Shop-The Hunt

One of the four chairs I am redoing to resemble the Shabby Chic "Darcy" chair

It has been awhile since I have posted and that is of course because of the holidays and all the cooking, cleaning, decorating and shopping that go along with it. However, I couldn't resist posting my most recent treasures.
A quick background on the hunt that led to the purchase of my four new dining room chairs. I have long been a fan of Rachel Ashwell & Shabby Chic. In one of her earlier books, she had shown several fabulous chairs she had found and restored. Later, this chair would be recreated and named "Darcy". A beautiful French design, cane dining chair with simple cushions covered with a ruffled cushion cover. Available in either a oyster shell gray or oatmeal. The $400+ price tag was a hurdle I was determined to overcome, especially after seeing six chairs in a friends house recently *sigh*
Well, last week, after 8 hours of hunting and walking a local antique market, I came across my four chairs, that were in a similar style to the "Darcy". $125 dollars later, all four were squished into the back of my vehicle and on their way home with me. The cushions are a little worse for wear but the chairs are in solid, excellent condition. Nothing a good scrub and can of paint can't fix. I have since made plans to recover the cushions and have found a friend who can sew the ruffled cushion covers for me. For now, I glance lovingly at my new project and look forward to finishing them to resemble their not so distant cousin, "Darcy". My dream dining chairs, finally acquired and that much sweeter, knowing after a long hunt, I found them in true flea market fashion & price.
Don't give up my friends, there are still many treasures to find out there...

Quote for Today

"...the most dangerous tendency in the world is the desire to believe a rumor rather than to pin down a fact." -John Steinbeck

Quote for Today

"Most of the trouble in this world has been caused by folks who can't mind their own business, because they have no business of their own to mind, any more than a smallpox virus has."

-William S. Burroughs

Shabby Chic with Rachel Ashwell

A picture with my decorating/lifestyle idol, Rachel Ashwell

Yesterday, I drove down to the Vero Beach Book Center, with my mum, for a book signing with Rachel Ashwell. For those of you that don't know, Rachel Ashwell is the founder of Shabby Chic, an interior design and lifestyle revolving around flea markets and English cottage living. Best known for over stuffed, white denim slip covered sofas and pale pastel accessories, Rachel has produced six books, a television series and affordable version of her line, Simply Shabby Chic at Target. More recently in the news, her company was forced to shut the doors of all the stores and file bankruptcy, much to the dismay of fans everywhere. Lucky for us, Rachel has recently re-opened two of the stores (with a third planned for London) in Santa Monica, CA and New York city under the name of Shabby Chic Couture. According to Rachel, the new stores will focus more on the art of Shabby Chic and less on the commercial. In other words, back to the roots of what made Shabby Chic what it is. The one of a kind, flea market find or a table, hand crafted by artisans. And, yes, there will still be those wonderful sofa's.
The book signing was very informal and relaxed. Rachel talked about her latest book "Shabby Chic Interiors" and the collapse and rebuilding of her company and brand. She took questions from the eager, enthusiastic audience, made up of fans and fellow antique/flea market aficionados. Rachel took time afterwards to talk to all of her guests and posed for pictures willingly. I think tea and biscuits were the only thing missing from the afternoon, which was truly an enjoyable affair.
I have been a devoted fan of Shabby Chic since my aunt took me into the old New York shop location and I sat on a beautiful, over stuffed sofa. Having grown up in a family where flea marketing was a weekend ritual, I could appreciate a design based on making somebody else's discarded items your new treasures. Of course, when I was growing up, I didn't dare say that most of our things came from flea markets. The 80's were all about new, shiny, plastic goods and we were still over two decades away from the reclaim, reuse and recycle movement going mainstream. Shabby Chic, in my eyes, would later be the marriage of yuppie meets hippie, less is more style of today.
Years ago, as a newlywed, Shabby Chic was about the only design that fit my budget. But, by then, I was hooked. The English side of my upbringing craved the dusty treasures full of story and history. I later loved that all of my furniture had a storied past, painstakingly collected and restored. Every ding, knick or mark my things have acquired over the years, from moves or at the little hands of my son, have only increased their beauty. My bed, with all of the feathers, pillows, blankets and duvets has earned the nickname "The Marshmallow" and is a favorite spot for the family to cuddle and watch movies. My home life feels a little more elegant and richer, eating on floral printed china, using cut crystal glassware and having chandeliers twinkling everyday and not just on special occasions. Little touches that make my house a home, and inviting enough for even the sternest guest to feel comfortable falling asleep on my couch. Rachel's "Shabby" ideal melded seamlessly with my flea market upbringing and only further encouraged my creativity.
As the Shabby Chic brand continues it's rebirth and growth, changing ever so subtly as it has matured over the past twenty years, I look forward to continuing my own Shabby Chic quests. Working for Rachel's company would be a dream come true, as I can't imagine a job I am better suited for and more devoted to. Through the good and the bad, the ups and the downs; there is no place like home. Thank you, Rachel Ashwell for your continued inspiration.

