I have been in London for a few weeks. Visiting dad, friends and of course the little treasured Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture store.
My design team and I are committed to staying true to our aesthetics, and not tread into red and green.Pale pink, white, silver sparkle make for Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture holiday decorations.
This holiday season we decided to make as many holiday decorations as possible. Once again hoping to create future heirlooms.
While these elements may not be the first thought for Christmas, Christmas to me is about beautiful little moments, that shine a light on celebrations of love, family gatherings and that extra special fanciness.
My aesthetics fully embraces Marie Antoinette in Texas!!!!!! This means decadence gone primitive.
To me these are the very very best Christmas stars.........forever lasting. I love it when it just works to mix the frills with the basics.
While in London I was introduced, via Itunes to the Rachel Zoe Project on Bravo. I found each episode so entertaining and informational. And sooooo funny. And while she is a third of my size, I identified with many aspects of her career. Loved her phrase of "this is major", "I am obsessed," "I could die" right now. I confess to having borrowed some of her phrases when seeing the magic evolve of this years Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture Christmas.
So green and red are easy to omit from my holiday festivities........but a bit of bling is always needed. Actually 365 days a year.
Living in California for 30 years, there have been times I have yearned for the seasons. Somehow blue skies and palm trees don't feel right in December.
Well this week I got my wish, as Europe is covered in a blanket of snow. So very beautiful. Picture book actually. I reveled in the joy of preparing the store with heartfelt treasures, and popped out for 5 minutes for a cup of hot chocolate
Purchase these and other beautiful decorations for the holidays at Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture Stores. Happy Holidays.
71 comments:
Such lovely photos and I do love your colors for Christmas, they are so unique and so pretty! Merry Christmas! It is such a great time of year to be in London! Wish I could just hop a plane and go...
Love the Mercurey glass stars. And the snow does make it seem more Christmas-y.
Oh lucky, lucky you! While we swelter in 30 degree heat (Australia) you will have the picture perfect snowy Christmas. I am most envious! Love the photo's of your Chrissy decorations, I will HAVE to do a shabby Christmas next year (birdy Christmas this year) and snaffle some of those stockings you have hanging, they are just gorgeous.
Have a wonderful Christmas,
cheers,
Leoni
Pretty! Wish you a wonderful Christmas time. Greetings from snowy Switzerland, Sandra
That precious little fuzzy tree in the window is perfect!
The fabric filled baubles are divine..Perfectly shabbilicious for Christmas..xx
Christmas is, indeed, about the merriest little moments in life! The simple stuff. I wish you and your family a very merry Christmas, and I hope to see you soon!
Take care, Sue
Merry Christmas Rachel. I have been your fan forever. Thank you for sharing.
Rachel, I am so happy to see you enjoying the snow in London. Everything in your London store is so, so, SO LOVELY :D I really liked the ornaments and the mercury glass votives. So much inspiration in this post! I hope you have a very Happy Christmas and a Blessed 2011!
I love you new old or old decorations(?) I've been decorating with white, silver blues and pale pinks for years, and a few years ago I went to a garage sale which was professionally staged, or so it seemed; Any way I feel in love with the red and green 60's Christmas decor. I bought the whole lot, then hit the flea market or two on the way home found so much more, spaghetti Santa's, Angel's Choir children even a few more mica houses!, before I knew it I was six years old again! so fun! I still have my silver, blues and pale pinks and mix in what works and one day I'll use them again, but for now reliving my childhood is refreshing! Merry Christmas everyone!! Bunny
Such gorgeous pictures... love your decorations, and the star dressed up with the lace, so pretty! I just love the colors your using for Christmas!!! Hope you have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!
Daphne
just beautiful...love the cotton (?)stockings hanging by clothes pins - I might have to sew some up and the mercurey glass stars are perfect!
What a view! Lovely shop and window displays!
Lieve groet, Madelief
Oh these Christmas beauties are just wonderful, I love each & everyone one.
Enjoy the snow & Merry Christmas to you Rachel.
Love
Alison
x
Rachel, I'm a native Texan living in Austin and I just heard the wonderful news a few hours ago! Welcome to my world, and I would love to show you around Austin's funky places if you want. And I can't wait to stay at your new place in Round Top. Welcome, y'all!
Beautiful, beautiful snow! Hoping to get to Santa Monica store next weekend for the great stockings you have pictured. Did i miss Christmas on Montana? Let's hope i can find street parking!
Family and friends miss the Malibu store, perhaps some day the "couture" will appear magically! Thank you for all your inspirations!
Happy Christmas!
Happy Holidays to you!
Loving a simpler Christmas in my home this year with just the right amount of sparkle. Waiting for our first flakes to fall to tie it all together!
Rachel I am with you,,I would rather have soft pinks and whites over greens and red anyday,,I really love the stocking,,and those broches are to die for..I am glad to hear you are keeping busy and opening another store..
Well enjoy your winter wonderland and if you see Tinkerbell tell her hi for me..Merry Christmas...
