Monday, October 19, 2009

OLD FAVOURITES BACK

I have been a busy bee at store openings and book signings. Meeting so many lovely precious, you's.

At the same time some of our old favourites have come back into our shops.

AugustChair4

DarcyChair3

An Australian blog comment posted gushed...
"Be still my heart!!! My (Mr) Darcy is back." (Pride and Prejudice) -Jane Austin).

ReneChair4

There has been such an outcry for our oversized lovely leather furniture. A perfect companion to our slipcovered and vintage furniture.

Leather4

leatherchair

warrington4

Napkins

sectional

Please forgive me for the last few blogs becoming so producty.
We are working on our website, but until then so many of you have been requesting to see product. Somehow. So my blog is my vehicle. But within the next couple weeks my blog will get back to blogging.

lady2

I have been overwhelmed by store events at my stores and others, with little time to write, but you are all always on my mind, with gratitude.

59 comments:

  1. Hi Rachel,
    I love your things shabby chic!
    You inspire me a lot, and my house has a lot of their ideas.
    visit my blog:http://detalhesbordados.blogspot.com/

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  2. ls always, beautiful Rachel! Myself and my customers can't wait to see you in a few weeks. You are truly an inspiration to many! Take care.

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  3. I love the Darcy chair, have 4 of them...hope to get more. So glad to see it back!

    Can't wait to see you in Marin, CA!

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  4. I hope you realize what an inspiration you have been to alot of us "Women" out there. Through all you have been through, you have kept it real. Thank you!

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  5. Lovely! Thank you so much for all the inspiration and beauty you share!

    Zuzu

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  6. I love your style sooo much!! Thanks for posting even with being so busy :)

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  7. Your NYC book signing was so much fun! I really loved hearing you speak and seeing you in your store the next day. Your new Soho store is absolutely beautiful and your staff is awesome. My sister and friend brought me to NYC just for the book signing for my birthday, and they couldn't resist purchasing something from your store. I think they now understand my Shabby Chic obsession :)

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  8. Hi Rachel,
    So sad to hear you will not be in Virginia for any book signings, however im sending my mom and four sisters (from Miami) to your event tonight in Coral Gables for me. You have inspired me so much in the last year, and i can't wait to received the signed copy of your new book.
    Much love from Norfolk, Virginia
    Thais

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  9. Oh Rachel, your books are almost here in Australia. I am waiting for my local bookstore to call me. I just cant wait.

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  10. I'm so glad your back Rachel!
    Hugs~Kelly

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  11. Thank you for mentioning me.......and YES !!! I am still just as excited that "My" (Mr) Darcy chair is back that I am planning a trip to America in March 2010 to pick "Him" up. Wishing you all the best for your new venture and thank you again for giving so many of us so much joy.

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  12. I'm not a leather chair person but, you can even make a leather chair look good. Your slipcovers are still the best.

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  13. Rachel,

    Wonderful to hear of your store opening! Best wishes for success!

    Trish Burke

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  14. So stunning! Love those Darcy chairs.... always inspirational.

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  15. Rachel,
    Mom said you were simply lovely. I feel like even though mom and i are so far apart, you brought us a little closer last night. Thank you so much for the book and the green cameo...continue on your journey.
    - love Thais
    tcockrum@framingsuccess.com

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  16. I can tell by reading your posts your heart is "coming home" again. There is always light at the end of the tunnel. It's just sometimes that damn long tunnel lasts longer then we would want it to!!
    Geneen from tehachapi

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  17. I knew you could pull up those boot straps and get on with it ole girl. You're back and better than ever. Lovely, lovely things. Congratulations to you! You've manage to do it again - inspire people. I love the new book as well. Beautiful. Can't get enough of it.

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  18. Rachel,
    Welcome back. You have a great collection. Hopefully your business sense will come up to speed with your design sense and your prices will be a little more reasonable. During the start of the recession stores slashed prices. Your prices stayed grossly over-priced. And you went bankrupt. People refused to pay outrages prices for things they realized they could easily find at flea markets themselves. And you went bankrupt. I encourage you to be a bit more in touch with reality and offer your products at prices a bit more reasonable for items that amount to not much more than knock offs of other people's garbage.

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  19. I am so happy for you and your stores. The past couple of years have been difficult for so many. I closed both my retail stores in Dallas the last one just in June. As I rebuild my life into what it is meant to be today I will watch you rebuild yours. Wishing you true happiness and endless inspiration.

