I write this blog to thank each and every one of you who have taken
the time to write over the past few months.
Your words of wisdom, words of encouragement, words of belief.
Words to the future where Rachel Ashwell and Shabby Chic has a home.
There have been many a night when I have come home and doubted
everything. Doubted my abilities, doubted my judgement, doubted me.
I even doubted some of your comments, but then i would read another,
and another, and another and decided that you can't all be wrong.
So I thank you for being my reality check.
That Shabby Chic did make a difference to the lives of many.
The beauty, the flowers, the pink, the white, the sparkle.
All part of the Shabby Chic world.
On this journey we have all been on together, I think we
all know home can be anywhere...it's in our hearts.
As I reflect back onto my career .... it's priceless.
Gathering treasures at the flea markets was always my core
of inspiration.
Popping into one of my stores was the time I was able to see
how all the avenues of my creativity come together.
Brainstorming in my design studio with my team is where we all
enjoyed exchanging ideas.
Travelling from China to Europe, developing new product, challenges
for sure, but adventures and dramas.
Shabby Chic has been the rhythm of my existence for twenty years.
My car is on auto pilot to my office my brain is always designing.
Wherever I go, I see beauty and possibilities in most anything.
I see ruffles and sparkles, color and patinas, floppy fabrics and
faded paintings.
Like us all I rip up magazines, see something in a film, a hotel room,
something by the side of the road.
And then I hear a song....
Music takes us all through so many stages in our lives..
My little nano ipod has been all over the world with me.
Glamorous lovely hotels, and less than nice places.
Music carries me.
To be able to identify feelings from songs, is so comforting.
The last few days, songs have found me,
giving me the words I have needed.
With the recent events with Shabby Chic, and the 5 month
mark of my mum leaving, there were many songs,
flowers and friends that have supported me, prayed for Shabby Chic..
Garth Brooks-
"Sometimes gods greatest wishes are our unanswered prayers."
(With all stores closing my prayers were not answered, and I
am so very sad. I do trust that one day I will understand why
things are happening the way they are.)
REM
"Everybody hurts"
(And yes it hurts... it hurts because I love my stores,
I love my employees, I love my artisan vendors, I love my customers,
and things are broken for the time being.)
Mat Kearney
"Breathe in breathe out"
(When I cannot think of anything else to do.)
In order to regroup I am having to let go.
No matter what you see happening, and however little,
faded and tattered I become, please know that it wont be
long before I come back.
Leonard Cohen.
"Cracks cracks everywhere, that's how the light gets in."
I will write soon.
Someone close to me had to leave,
my mum needed to leave and
all Shabby Chic Stores are dimming their lights.
But still I have the crown jewels.....
I have hundres of comments from all of you. I continue to print them all.
They are all so very special. Some have caused streams of tears, and small smiles.
The jewels sit safetly on a solid gold band .....for I have the knowledge
that my childrens character has been forever changed.
They have never experienced the world without Shabby. Its a beauty
and strength they assumed came with breathing. They have learnt the
fragility of everything. Consequently they understand life,
just a little bit more.......
An email to me from my daughter Lily-
"Morning Mama,
I just wanted to say I have been thinking all day about Shabby,
and I can't believe it. Its just so so sad. But I want you to know
that I am so proud of you. You have made such an amazing and beautiful
creation and while it is so sad that Shabby wont be around anymore,
nothing is forever, and its just time for Shabby to say goodbye.
It got us through these 20 years. You should be so proud of what you
have done and excited about whats next. Your so talented, kind and
hardworking. Me and jake, as always will be there to hold your hand
every step of the way.
Lots of Love, Lily"
For all Shabby Chic lovers- Simply Shabby Chic Collection at Target will continue the tradition of beauty, comfort and function.
I love this from your daughter's beautiful letter:
ReplyDelete"while it is so sad that Shabby wont be around anymore,
nothing is forever, and its just time for Shabby to say goodbye."
How wise your daughter is! I'm sure you're amazingly proud of her.
You are such an amazing woman. You writing is so beautiful and honest. I am so sad that you are going through this. I love Shabby Chic & my whole bedroom is covered in it. I will pray for you & your family during these hard times.
ReplyDeleteShelley
A beautiful post, from a beautiful and amazing woman. Thank you, again, for helping make my world a little more beautiful and oh, so shabby!
ReplyDeleteCaroline
I just wanted to say what an inspiration you are to me and others out there. You are absolutely my favorite designer! I was just looking over your book on sumptuous settings and other lovely things. I LOVE that book. I even put some images from there on my blog! Designing parties such as these is my dream. I would love to be a events planner but I'm afraid of taking that risk. How did you get started in the business of designing for paties? I love your blog by the way and thank you for the inspiration! Daisy~
ReplyDeleteRachel, I am learning of this (the closure of the S.C. stores) for the first time today. I am, to put it mildy, quite stunned. I will now go through and read blog posts leading up to this one so I can get a view into what has happened. Last I heard was when my friend Fifi O'neill was out at your place photographing for Romantic Country. Now this?
ReplyDeleteI have all of your books and have so loved the way you've communicated beauty, style, and elegance to a world that so desparately needs it! :)
Since I'm not familiar with the "bigger picture" behind this big decision/happening, I'm anxious to read up on the blog and get the whole story. No matter. You are a visionary and whether you share your gift for beauty with 1 or 1 billion, it is beauty and a gift none the less. Beauty, talent and gifts for same are not measured in numbers -- dollars, people, or stores. If you've touch one life with beauty (and we know you've far exceeding that!) you've touched enough.
You are loved,
Ruth
So sad about this news!!!
ReplyDeleteMy very best to you.
Is the only way we are going to be able to buy Shabby Chic going to be at Target? You have inspired me with this style so much. The biggest compliments I get are from people when they come over and say how inviting and "shabby chic" my house is. Whatever happens this style will always be my favorite.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteYou are SO wrong! Shabby Chic WILL continue! You have started more than a mere line of stores - you have given us the spark of home, beauty, loveliness and comfort. Never doubt it!
Bah, stores come and go but you are truly an original and I'm excited to see what will happen next in your life!
God bless you!
I always tell myself that as long as there is beauty, there will always be hope.
ReplyDeleteWe love you Rachel and we will be here waiting for your return!
ReplyDeleteAll THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD. speak only what you want to come true in your life. (that is my lesson i have learned) I too have lost many things dear to my heart this past year, but i have not lost God, he is always comforting me with his gentle kindness, he will bring it back to me and you. my prayers and thoughts are with you. Your shabby chic brings much beauty to my life.
ReplyDeleteThank You :)
Rachel, as one of your former employees, I want to send you my love and reflections. I enjoyed working for you and enjoyed working among and with such lovely and beautiful things. At this time you may not be able to see how you have positively affected so many lives but you have been an inspiration to me and many of the stores dotted along the south that I sold Shabby Chic products to. My daughters bedroom is filled with the beauty of the “heirloom” prints. It is always such a nice way to unwind from the day with my daughter surrounded by flowers and beauty. And as I go to sleep each night on my Shabby Chic sheets I can think of how lucky I am to have been a part of Shabby Chic and you should feel as lucky to have achieved so much in your life. Your achievements will go on and I have no doubt much stronger and braver than ever. Until then I will look forward to seeing your new door open. May all of your new dreams come true, Tricia
ReplyDeleteI'm so very sorry you're going through such a difficult time. However, I'm so relieved Simply Shabby Chic will still be around! I look at these things every time I'm in a Target store. They're so pretty I can't help but look even when I'm only there to buy shampoo. I really admire all that you've done. Stay strong!
ReplyDeleteWell thank God your stuff will still be in Target!
ReplyDeleteI've never been to a Shabby Chic store because I've never lived or been near one that I was aware of, but I love your line in Target and own a lot of it. I have your books and go through them often, as do my girls. My 6 year old's bedroom is done in Simply Shabby Chic, and the shabby chic style has worked its way into many rooms of my house (can't talk the boys into it, though, lol!). To me, the style is timeless, so the style itself can't go away.
Maybe a business that made you money can go away temporarily, but you'll keep writing books and keep designing for Target and keep walking through any doors that God opens for you. He gave you your talents and will continue to show you how to use them. He has plans for you, even if they aren't what you had hoped. Sometimes when He takes us out of our comfort zone we panic, only to find that His gentle hand was guiding us all along to bring us into something much better than we could have imagined.
Our family has been on that same path for the past year (and it's been frustrating) since my hubby supported us as a mortgage broker, and the market fell apart for that leaving us in a very different place financially than we'd been in. So many people are in the same boat, but God meets us and and our needs daily, and we're confident that He hasn't forgotten the little details of our lives. If He gave you such a wonderful ability with details, you can certainly trust Him that He continues to keep the details of your life in the palm of His hands. You might not see it that way right now (we're tempted to lose sight of that ourselves from time to time), but He DOES. He promises that!
~Jill~
Shabby Chic is home to me. I have experimented with other styles over the years but after I had my daughter I knew Shabby was the only way to go. It's beautiful and it's home and it's something that you helped create. There isn't a room in my house that doesn't have something Shabby Chic in it. Thank you for that. I will continue to find inspiration from your books and look forward to seeing what you do next.
ReplyDeleteRachel Ashwell, you have been such a large part of my life and my experience as a designer. You are the first designer and innovator that I was introduced to as a young teen...my mother came home one day with one of your beatiful books and her and I sat and looked through the entire book, tea in hand, for hours. I fell in love with your relaxed and beautiful sensibilities, how you treasure once-loved items, and most importantly, the way you create a home, and make it a real "home".
ReplyDeleteMy experience continued when I started my first retail job at a quaint, little boutique store that sold your bedding and lampshades. I was delighted to sell products to others that I personally loved so much...I saved much of my earnings to purchase some pieces of my own from your line; pieces that I will have with me forever and will pass down to my own daughter one day.
My third major experience was visiting your retail shop in New York, where I purchased wonderful candles, embellished with pearl details, for my Grandma. I met a delightful lady that worked there and shared my love of shabby chic, Angel. Throughout the years, I have bought your books, products, and have followed the iconic style of Shabby Chic. You have created something more than products themselves. You have created a style of living, a way of looking at life, and an amazing appreciation for the beautiful world we live in. I will always be a fan and very much look forward to where your dreams and God take you next...
Sincerely,
Sarah Klassen
www.sarahklassen.com
I have to admit - until I read this post, I was unaware of the transition you are experiencing. Just reading your words I can feel just how painful this is - but also how beautifully hopeful you are. The letter from your daughter is a true treasure. You have vision, style and an extraordinary eye for beauty. Your stamp is certainly evident in thousands of home around the world. Shabby Chic will continue to live on - and I'm confident your next step will be truly spectacular. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteDanielle
www.ExtraordinaryMommy.com
Thanks to pinklemonade on twitter, I just found you. This post is wonderful. You must be an amazing woman to write such and bring in such thoughtful comments. May the Lord Bless you Richly and open some amazing new doors...or windows.
ReplyDeleteFrom your post...I now know why, being labeled an "airhead" in high school was a good thing. My mind was always designing. If I only had read this 25 years ago...in high school.
From a new/old designer....
Thank you.
Your daughter is very wise.
ReplyDeleteYou have been an inspiration to me for so many years. I used to watch STYLE just to see "Shabby Chic" every week. I traveled to Santa Monica to your shop to get some things for my bedroom. I called your shop from my home to try to find the tree you have in one of your books (Christmas tree).
I know you are bound for something bigger and better.
I totally love your photos of your travels. That would be a great book sometime in the future.
I pray that your new direction will give you much pleasure and I pray that your days will soon be sunny again.
