Shabby Chic

Last week I received an email invitation from Miles Talbott Furniture to "Meet Rachel Ashwell Shabby Chic®Brand Founder" on Saturday. Although I didn't have plans to attend the High Point Market, spur of the moment, I decided to drive up and attend. I am so glad I did.

Rachel was very charming and gracious. She spoke to each person and signed a complimentary copy of her new book Shabby Chic Inspirations and Beautiful Spaces for everyone that attended. Then spoke to the group about changing tastes, her collection and fabrics featured in the showroom, and her upcoming appearance on QVC where you can order a copy of the book.

Seeing the showroom set up, especially the not-for-sale accessories, was a treat for this fan. I have always loved Rachel's aesthetic, although mine skews much more French Provincial and Hollywood Regency, I do love the look. The furniture was very comfortable and the faded fabric selection tempting.

The wine, cupcakes, and hor d'oeuvres served were an added bonus. I had a great time. Sorry my one phone picture is not wonderful.

Perhaps my biggest bargain ever

In 1984, I joined the ZZ Top fan club as a Lifetime Member for $100.00. That was a lot of money then, about a week's take home pay for a at-the-time single mom. What you got for your one time payment of $100.00 was-

• Autographed 8x10 photograph by band
• Hand signed lithograph poster by ZZ Top and poster artist
• Newsletters
• Pewter Fan Club Pin
• Satin Tour Jacket w/ your name embroidered on the front (now wish I had ordered a larger size)
• Misc. Promo items- like stickers, postcards and holiday card
  and...
• 2 Tickets and 2 After Show Passes for EACH TOUR as long as ZZ Top is a performing band.

Through the years and management changes, some things like the newsletters and promo stuff have gone by the wayside.



We went and saw them last Thursday night in Charlotte. Great seats but no passes for this show. Great concert. We look forward to the next tour and seeing them again.



So glad I scraped it together to join.

This birdcage is taller than me, do you know what that means?

Yes, it came home with me. Soon to be painted white.

Big love for Valentine's Day

I received bunches of Valentine love this year from friends and family. Lots of cards which I love. An assortment of candy, bouquets of flowers, and other gifts including a yummy plate from my favorite Chinese restaurant my best friend surprised me with by delivering to me, at work, for lunch. My husband gave me a heart shaped box of Godiva chocolates, always one of my favorite gifts.

The hit of the day though was from my friend Bill. It was a tub of B&R ice cream, my favorite flavor Love Potion #31, which is only available in February. In past years, I have been given a quart from various people in my life that remember I try and eat all I can in February, but this year...I got this.

I call it big love.

Red High Heels

These days I no longer wear high heels (2 inches are my tops) and my shoes are bought more for comfort than style. But this red high heel tape dispenser must define who I am to friends and family. I received 4 of them along with 4 of these post-it purse shaped dispensers as Christmas gifts.

I took one of the purses to the coffee shop, because my girls there love some post-its and I hardly ever get them any (I have this thing where I want them writing in a notebook so we can go back to it).

The next week a couple of them go to our local office supply store for markers and see the purse and shoe. They bring me back the shoe tape dispenser, so proud that they had gotten me the perfect gift (of course not knowing I had received 4 of them already).

I think I'm flattered.

Keep or sell... birdcages

I have always had a fondness for big old birdcages and have had a handful come my way and always sold them. Then last year I got this one and decided to keep it (if only for a while...).

Perfect. Of course my plans for it holding a lush houseplant are thwarted by the fact that the door opening is about 4 inches wide, thus the 3 African violets looking very short until I can find something I like to replace them.

Then along comes this wonderful cage said to come from the Biltmore estate in Asheville when they did away with their aviary.

OK, kept the last one so nothing to do but take this one to the store. As a natural collector, what I have learned is it's best to not ever have one. But if I ever do have one I cannot have two, this I know about myself, because two always becomes more than two.

So it's good- two great birdcages one to keep and one to sell, until I see this one...

OMG, be still my beating heart... this one is chippy, shabby fabulous. Too much snow didn't make for a good picture, but take my word for it.

I should sell it, after all it's what I do, find fab stuff and sell it. But no, after a couple of weeks it still is at the house. And you know what's worse? Now I'm contemplating bring the Biltmore one home, too.

Can I Keep It?

When you buy and sell what you love, it can be hard to part with some things. It can be a struggle to not feel guilty when you find something fabulous that you feel you should sell, but keep instead. Sometimes I keep things for awhile and then sell them if I've moved on or found something else to replace it with. This swing is not one of those things. With me for 4 years now, I am thinking this summer I need to have her sandblasted and professionally painted. For now though, I enjoy all the shabby, chippy glory of her.