1. Find the cutest picture frame – paint the BACKSIDE of the glass with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (TM) Pure White or Old White and let dry. Of course, paint the frame too in any Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (TM) color you desire. Once glass is dry—
2. Reinsert glass into frame- but remember to place it with the painted side facing INWARD. (So unpainted side of glass is on the outside)
3. Then – use a Sharpie and voila! You are all set…write away!

What is awesome about this- is you can get frames that are small OR super big based whatever your needs are.

Great HELPFUL HINT.. Shop Salvation Army, Goodwill, or VOA’s for art work in frames with a glass top plate. Pick up pieces for cheap and convert to this idea!

* Makes a GREAT end of year Teacher’s gift!!!
* Leave one in the garage for a quick communication board for yours kids or hubby to communicate with each other. : )

Just another note…..use hand sanitizer, glass cleaner, clorox wipes ( whatever I have) to wipe the sharpie off. You can also use expo markers instead of sharpies but they smudge easier.

This is absolutely wonderful for using on your Annie Sloan Chalk Painted pieces! It makes them as smooth as glass! Paint them and let dry thoroughly. Then gently polish the piece with the high rated sandpaper. Your finish will be super incredible. I like to do this on the top of a dresser or a table, but not always the whole piece. Then wax or not wax – it is up to you! Personally, I like to wax. This is just one of the many tricks you can do with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint!

Now, if only I could get the jingle, “Get in the zone…Auto Zone” out of my head!

As I finally fell asleep on Monday night after a 6 hour drive home from meeting Annie Sloan in Boston (Oh yes I did! I met Annie and she is amazing!) However, with absolute no disrespect- first I need to share what was keeping me awake this time.

As I was laying in bed exhausted, but yet totally inspired and psyched…I was thinking & scheming, and here I am now making this BIG announcement regarding …. are you wondering what it is? (I am guessing probably not based on the title of my post, right!) Well, I am sure you guessed it right! Another …..Purple Painted Lady Barn Sale!

Date has yet to be confirmed – but it will most likely be a week or two after Labor Day. If you made it to The Purple Painted Lady Barn Sale last year and enjoyed it…..you are going to love this year even more. This sale is going to be even bigger and better!!!!! This will be a venue that you will not want to miss! I guarantee that! And if you paint furniture and buy your Annie Sloan Chalk Paint though me- get in touch if you would like to participate. Do I have a deal for you!!!!!! Stay tuned for details!

Ok- now here I am – saving the ABSOLUTE best for last. I met Annie Sloan in person! Yep–you know the name on every quart of paint that you love to use! That is who I was honored to spend the day with. The first time I saw Annie was on Friday night for a brief few minutes. I felt embarrassed because I was star struck when I saw her. Just like a groupie for The Beatles. Right there in front of me was Annie! THE Annie Sloan. The woman who created a product that I not only love, but has literally changed my life and the altered the path I was on.

What I adore most about Annie is her down to earth charm. Yes, she is brilliant! Yes, she created the one and only chalk paint over 20 years ago. Yes, she has written over 23 books. But the fact that this Rock Star in the design world is so sincerely gracious, kind and humble – well, it makes me adore her more and feel even more grateful to be part of her team….the Annie Sloan organization. I will post more about the Boston trip this week and share some of the highlights that Annie spoke about regarding her depth on colour combinations, direction and inspiration. But right now I would also like to write a bit about another fantastic woman who you may not know as much about. Her name is Lisa Rickert Jolie. It was Lisa who during her own home renovation/new build in Louisiana discovered Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and had it shipped here from England to use. She loved it so much that she approached Annie about distributing it in North America and well, the rest is history. To get an idea about how big this Annie Sloan Chalk Paint phenomenon is, just one year ago there were only about 10 US stockists and here we are a year later going on almost 200 stockist. The incredible growth regarding Annie Sloan Chalk Paint had NOTHING to do with savvy marketing! It has all been due to the amazing qualities the paint has and word of mouth (and pen) by those who use it and then love it. As for Lisa (who is a power house of a business woman in a peanut size body.) Lisa has a very young family and I can only imagine the difficulties trying to balance her need and desire to be a wife and a mom with the corporate side of all of this. She is always available to field a phone call from one of her many stockists and is involved whenever we need her. I know she has had to sacrifice family time the last couple of years to help all of us achieve what we have. When I attempted to thank her in Boston- I got very choked up and had a difficult time not crying. Because as a mom- nothing is more important than your children. But from the outside looking in- I would say she is doing an incredible job. I know how much we (all stockists) appreciate everything that she does for us and the Annie Sloan brand! So Lisa, if by the slim chance you see this post….thank you very much for all that you have done to help so many women (and men) in the USA be able to do something that they love. I have worked in many places but have never been in a position to say 100% across the board- how grateful I am to be included in something so amazing and big! And when it comes to Annie Sloan and her Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and the Annie Sloan Unfolded organization (Jolie Design) – this is REALLY BIG! Cheers to Annie & Lisa!!!!

Well, if you ever near my shop and have a moment – please stop in. I am always available to help you with design questions and of course- any questions you might have regarding Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I will try to contain my enthusiasm and passion regarding Annie Sloan Chalk Paint as so to not take up too much of your time. But if you want to talk shop….than I am your girl!

Thanks for reading!

