It's 3'clock in the morning.........I love the song but the alarm going off is from a song

I'm off in the early morning hours.....the picket fence is loaded in the car.....suitcase is packed and I'll be ready for a new adventure. Even though
I have made this trip many times, something is always "new" and I love taking to the
highway.

I am delivering two paint orders on my way up I-5 and it will be fun to meet my customer face to face instead of PayPal to email.

Retreat Vintage Market is going to be an experience and what really makes it special is that Camano Island is where I spent my girlhood days at a quaint little beach cabin my family owned for years and where my mother graduated from highschool and met my Dad in the near by town of Stanwood. It'll be fun to see familiar faces and to just "go home", not to mention 7 of my 11 grandchildren live 40 miles away.

So....here's to an adventure with The Bella Bungalow demoing Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Products and spreading the word throughout the Pacific N.W. into the Canadian border. I'll take plenty of pictures and share when I return.

I-5 will never be the same.....

This post is going to be a mix....not a mix of colors but a mix of "stuff"

It has been a very exciting week.....5 new Mini-Stockists throughout Southern California came on board so we now have 7. They are all ready, willing and able to supply you with our beautiful Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Products as well as teach you many techniques and applications through inspiring workshops.

I am not going to list all of the towns they represent but I am going to give you  their general areas and their emails.

Kari Saupstad - Studio 887 - karicaldwell@me.com
Encinitas, Escondido, Temecula, Solana Beach, Carlsbad, Oceanside, Del Mar, Vista and San Marcos

Debbie Cooper - Round the Coop - presently featured at Truly Tattered in Tustin and the Irvine, Orange Co. Flea Market
debbie@roundthecoop.com
Anaheim Hills, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Orange, , Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Irvine, Huntington Beach

Barbara Musselli - The Painted Attic - Bmuselli@gmail.com
Malibu, Santa Monica, Ventura, Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Simi Valley, Camarillo

Andrea Young - - andreaey@yahoo.com
presently featured at Old Glory in Riverside Riverside, Corona,Ontari, San Bernardino, Redlands, Moreno Valley
Perris, Hemmet, Murrieta, Lake Elsinore, Big Bear, Lake Arrowhead

Susan Darnell (Michelle Scott) -
featured at Vignettes in San Diego - susanddarnnell@sbcglobal.net
San Diego, Coronado, Chula Vista, Imperial Beach

Marjee Kress - mak&jill.com -
featured at the Rose Bowl and Long Beach Flea Markets,
Pasadena, Glendale, Hollywood, Burbank, Pomona, Chino Hills and Palm Springs

Jill Wilson - jill@makandjill -
featured at the Rose Bowl and Long Beach Flea Markets, San Jaun Capistrano, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, San Clemente

I welcome all these talented and  vivacious women....what a team we have working together to give you the best customer service and representation for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

I am leaving tomorrow for the N.W.  on Monday morning to participate in  The Retreat Vintage Market on Camano Island.  It is going to be so much fun demoing the paint along  with The Bella Bungalow, Kellyanne and Kim from Arlington.  All I can say is, "look out Pacific N.W.,
you have never experienced paint flying like you will on June 25th.  Our booth is right across from The Barn House Boys....can't wait til we surprise them a little "paint magic".

I will return here on the 4th of July and then a month of Workshops begin....be sure to check my website, that is being updated while I am away, for a workshop nearest you.

On July 27th the first of four California's Paint 'n' Wine Annie Sloan Workshops will be kicked off in Sonoma, Ca. at the beautiful Sonoma Antiques and European Furniture.

Just a fraction of what this beautiful shop sells

could it be Antibes?

how about Duck Egg Blue?