May you have the loveliest holidays!!! Your shop is breathtaking!!! Loved your photo all bundled up!!!
What a charming post ! I love your stockings and all your décorations for christmas ! I've heard about your new charming place in Texas, it's so great,I'm very happy for you !
Have a wonderfull christmas !
hasn't it been magical? Ours is finally melting now, but it's been a truly magical week of beauty.
Our Christmas is a Christmas of pale pinks, blues and silver. I've outgrown the red and gold of old!
safe travels to you
Sadie x
Love the store and all the pretties Rachel.
Have a wonderful time & enjoy the snow..playing in the store...oh what fun!
Happy Holidays!
La Maison Fou
L.
Love the large, simple fabric stockings! The typical red and green for Christmas doesn't suit my color scheme very well, and I actually am eager each year to get things back to rights after Christmas. (I haven't purchased new Christmas decorations because all the ones from years gone past hold special meaning, so I just accept the mix of colors and let it go at that.) Bess
~*~*Absolutely beautiful and dreamy Rachel~*~*Hugs,Rachel P.
*French Farmhouse 425*
Oh Rachel how WONDERFUL....Here in Oz we'll be SWELTERING but one day....One day I'll experience a WHITE Christmas....!
THANK YOU for sharing these LOVELY pics & as always, your thoughts....!
Cheers for now from the worlds LARGEST island,
Tamarah :o)
PS: The word verification for this comment was BURST....Appropro I thought as EVERY time I pop in & find a NEW post I fairly BURST with joy.... :o) !!!
oh my goodness - completely gorgeous!!! xx
As always... so adorable! Thank you for sharing your wonderful gift of creating surroundings that are both comfortable and very lovely.
Christmas Blessings,
deborah
{thewhitechair}
Your store looks wonderful, and I love the picture of you bundled up & surrounded by snow! Diane
Rachel, I just wanted to take this opportunity to thank you. I have been an admirer of your work for quite some time. Many years actually. I have your sofas and big squishy chairs in my home. Along with your bedding in all of my girls rooms. My 11 year old daughter has had the same bedding in her room since birth. How is that for lasting beauty and wear...You never cease to stop inspiring me professionally and personally. I love your stores and visit often. The staff you have in S. Monica currently, are the best yet! On a personal level. Having recently gone through a divorce and starting my own company in todays economic climate. Your challenges of the past years that you have shared so openly, show that you are truly an amazing woman. The fact that you do and speak from the heart is refreshing! I haven't gotten to meet you personally and I look forward to the day that I do. Now my girls and I are going to get inspired by your holiday decorations!! Have a great Holiday season!!
Isn't it amazing Rachel, how a dusting of snow makes everything so picture perfect. I suppose that's why we like to use glitter - reminds us of that pretty snow effect - like on your "future heirloom" baubles.
Beautiful post
Sharon
My French Country Home
Hi Rachel,
Love seeing you got to spend time with family and friends, one thing I have alway's wished for is a white Christmas and have blankets of snow around me, but no such luck here in Melbourne, Australia hot and sticky...you truely look beautiful in your long white fur coat...amazing photo to treasure...your new Christmas treasures that you have brought out are gorgeous as away's, thank you yet again for a wonderful post.
"Merry Shabby Christmas Rachel"
XXX
Kirstie.
I love your collection! I miss your store here in Austin! I would be bagging up those hand written signs and wrapping em up for the holiday!
How lovely! One of my dear friends called me on my cell today whilst I was running my little shop and said, "Where are you?" "Can you close up your shop and go Christmas tree-hunting with me out in the woods? It should only take 20 minutes." 3 hours later...I was back to the shop, minus 2 trees. We have to head out again tomorrow and search a different forest!
Happy decorating!
: )
Julie M.
I enjoyed this so much! It was so inspirational a unique for me to see! Thank you again for thinking of me. Lulu
Beautiful photos! When is the Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic holidays book coming out?
Rachel,
Again, I follow your lovely colors for my holiday tree and decorations as well. How wonderful the snow fall in london is... sooo beautiful! I miss the snow..
Your faithful #1 fan in San Diego!
Susan D.
I loved this post - all the silver and muted shades. I think that the thing I like the best about your style is "less is more" - it's never too busy and has a lovely calming effect and doesn't seem to be "decorated" and overly thought out. Merry Christmas and thanks for your posts which are always authentic and interesting.
I particularly love the words and photos of this post. Thank you, Rachel. Coming here calms me.
It's over 80 degrees in SoCal today, with Santa Ana winds blowing. The cut trees brought in to the Christmas tree lots are having to be watered down. I was out after dark in shorts and a tank top. I know we should be grateful, because the midwest has been buried in snow. But, I'm with you, Christmas in the dry and the heat is out of sync. I long for the Hallmark moments, with sleds and snow.
Standing there in your snowy white coat in the snowy white landscape was a little bit of magic from a world I can't fathom!
