Today I had the great opportunity to attend a luncheon at Rachel Ashwell’s new store and B&B, The Prairie by Rachel Ashwell.  BIG thanks to Kelly Copeland from The Hidden List for hosting the lunch which was catered by the ALWAYS delicious Royer’s Round Top Cafe {Shrimp BLT & Chocolate Chip Pie was to die for}.  After lunch we got to visit with Rachel Ashwell and have a personal tour of her store and Bed & Breakfast.

Rachel purchased the property about a year ago and has transformed it into a Shabby Chic mecca with Texas charm and vintage style that is trademark Shabby Chic ~ white cottons, florals and distressed textures.

We had lunch here, in the Ranger’s Lounge & Common Area. Did I mention that we had Royer’s Round Top Cafe for lunch?? Holey sugar high & happy happy palette dance…

Even the bathroom is pretty as a picture… I loved the juxtaposition of feminine wallpaper, rustic metal & masculine barn wood.

sooooo much more after the BREAK >>>

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Here in Weston MO {the little town of 1600 that we call home} I have met some of the most creative and beautifully talented people you’ll ever know.  If you have visited the design stores & boutiques that line our Main Street then this will come as no surprise to you. 

One of the very best design stores in Weston, MO is the endeavor of my dear friends Kate Parsons and Christy Shafer who own Locust Grove Antiques & Interiors… lucky for Texas, Locust Grove set up shop this past week at Round Top Antique Week.  Take a peek…

Locust Grove’s aesthetic is a unique mixture of quality merchandise with a heavy dose of antiques and art from around the world.  Their tag line is that Locust Grove will fulfill your inner… “Cowgirl, Martha, French Coquette, Safari Queen AND Dali Lama”.  It has certainly fulfilled many of my decorating needs, both in my own home and also in the homes of decorating clients.

While Kate had been to Round Top Antique Week one time for a VERY quick shopping expedition, Christy had never visited, but in an effort to THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX about their business they took the leap, secured a space in Warrenton, rented a truck and headed South.  The result was a fresh perspective on their business and other ways to market themselves {including another trip to Round Top next spring!! y’all watch out, they’re on fire!!}. 

When it comes to your goals are you thinking OUTSIDE THE BOX??  Or just clinging on and hoping things turn around fast.  Think about a new way to promote, shift gears or just shake things up a bit.  Really, at this point, what’s it going to hurt??

Thank you, girls, for reminding me to THINK BIGGER.  Like Christy told me once, “just keep throwing shit at the wall. Eventually something will stick.”  Classic. xo,fancy

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Based in Whitefish, Montana, Carin Cross Designs is an interior design business that respects the exterior spaces of your home as well as the interiors.  Using natural light, soothing color palettes and warm textures, Carin creates calm spaces so that your home is ‘a place you want to be’.

In addition to a proessional membership to ASID and NCIDQ, Carin Cross is also a certified BTB Feng Shui Consultant.

Here is a glimpse at Carin’s Residential & Commercial portfolio…  You can take a full tour at CarinCrossDesign.com.

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