Join Vicki and myself, Northern  and Southern California Stockists for a very special event, and learn 3 furniture techniques using the LATEST and GREATEST in paints plus  Play With Product in the afternoon on your own small project piece you have brought from home.
The cost of the workshop is $175.00
Call and reserve your spot today, space is limited.
Vicki @ 559-974-3208

I could go on about more planned events including the UK Flea Market trip and the Caribbean Cruise planned for September and January, but I'm going to feature them later and sign off for tonight paying tribute to Father's Day tomorrow.

My Dad has been gone for 39 years and I miss him every day of my life. He gave me my sense of humor, my love for music and the appreciation of simple things in life, like the skipping of rocks on the water, to the beauty of the dandelion as he whistled on it's stem between his thumbs to the quiet of the morning, which I still call my "morning watch".

Free picture collage generated with Smilebox

Until I return from the N.W., let the paint fly and your eyes open.

Oh mannnn....Please welcome Southern California Mini Stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Products

I have a hard time with the label "Mini-Stockists" for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint......because there is NO "MINI" about them, all "mini" really means is that they don't have to ship elsewhere when an order comes in other than their area through PayPal or any other request from a customer "out there".

Today I welcomed and trained, Annie Sloan techniques....I will post their areas on my web site this week...just give me time here, it's been a very challenging day, not because of the "mini's" but because of shipping....not related to our Distributor.

So I welcome,

Marjee Kress
Jill Wilson -
Andrea Young
Susan Darnell
Barbara Muselli
and of course already established......
Debbie Cooper
and
Kari Saupstd

Kari........

Debbie.

Marjee....Andrea....Susan.....Barbara....Jill

I just introduced....faces and names......
tomorrow...I will post their locations, markets......free lancer's and beautiful shops, but tonight, I am kind of "done in", that means "tired"....I detest that word..
I can tell you they represent Southern California from Santa Maria to the  Mexican/Arizona /Nevada border.
I PROMISE you.....tomorrow on my website....and this blog....you will have contact information.....tonight....it's my Birthday EVE......and I'm going to log off now and just reflect on my last 62 years. Oh my gosh....I'm 62.......tomorrow...I'm 63....I remember the reverse....36.....but I think....I'm ok ,where I am today.

Truly Tattered....a wonderful Orange County Vintage Shop in Tustin

I stopped by Truly Tattered today and look what greeted me in the window. Wow, Debbie Cooper, So. California Mini-Stockist in Orange County, and Kim Kostka, and Patti Olson owners of   this very lovely shop in Old Tustin have created a fun fun display to highlight and welcome Annie Sloan Chalk Paint in Orange County. Great job ladies.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paints, brushes and products are all over this wonderful window display

If you haven't been to Truly Tattered make a point in stopping by or better yet, join us for a "one day affair" in August where House of Anne, Round the Coop and Truly Tattered will be hosting a wonderful event featuring 10 Tustin shops, lunch and a Annie Sloan Demo. I will have information for you at the end of this week, but plan to join us.

I want to show you a before and after photo of a headboard Kim chalk painted Duck Egg Blue for the shops debut of beautiful linen bedding.

Headboard BEFORE

AFTER....look at the wonderful bedding and chest of drawers heavily distressed yet elegant

Our Chalk Paint is a miracle of paint products....take a piece of furniture that is
tired and out dated and within a couple hours it has been transformed into a brand new look and piece.

Wow....look at the traditional wooden dining table turned into an elegant Chalk Paint "miracle".

Don't forget to enter the "Chair Faire" contest. It ends on the 15th of July and will be judged on July 30th at the "Gussied Up" Annie Sloan Workshop in Los Alamos.
All you have to do is send me an email or blog comment, take a photo of the chair you are painting BEFORE and purchase one quart of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint through the House of Anne, then of course send me the AFTER photo to be judged. The winner gets one can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint a month for one year...yes, that means 12 different colors of paint! Wahooooooooo

Hmmmmmmmmmmm.......what color would enhance these chairs?

That's all for now....I am busy checking in inventory and preparing a workshop for  5 new Mini-Stockists that are joining our Southern California team tomorrow.  This should make you happy as their locations will be within a easy mile range for every county in Southern California.