Just had one more thing to say: I second the motion for a Rachel Ashwell Christmas book as was suggested by another blogger here! It would be lush; gorgeous. I miss the array of Simply Shabby Chic Christmas items in Target, as was available in previous years (snow globes, decorated gift boxes, ornaments, stockings, garlands, tree toppers, etc.). All was lovely pink and blue and white sparkles, and I treasure what I do have of it. One sees so many books out at Christmas by some of the celeb chefs or Martha Stewart and her handcrafted ideas. A Rachel Ashwell book would be a welcome addition. It would be a wonderful style/photo book along the lines of the other Rachel Ashwell books...focusing perhaps more on decorating than gift-giving...but this could be solely for the Nov-Jan holidays (not just Christmas, of course...lovely blues make me think of Hanukkah...and there's always the New Year celebrations around the world). In any place or time, Shabby Chic holidays are feasts for the eyes and soul!
it all looks very gorgeous!!
I LOVE the beautifully creative ways you filled the glass ornaments. I have two boxes that I have been wondering how to fill. Now I know! Thanks!
Always having a white Christmas it is difficult to imagine anything else. LOVE Shabby Chic, thank you for sharing. Wishing you and your family an extra special Christmas!
Lisa xo
Soy una gran fan y admiradora de aquel y del trabajo que realiza.Me encantan sus libros y aunque en españa no se publican yo he conseguido tenerlos todos !!!
en entos momentos estoy decorando mi casa ya que me voy a casar y le agradezco a Raquel al inspiracion que me ha proporcionado para poder tener no una casa sino un hogar!!
Feliz navidad!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so glad I found your blog it is very inspiring.I love all your photos and all the pretty colours :)
So when are we getting a holiday book from you?!
xoxo
Bisous,
Sandy @ My Shabby Streamside Studio
http://myshabbystreamsidestudio.blogspot.com/
♥
What a magical Christmas you have created. I have some "Simply Shabby Chic" Christmas Stockings from previous years that are hanging up this year for our simple Vintage Christmas decor theme.
I love the idea of filling clear balls with bits and bobs of Vintage Materials that evoke a memory of something. I'm a fabric Artist and I always look for ways to utilize every last scrap of the Antique and Vintage fabrics and trims I use for my creations... I believe I will borrow this idea for the tiniest of scraps of it all for next year's Tree!
Christmas Blessings... Dawn... The Bohemian
What a magically romantic Christmas wonderand, Rachel! It's all so beautiful! Snow... what a perfect present for Christmas! I don't think I'll be getting any of that here in Central California... hehe!
Wishing you a very merry Christmas and happy New Year!
~ Jo :)
p.s. Lulu's pictures look so beautiful! :)
the best Christmas colors EVER!!!
Im so glad to have found you,I didnt know that it was you who invented such a fabulous look until I was surfing about today looking for just the sort of things you sell and have just spent the last hour reading all about you. Well done on bouncing back and I look forward to parting with many pennies in your store. x
It's all so gorgeous!
Just so beautiful. I love the idea of filling baubles with treasures. I also cant wait to visit London so I can visit your new store. I probably wont want to leave. Merry Xmas! Fiona
Even your blog has left me feeling happier....what a lovely place to visit. Stay true to yourself as I have loved sharing your special world through your books and beautiful finds over the years. Happy Holidays to you and yours....Jules, CA
So lovely! What could be better than a snowy-white London at Christmas?
Enjoy! Merry Christmas!
may your day be filled with all the beauty you sprinkle on us!!! loveliest of thoughts
. . . for it is good to be children sometimes, and never better than at Christmas, when its mighty Founder was a child himself.
- Charles Dickens
A Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Rain
Absolutely LOVE the handmade Christmas decorations...the bamboo stake star and the clear baubles with vintage fabric inside particularly...lovely..maybe next year I'll do a 'victorian' themed tree!!...thats what it made me think of!
jessie, nelson, nz
How wonderful that you selected Texas for the location of your "special events" venue. I look forward to checking it out on one of my trips to my home state.
As usual, everything is perfectly imperfect, cozy, a feast for the creative senses.
I cannot wait for the next book!
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
Thank you, that was extremely valuable.
hooray, your writings on theater and writing much missed!
Everything is so tantalizing and elegant! Gorgeous chairs on the cover of the new book. Fabulous! (As usual!)
I am most definitely using some inspiration from this blog and the overall style in my room transformation which can be followed at www.jessicawrasman.blogspot.com.
I like the store and all the pretties Rachel. Such a wonderful time & enjoy the snow.
Ithink your christmas is lovely with the constant pinks and blues and subtle fabrics....reminds me of true country christmases, Have a wonderful Christmas,
ciao
linda
Lovely photos!! I like it..
Melbourne Christmas is nowhere that beautiful! I miss those white snows on my window sill in Edinburgh! You make me so jealous thinking about that English countryside. Love, love, love.
I am the biggest fan of your shabby style. Nice socks...
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