I am so touched by your daughter's beautiful words. You must be so proud to have raised such a wonderful girl. I am a huge fan and will follow you any which way I can...even to Target!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes and I know this is just a new beginning for you.
You do realize that shabby chic isn't saying good-bye. how can it? it is a part of each and every one of us. Our homes are a better place to be because of you.You taught us to see the beauty in all things. not just the beautiful..tattered and torn treasures are full of just as much character as a new item (even more if you ask me)Shabby chic will never, ever go away..believe in yourself. No matter what life brings you...don't let these tough times fill you with doubt. You will go on...you will survive and just know...you have had a major impact on all of our lives..
ReplyDeleteGeneen from tehachapi
Rachel, as an Interior Designer I can tell you that Shabby Chic is not a store...it's a style. A style that millions around the world have adopted. A style that others have morphed and copied into their own stores and homes. It lives on just as other styles and periods have over the centuries. You've created a staple, and I can't say that many people accomplish that in a lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI am so very sad for you. It must be like letting a baby go. You ended your post so very beautifully with the message from your daughter, you still have your real life babies and they are whats most important. You have been an inspiration to so many of us around the world, you have created a timeless legend in yourself that will always be. Keep Well Rachel Ashwell - Shabby Chic. Many blessings to you - Rachael in NZxo
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI am heartbroken for you. But, you must know that you didn't just open a store, you CREATED A MOVEMENT. Shabby Chic isn't just store of flowered duvets and striped sheets - it style of design and a way of life. You did that. You created something wonderful and you should be so very proud of yourself. All of your very dedicated fans will be here waiting.
You have been such an inspiration in the years not only for my retail store but for my home as well. It's true, it's not just a store, it's a style that you have created and I know that another door will open and something amazing will come of it. I as well as others love the letter from your daughter, as a mother of two daughters, I found this so touching and supportive. I think my girls would be the same if I was going through what you are at least I would hope. Family is so important! Good Luck to you and I can't wait to see your next journey.
ReplyDeleteCindy @ haleys cottage
Your inspiration is beyond measure, and I write to you with a heavy heart. For years, I have reached for your books off my bookshelf on almost a daily basis, devouring the pages and always noticing something new. Your show, your stores, your designs. . .pure joy!
ReplyDeleteLiving in Los Angeles, I never failed to be excited and enchanted as i drove down Montana past your store and on to the library or wherever the day was taking me. Just a year ago, we had to leave LA, and it was devastating. Before moving, I had a list of things I wanted a photo of (things that were so special to me and together painted a picture of our life there) and, of course, the Santa Monica store was one of those things. So many of my memories of LA involve Shabby Chic in one form or another. Days spent flea marketing in Long Beach and Pasadena, hours spent scouring Goodwills for that hidden, shabby treasure (items sadly discarded, but finding revived beauty in a loving new home), the thrill of decorating our home and curling up at the end of the day amongst the cloud like comfort of Shabby Chic bedding. I hope you might find some small comfort in knowing that the beauty and style of your beloved Shabby Chic endured the miles from Bel-Air and now fills our home in Athens, GA. . .your designs and aesthetic present in every room. I am deeply saddened that something so beautiful, so pleasurable, and has given me so much joy will no longer be there. At the same time, although it will cease to exist in this form, all I have to do is look around our home to know that Shabby Chic continues on.
Love to you, Kristen Williams
Shabby Chic will always be a part of my life, thank you Rachel for your inspiration and bringing the beauty into my home.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine resting my head at night on anything but a beautiful pillow case, adorned with your fabrics.
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI wanted to take a moment to say how sorry I feel and what a wonderful letter your daughter wrote. What an amazing and very smart young lady. How right she is.
Yes, this time is sad yet now it’s time to look at this happening and see the bright side.
Onto a new adventure, a new direction, one that you will succeed at with the finest grace and style you have shared with us already.
Like so many before me have said; I too want to say “Thank you”. You have helped make our lives more beautiful, more comfortable, and reminded us that those little scratches, tears, or dings are Ok. They are the pieces of the journey we take in our everyday lives; each one telling the story of who we were, who we are, and who we have yet to become.
Wishes to you and your family for a bright and wonderful journey.
~ Rebecca
I just want you to know how much of an inspiration you have been to me. No matter what happens in the future with you, there will always be "Shabby Chic" in my life because of you. I see things so differently because of you, I see beauty in things that many see as trash. It is all because of you.
ReplyDeleteYou are in my thoughs and prayer.
Hugs and Love
Your ability to find beauty in most things ( especially now ) and your passion for design will keep you going until you dont have to remind yourself to breathe. It is the love and support of family and friends that feeds and nurtures us and reminds us of why we do the things we do.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, take the time to remember all the good things....
what a sweet email from your daughter!! It shows what an amazing mom you are to have raised such a kind and loving daughter. You are a wonderful,talented person and I am sooooo sorry that things are challenging right now. :-( Just remember that you are important. Things WILL get better. You will survive this and come out even stronger in the end :-) Thank you so much for sharing your struggles and being so honest. :-) huge hugs!! I hope you have a fantastic day!! hugs!! Britt :-)
ReplyDeleteRachel: I know you must feel just "empty" but know that with all your inspration we are all "full of SHABBY CHIC" and will enjoy what you have given us for years! Truly generations to come will have a touch of the SHABBY CHIC in all they decorate because of you and your line. So simple and so relaxing to enter one of your rooms, stores or open the pages of a magazine with your inspration on the cover. I live SHABBY CHIC and I will await your NEW LINE and all your VINTAGE SHABBY CHIC will keep me warm till then :)
ReplyDeleteThank You from the bottom of my SHABBY CHIC heart!
Rachel: Shabby Chic is not just a STORE! It is a way of life. Although I have not purchased from your bedding line (since the Vintage 90's patterns) I have purchased your RAD line and enjoyed getting new slip covers mad every year! I will miss the RAD furniture the most. Please try to introduce this again, it is the most compfy I have ever had! I await your return my Shabby Friend.
ReplyDeleteYour daughters email was amazing...
ReplyDeleteI am sure God has an amazing plan for you. While your stores are closing...Shabby Chic will live on forever in many homes and hearts.
Thinking of you during this difficult time.
I am so sorry to hear that all the stores are closing. Rachel, I cannot tell you how much Shabby Chic has meant to me over the years - your books and stores have been such an inspiration to me. (I love the Target collection, too!) So much style, grace and functionality. Remember that your talent is yours forever - it belongs to no corporate entity and it cannot be taken from you.
ReplyDeleteWise words from a child. It doesn't get much better.
ReplyDeleteI love the shabby chic style and you've inspired many of us to see beauty in what others considered trashed. It is your insight and hard work that led many of us to follow our own dreams and believe that the impossible is possible.
You said we gave you a reality check. I like to think your fans are your "REALITY CHIC'S"
Have a happy day
Kris
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteRest Assured, The real Shabby fans of yours , those of us like myself, who suffered through a long illness, to only be comforted by my vintage Shabby Chic pieces, that I could sink into , when I simply couldnt get up. I will always keep my nest feathered with your designs, Your LOYAL fans will keep very much alive the brand you created ( that is just going through a quiet time right now..and this too shall pass) Be proud that so many people get home and feel comforted from this difficult world buy a soft creation, be it a couch a duvet or a creamy cake plate of yours --your ideas. That,in and of itself is a legacy.
Cindy Jo
Dear Rachel: I have only just learned about what is going on with Shabby Chic and your businesses. This compels me to talk to you about what Shabby Chic life has done for me. What I mean by that, is the lifestyle that embraces Shabby Chic description, philosophy, etc. When I was a younger girl on my own in my 20s, everything earthy was the rage: a lot of household plants, natural baskets, a lot of unpainted wood (actually, a lot of brown...ugh). Anything frilly or girly was not considered, in my world at least, fashionable or timely. During this time, my mother inherited her aunt's possessions...a lifetime collector of beautiful things, my auntie. Lovely, handpainted teacups. Art deco, tabletop marble goddesses. Vintage rhinestone, sparkly jewelry. Embroidered flour-sack towels. Cut-glass vases; little dolls with lovingly-crocheted dresses and hats. Porcelain kitties; old perfume bottles; fine leather gloves. Glittery Christmas ornaments. Me? I would have none of it. It was just a bunch of junk and out-of-date things. My mother kept all of it. Added it to her own. One day, I was in Target and I became mesmerized by the Simply Shabby Chic aisle of little framed plates, small mirrors tied with ribbon, fabric-covered trays. I was reborn! I learned, for the first time, to love my mom's and my aunt's cherished keepsakes. I inherited a vintage bungalow from the 1920s and your book on your Malibu cottage was an important reference for the renovation. With all of the bad news about the economy, of which I also do not entirely understand, I can come home to my little cottage and be surrounded by cabbage roses, white walls, calming and pretty fabrics, white furniture that is restful. It is all so soothing. It looks beautiful and it makes me feel beautiful. Shabby Chic decorating, completely due to you, transformed how I live. I couldn't have appreciated the precious flaws in my cottage if I hadn't been exposed to Shabby Chic. Rachel, you absolutely taught me how to respect and embrace historical, although relevant, surroundings and how to thoughtfully accessorize and furnish. I look forward to seeing your work, ongoing, through DVDs, books (of which I have ALL of them!) and, of course, Simply Shabby Chic at Target, where I relentlessly check in to see if something new of yours has arrived because, if I miss the first showings of it in the store, it's GONE before I even have a chance to buy! And, the thing is, for those of us for whom it would have been difficult to shop regularly at the actually Shabby Chic stores, even before the troubled economy and new frugality, by having your designs at Target, in a range of prices, we can still feel hopeful about ourselves and our homes, sprucing up a bit with new Simply Shabby Chic things, and this will be very comforting. I hope you will, in turn, be similarly-comforted by my words because you are the best, the guru, the bomb! I remember some good advice: I was unraveling, because I couldn't get pregnant. After miscarriages and the end of my infertility battle, not being able to face the prospect of no children, I went to a family therapist for grief counseling. She explained that, "sometimes everything has to fall apart so it can come together in a new way." I believe this to my core, and I watched it happen with me, because I reinvented my life...had to. Press on, dear Rachel. You are loved!
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteI am sorry that Shabby Chic is experiencing this downturn just like so many others, but I really don't think it will disappear. As long as you are around, so is Shabby Chic. I love your style and will continue to decorate this way. And who knows, if this downturn in the economy continues, so may a lot of other people, too, whether they want to or not.
Good luck to you. I am sure you have many exciting projects and adventures ahead.
Leslie
Oh Rachel... Stay strong! It will get better. I truly believe that you are being set up for something bigger than Shabby Chic.
ReplyDeletePlease hurry up and finish the new book...then write/photograph the next one...maybe start a magazine...add more to the Target line (I LOVE Simply Shabby Chic). Just know that whatever you do, I've got your back (and my wallet is open).
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI was so sad to hear the news. Your blog is so beautiful and I love the references to Marie Antoinette and Miss Potter (a couple of my most favorite movies). I will treasure my linens and the vintage pieces I have acquired from your stores. One of my very first Shabby Chic items was a round Floral Stripe and Roseblossom pillow that I adore so much, I always like to tell my friends that it will be passed down to my daughter. Your talents are truly amazing and I can't wait to see what comes next!
Thank you for your lovely words...you are such a talent.
ReplyDeleteI have been collecting your books since the beginning...love your energy and I was always drawn to your individuality and pioneer-ism.
Good luck to you...you shall be very, very fine.