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  20. love your classics, especially the Darcy chair. It fits in so many different mixes...

    Karen

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  21. Rachel .. Your VERO BEACH BOOK SIGNING was just amazing!!! I want to to know how much I admire you & what an honor it was to meet you in person ... please go visit my blog to see what I wrote about you & some pics too.. Stay in touch..Rest up & take care of yourself!!!!

    xoxoxo laura ( The rose girl)
    P.S. I am spreading the word EVERYONE MUST own your new book... love it!!!

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  22. Sweet Rachel,
    I was so magical to meet you! I was so overwhelmed...I felt like a little girl going up to see Santa. Oct. 17th at the NYC bk signing was one of the most memorable days ever for me. You are so my hero! Like I said to you...ever since your first book- I felt very connected to you as if I knew you, we have so many similarities. I had a hundred things I wanted to say to you, yet I was speechless...LOL...you are as lovely as I imagined. I wanted to take the moment now to say to important things I failed to tell you. I am so very sorry for the loss of your mom, my heart breaks for you. And best of luck to you with the new stores!!! More power to you this time around Rachel! I remember I did tell you, you are my 'Shabby fairy-like godmother'...what would we do with out you? Thank you for your interesting detailed talk about your yummy new book, it's very beautiful. It will be my coffee table book soon to be displayed in my cottagey livngrm... I am in the process of buying my own first house as a single mom (btw... my 12 yr. old daughter is a fan of yours also). We will fill it with all the shabby RA things we have been accumulating through all these yrs. of collecting. Your time was greatly appreciated I enjoyed the signing fully-although I regret to say being the last one to go up I did not have the pleasure of receiving one of those precious store tag bookmarkers you gave out in the beginning of the line. I was wondering if there was any way I still could get one.
    Well, I am sorry for taking up so much space but at least you can read what I wanted to say then-now. Thank you for all you give,
    Bless you,
    ~Maureen
    wma26@msn.com
    :)

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  23. I love your new book and only wish i was closer to a book signing! Everything you do is just as lovely as can be!

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  24. Hello Rachel,

    So glad to see your comeback! You bought some pieces from me at Marburger, and I'm wondering if we'll see you back there? Good luck to you and don't forget to take a moment for yourself now and then...

    Blessings,

    Shelley

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  25. Hi Rachel-- Thank you so much for coming to Vero Beach FL. My friend Robert and I (we were the Bruce Springsteen fans) really enjoyed meeting you. We love the book and look forward to more wonderful things from you. I also really hope to see you on TV again someday very soon. You are a beautiful source of creative inspiration. Keep "working on a dream..."

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  26. all gorgeous....as ever....so glad everything is working out...keep on inspiring us!!!

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  27. Greetings Rachel!,
    I don't have a "blog" account yet but that doesn't matter (to me anyway).What is important is that when I read your last blog which spoke about worry etc.. and not losing the quality of each moment, it made me, once again, immediately think of my favorite page in your "treasure hunting and decorating" titled book (shown in the last blog w/the pink which launched a thousand pinks!) the passage in the book which is my favorite and one which everyone could benefit from reading is the page "the divine Ladder" at the end of the book. When first I read it, I almost cried, and it still gives me little chills each time I read it. I loved it SO much I (eeks!) tore it out of my copy of the book in order to hang it on my bedroom wall. I also love the page on "humility". I have that book marked and I wish to quote from it now "It is to be at rest when nobody praises me, and when I am blamed or dispised; it is to have a blessed home in myself where I can go in and shut the door and kneel to my Father in secret and be at peace, as in a deep sea of calmness, when all around and about is trouble."
    Thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing to the world what was inside of you and inspiring and cheering up so many peoples lives with your ideas and talent!, May you continue to have your deep sea of calmness to go to in secret and nobody deserves to enjoy the comfy cosy calm feeling you bring to OTHERS more than YOU!!! Your dear Mum isn't really gone, she lives on inside of you and your beautiful children, and I am sure she is watching down on you with pride and a loving smile on her beautiful face,my sympathies,
    :) Wendy

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  28. Hi Rachel, Can't wait for the new book to reach Australian stores. Can not tell you how many times my husband and I say (quoting you) "Now that is shabby chic!" You continue to inspire all of us in the vintage game, cheers Katherine

