Happy birthday, Rachel Ashwell

I knew I had yet to publish these photos for a reason! I mistakenly thought it was because I was too lazy to retrieve my memory card and upload all the pix.  But, really, all along I was waiting until Rachel’s birthday to share them with you. {That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!}

We owe Rachel a HUGE thank you, you know…for her inspiration not only in design, but as a successful business woman;  and for making it okay to surround ourselves with beautiful things, despite their imperfections. Whether or not your style meshes with hers, you can’t help but admire how she’s turned a style into a recognizable brand. AND, how shabby chic means something different to everyone. {Don’t believe me? Search for it on C-list. Then instantly forget what  you saw.}  I typically subscribe to the notion that once something is available in stores such as Target, the market is saturated. It’s time to move on to something new. But, no matter what the naysayers are spouting about shabby chic, it’s here to stay.

It is comfort.

It is beauty.

It is understated elegance.

It is in Round Top, Texas, at The Prairie.

Hope you enjoy these photos of Rachel Ashwell’s Texas digs:

Three flags over The Prairie

Home on the range

Shabby chic gets junkified

In the dining room

Mix-and-match chairs as seating in the dining room

Yet another dining room chair

A touch of shabby chic in the dining room

More fresh roses in the dining room

Structures on The Prairie:

Isn't she lovely?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beautiful inside…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This was at first an eyesore to Rachel and prompted a "What have I done?!" moment. She now calls it the chandelier of acceptance, a symbol of making things work.

 

 

 

 

 

… and out

 

 

 

 

SO smart to have your staging ground and clearinghouse for your shops smack dab in the middle of antiques country!

 

 

Happy birthday, Rachel!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where the magic happens

Great sconce! How many of these things do I have stashed away?

Some things might be better off painted a different color, but I found three cans of antique white in my storage room today... Rule #32: Go with what you've got.

The finished product

You can make all kinds of claims, but I refuse to believe your professional paint space looks any better than mine–defunct propane tank lid and a garbage can. Top that!

Getting ready for the barn sale

before the mum was added

Fun with a heat gun, wax and tulle. I LOVE the resulting effect.

When I look at this photo, I can SMELL the beeswax. Or maybe I can smell it because it's in the same room with me!

Plain and simple

mum-ified

The mum is a paper base with fabric streamers and center. A brad through the middle holds some of it together. That and hot glue.

I’m selling at a show for the first time in less than two weeks. So, naturally, I made a lampshade today! And even though it looked quite fine all minimal, I decided to use my new-found mum-making skills and embellish it.

Just in case you’re curious, I took pages from a hymnal and dipped them in beeswax. Next, I used gel medium to affix the pages to the drum shade. Then, I used more wax to apply a tulle overlay. And finally, I used a heat gun to redistribute the wax and age the tulle with holes, a la Tarnished and Tattered (who called me a loser, when she realized she wasn’t on my blogroll. We all know she’s kidding!!). I topped the shade with a strip of muslin, then hot glued the mum I learned how to create at Jennifer Babcock‘s Petticoats on the Prairie class onto the shade.

Hope you like it!

The only thing better than pie from Royer’s?

Tote bag I purchased at The Shabby Chic Couture shop, on the grounds of The Prairie, along with my autographed copy of Rachel's new book

My friend, who shall remain nameless, couldn't figure out how to turn my cell phone into a camera. Finally, Rachel suggested we go inside as she was starting to sweat! Luckily, my friend had snapped this photo. She just hadn't realized it!

Shabby Chic Couture shop

Inside the Shabby Chic Couture shop

Peely paint and chandeliers...what Texas shabby chic is made of

Shabby Union Jack pillow

And to play fair, there must be a Texas pillow, too!

Rachel Ashwell, signing my book. (It has an error that I'm hoping to cash in on some day. Just kidding about that last part.)

This painting, or one like it, is on the cover of Rachel Ashwell's new book

Doesn't this look like a pleasant day to be alive and in Texas? Don't let the photo fool you. It was hot. And I don't mean haute or even hawt.

I decided my niche is "the cell phone blogger." This is a self-portrait with Bud Royer. I'm still not good with my new cell phone, sadly.

Inspirational corner behind where I dined

My view during lunch -- Retreauxgirl and Garden Antqs Vintage

Famous cake, used as a prop in "winning" celebrity weddings of J-Lo and Pam Anderson

Dresses. As art. Beautiful.

The brains behind Dwell with Dignity.

Buck, after he'd been given the Rachel treatment

Rachel Ashwell tote -- I'm giving this baby away to a lucky reader!

The only thing better than Royer’s pie is sharing one with someone. I had the opportunity last week to dine with fellow bloggers at Rachel Ashwell’s new bed and breakfast, The Prairie, in Round Top, Texas. Yes, we shared pie. We also shared a bit of laughter, I think, as Rachel charmed our socks off with her British accent. (Who else can say “menopausal years” and make you want to join her there?)

But back to the pie… This luncheon was, in part, the brainchild of Bud Royer. He’s been working with the non-profit Dwell with Dignity, based in Dallas, providing pies to families fortunate enough to be assisted by the organization. He wanted to do something to help the non-profit. So while Rachel Ashwell graciously hosted us, Dwell with Dignity benefited from the proceeds.

Many of us are fortunate enough to wake up surrounded by beauty on a regular basis. We are fairly certain where our next meal will come from. But so many others are in a different boat. That’s where Dwell with Dignity comes in. They design beautiful homes for families and even provide a meal — including pie — for move-in day. They leave food in a crock pot and even stock the pantries in the homes they create. But they can’t do it alone.

I’m putting together an Antiques Week giveaway, which includes the Rachel Ashwell tote bag shown in the last photo of this post. If you’re interested in winning this giveaway, all you need to do is leave me a comment, letting me know. The winner will be chosen randomly October 10. So comment before the 10th for a chance to win.

BUT…I’m going to ask something of you as well. I’d like you to visit the Dwell with Dignity site and make a donation if you’re able and believe it’s a worthy cause. They’d be happy with ANY amount. And let me know if you do donate. The more donations they receive, the bigger this giveaway will become. You’ve  got six days, and I’ve got other stuff just waiting to be added to the giveaway. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the photos from my time at The Prairie. The photos in this post are from my cell phone. Real photos to come soon.

Thanks, in advance, for considering giving to Dwell with Dignity.

Post-Warrenton auto

Because I care enough to show you EVERYTHING! These photos were from the second part of my trip. It’s just special to get a glimpse into someone’s packing style, isn’t it?

Gettin’ busy

I worked on my xl space at Homestead today. I’ve been slacking off for far too long, and my sales are starting to reflect that fact. So, armed with a carload of fresh finds from the fields of Warrenton, I got up and at it first thing this morning (if you consider 11-ish first thing). I got quite a bit accomplished but still have loads of pricing to do. So… tomorrow I’ll start round two. I’m determined to make the most of this holiday shopping season.  Hope you’ve had an excellent weekend. Warrenton posts and a giveaway coming soon.