Pinterest and early morning Etsy ramblings

Happy Friday morning, everyone!  Pinterest and Etsy SUCKIN' are the life right outta me.  So, I'm back, making it a goal to only pin between the hours of 4 a.m. and 5 a.m.  That's right, ever since I turned 40 a few weeks ago (sigh), some kind of internal clock kicked in and at 4 a.m., my eyes pop open and I'm awake.  ACK.  It's killing me.  Come 8 p.m., I'm like my 80 year old grandparents nodding off in front of "The River" and WHO does that?

There are NO some advantages to waking up before everyone.  1.  No fighting over the Keurig, I have it all to myself and I sure need it at 4 a.m.  2. I get all the good things on Etsy.  By 10 a.m. when I really wake up, I have a little buyer's remorse, sometimes a bit more than a "little."  Yesterday, I bought a vintage wallpaper kit.  Like what the hell am I going to do with THAT? how EXCITING, a vintage wallpaper kit!  3.  I am up with my East Coast peeps!

So, what is your Friday looking like?  I've been clearing out my garage this week trying to get ready for two giant pallets of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to grace my life and for a fun event here.  On Sunday, I will be hosting all of my Local Retail Partners in Northern California as we put together idea books of ASCP to put in all of our shops.  I'm so excited to get everyone together and CREATE!  Happy Friday, everyone!

I'll leave you with this, it's on it's way to my doorstep:

Let's focus on the facts

I am going to squash some common misconceptions in regards to paint and wax.  I've been hearing a lot of chatter and see so much on the internet, I want my favorite people (that's YOU!) to know the facts about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and WHY everyone wants it!

#1 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint IS made in the UK, but for North Americans, it IS made in the U.S.!  It is produced in good ole Kansas City, Missouri on U.S. soil.

#2 Make your own Chalk Paint recipes floating around the internet.  WHY make chalk paint yourself?  I keep seeing these recipes floating around on the internet with "make your own chalk paint" for $1.50.  WHY, people?  Annie spent years developing this paint that has withstood the test of time...20 YEARS....That's right.  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint was developed nearly 20 years ago.  No matter what, you are using latex paint to make these recipes and that is certainly not in your $1.50 price. And latex paint is certainly NOT the first choice for painting furniture. WHY bother?

#3 Wax products with no solvents or chemicals.  WHY would you want a wax with no solvent?  Wear some gloves if solvents freak you out.  Annie Sloan Soft Wax is created the way it is FOR DURABILITY.  MY customers want durability in their finishes on their furniture, they don't want something that doesn't create a long lasting finish or something you can take your fingernail to and scratch.  You CANNOT create a wax that has the long term durability without solvents.  I'm all for natural products, but believe me I've tried the "natural" products and they don't clean my kitchen like Clorox Wipes do.  I have three kids and two dogs who traipse around and trash every surface in my house, so I need a product that works and is durable.  As a licensed painting contractor in Northern California, I MUST ensure that the products I'm using are durable.  Who wants a call back a few weeks later that something has chipped or cracked or scratched up?  Not ME.  That's why I use what I know is proven.  Don't be mislead by other products or recipes that don't have what you need to protect your artwork!

#4 Cost.  Did you know that with one pot of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, you can paint two giant china cabinet buffets or four regular pieces of furniture?  It doesn't cover like latex.  That's about $19.48 in paint per buffet.  You find that Goodwill piece for $75, with a little work, you've got a buffet that looks like you paid $750 but in reality with paint and product you only invested $100.  Out of one pot of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I can paint four pieces of furniture and out of one tin of Clear Soft Wax, I can protect 12 pieces of furniture.  The Dark Soft Wax...heck, I've been selling this stuff and painting furniture with it for over 6 months now and I'm only NOW on my 2nd tin of Dark Soft Wax.  It goes a long way.  Don't skimp on inferior products.

#5 In order to call a paint No VOC there is strict and extremely costly testing that has to be done on paint.  Our paint has such small VOC's, it's nearly undetectable.  Who cares?  I say, take a sniff test.  If I can sell it to my pregnant friend, Jen Green whose awesome blog is HERE to use in her 6th month of pregnancy and feel safe at what I'm exposing her to, who cares whether or not there are no or little to no VOC's?  Remember the days of adding vanilla extract to latex to mask the odor?  (shudder)  I sure remember, the vanilla extract never truly covered up the odor.  It was just vanilla flavored toxic fumes.

I've been told our paint smells earthy.  Of COURSE it does, because it's natural and green.

When you buy Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and Waxes you are getting two decades behind a perfected product with proven results and durability, why bother with the rest?

If you want to find out what all the fuss is about, come to San Francisco on March 19th...we'll show you!

ANNIE SLOAN WILL BE IN TOWN!!!!

Don't worry...if you happen to live anywhere east of us, she's coming near you, too!  Details below!

Want to learn from the master herself?  Want to hang with all of the West Coast Stockists and Local Retail Partners and master some techniques to use in your home or business? You can right here...I WANT TO SPEND ALL DAY WITH ANNIE and make new painting friends, play with paint and eat some amazing San Franciscan cuisine!

It's time for another GIVEAWAY!

Patina Decorative Finishes is carrying a new wax buffing brush!  Want to try it out?  Now you can buff Annie Sloan Wax to a shine in seconds and Big Fat Lye for cleaning all of your wax brushes!

Three chances to win this amazing duo. 


1. One entry if you "Like" Patina Decorative Finishes on Facebook.

2. Another entry if you become a blog follower.


3. TWO extra entries to anyone who shares this giveaway on your Facebook Wall!


Retail value for the duo...$34.95 and winner will be chosen January on January 10th.

WINNER!!!!!