Because of your words in your very first book...I have followed my heart as a mother of 3 and allow myself each day to use anything I want simply because it is pretty or beautiful to me...regardless if someone thinks it may be too "special" to use for everyday... Everyday is special, I say. Use it.
Suzanne from
Wisconsin
Hi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI have been a fan of shabby chic since I saw a little feature on you in Glamour magazine (I think it was in 1989).I really enjoyed the segments you did for the style channel.I was in shock to find out about the closing of your business.I just wanted to translate what it says in the Chinese drawing. (I emailed my father to ask for help).Word by word it says "Fearful little district, Let's protect from crime well". I guess it's trying to get people to be aware that there's been a lot of crime and to be cautious.Sorry it does not translate to something nice;I hope this helps.The lettering on the blue cart is just the name & number of the company that makes the carts.Good luck to you and looking forward to seeing you back soon!!!
JS
My aesthetic has forever changed because of you! Your imprint you have left on this world has forever changed the way 'junk' is viewed. No longer is it one persons trash - it is very much another man's treasure - because YOU taught us how to look for the treasure in the trash. Your shop may be closed, but you have trained us this knowledge and we can create our own chic out of the shabby.
ReplyDeleteI thank you for truly changing my view on my collections: to USE them & not save them for a rainy day, "if you like it, then it will work" as a part of my design, and to create occasions out of the everyday.
You will be in my prayers, and I will look fondly at all the Simply Shabby Chic items at Target and think of how you will now have a whole new adventure in front of you!
I just visited the Glendale Store on Tuesday, and picked up a few treasures. Thank you for taking your passion and loaning it to us for a while.
God Bless you and your family!
I am sooo sad, upset about the loss of shabby chic. Ten years ago, I traveled to your Chicago store, with money I had saved, to buy a duvet, dust ruffle, and fabric. I never, ever thought this would be happening. When it rains, it pours!!! I lost my mom to cancer, when I was 28 and pregnant with my first child. I am an only child, so it was devestating, she was my best friend, my everything for so many years of my life. Anyways, I can say, from my heart, I understand your pain, first the death of you mum, now the death of your dream, your reality. But I know you will design new linens, new works of pure beauty, and this time, your children can help fulfill the dream too :) Isn't it wonderful to have the unconditional love of a child? My children get me through and are my eternal bliss. Good luck, I will be waiting......Jennifer
ReplyDeleteok, so now I am all teary. what beautiful words from Lilly. What a great quote (one of my favorites) from Leonard Cohen. You and Shabby Chic (first through your TV show) completely changed my life, and I really, really mean that. I am so glad I will be able to see Shabby still at Target, and I am so excited about another (and more still?) book to come. To everything there is a season, I can't wait to see what the next one for you is. Peace be with you.
ReplyDeleteI have loved & appreciated your concept of comfort for many years. Going into the SF store on my visits there was part of the highlight of my trip! You gave me the inspiration to find perfection in imperfection. I have several of your vintage pieces from that store in my house. My favorite guide to decor is your book "the Shabby Chic Home". Your style is such a trademark now that I can't believe it is leaving the scene. I was hoping I would win the Washington state lottery so I could offer to help your business out, but for now I'll have to wait until for the next door to open in your life, which it will! Thanks for all of your vision to all of us admirers. Sincerely, Kevin Hogue
ReplyDeleteRachel,
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your heart with us. I don't know you, but you have touched my life. Reading your blog post touched me in the deepest place, remembering when I had to close down my own store ten years ago. It broke my heart. But please know that you have been and will continue to be a huge inspiration to me and who knows how many other women. God bless you, have faith in Him,, and there are better times ahead for you! Hugs, Victoria Lynn
I'm so sorry for all you have lost this year. I hope you continue to get comfort from your biggest fans.
ReplyDeleteYou must have done an amazing job with your children, for your daughter to have written such a letter!
Try to remember that cracks build character, whether it be in paint, furniture, or our lives!
I'm happy to hear you will continue the line at Target.
Hugs!
Robin
Hi Rachel! I am so sorry to hear about your stores closing. I know it must be a terribly disappointing and painful thing to bear. But glad to hear Simply Shabby Chic will still be available at Target, and that there is a new book in the works.
ReplyDeleteI have all your books, buying each one as it came out, looking through them again and again; I will never part with any of them! You have helped me learn to see beauty in shabby, imperfect things and I'm so grateful. I know with all your creativity and ingenuity that there have to be good things for you (and in turn, us) on the horizon, so hold fast. "Keep Calm And Carry On" (isn't that a British slogan?) You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Keep reading the comments! Keep believing the comments! You made such a difference in my life and in life of my 21 yr old daughter. And that much creativity, that much vision never dies. We all (your kids, your fans, your friends) look forward to what you will do next.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your daughter's note. Your blog posts are very special.
~Marilee
Your daughter sounds like a wise and compassionate young woman. Clearly, you have done your most important job well.
ReplyDeleteI'm just impossibly sad to hear that the Shabby stores are closing. I still have those t-shirt sheets that I bought from the Chicago store -- what? -- 10, 12 years ago. They are still wonderful and visiting the store in person was such a thrill for me.
I have bought many things from your Target collection as well. Please take heart, do what you must do, and know that you have had a profound and positive impact on the lives of many people whom you will never meet. I will eagerly await the day when I learn of your next venture and hopefully, I'll be able to be one of your loyal customers once more.
Please don't despair, Miss Ashwell. You have been an inspiration to many. You have mattered. And you are loved.
To everything there is a season. . .
It is sad, but you, the creator of Shabby Chic, are still here to continue to inspire and to show us how to appreciate all the beauty around us. It is in you and that is not lost.
ReplyDeleteMay you have the strength to carry on.
Liz
Brittany, France
Your daughters email is beautiful, you are very very blessed to have such wonderful children. I Know what a hard time this is... it is so sad and I know the thing you probaly crave now is peace.... and a quiet still mind, I know I did. My bankruptcy is now all over finished, I just have one stress left and that is to leave my house and find a decent rental for my family, and my dogs, Then I can breathe easier, that days is coming and I am knocking out one stress at a time, one thing to keep me going on the really rough days, was knowing I was living and my children were living and healthy and beautiful, knowing that it could be so much worse.... I truly believe, when this is all over for you, something amazing will happen, your joy will be back and you will be so much happier. I am so sorry for your pain...it is a horrible time to get through, but i have every faith you will get through this.....and for the better.
ReplyDeleteMuch Love
My love story with shabby began in Montréal when, in a librairy, my eyes stayed wide openned when a discovered your first book !! I remember saying to myself "this is it !" "it was a real revelation and I knew that this love was endless !I trully admire you and your talent, you made great things in your life and in ours too !thank you0
ReplyDeleteTania (Paris)
What a beautiful letter from your daughter. While following you and your story of Shabby Chic, on TV and in your books and now videos, I can not tell you how much I admired you and what you have created. Such beauty in everything you touch. You show us a whole new way of looking at things that would ordinarily be passed by. You have given so much and I will say it again, you will be back! I just know it in my heart. You are too creative and inspiring not to. So, take time to breath and contemplate and will all wait for you!
ReplyDelete~Debra Germain
We all support you Rachel! The true value of your brand lies within you, not the walls of any store. Be inspired and whatever you need will come. Love, Angie
ReplyDeleteI have been a customer of yours for about 20 years. I've also had the pleasure of meeting you several times in your Soho store. Through the years I've bought many- a- sofa from you (8 to be exact!) and I can't even think of how much bedding I've gotten at your stores.
ReplyDeleteI just want you to know that they have all given me so much pleasure. Even all the throw pillows still years later I love.
I will be there to support you in your next venture. I can't wait. 20 years ago you, Rachel, changed the way people lived and started a new trend and I'm sure the next thing you do will be equally as amazing!
So I simply say it has been my honor and pleasure to have all of these beautiful things you created and I will cherish them always. Thank you.
The letter from your daughter brought tears to my eyes- in times like this family is such an amazing thing! How fortunate you are to have children that love you SOOO much!
ReplyDeleteShabby Chic has been a staple in our shoppe for about 8 years now, we are sad to not be able to carry your line right now. You have worked with an amazing staff, I really enjoyed working with Naomi- what an amazing, devoted employee! We are looking forward to what you come up with next, hoping to represent you in our shoppe again and just as hopeful to work with Naomi again.
Our thoughts are with you, you are an amazing, talented woman!
The letter from your daughter brought tears to my eyes- in times like this family is such an amazing thing! How fortunate you are to have children that love you SOOO much!
ReplyDeleteShabby Chic has been a staple in our shoppe for about 8 years now, we are sad to not be able to carry your line right now. You have worked with an amazing staff, I really enjoyed working with Naomi- what an amazing, devoted employee! We are looking forward to what you come up with next, hoping to represent you in our shoppe again and just as hopeful to work with Naomi again.
Our thoughts are with you, you are an amazing, talented woman!
I found your blog late. I have read and continue to read your struggles through the store closures and previously your comfort therein.
ReplyDeleteYour daughter's letter to you contains wisdom much deeper than some people obtain in a lifetime.
There is a very frustrating, very liberating, very confusing element of Life in that it does go on whether we want for it to or not and with or without us.
Take some time to hurt and then some more to heal. Then, grab the bull by the horns and show the world that you, too, go on. Everything that you experience, everything that you've created lives in you.
Dear Rachel, as usual even thru all of this your class, elegance in wisodm and knowledge of the divine design you are inspiration and inspired.As a fan and a friend Im totally sure that there are many new chapters and many new doors that are going to be open.
ReplyDeleteLife is a journey and thru each experience there is something to be achieved and gained and will help us to give back to each other.Fill your heart with the creative power to accept the past, decorate the present and transform the future...
Love
LOLLO
The cracks are where the new version of Shabby is shining through. Think of this as a painful shedding of the old and revelation of the new.
ReplyDeleteHope to see the new soon-
I'm going to cry now. I've been in total shock since Feb. 14 when I found out the Atlanta store was closing. The news that all Shabby Chic was closing was too much to bear. I've hoarded your books since the late 90s and dreamed of the day when I could have my own Shabby Chic home, and that dream, fueled by the fabulous photography in your books, kept me going until I could finally build my own cottage.
ReplyDeleteBut don't look at this as The End/Fin. Look at it as a transition. Why?
When the bloom has died, the root remains. Go back to your roots, and discover what can bloom next.
(((HUGS)))
Rachel,I kept seeing your fabrics in magazines and fell in love with your style before I had even heard of Shabby Chic. When I received my first of your books I was in awe (Shabby Chic Home)of your style and your philosophy. Over the years I have collected many of your products, bedding,accessories and some furniture,and I love Shabby Chic more than ever.I am sad that your stores must close, and I am so sorry about your Mum. I thank you for sharing your wonderful gift.The letter from your daughter shows that you have done your Mum job well, you can tell she has been raised with much love and respect. I look forward to the time when you turn your tattered chair back into a beautiful throne.
ReplyDeletexo
Oh Rachel ~ as I sit here with tears running down my face, I think of you and what you've had to go through these last 5 months. You are such an incredibly strong woman, with a very wise daughter.
ReplyDeleteI will continue praying for you and your family.
Hugz,
Michele
Rachel, in my blog, for you gift:
ReplyDeletehttp://vilmus.blogspot.com/2009/03/shabby-chic-cerro-sus-puertas.html
(sorry for my bad inglish)
Blessing
Rachel, thank you for sharing your beauty with the world. I have been to a couple of stores, watched the shows, purchased lovely bits and bobs, and perused your inspirational books, website, and blogs. You have influenced and enhanced my life in many ways.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about your mum. I have the video with your parents in it. This is such a special treasure to have a keepsake of your wonderful family. Wishing you peace and love in the days ahead. I'm looking forward to new beginnings.