Until tomorrow.....or the next day....get your paint brush out......order some Chalk Paint, check my web site for "specials" and let the paint flyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!

Everyone knows what it's like to feeeeeeel just a bit "tired". I really dont' like feeling tired.

Today we had an experience.......a workshop hosted by Melanie Royals....and given by
Kari Saupstad (So. Calif. Mini-Stockist) and Anne Skougard, that would be me.

Paint was flying in all directions and me, at some point in time didn't know where it was flying tooooooo. That's what happens when artisan's and little old me get together....fun, fun, fun.

Although....Brad, Amber, Phyllis and Kari were probably wondering, "what the heck?"
So....until I can post about this "one of a kind workshop".....I am going to show some photo's. I'm also going to say....TAKE A WORKSHOP from the closest Stockist in your area........you will learn and have the "time of your life".

oh my....look at what we had to work with.....beautiful custom stencils

Look at all these wonderful people!

Stockists.....Brad and Amber from Colorado Springs, Colorado, Kari Saupstad...Mini Stockist So. Calif., Kim Fisher and Kellyanne Smith...Stockists from Washington, Debbie Cooper....Mini Stockist from Orange Co., CA , Phyllis de Vries, Portland, OR, and of course,,me, Anne

A California "tradition"  champagne  or your choice of beverage at the end of a fun filled, learning day.

A toast to Sharon.....Kim and Kellyanne who helped so much at the workshop.....wahooooooooooooooo

Ok...so now....I have to lay me down....and sleep fast, a new day is just around the corner and I have to "live" what is going to happen.

I'll be back.

Today I woke up to being disappointed by someone that I really believed in. Someone making a choice and implementing a plan that impacted many hard working people. The good news is though, I did wake up!

I feel better by just saying what I did, but what I am disturbed about is, I allowed that disappointment to weigh me down all day and be counter productive. One persons decision impacted my "space", personally, emotionally, mentally and spiritually, totally against my work ethics and integrity that I implement everyday in my life.

I had a lot to do today so while I was in the car with my "beautiful music" soothing my soul, I remembered something that my mom use to recite and I'd like to share it with you because it totally answers my disappointment felt today.

"My Mother says she doesn't care about the color of my hair
Or if my eyes are blue or brown
Or if my nose turns up or down
My Mother says these things don't matter

My Mother says she doesn't care if I'm
dark or if I'm fair
If I'm thin or if I'm fat
She doesn't fret over things like that

But IF you cheat or tell a lie
or do mean things to make folks cry
or if you're rude or impolite
these things really matter

It isn't "acts" that makes one great
It's CHARACTER that seals our fate
It's what's within our hearts you see
that makes our mars our destiny
And that's what really matters.

I realized after I thought of this writing, that the only disappointment that is really important, is if I disappointed myself. After all....when you look in the mirror it's only yourself that is staring back. Enough on this topic, tomorrow is a new day and I'm loving life everyday.

I am so fortunate to have a team of AWESOME Mini-Stockists coming on board in Southern California. Kari and Debbie are on board already and the other five will be trained and certified on the 14th. It will be a pleasure to work with them and support them in their adventure with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Products. I love watching others  "fall in love" with these magical techniques and applications and I so appreciate the
long awaited team we have put together to support all of you out there that need paint and workshops. Next week I will post their photo's and locations.

I'm also fortunate to be working with Vicki Shoemaker, for no other terms, the Northern California Annie Sloan Stockist. Together we've planned some great future events and they will be share with you in the coming days too.

Don't forget to buy your pot of paint through the House of Anne for the Chair Affair Contest. 12 cans of paint, 1 per month for one year if you win. Sign up now to enter.

That's all I have right now....I guess I've unloaded my "bag" and put it out there to disappear.

It's a "chair affair" and an awesome give away........