For more information and links to Rachel's Blog: www.shabbychic.com

Shop- Part Deux

My post below about the beautiful champagne gift set from Piper-Heidseick and Christian Louboutin really got me thinking last night as I read about the Official Launch of Le Rituel on facebook and twitter.
Drinking champagne out of a crystal stiletto and not just any stiletto, the coveted, red soled Louboutin. Talk about glorious excess! You can practically hear Edith Piaf singing some classic French song in the background, as I imagine sweeping around my home, slipper of bubbly in hand... Of course, the $500.00 price tag is a little harder to swallow, especially in the current economic climate when many families, like my own, are tightening their belts and going without a lot of those little extras we grew accustomed to in previous years. Sometimes, it is hard to remind ones self that things are tight when you are still using the expensive jar of La Mer that was purchased when the going was still good. Becoming a single mom and then starting a new, young relationship came with it's own price tag and sacrifice. But as I looked, read and drooled over the picture below, I found that it represented a lot more to me than just another extravagance. It reminded me of being a child before a birthday or Christmas, when no gift on your wish list seems out of reach. The naive bliss that if you wish just hard enough, that perfect present may very well appear. Wanting something not out of necessity or practicality, but simply because it is very pretty.
Now as I sit, balancing bank statements and paying off debt, I can't help but feel a little silly for wanting something for myself that will serve no purpose in my day to day life as a housewife and mom, except maybe to make me tipsy midweek, celebrating nothing in particular. Make me forget, for just a couple of hours, the many simple pleasures in my life, replaced by fantasy, whimsy and yes, probably Edith Piaf playing loudly.
Dreaming is a beautiful thing, pushing us through those harder days with the small promise of rewards, big or small. The luxury of that reward could be a bubble bath in candle light, listening to romantic jazz or drinking very nice champagne from a glass slipper like a modern day Cinderella. Most likely it will be the bubble bath, but it is still so nice to dream. I remember reading somewhere a quote that said "Anyone who lives within their means, lacks imagination." Hmmm, my imagination will be running rampant as I picture the Le Rituel set in my display case, but I will stay within my means, for now. I guess, after all, it is the thought that really does count.

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Drool Worthy Champagne & Flute Gift Set

PIPER-HEIDSIECK LE RITUEL BY CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN - OFFICIAL LAUNCH

Time:8:00AM Monday, October 19th

Location:VERY LIMITED QUANTITY AVAILABLE IN THE US

Quote of the Day

“Now and then it's good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy.”

Guillaume Apollinaire

Quote of the Day

Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.

Ernest Hemingway
US author & journalist (1899 - 1961)

Life after death-why don't we know what we've got till it's gone?