Rachel, I have read your posts without ever commenting, but I would be sorely lacking if I did not ever tell you what an inspiration you are to me!I received your first book as a Christmas (1996!)gift from my husband right before my own mom passed away. During the last month of her life that followed, your book was a huge comfort to us. We looked at it together many times. She told me, "She is just like you..." so I have always felt that kindred spirit connection with you. Over the years, I have purchased with devotion, every one of your books. I have purchased fabulous duvet covers from the store for my bed~ Thank you for that yummy crunchy soft poplin fabric that makes my bed such a haven! I bought target simply shabby chic for my daughters room. I have your shams on my bed and on my sofa. I have 3 chandeliers in my small home because of you~haha. I like to now wrap in newsprint and satin ribbons. I am a corporate events planner and your table settings book was my fav. You are a huge part of my life. Just wanted you to know how grateful I am for all that you have done to touch my life and give me joy-. xoxox
ReplyDeleteI had left a previous (very long) post, written in utter sincerity, but I neglected to mention how very much I enjoy your blog, Rachel. You have a real gift for saying meaningful, eloquent things in few words, and the interesting, colorful photos in companionship with your words are just perfect. There are a lot of blogs out there in cyberspace, and I read several, but yours became a fast favorite. Please continue with blogging here, if you possibly can, because you have much to share to a really enthusiastic "audience" (as long as it doesn't feel obligatory to you, with so much going on currently in your life). I had read what you said at one point about the Blackberry culture and I do indeed think also that the electronic age can be, at times, burdensome and noisy (feels like a leash) but it has its place, just like anything. Anyway, it's nice of you to share your thoughts with your fans. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping each day will bring you healing and renewal. You won't feel like this forever. You really will feel better again. Just one day...it's there.
My tulips are bursting through the soil with real intention. The daffodils and lilies waved to me this morning. I couldn't help but smile at them. Nature, darn her, won't permit us to dwell for very long. Spring begins today, Rachel. A new season. New beginnings...
my heart is broken, imcrying,because rachel you are an inspiration ,please continue climbing that ladder ,it wouldnt be real life if you didnt have step backs.lov always leslie
ReplyDeleteYou have raised your children with wisdom and grace. They have experience yours and their lives with many ups and downs. We have all be in a situation that is uncomfortable and wondered how in the world do I resolve this. There are a lot of people going through similar things these days, whether it be their home, business or even a loved one.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a business so I can't say I know what your going through. But it would be foolish say so.
I know with the love of others, it makes it easier. I wish you all the luck and wisdom it will take.
Ciao
I, along with many others shall await your return with eager anticipation. Your shabby chic philosophy has touched so many along with your positive attitude about life. So grateful that your Target line will continue-I plan to purchase new sheets tomorrow and will continue to honor your design aesthetic in our home. Best wishes and peace to you, Jake and Lily.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachael.. just checking in to make sure you are keeping your chin up no matter what!!! Love that photo of the tattered chair. besides your gift of creating the most incredible beauty in all you do.. I think you also have a gift to write....your words are inspiring to me..so many lesson in life..keep the faith. xoxox Laura
ReplyDeleteAfter a while you learn the subtle difference
ReplyDeleteBetween holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn't mean security,
And you begin to understand that kisses aren't contracts
And presents aren't promises.
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head held high and your eyes open,
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child.
You learn to build your roads
On today because tomorrow's ground
Is too uncertain for plans, and futures have
A way of falling down in midflight.
After a while you learn that even sunshine
Burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate
Your own soul, instead of waiting
For someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you can really endure,
That you really are strong
And you really do have worth
And you learn and learn ... and you learn
With every goodbye you learn.
Thanks for the touching books and yes I have all your dvd's. I especially love your books because I can just pick one up and it comforts me. Your a truely different designer; it comes from your heart and soul. Your therapy for me----you may not get it, but I'm sure many others do. You appear to be a sentimental and loving soul. I find it hard to believe your stores are closing-----this is the time we need your comfort. I have a different outlook on life because of your influence. I needed the reassurance of what I was feeling is ok. Too many people value and want the wrong things. I hope you continue to inspire, but only if that is what you want---------you have a touched many and I thank you. Tammy
ReplyDeleteDearest Rachel, I feel I can call you that since you seem to have touched the lives of so many people in so many ways. Shabby Chic epitomizes the rare and unassuming beauty of aged treasures. Objects so loved from long ago, now being cherished in the present. You created that! God bless your sweet mother. I will eagerly await your next endeavor, so this is not goodbye. Shabby Chic will live on forever.......
ReplyDeleteYou have touched me in your books. I have all your dvd's also. I love your books because I can just pick it up and look at it and find comfort. Your very touching and inspirational person. You put your heart and soul into your work and that is what makes it so special. I would think now is the time we need you most-----to find comfort in simple things. I just want to thank you for comfort you have given me and many others. I'm not sure if you understand it, but the world would be much better with people like you. Thanks-----I can't wait till your next book is out----"therapy and comfort". Tammy
ReplyDeleteRachel, I feel so privileged to have been exposed to the beauty of Shabby Chic through you. In the darkest of times these last months (in my own life) I immersed myself in bringing the serenity, soothing peace, colours, and old world beauty of times gone past into my home environment and each day I was so thankful for your gift of Shabby Chic to the rest of us.
ReplyDeleteI've written a post about the ending of this journey in your life and how it made me feel.
http://elefantz.blogspot.com/2009/03/farewell-shabby-chic.html
May God bless you as you walk forth into the next journey, and may the beauty you have shared with us all be returned to you again in greater measure.
Hugs, Jenny in Australia
Rachel, You write from your heart and you write as beautiful as you create....I too have always loved what you have done, what you have given to women all over the world who had more dreams and creativity than money.. and could follow their own hearts, with confidence when they placed a shabby chair, a torn and tattered bit of fabric to a window..... a chipped piece of china on the table and a rose or two in a pretty old tin... I was one of those women and you have given me much.. Love Linda
ReplyDeleteRachel my heart goes out to. I pray for you daily. I am so sorry about your stores but SHABBY CHIC is not just a store it is a style.I have never been to a SHABBY CHIC store but my home is so beautiful because of you! I have purchased just about everything you have at target.So i am very excited that i will be able to continue to purchase beautiful things for my home. Rachel you are an amazing woman and you are so talented. I know you will be back!! I will be waiting. Thank you so much for making my life happier.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI think it is obvious by your daughters letter that your Best accomplishment on this earth has been to raise an amazing daughter.
I dont know anything that can be more fullfilling and rewarding than that!
How truly blessed you are and how proud you must be.
Gina
Peacock Park Design
dear rachel,
ReplyDeletei had posted a comment on the first day of this blog (WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE) but there is something that you said that will not leave my mind...."my prayers were not answered, i am so very sad." i too have said these words and i feel that God has put it on my heart to share something with you. Over a year ago my husbands business took a terrible turn with this economy. He builds homes and we lost about 70% of our income due to the decline. we lost a lot of things and learned to live on less, which i could accept. But then we started to lose our beloved home. my home that i so happily lived in with my husband and 3 angel daughters and angel son. (i shopped over the phone all of the time with your stores in new york to purchase things because i was unable to travel to one, but your girls are always helpful and lovely whenever i needed to have something shipped to me. i furnished my whole home from your stores and your shabby chic has brought heaven to earth for me. we got very behind on our mortgage and could not get caught up. none of the mortgage company's solutions were achievable for us. we tried every avenue of help. we prayed and stayed up late going over the numbers and made hundreds of phone calls but nothing would work. then one day i received a letter that our house had been sold. i was devastated, my prayers had gone unanswered. my house was gone and i could not understand why God had not helped us because we had made our payments for nine years and cared so very much for this home. I had to sell all of my shabby chic furniture and things just to take care of my daughters and son and be able to move into a small apt. we then received the eviction papers.( i could not believe this was happening to me, i was in this horrible night mare, our life had been so wonderful, i could not understand why this had happened). the day we had to move out was one of the saddest days of my life. But, i did have my husband and my 4 angels by my side, so we said goodbye and my husband said "God, please bless this house for the next family who lives in it" we went to our tiny apt and i cried (in secret) every day (i had none of my favorite shabby chic things) and was very home sick. i had to start home schooling my daughters because we could no longer afford to live in that district any more. we spent our days holding on to the love we had for each other and trying to start new with my husbands new job working for another company for the first time ever( we have always been self employed). (i have to say it was a special time for us). But one day i was sitting on the floor folding clothes and i decided since i was down there i would get on my knees and tell God how sorry i was for my sins and ask him for forgiveness and tell him how home sick i was and to please give us our house back. and he said in this little voice, call the mortgage company. He also, through a special, special bible teacher of mine gave me a list of simple but wonderful things that i needed to do for him so that he could answer my prayer. so i did, i did these things all day and carried my little list around with me reading them out loud and correcting my self every time my mouth made a mistake and thanked God in all things. and then i called my mortgage company and this person on the phone said i am sorry your house is foreclosed there is nothing we can do for you. and God said, call again. so i called again and this angel from God on the line said oh yes, please call " " she has your home now. so i called the number and she (another angel from God) said yes i have your home let me make a few phone calls and i will get back to you. she called me back right away and gave me a name with a phone number and another name with no number.( i wasn't sure what this name was for but i wrote it down any way). i called the number and spoke to the man, he took all of my information and said i will be getting back to you in a couple of weeks. i was amazed.... we were given our house back and we would be able to afford it with our new income...we were being approved for a new loan. but....we would not be able to move back for 3 months. i called every day, asking if we could move back in while all of the paper work was being filed and he said no i am sorry you will have to wait. but then one morning i prayed to thank God and he put it on my heart to try and call again. I thought, if i could just speak to a manager, maybe i could get an approval to move back in. so i just called the mortgage company's main number. i was connected to the man without the number. he said this is" " may i help you? and looked down on my paper and could not believe my eyes, it was the name of the man that the woman had given me with no phone number. (there are thousands of employees at this company) i explained my situation and he said oh yes, let me make a few calls and i will call you back. ten minutes later he called back and said " your keys are waiting at the realtors office you may pick them up today and move back home. ( God said to me, do not be of this world, even if the numbers do not work, God can still make it happen) I just cried and my husband just looked at me and we knew God had just given us a miracle. He had answered my prayer but not only that, he had explained to me, after i finally sat down and listened to him, that there were a few simple and lovely things he wanted me to do for him. I love him so much, he is so kind and gentle. (and these things were not about money) they were about showing his loveliness to the world.
So, Rachel, i know that one day, my secret dream to actually step foot in one of your stores is going to come true. and to be able to purchase back all that i lost so i can fill my house with your shabby chic (heaven on earth) again. my house is empty of material things right now but it is filled with the light of God.
i know this is teeny tiny compared to what you are experiencing, but i just wanted to share it with you, because God put it on my heart at 3:00 am this morning to get up and go tell Rachel, he is here with you...... oh and that next family to live in our house that my husband asked God to bless as we were leaving, turned out to be us :)
God bless you and your son and daughter.
kindest and best regards, patricia weed
Hi rachel,
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the letter from you daughter it is obvious that your greatest accomplishment is raising an amazing compassionate daughter.
You are truly blessed and must be extremely proud.
THAT is what life is all about.