This event on April 2nd will be filled with exciting activities and a must see for many Annie Sloan Chalk Paint enthusiasts, as well as those new customers who have never used these amazing products. It is a full 8-hour day of Annie Sloan. Annie is hosting 7 other workshops across the USA, but each event will be formatted the same way and will include 2-hour demonstration and history given by Annie Sloan, 4-hour hands on workshop covering Annie’s range of techniques, and a book signing/ social hour to conclude the day. There will be plenty of opportunities to meet Annie Sloan, your local Stockist (such as myself…The Purple Painted Lady), and others passionate about the range, versatility, and ease of use of this incredible Chalk Paint and Soft Wax. The Annie Sloan products have certainly changed the way Americans and Canadians think of painting furniture since its introduction in the States mid-2010. Click on the photo below to launch the registration site!

What To Do About Water Stains or Wood Grain Bleeding Through Paint? Just click on the image of the table and it will launch the blog. And until next week…. in the words of St. Francis of Assisi:

A woman who works with her hands
is a laborer.
A woman who works with her hands
and her head is a craftsperson.
A woman who works with her hands.
her head and her heart
is an artist.

Registration is required to reserve a spot. Since I don not require a deposit and will need to turn people away due to limited spots- I ask kindly…… that if there is a change in your plans after registering – please let me know as far in advance as possible.

COST: $30
DURATION: This workshop runs between an hour to 2 hours.

When you live in an old house out in the country it is easy to be “Rustic Chic.” I will be driving along – and right there on the side of the road is a rusty gear part that came from some old tractor. Yes- it is a rusty old gear, but to me- it is the funkiest candle holder I have ever seen that will look perfect on top of my outside dining table! It is already chippy and rusty and I didn’t have to make it look that way! SCORE! Rustic Chic is huge when it comes to design. I almost wrote “interior design” but it is MUCH more than that- especially with so many of us having outdoor spaces! Elle Decor wrote about this a long time ago! Check out the article and their original table scape. I am loving the contrast of the rich “library” space with the rustic farmhouse table – with the elite – white chairs!

www.elledecor.com/decorating/articles/peak-rustic-chic

Some of you who may have been able to make it to my Purple Painted Lady Barn Sale last September (2011) will remember one of the artists I brought to the venue ….Antler Art. They had wine racks all made with shed antlers, lamps (floor and table), and chandeliers and candle holders. Linda and her husband are the amazing artists behind their creations! If you check out the Elle article I linked above – note the deer sheds on the table- and very important- understand how the deer sheds are “design” balanced with the modern white slip covered dining chairs.

In line with Rustic Chic….for sale at The Purple Painted Lady is this Wine Cabinet. Totally UPCYCLED and reconstructed from reclaimed wood from a NY Barn. This piece is the perfect size in that it is not too big!

Imagine this on top of your wet bar- or for a mounting fee- it can be hung on your wall (within Monroe County). Mixing different extreme design styles is HOT and this beauty is perfect for even your bedroom or think covered patio! Having the gang over…..add a large galvanized tub filled with ice next to it and add some old style CoCo Cola or Root Beer bottles in it. We can add a fun bottle opener to the side…maybe something like this?

Add a thick wood cutting board with different cheeses,grapes and some PANE RUSTICO- otherwise known as Italian “Peasant” Bread crusty – (and if you have been blessed by the angels above and have a Wegman’s Grocery Store near you- save time and go there purchase all of this! And if you do not have a Wegman’s- my deepest condolences!) So, as I was saying- go to Wegman’s and buy some- they have tons of Fresh Crusty bread to choose from! All are to die for and blow your Atkin’s Diet over. Add some tangy olive’s and bruschetta- and your guests will never leave! Don’t forget to balance the rustic with chic…so perhaps add some white linen napkins and your finest wine or champagne glasses for fun! Write your menu on a Silver Tray Chalk Board that you created at one of The Purple Painted Lady’s workshops! Never hesitate to add anything vintage! Think of vintage as a neutral color- it goes with everything!

Personally- my fav thing to do would be to add a crystal chandelier hanging above so again- you have the opposite end of the design spectrum – totally cool! (and where do you get a reasonable priced “plug in” chandelier you ask? Well- if you are in Upstate NY…check Hobby Lobby (but only purchase it when lighting is 50% off- which is at least once per month!) OR, visit Target or T.J.Maxx (Homegoods) If you are spending more than $60- you spent too much! If not a hanging chandelier, get your hands on a candelabra- that would be fun too! Or-one last idea – that I think you should do anyways! Is add an old chandelier outside and use candles instead of electric. These look great hanging from a tree in the back corner of your yard. Add a chair and side table and you have a fun retreat! Look on the Rochester Craigslist to find old brass kitchen lights for minimal cost and spray paint…add some crystals and voila! You are all set!

After you have this entertaining set up complete…you are ready for one heck of a party!

But back to this Rustic Cabinet though. Here are it’s dimensions…..it is 30″ tall x 18″ deep x 22.5″ wide. It holds 5 plus bottles perfectly angled so corks stay moist and 8 plus LARGE & TALL glasses. Set your corkscrew on the little shelf inside and you are all set for a wonderful evening! Hope you enjoyed this little article! Price of the Rustic Chic Cabinet is $225 and found at The Purple Painted Lady!

Hope you enjoyed this little article! Please write to me, “Dear Purple Painted Lady” with questions and you may be featured right here on-line!

STORE HOURS:
Tue: 10:00 am – 3:15
Wed: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
Thu: 11:00 am – 7:00 pm (closed for a quick break from 2:30 to 2:55)
Sat: 10:00 am – 2:00 pm

I understand that my hours open noted below may not accommodate everyone’s schedule- so PLEASE feel free to email or call me if you would like to set up an appointment to visit. I live around the corner and AM HAPPY to accommodate you!!!!! I have done this many times- so do not feel uncomfortable…you will not be the first person to ask this of me. So, come on down and meet me in person!