Have I expressed to you how much I love Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint? I not only love the Chalk Paint, I am "in love" with the Chalk Paint and Waxes and the many many applications and techniques that I can achieve by just letting my imagination go and creativity flow.  I am addicted.

Nothing new for me.....I have been recognized for years with paint under my finger nails and my newest Chico purchase blotched a perfect  blob that I didn't mean to wear cause I was just going to paint one more stroke or finish a project.

I have had so many emails and so many phone calls from people all over the U.S.A. and Canada and I am so thankful for all of you that have come into my life, if only to talk "paint".    Thank you.  I am happy to help anytime because I want you to be in love with the paint as much as I am.

Because of my appreciation I am going to have another "give away". For the next twelve months
I will ship ONE person 12 different colors, ONE CAN a month.  What do you have to do?  You have to send me a before and after photo of a  chair. It can be a chair made beautiful, it can be a chair that you made funky and fun, it can be anything you want it to be as long as it's a chair and painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and one Pot  of any color is ordered through the House of Anne to show your are in the competition.   Be sure and comment and follow me to see who is the winner.  I will post your photo's on July 30th at Gussied Up in Los Alamos, CA  at the Chair Affair work shop and the participants will vote.  So....let me know who's in, invite your friends and begin now.  Cut off date will be July 15th.

Have a great evening and a wonderful Wednesday.

Faces from the past......

Happy Monday everyone....be sure and check my web site for the June Special, destination workshops and new photo's. (photo's are coming, I am trying hard to finish up my new workroom first and update photos of workshops, before and after etc.).

this is what I intended to post about but read on......I changed my mind...i love this old tub by the way

I had a plan about this post, I was going to show you photo's of "stuff" used in the past that we have updated and still use today. I took a few hours and headed off to
Orange, CA., a sweet sweet town within a huge metropolis. As I was going in and out of quaint antique shops always on the look out for wire baskets and architectural pieces, I kept seeing all these "faces" and realized those faces represent a big big
fear in my life. Yes, I have two fears. One, being stuck on an overpass or bridge in the middle of an earthquake and two, a photo of myself being on a shelf in an antique store. Wherever I looked yesterday I saw all these faces staring back at me...."how did I end up here?, where is the memory wall or album I deserve to be on or in?, does my family really know who I am, where I came from and my adventure in life? who has my eyes, my smile, my toes?" I could go on and on. It amazed me at how those eyes staring back at me were just shelved....placed among doilies....sitting in a basket....stuck among dishes....sitting on the floor or hanging on a lattice frame. Who are they.......why aren't they archived in their families trunk? Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh....I hope if my families are reading this they have a plan on what "memory wall or book" I'll be placed on or in. Please, please, please don't let me end up on a shelf in an Antique store that no one knows or cares who I am.

Yes, I have a smilebox ready to go paying tribute to all of those photo's that stared back at me yesterday. I know this has nothing to do with Chalk Paint, workshops and events but it does have to do with respect and a tribute from me to them.

Create your own free picture slideshow

Tomorrow I am going to Post again about all the Chalk Paint workshops and events that are coming up soon. I want to introduce you to new Mini-Stockists in the
Southern California area and where they are located. We now have eight. Five are being certified this week so they too can provide you with workshops in their areas and the other three are coming on board next week. Locations are, Coronado/San Diego, Temecula/ Escondido/Encinitas, Palm Springs, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Orange Co., Riverside, and Glendale/Pasadena. Very exciting times for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Products and a little more accessible for you to locate without shipping costs.

I want to encourage you to please take a workshop, learn how to apply the different techniques correctly. I came across a blogger that posted two videos with wrong information...her intentions were good but she needs to take a workshop herself. One reason tutorials aren't so good is because if you do have a question there is no one to answer. Certified workshops are the only way to go if you really want to learn the steps for beautiful end results. Our paint and waxes are forgiving and it's true anyone can use them with ease BUT we do have some tricks up our sleeves to show you....let a certified Stockist or Mini-Stockist teach you and have some fun in a workshop while we do.  I will post contact names for you to email, call or order products in my next Post.  Until next time........have a great day!