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  29. Sooo so happy for you Rachel. Missed you this year on my annual trip to the US but look forward to visiting your stores again next yr. Australia loves you and would love to support you on our own shores( hopefully that is something you may consider in the future I know your Santa Monica manager gorgeous lady would pack her bags in a flash to work an Oz store :)
    Sending big hugs and kisses from oz luv Rebecca xxxx

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  30. Rachel, my mum & I really enjoyed finally meeting you at the Vero Beach book signing. The new book is absolutely beautiful and full of old & new inspirations. It is so wonderful to read all the comments from other followers & fans. You have a very devoted lot!! I look forward to hearing from you in the future about the shop in Notting Hill. Until then, good luck and many happy flea marketing trips!
    Cheers!
    x

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  32. Lovely new inspiration! My mother's name is Darcy and we have several of those chairs..match made in Shabby heaven for sure! I'll have to share with her.

    Thank you for helping me find my own style as a designer. I call it Old World Shabby in keeping with Utah's rustic style and mixing your shabby chic it's my new take on design and everyone is really taking to it nicely. You need a store here. Consider Park City or Salt Lake if you will!

    xo

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  33. hi im leslie what can i say but the best about rachel ashwell ,she is really the most sincere humble lovely charming woman i finally got to meet her at her booksigning at malibu , one thing that stuck to me is faith in all things life work and all and i dont mean religius faith i mean in life,i believe that rachel will keep on bringing shabby chic to all of us that love it when i pick up my first book i couldnt explain to her what it felt to read every page of it because i was so excited to plan my future trips,yet she is so talkable and charming.i will never forget this day because to me i met the woman who brought so much joy happines into our homes ,home is where the heart is thats for sure.rachel ashwell thankyou soo much and i hope you enjoy that little needlepoint i found on one of my treasure hunts,LESLIE

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  34. Hi Rachel. You have bought pieces from me for years: some from Marburger and some from Brimfield. We have not spoken of your Bankruptcy but I know it must have been very hard. I am so glad you are back. You designs remain gentle and lovely. And, yes, it time for you to take care of your soul!!! And with Faith you will make it. All the best! Peg

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  35. Rachel, yesterday I had to leave L.A. after being there for a week, so I sent my best friend and proxy, Deb, to Diesel to meet you at the book signing. (the cute little blond with the cat eye glasses). She knew very little about you when she went, and although she is my partner in crime, traveling to round top with me and my antiquing buddy and all around best girlfriend, we have always had different tastes. (She usually prefers mid-century modern...) Anyhoo, I think you made a convert out of her. She said you were as lovely as I had hoped, and the book discussion that you gave made her love her new "old" and tiny house that she just purchased....wonky doors and all. Thank you for being so kind to her while she had gone there for me, she now loves you too!
    ~Jane

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  36. Love, love the Warrington. What a practical piece with so many multiple uses. And the crown napkins are so delightful. Who wouldn't want to set their table with these beauties. I received my autographed book a few weeks ago and it made me so happy to read it and look at all the lovely pictures. Thank you so much.

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  37. Hi Rachel...

    I'm so glad to hear things are ever so much better for you. I look forward to more wonderful books and Shabby Chic items....Delish.

    Blessings,
    Spencer

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  38. How are you Rachel? well I have finished reading your book, and went back to read many pages again, I love the new direction your going in, back to basics, the simpleness, elegant, in a rustic farm house kinda way, somewhere I'm trying to get too, in all of this clutterness, slowly selling treasures off, to get to my Shabby Chic Farm House.....once again very gratefull for another gorgeous book. Thank you Rachel.

    Hugs
    Kirstie

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  39. Absolutely adore the leather furniture...and Mr. Darcy, be still my heart! So great to have you back! ;)

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  40. you sound wonderfully busy. Seems that everything is going well, I'm happy for that :O)

    Ah, the love of crumpled fabric. Any excuse for me to not bother ironing and I'll take it!

    Sadie

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  41. Someday I will purchase one of those Darcy chairs. Love that leather sofa and how creative with the linen cushions. And that Professor chair with the rosey cushion...so yummy. You are such a giver of beauty.

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  42. Everything is absolutely gorgeous!! The statue of Our Blessed Mother is just lovely. I always feel such a sense of peace when I look at her. : )

    ~ Wendy
    http://Crickleberrycottage.blogspot.com/

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  43. Hi Rachel,

    My family, friends and I all adore you! You are so inspiring:)

    Would you ever consider visiting Australia for some book signings or opening up a store?

    Thank you,
    Sally.