Death is a reality of life. Whether by natural causes or sudden tragic loss, it has touched all of us at one time or another. Over the past couple of months, the news has been filled with celebrity deaths and their aftermaths. Who didn't read about Heath Ledger winning the Oscar for one of his final performances as the Joker in "The Dark Knight"? Twitter went "Dirty Dancing" crazy after Patrick Swayze lost his battle to cancer. Farrah Fawcett, DJ AM, Billy Mays, my grandmother...The list goes on and on. However, the one that really got me thinking, was Michael Jackson.
In short, I grew up with Michael's music and videos. "Thriller" was one of my earliest albums. Over the years I shared the public's curiousity, as his behaivor became more and more eccentric. The ever lightening skin, kids in Halloween masks year round, dangling a baby called Blanket(?) over a balcony. People were less inclined to talk about his talent or latest album, as they were his crazy behaivor and that isn't even including the circus surrounding allegations of child molestation. In the recent months, I had heard mention of a comeback tour but other than that, Michael Jackson felt irrelevant in today's culture, unless it was the punchline to a joke. Then, he died.
Suddenly, everyone was a huge Michael Jackson fan. They rushed to buy his music and do the moonwalk for reporters. They signed giant memorial posters outside Staples Center and used their mortgage payments to buy tickets to his memorial. They professed their support of his innocence, "He was like Peter Pan!" Friends and family touched on the same theme, if only Michael could see how loved he was or how many lives he touched. Who didn't cry when his daughter talked not about the King of Pop but simply, Daddy? Is it true to say, we don't know what we've got until it is gone?
Vincent Van Gogh's talent as an artist was never realized in his lifetime. Mozart died a pauper despite the fact that even today his music can be heard everywhere from lavish weddings to expensive restaurants. And what about those everyday people in our lives? Grandparents who bake amazing cakes, co-workers with natural talent, friends who struggle day to day? How many live their entire lives feeling unappreciated or have talents that we never took the time to recognize? Only after death, do we create living memorials, admire talent and sometimes say all those things we should have told that person. Death and grief is fast becoming a popular fan club to join and for some a lucrative business opportunity. Rewriting personal history to suit our own needs.
I am in full support of making sure that we don't forget those who pass on before us, whether they are a pop culture icon or that nice guy who lived next door. But, perhaps the lesson we are missing is this; Instead of idolizing the dead, why don't we celebrate the living? Regret and "what if's" are probably the worst part of grief, next to the "I wish they could see all of this love and admiration." My mum always use to tell me "Make sure to always say "I love you" before going out and never go to sleep angry with a loved one." Compliment someone, even if it is on something small or pick up the phone and call that relative just to say hi. Many families found some measure of comfort after 9/11 because they were able to have that last phone call or message of love on an answering machine.
In the end, all we have are the memories we make in life. Michael Jackson never moved out of the dark shadows of scrutiny, even after being aquitted, but his children will see theaters pack when his last concert is released and a new generation hum his songs. Patrick Swayze spent his final months working on his memoirs with his beloved wife, who I am sure loved the tribute to him on "Dancing with the Stars." And I know of a few "secret" family recipes that will continue to be passed down in my own family. Treasure those around you today because it shouldn't take death to realize the worth of someones life.

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As a fan of all things "Breakfast at Tiffany's", I can't believe I didn't find or hear about this sooner. The China Glaze shade is called "For Audrey" I have 2 bottles on the way from ebay! Reminds me of a shade I wore many years ago on a trip to the UK.

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you're getting fat and maybe it's been raining too long, you're just sad that's all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you're afraid and you don't know what you're afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?

Just a thought...

Literature is strewn with the wreckage of those who have minded beyond reason the opinion of others.
Virginia Woolf

Quote for Today

When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.

