While I appreciate each and every season, summers abundant flowers makes for daily gifts.
I love gathering vines and wildflowers from my own garden or sometimes local alley ways. Tall branches and trailing stems so easily create beautiful drama.
In one short month my roses have gone from frail closed buds to new plump petals. In my last blog I asked who had experienced sickly roses, and many thoughts were shared. A combination of suggestions, along with daily words of encouragement from me, have fairly quickly given new life to many of my roses. (thank you to all who gave guidance).
There are so many simple ways to present floral displays. I'm an instant gratification arts and crafts person. All these ideas are easy little projects that create big statements.
My feeling is Wisteria should be excused for such short blooming moments. Its as though it needs lots of prep time to create its abundant beauty. Weeping viney branches dropping a carpet of petals is worth the wait and the fleeting explosion of color.
Just down the road from The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell is the most profoundly peaceful and happy graveyard.
While fresh flowers are I believe one of gods greatest gifts. Their beauty and fragrance is magic at its best. And the endless interpretations are forever for us to enjoy.
I always dreamed of having a little floral named girl.....and my daughter Lily was that dream come true.....
Faith is like a lily, lifted high and white, PERFECT!!!!!!!!
And then the latest added inspiration in the world of Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture™ is a faded little big chair.
Floral inspiration fuel forever florals.
Follow my journeys and inspirations on twitter.
Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture™ online store NOW OPEN.
I love how you did your blog over! So pretty~I also love that chair in the linen floral. I am glad to see the roses on the rebound. I had to cut mine back yesterday...
ReplyDeleteIt's seems funny to say but that graveyard is beautiful. All graveyards should be that pretty.
ReplyDeleteYour new blog look is fabulous!
Would you please tell us what you did to your roses to make them happy again?
ReplyDeletelovely..ALL of it! especially your "Lily."
ReplyDeleteMy Mom was from Texas, and she always talked about her favorite flowers being the Texas bluebonnets! I've visited Texas only has a child, and would love to go back and learn more about my Mom's Texas roots. Both of my grandparents had passed away before I was born, but I've seen pictures of the cemetery where they were buried. Makes me wonder if it is the same as the one in your picture.
ReplyDeleteTake care, Sue
My beautiful daughter turned 24 today, she is as lovely as a rose too....
ReplyDelete~Beautiful~ Im off to visit your new site now! xo Rachel
ReplyDeleteEverything seems so nice and gorgeous! I love them!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful little chair. So perfect for my master bedroom. I'm visiting your couture site. Thanks for all the lovely inspiration and ideas.
ReplyDeleteI love summer and flowers in bloom! Happy birthday to sweet Lily! Everything looks so wonderful! Feels good to get back to work again. I miss everyone. Can't wait for you to meet my little Luke. Big hugs lulu
ReplyDeleteSo pretty Rachel! I have a wisteria that doesn't loose it's leaves and it's dark purple!!
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me to pick more.
Happy Birthday to Lily!!! They grow up soooo fast.
Happy Birthday to your daughter Lily, she is just as beautiful as her Mom!
ReplyDeleteAll quite LOVELY!!! Especially that cake...so divine!!! ;) BTW, I heart your Shabby Chic Store in Santa Monica...I'm lucky enough to have lived in West LA so that your store was always just a hop, skip & a jump away!!! ;)
ReplyDeleteXOXO's
Jessie
I always love your posts! I read your blog and feel so much more relaxed. I feel the love you have for Lilly, it just jumps off the page at me! Thank you for your beautiful posts!
ReplyDeleteHappy BIrthday dear Lilly! That cake was so pretty. Rachel, I love your blog and all your pretty posts. They make me smile!
ReplyDeleteWhat a pretty blog! Glad your roses are better they look lovely!! And the graveyard.... was just beautiful! Hopefully we will see it when we go to The Praire to stay next Friday!!!! (Can't wait)
ReplyDeleteAfter The Praire we are flying over to LA to do a lot of shopping especially in Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic Couture Santa Monica Store!!!
And of course relaxing on the beach and by the pool!!!
Love the cake with roses and berries! :)
Also the chair in the linen floral would look lovely in my main bedroom.
Lovely blog as always!!
We can't wait for next week!!
Love
Mandy & Belle xx
Yes, the blog is so great, so easy to navigate and full of beauty to take in!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the Birthday with that sweet girl! I am a mom of all boys...so no Lily for me! (until they marry!)
All your photos are so beautiful! I look forward to seeing them and use them as inspiration. I especially like the wisteria flowers...lovely!
ReplyDeleteLovely post as always! Your ability to find beauty in every corner of wherever you might find yourself in (whether in an alley way or a cemetery) is inspiring and contageous. It makes navigating everyday through this thing called life so much better. For me it's been healing really... a surviving mechanism of sorts to darker days that have long ago been left behind. Cure depression with beauty and flowers...who knew!!! For this I will always be grateful to you Rachel.
ReplyDeleteLove ya'
Ray
God i love those paintings... and your words and photos bring me back to what's beautiful and simple and lovely and real.
ReplyDeleteCindy
flowers everywhere!like it very much!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful post! So many gorgeous images! I loved it. We have wisteria in our yard and I totally agree with what you said about its short bloom. Ours is blooming right now and we just adore it! I also loved what you said about your daughter Lily! My daughter, Grace is a true gift and is such an inspiration. Keep posting your magical ideas and thank you for sharing. xo.
ReplyDeleteWhat whimsical look for a graveyard. I was so excited to look around your blog. I am a big fan. I have just about worn out my copy of your books I have. Cheers
ReplyDeleteGreetings from Laguna Beach !
ReplyDeleteJust popping in to say thank you for all the creative inspiration and
Happy Summer !
You left off the apostrophe...
ReplyDeleteYour first sentence should read :
".... summer's flowers...."
Those Texas blue bonnets are a wondrous thing. Reminds me of blue lupine on SoCal meadows and hills in Spring. But the scattering of little blue bonnets are gentler somehow. I've never seen anything quite like that; thanks for putting up a photo of them.
ReplyDeleteI feel strongly about it & love learning more on this topic....
ReplyDeleteI have a Lily niece!!
ReplyDeleteSuch beauty has no bounds when your hands go to work! Love that simple roses make such a garden statement here, the graveyard was a move in featuring, its a peaceful beauty!
Thank you Rachel for the beauty you place on our hearts!
xoxo
Dore
PS....Come by and see the post I did before this one, It is a mini Opera Theatre I have created! :)
xx
~Cheers to your week.
Dear Rachel,
ReplyDeleteI love your work and Shabby, you're a great role model and inspiration to us all!
I have your books, are great!
I send you warm greetings from Croatian, kisses:)
Zondra Art
Hi Rachel, thanks for "Summer Blooms and Forever Florals" - I'm in the depths of winter in Australia and it really gave me hope for the promise of our summer to come. I can't wait for my pink roses.
ReplyDeleteBest wishes from a friend you've never met.
love your blog...the look is fabulous!!
ReplyDeleteDear Rachel, I love the look of your new blog. I'll have to return this afternoon to enjoy a proper browse through its beauty. Happy belated birthday to your lovely Lily. I too, dreamed of a floral-girl and I have my Daisy. I love all the old floral names. xx
ReplyDeleteI hope Lily's special day was wonderful. What a lovely post, Rachel, and your new little slipper chair is too, too cute!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful blog and beautiful pics! I love it!
ReplyDelete