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  44. That slipper chair is amazing. What an inspiration your blog is!

    xx

    http://walkthesand.blogspot.com

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  45. DIVINE, that's what I say about your Shabby Chic Stores and Books! Please return to Malibu! We adore you! XOX

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  46. I am so sad to have missed your Vero Beach book signing ... I'm not far from there, and hadn't been aware, though it's unlikely I could have made it since I'm live-in caregiver for my 85-year-old mother and can't leave her alone. I mention this because when I opened your new book after it arrived, and read that beautiful poem "Mother", I wept -- knowing you'd lost your own mother, and thinking of mine, who rarely remembers I'm her daughter anymore. What a lovely sentiment and tribute, and how true it rang. You are such a tremendously beautiful part of your mother's legacy, Rachel. When I feel sad or overwhelmed (which can happen in caregiving from time to time), I often gather all of your books and lose myself in serene beauty and bliss for a time. Thank you from my heart for that gift.

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  47. Wouldnt it be nice in todays economy to help promote some of the smaller antique stores that are out there as well. Its a struggle for them to stay alive, they too have a passion.
    While on your book tour, a visit from someone as Big as You could really help. Not to mention who knows what you may discover. In Huntington Beach there are two "Lil Treasures". Grammas Attic Antiques on Gothard and Helme House on Walnut.
    Neither have sunday hours, but both of these stores have charm and fabulous buys. Give them a try you will be pleasantly surprised!!

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  48. I just read about a store on your blog comments in Huntington Beach
    called Grammas Attic Antiques. Looked it up and took a drive. WOW!!
    This shop is a must. The store is
    incredible. It has EVERYTHING from Jewelry to furniture, china to vintage and antique clothing. You name the owner has it. If she doesnt she will find it for you. Thank you Lisa for the shopping experience and the wonderful buys I walked away with. Rachael you need a visit.

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  49. Good Morning Rachel,
    I write to you often, after which I always wonder if you read them.
    I love your new book. You never seize to amaze me. Best of luck to you once again!

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  50. This makes me happy. Glad to see you back.

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  51. As always love your stuff,I just discovered a great place to shop Treasures and Junk in Ontario California. It reminds me of country roads but more to look at and bargain basement prices.Thought i would share with you since you inspire me so much.

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  52. Hello Rachel and a pleasure writing this to you I'm your fan of Brazil, decorator I am reviewing store where his care sheets that the U.S. and would like to congratulate you because everyone loves.
    Would like to know the possibility that I was importing directly from you?
    We have to talk?
    My emails are vendas@dschioflores.com
    d.schio @ hotmail.com
    I am the city of Passo Fundo RS BRAZIL
    Sincerely Debora Schio

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  53. Oh how I love that Little Professor Chair! I'd love one of these in my design studio! You're a perpetual inspiration to me in my career. Thanks, Rachel!

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  54. Rachel,
    I was wondering if you ever thought of doing a Shabby Chic magazine. I know you have your books, but I thought a magazine would be wonderful. Even a quartlery magazine. You could focus on bedrooms for one issue and bathrooms for another, etc. I love Shabby Chic style, and looking for inspiration. I think it would be wonderful to have a magazine with pictures and ideas on how to use one's own special finds and some of your products. BTW- I love your bedding and I'm obsessed with the tufted headboard. =)

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  55. Hi Rachel, I am so happy you are back and I so miss our store in Austin:( I have a number of questions on inventory, swatches and pricing - is there an email address for the store I can send them to?

    Thank you for your inspiration. It feels just like home everytime I walk into your stores or flip through your books.

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  56. I really miss the show shabby chic. I have adopted shabbie as my nickname on every application, such as twitter, and other social media sites. I wish you success and peace always Rachael.

    Lisa aka shabbie

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  57. Very nice blog :)

    Laboratorio Delle Fate

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  58. Ms. Ashwell,
    I sent you a message a couple months ago, I am just keeping in touch letting you know my intentions are truly sincere. My name is Lindsey Werk, friends with former employee Kelly Van Dyke Who has always spoke so highly of you and your business. I am very interested in becoming part of you team and some day possibly be so lucky to work with you. Please let me know if there is anything I can do to make this happen.
    Sincerely,
    Lindsey Werk
    lindseyl0u@yahoo.com

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  59. 女性のオナニーを助ける場が救援部です。ここに所属してる娘のオナニーを見て気に入ったら、実際に会ってオナニーを手伝っても良いし、エッチしても良し、これで報酬Get出来るんですから美味しいバイトですよ

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