It sounds like you will have two pillars of strength to carry you through all this. And actually oneday, look back and be glad it happend. It just doesnt seem possible right now.
gina
peacock park design
Thank you for sharing your talents with us - you have an amazing eye for sweet softness and comfort! I'm looking forward to your book and your future projects. Please tell Shabby, "goodbye," from me too! The inspirations you have shared through Shabby over the years will remain with us forever :)
ReplyDeleteRachel, I cannot tell you how Shabby has transformed me. It is not a style, it is a life style. I remember vividly the day I discovered it. My brain clicked on and all the pieces in my mind came together: This is what I had been travelling towards. I cannot wait to see you triumph again, and am dreaming that it will be soon.
ReplyDeleteAll our love,
The Baker Family.
I saw a shooting star last night while cuddin' amidst your lovely linens, and, I wished for all of the cracks in Shabby Chic to be repaired. I wished, with all of my heart, that you and Shabby Chic would make a comeback. I love you and believe in you, Miss Rachel.
ReplyDeletexoxoxoxo
I find a lot of comfort in music as well, all kinds of music, as you seem to also. Right now, this isn't about all of "us", women that have worked hard to grow our businesses. It's about much more, things we haven't had anything to do with, we will learn from these lessons. It's a day at a time for us all, and change is good. I've always believed that, even if it takes a stab at your heart from time to time! Take care, Sue
ReplyDeleteIt's sooo many years ago I first heard about you and shabby chic. I live in Germany and here we hadn't really the chance to buy some of your products but I always tried to get some in the USA. I can't belive that shabby chic wont be there for us anymore. This is too sad and not real.. I'm waiting for your new book a little light on the horizon! So what can I say, be strong have faith and I wish you all the best, Mira!
ReplyDeleteFrom the minute I opened the pages of your first book, I was hooked. I had a new hubby and new house and no particular style at all. From that moment all, all that I do and love is shabby chic. I have been a fan and follower ever since. I have even made a "career" of painting furniture (and distressing it of course). I know you will move forward with all that you do. You have changed the style of so many ... we love your stores, books, and everything else. I wish you much success in the future.
ReplyDeletejennifer
www.cottageflair.com
I've been inspired by you and your style for many years and have found great joy decorating my home. In fact, you've provided a great escape from some difficult things in my own life. I have never actually been able to visit one of your stores but my husband was sent to CA last summer for work. One evening, he set out to find one of your stores and kept me on the phone to describe what he saw. Well, first he wound up in a parking lot that had a desinated parking space for you. We both thought that was great (he's a big fan too). Next he found your store in Malibu and went in. Inside, he described the chandeliers, the mountainous beds and a lot of other beautiful things. It was fun. One of the nice ladies from Shabby Chic even offered to take a picture of him on a bed! Great!
ReplyDeleteWhile the news you've shared saddens me, I know that before long you will find that window. You are truly one of a kind. And you are so right about the music too! I hope it continues to help. I'll be beaming up prayers for you in VA.
GODS BLESSINGS YOUR WAY FRIEND.
ReplyDeleteSO GLAD YOU ARE GOING FORWARD.
HUGS FROM MAINE
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteYou have brought such beauty and joy to a sometimes drab world. I'm sorry about your Mom and know she is cheering you onward. Even though it's sad your wonderful stores will be just a wonderful memory your glorious talent remains strong and vibrant as ever. Time is a great friend. It gives you the space to recoop, recharge and absorb the love and inspiration that surrounds you. I send you love, hugs and blessings.
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteYou have brought such beauty and joy to a sometimes drab world. I'm sorry about your Mom and know she is cheering you onward. Even though it's sad your wonderful stores will be just a wonderful memory, your glorious talent remains strong and vibrant as ever. Time is a great friend. It gives you the space to recoop, recharge and absorb the love and inspiration that surrounds you. I send you love, hugs and blessings.
My heart ached when I read your latest blog today. The only thought I had was stunned. Stunned that such a beautiful, wonderful and creative store will be no more. I purchased my first "piece" of Shabby Chic from Urbino in Portland, Oregon and instantly fell in love. That was 12 years ago, and I still have it, and still receive compliments on it. My daughter was born in 1989, (great year) and now that she is in college, my "goal" was to purchase your Rad sectional. I can't believe that all of these beautiful pieces are no longer....I want to thank you for all of your beautiful, beautiful and inspirational designs over the years. You are a true icon that will never be forgotten...I am so fortunate to have a few of the "originals" in my home.
ReplyDeleteMuch love and thanks to you Rachel, and to your wonderful children that love and support you too.
This is a strange and upsetting time for most people. It's global. Yet when something hits so close to home, it is when that we learn the most. The reason will be revealed, in time. But you, like the arrival of Spring this week, will emerge strong once again. Until then we will buy your wares at Target, and wish you all the best .
ReplyDeleteYou are such a sensitive artist. You're finding new inspirations in your travels for sure. Remember that sometimes things that appear to be falling apart are really falling together. But I do hear your sad feelings, and I send you virtual hugs and prayers. You've taught me how to make a home for myself and my family, and I am eternally grateful!
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel,I was so sad to hear the news from my son this evening about all your beautiful company.My son learned about Shabby from my store and carried on his devotion to the style in your store.He was an employee of yours,I was so happy when he got the job,because I guess I felt he was living out my dream.I have loved the Shabby Chic style for MANY years and every day is a "Shabby"day.I feel your pain and am so sad tonight.You are an amazing woman and your beautiful words and ideas will live on forever in my mind and life.So whatever happens I thank you.Donna
ReplyDeleteI am soooo looking forward to the next chapter of "Rachel Ashwell". You have inspired so many to take a second look at things that used to be discarded and see the character and love that time has bestowed. I will miss not being able to run into your store on Montana or in Malibu and just get a "fix" but because of you there is a little cottage in the woods filled with Shabby Chic. Some of the items are from your stores and some are from your inspirations. So many have copied your style but you are the true original! Your style will be with us always. I have learned in life to ask for what you want and see what you get. The answers are always amazing. Be well and know that you are loved and admired. All the best to you and your future endeavors.
ReplyDeleteI just read about Shabby Chic disappearing, I hope it won't be all the stores ? Anyway, I have decided : no, you can't stop because you are the reason why I came to L.A. though I am French. Even while I was in Paris, you always have been my inspiration, Shabby was a fresh, lovely so English world made in USA, California. So you see ? You can't stop. If there are not so many stores as before, it's sad, but at least as long as it remains one, the Santa Monica one, it is okay for me. I also love Simply Shabby Chic, but it's not the same. When I am going to Montana Avenue, it is like going to a paradise and get a deep breathe of happiness. I need my Shabby Chic dose !
ReplyDeleteHope you will figure out how to solve this and save whatever can be, and I am waiting for you.
All my best to you and your family,
Yael of Cuculapraline.
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteshabby chic came to this world through you. It can´t go away because it has a life of it´s own now. We are a community of people who live and breathe shabby chic. And its no longer about stuff, its about a way of thinking and feeling. Of appriciating of the old and the worn, the lived. It is also about caring for the worlds resources.
In my home I feel okay even if I´m not perfect and I find that people relax with shabby chic surroundings. My home is a haven.
Thank you so much for this blog! I am grateful to be able to share your thoughts and to express my appreciation for your design and life philosofy.
Be strong, have faith and have a cup of tea (it always helps). Linda from Sweden
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI have never known fame, but I have known the pleasure and joy of someone else wanting what I have created.
Few people have known fame that lasted a life-time, but many have known the pleasure and joy of creating....and suddenly being somewhere and finding something that "you created".
If you remain famous, wonderful, but if you continue to create, oh then that is a joyous pleasure that is your legacy.
Come to Texas, sweet Rachel. Round-Top and Warrenton are about to start...hurry it begins next weekend. You know you are loved here, and we are waiting with open, healing arms.
Take care. Helen
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI just read your blog, and it has brought me to tears. Words cannot express how sad I am about your stores. I truly LOVE all your beautiful creations. They are so inspiring!!!
Speaking to your employees in NB and to others who know how fond I am of you and your products, we know that this is just a new beginning for you.
I will look much forward to your new book, and whatever new endever you may take.
I admire you so much, and all the lovely things you have created.
I will continue to pray for you, your family, your business, and for your employees.
May God Bless you always,
Much Love
Maria Moore
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI trust you know yourself well enough to know that your creative edge will always be there and can be reawakened when you least expect it. You, my dear have been an inspiration, not only to the industry, but to the "average Jane/Joe" that pours through magazines to try to make a home that is unique, comfortable and that 'speaks' to the person she/he is or wants to be. Our surroundings are an expression of who we really are and you have helped us express that in the most hunble, sincere and artful way. This is just another opportunity for a rebirth for your genious. Thank you! Tami
I for got to ask if you were planning to continue your blog??? I hope so, your inspiration will tide us over until the next interpretation of your artfulness.
ReplyDeleteLily has said everything that has to be said....good luck in all you end up doing, you and Shabby Chic captured a trend that just goes on and on...and all your fans will be with you whatever ...
ReplyDeleteDearest Rachel-- Your daughters letter is so beautiful! Oh! How sad I am that "Shabby Chic" stores will not be around anymore! Maybe this is the time for you to re-create and expand in other ways, and I know you will, as you are an awsome, one-in-a-million, true gem of a woman!!!! Know that for sure!!!! Blessings, smile and be happy always!! Alison
ReplyDeleteYour prayers are always answered, the answer is in the silence as you rest and wait on God.
ReplyDeleteWhat you have done will be a light to many who have to find no paths in the economic darkness. They will find what can be done with talent, taste, care and not just with money alone. You have shown a way to use what is there. To find beauty in what the careless discard. This is of great value.
There is always a way through the wilderness. There is always a promised new morning, new way, new path and new land.
Back in 1997, I was 17 years old and bought your first book. I loved the vintage mixed with the comfortable and I knew one day I would have a Shabby Chic bed. Of course, I couldnt' afford it. However, it never left my mind. I loved your Aesthetic.
ReplyDeleteLast year, I was able to buy the bed linens I always wanted and even went mad crazy sometimes, spending over one grand on a single visit without hesitation. It just made me happy, it truly did. I have your pillows, numerous bed linens, frames, and just one month ago, I even got my first Shabby Chic furniture purchase of a while slipcovered chair and I can't describe how happy I felt to have it since I always wanted one.
I just want to say that I will miss the Shabby Chic stores, loved your style and YOU!! I am a true fan and am so happy you shared your view with the world. You certainly enriched mine.
Sincerely, Nancy in California.
I am so sorry your heart is so heavy right now. It will ease up in time. Print all your good wishes and post them all over your house, your car, everywhere you need a little lift. Don't look at what you have lost! But look at what you have gained and what you have given to others. I am so sorry your mom had to leave, that is not easy.. I know first hand.
ReplyDeleteYour heart needs to heal, and your soul will awaken again! Always in our thoughts, forever in our prayers.
I'm so saddened by this news. Shabby Chic has shaped the way I decorate and live. You will continue to shine and we will all be waiting for your return. All my best...
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel, as my husband (a computer scientist and entrepreneur) says, the business world can be a very, VERY cruel place. You are a talented and visionary person - there is no doubt that you will dust yourself off, and succeed again. We're all rooting for you and I'm sure you will continue to inspire so many people, no matter what!
ReplyDeleteWow! I had no idea Shabby was closing. I embraced your aesthetic from the very beginning. I have every one of your books. If something so beautiful has been lost, what does it mean for the rest of us? After the darkness, always comes the light. You have a new chapter to look forward to.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to say a quick thank you.
