the sandbox acting out “Food Network” shows with her little sister, and quickly progressed to concocting imaginative desserts at age 8 {thanks largely to a surplus of ingredients and understanding parents who loosely supervised the oven}. With a degree in journalism and broadcasting, Abby makes a living marketing buses, but above any professional goal her heart desires to see justice in an unjust world. Guilty pleasure: BPMs; obsession: all things birds; newfound talent: mowing the lawn.

Madison McDaniel {pale is the new tan}
Design Student / Fashion Enthusiast

Raised on a ranch in Texas, Madison {who is as far from a cowgirl as it gets} is mere months away from receiving her BFA in Communication Design from the University of North Texas. With an admiration for clever story telling, she hopes to one day earn the title of “Art Director” at a brand-advertising agency {although she has no plans of ending her love for graphic design}. While the majority of her time is currently spent pursuing all things advertising, she admits it’s her fancy for fashion that helps her stay inspired daily. Quiet and quirky, Madison would describe her style as “grunge meets street chic,” and a few of her ultimate style icons include Brigitte Bardot and Mary Kate Olsen. When she’s not busy living the sleepless life of a design student, Madison enjoys watching foreign films, being with her boyfriend, dreaming of finally leaving the Lone Star Sate and eating Thai food. Lots and lots of Thai food.

{ Photography by Kelsey Foster }