Here is the schedule for the next few weeks....are you ready?

Before I post all the "comings and goings" I want to say thank you to all of you tha
played the comment game today. Lori from LA won the Chalk Paint Kit....and I must
say, she was persistent at trying. It will be shipped on Monday Lori.

The following are dates for the following workshops and events. PLEASE note that this does not include my Annie Sloan Workshops at my new "the BIG room". You must check my website for those dates and times.....and give me until Sunday to get the new ones posted. Also know that "traveling paint", "boys can paint too" and "come paint with me" out of "the BIG room" are constantly going on....wahoooooooooooooooooo.

I want to thank Mini-Stockists, Debbie Cooper representing Orange County, Kari Saupstad representing the coast from Laguna Beach to Del Mar and east to Escondido, and Andrea Young from Riverside County that is overtaking Big Bear and San Bernadino too. Next week two more Mini-Stockists will join the team and the area
that they are from is Coronado and Malibu.....what a team Southern California is becoming. Soon Palm Springs and Santa Barbara will be joining us too.....look for them in mid June.

So...here is the schedule:

June 11th - All Day Annie Sloan Techniques Work Shop in Chula Vista with Kari Saupstad at Melanie Royals Modello Studio

June 17th - Play with Product Workshop at the Urban Barn in Escondido
June 17th - "girls night out" with Debbie Cooper at Truly Tattered in Tustin

June 19th - 3rd I am on the road.....upward to Oregon and Washington State to
certify new Stockists as well as well as be present at the Open House for The Bella Bungalow on the 23rd.

June 25th Camano Island Retreat Vintage Event in the NW

June 26th - Out of the Blue Mermaid Mercantile that Debbie Cooper will be demo'ing and selling our products while Kari Saupstad is painting up a storm in Spain.

July 27 - the first of four Wine 'n' Paint Annie Sloan Workshop tours throughout California at the Sonoma European Antique Shop in Sonoma......come join us while we still have openings.

July 30 - A all day workshop in Los Alamos will be going on while the famous Chair Faire is going on....how fun is this

August 20th - All day Annie Sloan Workshop hosted by Debi Weber Interiors and Surface Refinements in Scottsdale, AZ.

August 21 and 22 in Portland, OR....1st Annual West Coast Annie Sloan Stockist Meeting

September 20 - 29, UK trip to visit Annie in her shop and go to a wonderful flea market. There are still a few spaces available.

Now....I'm not going any farther out then this.....when I worked at a large company eons ago, we called this a 90 day look ahead. Keep in mind....in and amongst these dates there are alot of other workshops and last minute events happening and these
don't even include what the Mini-Stockists have organized and are presenting.

I am adding one photo....then I'm going to call it a day.....here is the question that goes with the photo.....ONE can of Paris Grey who ever gives me the correct answer first....

What is the significant of these architectural pieces?

beautiful European colors don't you think?

happy painting and keep on "chalking".

The winner is....

Lori....at 3:11......please contact me via email.....and send me a photo of yourself please.....Congrads on winning the Chalk Paint Kit

Truly Tattered: More Projects!

Truly Tattered: More Projects!

Free Chalk Paint Kit for the 25th Comment

Be sure to read the two posts posted below.

Chalk Paint "give away" for the 25th comment posted

ok.....9 comments have been received

Ok......9 comments received, 16 to go....who will be the lucky 25th?  Just click on "follow me" and scroll through the post til you see "comments"
Isn't this fun for a Friday?

Want to copper leaf?