ReplyDelete10 years ago, I found myself a 37 year old widow with three children, and I wasn't sure how to sleep through the night, let alone how to move forward with our lives. Our bedroom, long a blend of our styles, was such a bittersweet place to be at night. Eventually I found the Simply Shabby Chic line at Target. Piece by piece, my bedroom has slowly changed. Now my room is now just that. My room. And I sleep... I sleep.
For that, I thank you.
My best wishes for a peaceful future for you and yours.
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI want you to know that you were the inspiration for me starting my own business of custom slipcovers. My heart aches for what you are going through. We all know that you will go on to bigger and better things. Thank you for bringing beauty into our lives and showing us how shabby can be chic. I will be praying for you and your beautiful family.
Teresa
Dearest Rachel...I'm so sorry to hear of your mum and your recent economic troubles. You have inspired a style...you'll always be here...you will always have fans and followers. With your Style shows, your books, your ideas, your stores and your name..."Rachel Ashwell" and "Shabby Chic" are synonymous with grace, beauty, comfort, vintage indulgence and style. Your ideas...your expression of style..even your personality has created a movement. Just as someone defined "Art Deco" or the "Craftsman" style...YOU have created "Shabby Chic" style..it's HUGE! It's everywhere. The world is a better, softer and more beautiful place because of you. Bless you for making our lives a Shabby Chic world and may you find peace with your recent heartache. Your daughter is very wise...and she is right. You're in my prayers...and I'll be waiting in line to get your new book.
ReplyDeleteRachel,Thank you for Shabby Chic! I have many of your products in my home, and love them so much! I also love your philosophy and look forward to your new book. I am so sorry about your mum and your stores. We do not have Simply Shabby Chic in Canada but I await what you do next and will be there. Wishing you all the best, Corinne
ReplyDeleteSo glad to hear that you are still following your heart to create, design, inspire and encourage....
ReplyDeleteDearest Kindred Spirit,
ReplyDeleteI too am so sorry to hear that your Shabby Chic stores have come to an end. However, I too, like you also look to quotes/song lyrics to help me through the bumps in the road of life. I have chosen a song to share that I thought you might enjoy reading. The lyrics were written and sung by one of my favorite bands in our generation: Relient K. the song is, " When I Go Down ". Here it
is:
I'll tell you flat out
It hurts so much to think of this
So from my thoughts I will exclude
The very thing that
I hate more than anything is
The way I'm powerless
To dictate my own moods
I've thrown away
So many things that could've been much more
And I just pray my problems go away if they're ignored. But that's not the way it works, no that's not the way it works.
When I go down, I go down hard. And I take everything I've learned and teach myself some disreguard. When I go down, it hurts to hit the bottom. And of the things that got me there I think, if only I had fought them. If and when I can clear myself of this clouded mind, I'll watch myself settle down into a place where peace can search me out and find, that I'm so ready to be found. I've thrown away the hope I had in friendships, I've thrown away so many things that could've been so much more. I've thrown away the secret to find the end to this and I just pray my problems go away if they're ignored. Any control I thought I had just slipped through my hands while my ever-present conscience shakes it's head and reprimands me, reprimands me. Then and there I confess, I'll blame all this on my selfishness. Yet you love me, and that consumes me. And I'll stand up again and do so willingly. You give me hope and hope gives me life, you touch my heavy heart and when you do you make it light. As I exhale, I hear your voice, and I answer you, though I hardly make a noise. And from my lips the words I choose to say seem pathetic, but it's a fallen man's praise cause I love you, Oh God I love you. And now life's worth living, if only because of you. And when they say that I am dead and gone it won't be farther from the truth.
God Bless you dear friend,
~ Stephanie Bradley
~ should you wish to hear this song go to: thespanishdahlia.typepad.com
Your daughter is your your most beautiful flower, your fanciest ruffle and your most sparkly chandelier. What a lovely gift God gave you-a daughter who stands by you and sends you love notes like that. The world can be crumbling around our feet and we still have the strength of our daughters to help us walk through the rubble.
ReplyDeletechin up...look to the future and what's ahead and be excited about it. You are capable of great things Rachel.
Emily Franz...who, by the way loves your Target collection. So glad that will still be around.
Rachel, a friend once told me to let go and the tide will take you where you need to be. It is a incredibly hard time for you and alot of us at the moment.
ReplyDeleteTake a moment to breath and look back at all you have done as I tuly believe your path has just begun again to heights you cannot imagine.
You have always been a inspiration to me from the time I first laid eyes on your first book. YOu have it in you - always have and always will - dig deep it will soar again.
Never forget...Shabby will never be gone. It lives on in your heart...it lives on in your books and your mark on the home fashion industry. Don't lose faith...its what supports you and keeps you going. I know many things don't make sense .... in time it will come clear again and a new improved shabby will rise up! Don't give up!
ReplyDeleteJanet
I grew up loving your shabby chic montra. My mom and I would watch your show together when I was little and then we go on our very own treasure hunts to flea markets and antique stores. Both of our homes today have a distinct influence of your talented design style!♥
ReplyDeleteYour daughter Lily is so insightful. You have inspired more women in this world than you will ever believe. We all doubt ourselves from time to time but I think it's good for us to keep persisting and do our best. We really find out what we are made of and I always believe that it is important to always stay humble. It means our heart is alive and we can understand those around us so much better. Keep moving forward, there are plenty of exciting challenges ahead for such a talented lad like you Rachel. Hayley x
ReplyDeleteI have several of your books that will always be my coffee table books to pick up and continue to admire. You will always be the queen of chic to me and you will hold court again with your vintage treasures. I admire your strength and know another book will be on the horizon of your success as a businesswoman.
ReplyDeleteKathy in NY
Hi Rachel. This is the first time I have written here. I just felt the need to say some things because of what is going on. I was very sad to read this news today of your stores closing and I had no idea. I am also very sad to read about your mother's passing and am so very, very sorry. I understand this deep loss and I do trust that God does give us strength to carry us through. It is amazing that He is the "constant" never-changing thing in our lives as the rest of the material world is forever changing. The season changes are always predictable, but the world is not. It is difficult to understand things sometimes, but then later we can see the reasoning. You are very wise. Your children have grown up so wonderfully and Lily's loving words to you are such an absolutely beautiful reflection of how you raised her/them. Our children will always be our most precious inspirations and you certainly have tremendous support there.
ReplyDeleteFor me, Shabby Chic is not just about decorating, but it is a way of life that has taught me to live my life comfortably (at ease), the way I want, without being conformed to any rules....and by being surrounding by sentiments of what I love and hold dear. I have always enjoyed your patterns and colors and find them to be so serene and soothing. It is such a breath of fresh air and truly feels like "home". You have inspired me to decorate my home in a way that makes me feel so happy inside everyday. I will not change this look in my home and I plan to keep my Shabby Chic style. Like others have said, you will be back to do great things. And, remember you have made history with Shabby Chic and it will live on. God has blessed you so much in your life and may He continue to Bless you and comfort you during this difficult time. You might not know all of us, but we feel like we know little tidbits about you from your books through the years. I believe that you have a bigger "fan base" than you realize! You are much loved and extremely talented. You had the courage to make this all happen when your children were small and you can certainly do more again. I appreciate the fact that you are very "real". All the best to you and your precious family....much love. I will be watching out for your next book!
My heart is truly broken for you. You have been such a source of inspiration to me...ever since I was a teenager...and I know you will continue to be wherever you go and whatever you do. You are so loved and your distinct creativity is so coveted and cherished. While I cannot fathom your pain, just know...even though this offering is small...we are still praying for you and Shabby Chic...and just like your children...will be there to hold your hand...
ReplyDeleteYour words were very heartfelt. I'm sorry that your business faded, like so many out there right now with this bad economy. It sounds like you had quite a run of it though? As you said, when God closes a door, he opens a window. Perhaps someone out there felt like you needed a break. Maybe a creative break? Maybe a new idea for a new venture? I'm sure whatever you do, your heart will be in it 110% and YOUR song will be heard throughout the land. Stay strong and venture on!
ReplyDelete"Just remember that in the winter, far beneath the bitter snow, lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose"....
ReplyDeleteThis song's words are just the right words. Life is like that, sometimes in the light, sometimes in the darkness and we always ask: why this darkness yet? We are sure we didn't do anything wrong.
You didn't. But the world around us did.
Even if Shabby seems to be in the darkness, seems to have to say good bye, Shabby only seems... Even if you cry, even if you are angry, even if you feel so sad, even if you think you won't be strong enough,
We all have Shabby in our hearts,
You have Shabby in your heart for ever.
I know you will find the way.
And Shabby will turn on all the lights !
I trust you, I trust the future,
I already love the new Shabby you are going to create !
Always be like you are, as we love you ! Don't change !
Thank you for giving me all this wonderful inspiration !
... Lies the seed that with the sun's love in the spring becomes the rose....
Prayers, wishes and love !
i was devastated when i heard your news, but you WILL come through this. you haven't lost your talent, or your magical eye for detail and style. its only a pile of bricks thats gone. warm wishes (its a cold and windy day in england!) and good luck with all the exciting things the future WILL bring. i will be eagerly awaiting a new book.
ReplyDeletesarah x
God Bless you honey...your writing has deepened to such an amazing level, it is breathtaking to read. We are all right here alongside you, supporting and caring.
ReplyDeleteSonya
I am so sad to hear this. Amazing post. Thank you for letting me be a part of your goodbyes.
ReplyDeleteRachel, there's nothing I can add that hasn't already been said. You've been and will continue to be an inspiration to so many. Thank you for everything you've shown me that's helped me make my house a home. I eagerly look forward to your next book. Shabby spirit will endure!
ReplyDeleteSweet Rachel, I recall the day I discovered your first book Shabby Chic. It was an "AH HA" moment as Oprah would say. The most beautiful decorating book I have ever seen. This cherished book still remains on my coffee table and, to this day, still inspires me; 15 some years later. How many books can you say that about!
ReplyDeleteYou have changed the way people see the world Rachel. Shabby Chic is not just a decorating label; Through your creative eye, you've taught me a way of living life, romanticly. You saw the beauty in the simpliest things that most of us overlooked or took for granted.
Shabby Chic will carry on forever in my life..It lives in my home as well as my heart...
Always Love to you,
Jo-Anne Coletti
www.vintagerosecollection.com
I love the Shabby Chic look and you are an amazing person.My home is decorated Shabby and you are in my thoughts and prayers!
ReplyDeleteWish you all the best!
ReplyDeleteOh Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI feel like I know you although we have never met. We are *kindred spirits* through our love of all things shabby. I was first introduced to *Shabby* by one of your books and I fell in love with the look instantly. I have your books, a small backpack/tote, matches (unopened to this day...:), and many items from your target line as well. Journals, notecards, duvet, pillows, lampshades, curtains and on and on. I remember one year my daughter and I hit Target when they were having a super clearance and we filled up TWO carts with your shabby line! It was like HEAVEN for me...love it all!
Try not to worry too much...you will continue to do great things . The world is better and prettier because you are here...
Blessings!
Rachel, PRIVATE COMMENT
ReplyDeletei know you will shine in anything you do you may not remember me i am Sara R. Camille and Fran( Santa Barbara)daughter and Ted B's(malibu)sister we lost someone in 2006 We lost Fran to cancer.it crushed my mom Camille but she is doing better but still hard for her in the house that they had together i can feel your loss it is very hard to understand why these things happen.you have a way of inspiring people i remember the wonderful brunch you made for us (Camille, Fran and me ) at your malibu home i still treasure the experience you were so sweet and i will NEVER forget it you have a way with people and so talented you will excell in ALL you do God never leaves you. There is a plan his plan and he has bigger plans for you keep your chin up and keep faith so many of your friends and fans love you. most of all your two wonderful children you are BLESSED!you are in my prayers.love to you !
send a note. mom (Camille) and I would love to hear from you ! my e-mail Saralkyduck@comcast.net
I'm so sorry; however, with your massive talent, your reinvention will be breathtaking!!! With support from your children, it can't be far away. Hang in there! I'm praying for ya!