We have a winner...the winner of the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint giveaway 2011 is....

TERRI WINSOME!!!!!

Terri, email me at tami@patinadecorativefinishes.com and tell me what colors you would like and where you would like your amazing basket sent to!

The most exciting part is that Terri is entered into a national drawing to win a chance to meet Annie during the North American Tour in 2012!

Have you signed up for your spot to meet Annie yet?  You can do so here: I want to meet Annie!

Merry Christmas to all!

Tami from Patina Decorative Finishes

A little remodel...

So, this Christmas, I decided to buy myself a little gift!  It was overdue.  I'm not the most technologically gifted (this blog post is all about gifts!)  I can paint and show off my crafting skills, but when it comes to uploading and re-routing, I called on the amazing talent of Emily from Polka Dot Pixels to help me remodel my home on the web.  I'm even going to start Twittering now, too!  (Shock & Awe!)

Remember, tomorrow is the last night to enter the giveaway for the Key Fob!  How to win? Simply "LIKE" The Spotted Lamb on Facebook and then go HERE! and let me know you entered so I can put your name into the drawing!  TOMORROW is the deadline!

Oh, the giveaways continue.  I wish I could offer you mulled wine and some Christmas cookies!  If you haven't signed up for the BIG Annie Sloan Chalk Paint giveaway, WHAT are you waiting for?  You can do that here....CHALK PAINT GIVEAWAY!!!!  The best part?  You get to CHOOSE your favorite colors.

And, last but NOT least, to celebrate my new website, blog, and twitter (uh, reunion)...CHECK OUT the new photos on my site.  Pacheco Photography followed me around at my last workshop at Roost Consignment in Napa.  I felt like some kinda celeb.

AND...DRUMROLLLLLLL....

In the spirit of the holidays...Pacheco Photography is raffling away one free photo shoot to anyone local who enters the contest with a "like" at Pacheco Photography on Facebook!  Post on their wall and tell them Patina Decorative Finishes sent you!  Travis' blog posts are super entertaining.  If you love dogs, you will love this...it's my personal favorite dog story of all time...Bella's Story

Wishing you all a wonderful pre-holiday weekend.  I'm delivering paint to my people this weekend and checking out two new shops that are going to carry Annie Sloan Chalk Paint SOON!

ANNIE SLOAN IS COMING TO AMERICA!

Yes, you read that right, Annie is coming to America....here are the DETAILS!  Even better, for all of you west coasters...she's coming to SAN FRANCISCO on March 19th at the amazing waterfront Fort Mason Center.  Use the link to register NOW and join us in March!

Patina Decorative Finishes is celebrating the kickoff of this amazing tour by giving you the opportunity to win a basket full of the best paint in the world!

The best part?  The winners of each stockists' and local retailers' baskets across the country will be entered into a nationwide drawing for a complimentary credit towards ONE (1) ANNIE SLOAN AMERICAN TOUR registration fee (value $350).  Winner will be announced on January 10, 2012.

There are four ways to win:

1. Follow Annie's blog HERE!

2. Become a follower of Patina Decorative Finishes on blogger.

3. "Like" Patina Decorative Finishes on Facebook and tell me what you think of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint on my wall!

4. "Like" Jolie Design & Decor, our amazing North American distributor on Facebook!

5.  Finally, come back and tell me that you did all four and post a comment telling me which two colors you would like!  That gives you a chance for *5* entries!

The drawing will take place on December 24th and the winner will be notified by email, so be ready for me to send you holiday cheer!  No purchase necessary!

Holy WOWNESS!

I just snuck over here to Blogger as I dragged myself away from Pinterest and Facebook.  What is my world coming to????  Thank GAWD for iphones and apps because how could we get through our day without them?

August.  My last post was in August.  Why, you ask?  Oh, I've been up to my elbows, quite literally in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.  I was in Raley's today and the lady behind me in line asked me what color I had been painting.  I lifted my elbow and said, "Which one?  The Old White or the French Linen?"  So, by admitting that the French Linen was on my elbow that means that the elbow hadn't been cleaned since....GASP...yesterday, when I was painting an 80 year old clawfoot tub.  Soooo, much to my newest surprise, I can sell paint in a grocery store, apparently.  Well, not technically IN it but WHILE in it.

I have so much to tell you all.  Since August, I threw in a trip to England.  Yes, that's right, little old me made it to England.  Away from the frozen waffle toaster making, wrestling practice, high school tennis matches, floor scrubbing (in all honesty, this one isn't done as often as I imply), playing taxi...I jumped ON A PLANE and got out of dodge and left my family for a whole week.  And I met Annie and she was FANTASTIC.  More on that later, but I promise to be here more often.

I will blog more about our trip someday soon.  Debbie and I stayed up one night until 4 a.m. talking, knowing full well that we were getting up at 7 and it was PAINFUL the next day, or virtually 3 hours later.  Here's me with Annie, the day we surprised Annie with a visit and she joined us for lunch in Old Oxford, a few doors down from her shop.  Yes, it was sunny in England, I was NOT hiding my lack of sleep, if that's what you were thinking.

This is Annie, working her magic in our workshop...she has a varnish crackle unlike anything I've seen in the U.S....we painted, we decoupaged, and we leafed!

Okay, I have to add a comment in regards to the following photo.  I am praying that it's not possible for any of you to zoom into my face.  Because, apparently, when I jump, I make gritty faces.  Nobody else looks as terrifying as I do,  Vicki and Debbie just look happy.  (DISCLAIMER: I am blaming the drunk 20 year old college student for pushing the button when he did.  It was unfair.  Plus, I'm the SHORTEST and I think he got me on the downward.  Don't you agree, unfair?)