Calling all Chalk Paint Addicts ...the 25th follower that leaves a COMMENT gets a prize...read on

Who would have thought that a 9 x 12 space, I called "the room" could have held so much stuff. UGH. Oh well, I moved everything out of that room and into a wonderful "the big room" which overlooks a golf course 9th tee box, and has lots of windows and three door ways.

serene view and oh how I love the green and flowers in this HOT climate

I showed you a photo of the beginning.....well now I'll show you the wall ALMOST done...I still have to move stuff out of the way and to a place it belongs...but you can see the "happenings" taking place. Now note, I am not going for a French look. As much as I love all the beautiful soft colors our Chalk Paint offers, I have decided to go the bold, primary colors because I want to STIMULATE my workshop participants and I want to be STIMULATED myself when I walk into my "room" with a
cup of coffee, turn on the music and get to be creative all by myself.

the beginning

the "in between"....not finished yet....Arles and Aubusson Blue

Note the sweet little re fridge......cute don't you think? It is stocked with necessary beverage, lots of water and just a weeeee bit of the law/rule of
California workshops, champagne. Annie learned this law quite quickly when she was here in March and a special bottle is waiting for her return.

I love it!

One other thing I want to show you is my most prize possession in "the big room"....my work table.....I covered it with brown paper but I tried to get up
under it to show you the 5" butcher block and steel frame. This table came out
of a real butcher shop in Ramona and on both sides of the table there are two
indentures where the butchers did their thing...chop, chop, cut, cut.

Don't you just love it......and notice my two sweet French bar stools for me to sit on and just dream

Ok...enough of my "the big room" in progress...more to come and hopefully be finished over the weekend.

While I'm getting things organized painting goes on...take a look at these
chairs in progress.....

in the beginning.....

In the MIDDLE.....Chateau Grey.....the fabric has to go!

Kim from Truly Tattered in Tustin and Debbie Cooper, 'roundthecoop' and an Annie Sloan Mini-stockist joined in for some "play with product" and an afternoon of fun.

Provence on the outside....Henrietta on the inside

It turned out sweet and weathered

California....wine rack by Debbie

One more thing I want to show you done with Chalk Paint....it sticks to almost everything....have you heard that before....how about, no stripping, sanding or priming? Well it's TRUE.

Scandinavian pink shadow box in progress......a ugly old brass lamp marbled in Scan. Pink and of course a two toned cabinet in Old White and Duck Egg Blue....fun, fun, fun.

So as you see.....work a little organizing a new work room....paint alot and still have people wanting to learn and create. I love it.

Now I said in my Title that the 25th follower that makes a comment gets a prize. I love hearing from you and as a California Stockistfor Annie Sloan Chalk Paints I will give you a Chalk Paint Kit, which includes, three cans of paint, a book, a wax brush and two tins of wax.
Let the comments begin. I'm going to offer something free every week so start sending me your comments and photos you have of projects you have done.

Not only have I been working on my move....I have been shipping lots of paint and answering tons of phone calls. I've also been getting ready for workshops, one on the 11th at Melanie Royals Studio in Chula Vista with Mini-stockist Kari Saupstad, and another workshop on the 17th at Urban Barn in Escondido and later that evening a work shop in Tustin, "girls night out" with Mini-stockist Debbie Cooper. WaaHooo.

My next post I am going to post my Summer schedule and I hope some of you can come join in all the "paint that is going to be flying". I also want to encourage everyone that can, to come join us in September for a UK trip to visit 2nd hand shops, antique shops, Annie Sloan and a huge flea market. We still have a few
open spaces. Again...next post I will post all activities, destination Chalk Paint Workshops, events, workshops local and with Mini-Stockists in Southern California.

I welcome today, Andrea Young, our newest  Mini-Stockist from Riverside. You go girl!

Andrea Young

I'm going to say farewell for now.....I'll be counting to 25.....and I'll be back with the winner and calendar of Chalk Paint "happenings" in Southern California...ok, in Northern California too and Washington State too.

Arf, arf from Amos and Gus too as they watch me get organized outside my workroom door.