ReplyDeleteShabby chic has always been my first love.Rachel you have always been my favorite person when it came to design you are so talented and truly an inspiration.You've have always had an eye for beautiful things even when it came to peices that just needed a splash of pink paint and a little bit of tlc. My home is such a haven thanks to shabby chic. Some of my most prized possesions are faded and worn but I don't care because it just makes them more special to me because of their timeless beauty. Im so sad but thankful that at least there was shabby chic and will always be in my home. My heart and prayers go out to you and shabby chic.
ReplyDeleteHello Again from Canada, You see. All of this was supposed to happen, even though it is so very hard to experience. You have to let go of what was so you can have what is to be. Many afternoons your books got me through difficult times; gave me hope, inspired me and allowed me to dream. (Thank You for being my escape) Hugs and Support. LPxo
ReplyDeleteWow, I just saw that you are closing your wonderful stores. I have read so many of the comments and also echo their feelings. You have been blessed with a talent. I hope to see your target line expand. I was hopeing to save enough to buy your wonderful sectional sofa, that I have loved for years. I also have your books and just thought recently how funny, that when I got rid of a bunch of design books, I kept yours. My husband who is in the military is off for some training in the summer and I had thought to my self, I am going girlie for the first and for 5 weeks and I am shopping at shabby chic. I guess I had better get going. Even though this is an a extremely rough time for you, I do hope that you will be able to find some light and emerge. I have quote in my room (I have two autistic children) It says, "life isn't about how to avoid the storm, its about learning to dance in the rain". May you find that dance.
ReplyDeleteI was introduced the the wonderful world of shabby chic within the past year...or, I should say, my eyes were opened to it for the first time and my hands could not get enough of your decorating books, magazines and furniture. I am hooked on shabby chic for life! I'm so sorry to hear about the closing of your stores and the end of this chapter, but the good news that we all know is there is still so much left unwritten in your story and I'm quite certain that you have tremendous things ahead of you yet! You are such an inspiration and I look forward to seeing what comes next! I pray that the Lord comforts you and gives you the strength to keep pressing on. I hope you keep up this blog! I have a blog and I love following them..yours will be a favorite for sure! May the Lord richly bless you today!
ReplyDeleteI am so new to the world of Shabby & I love it - the white & the ruffles...etc. You have inspired me & giving me so many wonderful ideas to transform my bedroom to look like heaven. I am so sorry for your lost. I know how that feels. Your mom will always be in your heart. As for shabby chic collection, it's sad you had to make this decision, but I totally understand. Hopefully, one day when you're ready, you will consider Shabby Collection back. I will pray for you & your family.
ReplyDeleteI am so new to the world of Shabby & I love it - the white & the ruffles...etc. You have inspired me & giving me so many wonderful ideas to transform my bedroom to look like heaven. I am so sorry for your lost. I know how that feels. Your mom will always be in your heart. As for shabby chic collection, it's sad you had to make this decision, but I totally understand. Hopefully, one day when you're ready, you will consider Shabby Collection back. I will pray for you & your family.
ReplyDeleteI am so new to the world of Shabby & I love it - the white & the ruffles...etc. You have inspired me & giving me so many wonderful ideas to transform my bedroom to look like heaven. I am so sorry for your lost. I know how that feels. Your mom will always be in your heart. As for shabby chic collection, it's sad you had to make this decision, but I totally understand. Hopefully, one day when you're ready, you will consider Shabby Collection back. I will pray for you & your family.
ReplyDeleteVisiting the Shabby Chic store in SoHo NYC this past weekend was heartbreaking. Literally, hearts were breaking walking through the doors, mine included. Your designs have made my house a home. They will be forever missed and the pieces I have been lucky enough to acquire will continue to bring joy to my life. I will miss being able to walk into the Shabby Chic store on a rainy NYC day and have my spirits lifted by the serenity of that place. Thank you for everything Shabby Chic has done and warmest regards from your fans in NY.
ReplyDeleteThere is no greater gift than a peaceful haven to come home to and surround yourself with, and the calmness and peace of heart and spirit that is a result. Shabby Chic has given this precious gift to so many around the world. In all of your uncertainty and sadness during this difficult time, remember that you have given so much of yourself and your creativity and passion, and it has changed the lives of so many, including myself. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteRachel, God has granted you with such a loving and giving soul and has truly blessed the works of your hands. I remember watching the Shabby Chic program and becoming so inspired by the beautiful ideas you presented; and I still find inspiration from your very first book. Be encouraged and remember that in the midst of the storm, God is the anchor that keeps you firmly planted.
ReplyDeletehang in there.
ReplyDeletei *heart* your line.
xo
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI was just wondering, do you ever visit the blogs of the woman that comment on yours ?. I think if you haven't, you'd be pleasantly surprised at what you would find on all these wonderful blogs.
You would probably get a lot of inspiration from so many of us. Do give it a shot....
Ciao
Rachel, Shabby Chic is so much more than a style of decorating, it has become a life style, a way of experiencing life and expressing yourself. So many people have been touched by your vision and will be awaiting your return. So take a much deserved rest, enjoy some flea markets, find some treasures to inspire you and come back to your friends and followers when you are ready.
ReplyDeleteRachel, I cant begin to tell you what your designs have meant to me. I was just reading a review of your cherry blossom line on target.com and the woman said that the print reminded her of her grandmothers nightgown and made her smile. That's how so many of us feel. It takes us back to a happier, simpler time. I dont know why you have to close your stores and Im very sad to hear it. I believe shabby chic is a state of mind. And thanks to you now I know thats the state I live in. Thank you for helping us define our tastes in two words. Thank you for your inspiration. God Bless you on whatever endeavors He sees fit to take you. I cant wait to see whats next. =)
ReplyDeletestart another line
ReplyDeletess
ReplyDeleteYour work has blessed so many. I am thankful that your line at Target will continue. Shabby Chic has been a blessing in my life. Thank you Rachel.
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to read about what is going on with your business. I want you to know that you and Shabby Chic have absolutely changed my life. I grew up in a house where everything was beige beige beige from the carpet to the ceiling, everything bought from a department store to 'match' and no soul or personalization or life anywhere. I squirreled away little treasure from my grandmothers- flowered pillow cases and pretty cups and things- but I had no idea that I could use them in everyday life until the happy day I saw your show on The Style Network.
That was a long time ago now, and I have all your books and I'm in SF so lucky enough to be able to pass by your Fillmore store pretty often. Your work is a constant source of inspiration. Because of you I have beautiful home filled with rescued flea market treasures and pretty linens and light and beauty everywhere, and I know this has made me a more creative and inspired person. And I have young boys and am so grateful for a while slip covered couch that I can bleach!
So thank you for everything. I know with rock solid certainty that you will emerge from this stronger and more successful than ever You are simply too talented not to. Look at all you have already accomplished. I often feel that life is a continuous process of building and losing and rebuilding. It never ends. But you don't lose all that you've learned and your marvelous style. I look forward to seeing what you do next.
AH
You Created Shabby Chic....it's here to stay. Hudreds if not thousands love the style you have created. You taught us so much, not only about Decor but how to live a simple beautiful life. Simplicity eases anxiety and make for a happy life. You might find yourself free of many anxieties....my wish for you .....Enjoy your life & Family !!
ReplyDeleteKimberly
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI was so sad to hear about the filing today. I am so sorry you, the company and everyone involved are having to cope with this terrible economy in such a drastic way. Please know that the time I spent with your company, are some of my most cherished memories about California. Thanks for those.
Good luck with your new endeavors.
Sincerely,
Ticia
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI'm watching all that is unfolding from Australia & am lost for words...A first for me just quietly...!
I have been in touch with the Malibu store over the last week & am making an unexpected but much wanted & needed trip to LA on the 8th April to visit the remaining stores...!
My husband & I were organising a trip next June specifically to visit the stores In LA as well as the Antiques stores that have featured in your shows as well as visit some flea markets...Unfortunately, Matt will be unable to come with me in April but I wouldn't MISS going for the world...!
THANK YOU for being so creative...My world is a much softer & relaxing place for having 'found' you...!
With warm regards from 'Down Under',
Tamarah :o)
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI'm watching all that is unfolding from Australia & am lost for words...A first for me just quietly...!
I have been in touch with the Malibu store over the last week & am making an unexpected but much wanted & needed trip to LA on the 8th April to visit the remaining stores...!
My husband & I were organising a trip next June specifically to visit the stores In LA as well as the Antiques stores that have featured in your shows as well as visit some flea markets...Unfortunately, Matt will be unable to come with me in April but I wouldn't MISS going for the world...!
THANK YOU for being so creative...My world is a much softer & relaxing place for having 'found' you...!
With warm regards from 'Down Under',
Tamarah :o)
Rachel.. I watched your show and I became a fan overnight.. I adore everything shabby ..thanks to you. You introduced shabby to my life and I thank you for that..
ReplyDeleteI just want to let you know that whatever happens and how it happens, you got a fan here all the way in Kuwait.
The wisdom from my children is of great strength and encouragement also.
ReplyDeleteNeeding a break; a beautiful excursion and inspiration I suddenly exclaim to my daughter as my mind goes like a whirlwind from let's go to Shabby Chic to having to again realize that it is not there.
so if it is this difficult, this sad for me~ I realize still further, that for you it is so much more. Your own daughters words, her wisdom and she and your son always there... so beautiful and so priceless. What gifts our children are.
I do so look forward to the future.
Oh Thank You so Rachel.
I am in disbelief,I went to your website to see your latest pretties, and instead my heart has been broken. You are and always will be an inspiration,you created such beauty, and I know will continue to do so. I will be waiting to see where you will leave your mark next,you have a future of endless possibilties.
ReplyDeleteOh, Rachel!
ReplyDeleteI LOVE all you pink, sparkle and pretty thing. NEVER doubt your talent!
Best regards!!!
Just wanted to say thank you for bring shabby chic to us. I will always my 40th birthday to chicago, my good friend asked me what i wanted to do and I said go to Chicago and find the Shappy Chic store, and it was like walking into on of your books. so thank you for your talent to see beauty in worn and torn and making so many homes comfy. Now on to Target!!!
ReplyDeleteKelly
You will come back even better than before...we will patiently be waiting.
ReplyDeleteUntil then...be well and take it one day at a time. oxoxox
you have been an inspiration for me for 20 yrs....
ReplyDeleteYOU WILL BE FINE....TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS...WELCOME TO THE NEXT CHAPTER
You are so sweet and your kindness is like water of a gentle stream. You are one who beholds beauty and shares that beauty with us to behold. My home ~*~Sea Cottage~*~ is filled with Shabby Chic items...the softness of roses and all things white creating a cozy, comfy, lovely place to sit, read, sleep, dream. Shabby Chic will make it through these hard times...a return to simplicity may be all thats needed. Keeping the doors open to just one shop, your original shop, could help. Blessings to you and thank you's for inspiring sweet, simple, romance in all of us. xo~Fairmaiden
ReplyDeleteI have one of your books to see me through the interval while Shabby Chic doesn't have a bricks and sticks presence. I still pick that book up and look at it for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to seeing your next adventure.
you have inspired me for years...your style is one that will last forever...thank you for your beautiful words..and lovely images...you are an amazing women..many blessings as new doors open!!!!