Helen Keller

Shop, Live, Love - Kindle application for iPhone

I love to read books. I think since I learned how to read, I have devoured more than I could even count. Many nights of my childhood were spent under the covers with a flashlight, till all hours, as I rushed to find out what happened next in a story. The more books I read, the faster my ability to consume them. My dad would laugh at me and say, "Finished all ready?" as I begged to go back to the store and blow my allowance on more. Laura Ingalls, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, Sweet Valley High.
As I got older, my selections moved from paperbacks to the exciting new release, hardback book. Stephen King, Jean Auel, Anne Rice, Jackie Collins. I watched the "Coming Soon" list in the mall bookstores like a hawk. My favorite Christmas present when I was 14 was the new Jean Auel book, "Plains of Passage", in hardback. I think I finished it well before New Years Eve. Of course, it was around this time I learned the disappointment of spending so much money on a brand new book, only to finish it in a matter of hours. Don't even get me started on the price of college text books and required reading lists. I began signing up for bookstore membership and rewards programs to help offset some of the cost. I organized my must read list, begrudgingly putting some of the books off until they were released in paperback. I found friends with common reading interests and we swapped books, saving more money in our little reading community. In the end, there was nothing quite like curling up with a new book. Sometimes for sheer pleasure on a rainy day with a cup of tea and sometimes late at night, as a welcome distraction from stress and grief. (Harry Potter and friends kept me company in the weeks following my husband death.) Books were more than just words and stories in binding. They were friends, companions and guides to far off places. Of course there was the other downside besides price point. Books take up a lot of space and when you move as many times as I do, well, lets just say, they are not easy to cart around the world.
I remember when the idea of electronic or E-books started popping up on the Internet. It reminded me of the library or second hand bookstore. Limited selection and rarely new releases. I couldn't possibly imagine staring at a screen for long periods of time, being chained to my computer. Soon, came the portable reading devices and the Kindle. Now I have to admit, I love gadgets! I was always scooping up the latest cell phone (I had to get the first cell phone with a camera!) or iPod (music at my finger tips!) I relished audiobooks stored on my iPod for long road trips, replacing expensive and sizable books on CD. The release of the iPhone was met with huge excitement. Cell phone, camera, iPod, Internet in the palm of my hand! I was giddy with every new update and new application that made my life easier and more organized.
But, back to books. I began to face the price dilemma again. Money was tight and suddenly, buying new release hardbacks that I would read before the charge was even posted to my account seemed like a luxury I would have to put off. Even with my Barnes & Noble membership and coupon of the week, I was having a hard time justifying my addiction to reading. One afternoon, I was "window shopping" on Amazon, checking on the books that were "Coming Soon" and there it was, right under the list price. Kindle edition. I had read about the Kindle but didn't really know the details. A version of the book 1/3 of the price? A $26.00 new release for $9.99? I had to know more. Then, I saw the price of the kindle. Hmmm, could I offset the price by reasoning how much I would save on books? Did I really want another gadget to cart around and remember to charge? I began searching for answers and then I found it. There was a Kindle application for iPhone and better yet, it was a free application. There had to be a catch.
I downloaded the application and purchased my first ebook, "Twenties Girl" by Sophie Kinsella, guilty pleasure reading. I wondered, would it eat up my iPhone battery or take up too much memory? Would staring at the screen drive my eyes insane? You can imagine my excitement when it didn't do any of the above mentioned. It was easy, convenient and I could read anywhere! I always have my phone with me, thus I had my new book with me too. I read in the car line to pick my son up from school, in the kitchen while the oven preheated, in bed, in the dark while my fiance slept soundly next to me. It kept track of what page I was on (no more dog ears and bookmarks) and fit in my pocket. Best of all, I had saved enough money on that book to purchase another one, "The Last Symbol" by Dan Brown, released today. I can't stop raving about this. I am a dedicated iPhone fan (I still have my original 1st generation) and this only reaffirmed my affection for my favorite gadget! I almost felt guilty as I watched my best friend loading her carry-on with books and magazines for a long flight, knowing that I could do the same thing and not break my back or the bank. I would have to say that even if I didn't have an iPhone or iTouch, I would most likely have purchased a Kindle. The savings on new and popular titles is better than any rewards or membership program the bookstores have offered me. Now I can buy everything from the latest fictional novel to self help book to chick lit and not feel guilty when I finish it in record time (I read the complete Twilight series in a weekend). I love reading. I love books. I look forward to less dusty, cluttered bookshelves and thumbs black with printer ink. Off to start my new book.
♥♥♥♥♥ Five Hearts to the Kindle Application

Please excuse the dust and cobwebs

I am dusting off my blogging keyboard and trying to organize my thoughts and such. I have an idea on what I want this blog to be about. I am an old fashioned girl with a modern twist, if that makes any sense. I love making my house a home and all the domestic duties involved. I love to shop and find killer deals on everything from housewares to clothes. Food. Eating, cooking, dining in, taking out. Just a few of the things I will share over time. However, right now is the first Sunday of the NFL regular season and my eyes keep wandering to the television to catch up on the game and scores. I happen to LOVE football! So, I am going to leave it here right now. The Seahawks game starts in an hour. I love this time of year!