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel, I just found your blog this day and I'm sad to read of all the current problems you've been facing, especially the recent loss of your Mom. You know, I'm a bit befuddled by the new trend of painting furniture black. It's just a matter of time before that trend passes...and I don't think it will take very long.
ReplyDeleteEven though I don't have a lot of the shabby chic look in my home...I do love the look. My home's interior never really lent itself well to a shabby chic look but when I recently added my screened in porch, I was finally able to use lots of that wonderful color, WHITE. Can't wait to see what you have planned with your new book! You are going to come out of this stronger and more focused than ever! Can't wait to see what doors open next for you. With all your talent and creativity, I know what ever direction you move, it is going to be fantastic.
Susan
Rachel,you are so very gracious. Although the stores and internet are going, Shabby Chic has become a part of the world's vocabulary. You order a soda, you say Coke. Your tears need drying, you reach for Kleenex. You want your home to be stylish and comfortable, you aim for Shabby Chic. Don't know if you've every watched the Harry Potter movies, but Dumbadore the Head Master has a bird called a Phoeniz--the bird will help those who are true of heart and loyal to its master, its tears heal all sorts of things, when it reaches the end of its life it burst into flame and is reborn has a featherless chick in the ashes. You are taking a rest--I lost my DH Aubrey to cancer 9 years ago so I do understand some of your pain regarding your Mother's passing. You will never totally recover but time does ease the pain. So dear Rachel, rest, recover, enjoy your life and family, and someday you'll hear a new song that inspires you to arise and move to a different beat!!!
ReplyDeleteDeborah
Your pictures and words are like an oasis.
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to give you a tip on how shabby chic has evolved here in Sweden. Maybe you can find comfort,inspiration and strenght from this woman and the bloglinks she provides...
http://lantlif.blogspot.com/
Wishing you all the best, Linda from Sweden
My heart aches for you. I hope you'll remain strong and know that there are so many pulling for you. Your sweet spirit and style will continue to inspire! Hang in there, Rachel. You're a lovely soul!
ReplyDeleteI have always loved shabby chic. every time i traveled to LA my first stop was to visit shabby on montana. when you opened in natick i thought all my dreams came true, i am so so so sad you are gone. My husband and I just bought a house built in 1859 with tin ceilings what am I going to do now....I guess I will make my way to Brimfield. I wish you lots of luck and love and if you come to Newburyport MA you are needed!!!
ReplyDelete~meg
why please comeback
ReplyDeletewhy please comeback
ReplyDeleterachel dear,
ReplyDeletepls keep in mind that your have inspired many with your talent. you have touched lives, brought out in us our own creativity out of the inspiration gained from your shabby chic style! that alone is something to be proud about as an accomplished woman of your stature. enjoy your free time to re-charge, meditate, and you will come out of this a stronger person.
we will continue to support you in your next endeavor. thank you so much for all that you have shared with us as we too open and share our hearts and our home to you and your shabby chicness .
lots of love to you always,
Ann
rachel you are like the corvette of bedding the best of the best ,i will always treasure all my shabby ,my husband has been driving me all over town so i can say goodbuy to all youre stores ,i belive things happen for areason ,i dont know you but im pretty sure you have a kind heart,even if the stores are not there ,shabby will always be ,in homes all over the world,keep calm and carry on ,have aparty to,celebrate shabby ,and youre workers and fans,im leslie ,when i was at the glendale store there was nothing left it was sad to see it like that ,but see people want youre shabby, lesliecampos4@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteDearest Rachel, I think I have purchased every last thing from your Glendale store in the past several weeks because I cannot believe I won't be seeing it all any longer. I love it all so much. I am so very sad, but I remember a prayer who's gist is to be praying for God's will to be done, not ours. Who knows why things happen the way they do, but if it's God's will, there is a reason. When I was in college your store in Soho just opened and I loved to walk through and imagine that someday I would be surrounded by all those lovely things. All I could afford was a doormat, and I loved my doormat! It made me so happy to see when I came home after a hard day. Since them my baby daughters slept in their Shabby crib with Shabby linens, etc, etc, etc. You created something extremely beautiful and that doesn't go away with store closings, it' came from inside you. Thank you so much. I can't wait for you to find some calm and let your creativity lead you to what's next. We all know it will be beautiful.
ReplyDeleteKendall
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteThank you for opening to me the world that I was not aware of. Being a modernist and minimalist I am now able to appreciate the beauty of your design and your attention to detail, all the way from your tags to your fabrics. I am sad that you will be going away for a little while but this is probably a time for you to start something new and even more exciting. You have a wonderful sense of style and passion for what you do and new success will come your way again. I am already looking forward to hearing all about it!
Dear Brilliant Lady - I let myself indulge in my last shopping spree on the last day of your site -and I didn't know it was in fact my last chance.My heart sank when we lost the Natick, MA store -I told your staff how much Shabby Chic brought to us.Back in January they still had hopes I could continue with the NYC and CA stores as I have for years, and shopping the site would be good too - or so we thought.I feel such a loss -you brought the most generous kind of beauty to all of us.You have that rare kind of creativity that's giving and inclusive.The Shabby Chic stores went beyond the limits of retail. Your books,DVDs,even the designs you create, all share and encourage further creativity of our own.I do thank you for all the beauty your design and philosophy have brought to my home. I anxiously await your next book and whatever you move on to.In the meantime I'll cherish my exquisite Shabby Chic collection.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you're dealing with at this time please keep in mind that the lovely thoughts written to you are a reflection of the extraordinary person you are.
Linda, Westborough, MA
Your daughter sounds like an amazing girl. How lucky you both are to have one another. You have so much talent, in design and writing. We are all thinking of you during this tough time.
ReplyDelete~Michelle
I am so so sad to read this. I have recently discovered my love for all things Shabby Chic. You have created beauty from what others would throw away. I hope to still learn from you and gain inspiration through your experience. Please keep creating. I will look for your book in the fall.
ReplyDeleteRachel It is so sad no more Shabby online. I just loved looking at all the beautiful things and getting ideas for my home. I never visited your stores but they looked so beautiful. I will keep you in my prayers. God didn't promise days without pain laughter without sorrow nor sun without rain But he did promise strength for the day comfort for the tears and light for the way. Rachel thank you so much for bringing us Shabby chic.I can't wait for your next book. I will also be waiting for whatever you bring us next.
ReplyDeletei was employed at the Atlanta store from day one. when i decided i wanted to go back to school and finish my degree it hurt to leave. i loved working for your company. it was the perfect job...very active, creative and i got to work with people in creating their own peaceful room or entire home. you will bounce back from it and when you do I will probably be there pounding on the door for a job!
ReplyDeleteYou have an amazing spirit. You have touched so many lives, inspiring us, helping us make our homes a place of beauty.
ReplyDeleteAs I made my bed this morning I was thinking how lovely my shabby chic white ruffled sheets were with my pretty shabby chic floral bedspread-
it made me happy.
Thank you
i'm just so sad. shabby chic has been a brief respite for me for the last 12 yrs. just looking at your books or looking in the catalogs you once had and the occaisional trip to one of your lovely stores has been an inspiration to me. i will really miss you and your beautiful vision, especially needed in the sour state that we are in at this time. you must come back as soon as you are able to or want to. i just wanted you to know the positive impact you have made on my life. all the best!
ReplyDeleteI should have told You this a long time ago... I love Shabby Chic! I was so sorry to read about the problems on your blog some weeks ago. And I didn´t know what to say. I did see Your shows for the first time for about ten years ago or so on the Style Channel at our cable television network here in Sweden. And I fell in love with the style at once. I´ve bought all Your books and love them! Been looking forward to visit Your shop when I´m going to N.Y this May but know I understand that my dream won´t come true. But I will survive, hopefully I will find more stuff to buy on E-bay. I´ve bought some cushioncovers there and I´m so glad I have them! I wish You all the luck and hapiness in the world!! Looking forward to see You in business again soon! Thank You very much!
ReplyDeleteBest regards from Sweden!
Miss Rachel,
ReplyDeletethere is no doubt that this is a period of change and that you will return holding the Crown.
My greatest treasures found at a thrift shop? Your books.
Lily words are fit for a treasured jewel box. Your family will sustain you through this difficult time.
Miss Rachel, you have made my life beautiful and have taught me to view things with an open eye. My home is my refuge..my paradise. It is here that I can make life for me and my husband a thing of beauty.
You make a difference in people's lives. Don't ever forget that.
Blessings to you always,
Deanna
Rachel,
ReplyDeleteOnce again your touching heartfelt "blog"...even your latest writings on your website home page have inspired me to send another note.
Remember the writings on your Wish Pink Crown Jar Candle...."A Day To Celebrate"...there WILL be many more to come - so light that candle and make a wish....never stop believing - keep the faith and know that you are loved!!
I hope to meet you one day - maybe at your celebration Shabby Chic new venture party...that will be a day to celebrate indeed!
Warmest aloha's,
Jane U.
Dear the one and only Rachel Ashwell,
ReplyDeleteI am one of your sad customers that found out about this today and was devastated. I only wish for your happiness and peace. You are in my thoughts and prayers. Thank you for everything you have inspired me to do in my home. I am appreciative of the items I have bought from your Soho store on Wooster St. I will miss it terrible. I would fly from Florida only to visit your store. My family would call and order from that store for the holidays and birthday gifts for me. That is the only thing I ever wanted and still do. I will wait for you to come back. Until then, please know that I will cherish what I have from your Soho store and how much these treasures mean to me. Thank you.
Casey
Jupiter, FL
Thinking of you and wishing you blessings!! May hope and peace be the air you breath and may your dreams be ever beautiful. You are such an elegant inspiration to us all. This season will pass and I believe something wonderful is around the corner for you and your extraordinary talent. Things will bloom brightly again soon.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you~
Cindy H
We love you, Rachel!
ReplyDeleteWe've been waiting for you til you come back here :-)
I absolutely loved shopping in your stores. I have purchased couches, chairs and so many other items in your stores. I am so disappointed to hear the news of your stores closing. I have worked with Brendan for so many years. He is amazing and has kept me coming back again and again because of his great ideas with regard to matching slipcovers or to custom make my own furniture. I certainly hope that you come back again with your wonderful furniture line and fabrics.
ReplyDeletegrowing up and listening to "unanswered prayers", i at first thought it to be a briliant theory. that was until my mom, in her infinite wisdom corrected me. she said "just because you don't get the answer you want, doesn't mean the prayer wasn't answered". i have never listened to that song the same way since.
ReplyDeleteamanda~
Hi Rachael,Whenever I go on line I always stop by just to look at your site... for some reason I always feel good really just looking... tonight I stopped by and was very sad to see it is shut down.. I can imagine how you feel.. but we know how life works so I know whatever steps you take going forward, will only bring to to a new Shabby world filled with a love, wisdom, beauty & goodness... God Bless you always, Laura
ReplyDeleteP.S. Thank you for helping make my home & life a beautiful one.
Rachel I went to Target.com to order your Simply Shabby Chic dinnerware. I searched for Rachel Ashwell and i pre-ordered your book Rachel Ashwell's Shabby Chic Interiors! It won't ship until sept or oct I can't wait. It's a really great cover. I also have all of your other books and dvd's I will continue to pray for you and your family during these very hard times.
ReplyDeleteIt is so very sad that your stores are closing in these times of economic strife. However, look around you and see the legacy left. You have inspired many women, myself included, to dig into their creative depths and make pretty things out of old junk. Though your stores won't be around anymore, the foundation and beliefs you built it on will love on, and this world will be a prettier place because of you.
ReplyDelete