Oh, what a week...and a big, exciting announcement!

I feel as if I'm cleaning up the

aftermath of a storm in my house!

I am grateful for all the help

I've received from my family

and the support of my friends!

First, I have to say, I absolutely am 

loving what I'm doing. I love meeting

new people, I love sharing Annie Sloan

Chalk Paint with them, and I am so 

happy to be back "designing" again!

Last Sunday was my first Annie

Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop... 

A special thank you to these four

wonderful ladies who came to learn 

and left with confidence to tackle 

their projects!  Also, a shout out to

my awesome stockist, Vicki, for

guiding me through it and for

being so good at what she does!

This weekend was so fantastic!

My daughter and I enjoyed spending 

a beautiful Saturday morning at the 

Green Valley Certified Farmer's Market!

If you haven't been, you are missing out...

Kettle Korn, amazing lavender wreaths

from Girl on the Hill (WOW, they are

beautiful!), olive oil, and so much more!  

Sure beats the State Fair (I apologize to the "fried

foodies" out there!)  We even enjoyed

delicious pastries from Pure Grain Bakery

two "doors" down.  Next to me was 

Boutique Vintage 72, we couldn't help

but buy a few baubles from her!  Jen is

SO talented!  I even got to try out my

new "Square" that swipes credit cards!

Here are a few shots of our SOLD items from the Market!

We'll be back mixing it up there again on Saturday

from 9 to 1.

In other big, VERY exciting news:

As of today,

Not Too Shabby in Historic Folsom 

is now partnering up with 

Patina Decorative Finishes and carrying

ALL 24 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint 

colors and Wax you are dreaming of.

There are wax brushes, Hand Painted

Color Cards, Quick and Easy Paint

Transformations Books ALL that you 

can touch and see in front of you, 

no longer just on your computer screen!

When I step in the door of Not Too Shabby

I feel like I've found a lil' piece of heaven on 

earth!  Kudos to the talented Bobbi Eddy and 

five other fantastic women that make

Not Too Shabby a perfect place

to stock Annie Sloan Chalk Paint! I'm 

so happy to be a part of it all!

You can find this amazing store

AND hours right here:

Not Too Shabby  

Now, you don't have to wait on shipping

to get your favorite Chalk Paint...

instant GRATIFICATION!

There are even a few samples

jars there if you want to try it out!

What a fantastic way to finish off my weekend!
Have a blessed week, I'm off to pass out!

Our NEW Farmer's Market

I'm so excited to say I found out today

that I was one of six "artisan" vendors to

be approved to have a booth at the 

NEW Green Valley Certified

Farmer's Market.  They were excited

about what I do with upcycling and that

just made my DAY!  

I'm so ecstatic!

Between hosting my first Annie Sloan 

Chalk Paint workshop on Sunday and

having this new opportunity, which I will 

do every Saturday from 9 -1 through

August, I am going to be one busy 

chica.  I will have a very happy husband

to see the entire two sides of my 3 car 

garage cleared out for once.  It is 

FULL.  

I've been doing some fun "junquing" in 

Napa this week and American Canyon.

I made a new friend, the owner of a thrift

shop, as we wheeled and dealed and I stuffed

things in every last place I could.  I dug
through the back of his shop (OH boy,
the things I found), all the while praying
that I would NOT have a snake sighting.

And I've got SHUTTERS.  Lots of 'em.

Some will be Greek Blue, some will be

Arles, maybe a few Antibes Green.
I hope they go to a good home!

I may not sleep this entire week because
I have so much to do!

Lots of goings on...

I've had a wonderful, but super busy week, it's not always easy with the addition of three kids hanging around, needing rides, etc.  I traveled around today and did some "junquing"...here are a few of my finds!  Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Louis Blue + Old Ochre mixed up makes a beautiful blue/grey...upcycling below!!

I swear, you can paint Annie Sloan Chalk Paint
on any finish!

This is Greek Blue. 

I have big plans for this chair to be a part

of something really exciting for me in August.

Announcement coming soon!

This week's lessons...

What a week it's been.  My new

life with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is

keeping me on my toes.  I'm working towards

hosting a mini-workshop on July 9th teaching

3 techniques.  Email me if you are interested.

The cost is $125 and includes all materials

and paint.  Just bring yourself!

Did you know that there is a Pastured

Egg and Chicken farm in Vacaville?

Check them out here...Soul Food Farm

and here on Facebook...give them a like

and tell them I sent you!

Soul Food Farm on Facebook

My task this week...to create a new roadside sign

for this fascinating farm.

A little about Soul Food Farm:

"Our methods have been recognized with the

Animal Welfare Approved seal, the first

broiler chicken operation in California - and

only the second in the nation - to meet these

stringent third party-verified standards."  

How can you not love this operation?

Here is the sign, in the making...

drying...

And now onto this week's lessons.

Things I've learned.

1. Annie Sloan Chalk Paint can help whip out 

a sign in 3 days due to it's fast drying time.

2. Polyurethane on top of Annie Sloan Chalk

Paint goes on smoothly, no bleeding.

3. You can leave your brush overnight

saturated with chalk paint and I swear 

it will still wash right out.

4. Drops of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

on your clothes rinse right out.  This

means you can look hot while painting. (giggle)

5.  If you accidentally leave the lid

off of your pot (ahem...not me, of course, 

I'm talking about YOU!)...since Annie Sloan

Chalk Paint contains absolutely

no plastic whatsoever, it will just thicken

and you can add water to get it back

to exactly where it was before you forgot

and left it to the air.  

GOTTA LOVE IT!

I'm meeting with the owner of one of my 

favorite shops in greater Sacramento on Friday

and looking forward to a possible new venture.

Stay tuned!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is here...it's time to start the "upcycle!"

Wow, what a week it's been.  I feel like I'm in a wind tunnel, perhaps a tornado, but instead of devastation, there is beautification!!  I am pleased to welcome Annie Sloan Chalk Paint to my business!  This week Vickie from The Studio at 3 Oaks came my way as I joined the Northern California Annie Sloan Chalk Paint team.  It was quite a successful week for Patina Decorative Finishes.  Not only did I supply the "love" to some chalk paint addicts, I found a new "junquing" buddy, Carol.  I look forward to you taking me up on that "junquing" offer, we can fill up my SUV until it bursts.  Let's start at the Alameda Flea Market!!

I could just eat up all these fabulous colors and can't seem to get enough myself!  And, I'm moving towards a date in July to host my first workshop teaching the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint techniques!

Today, I'm going to the farm, Soul Food Farm that is, for a second meeting with Alexis, we're talking ORANGE today, for a bit of sprucing up of her roadside sign.  What her family does on their farm fascinates me!

And...my reveal...remember that hideous buffet I stole, uh, found at the Davis SPCA for $10?  It had some great bones, was super smelly (ewwww) on the inside, but thanks to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, the odor is gone!

the best part?  No sanding or priming!

A little Paris Grey, some Provence, Louis Blue and

Old White.  I used four different techniques on this beauty

and heavy on the dark wax, I love wax.

and now...are you drooling?....

and, yes, they are in alphabetic order.  Don't judge.

New logo...so much fun!

Drum roll, please...

I had so much fun doing this today

with "Chicago," my SIL!

Handpainted metal letters

and some fun paint and a little

time on our hands on the 

LAST day of school (California

school year goes TOOOOOO long!)

Tell me what you think of it.

Playing with Paint

Sometimes when I mess around with

color, I never know what I'm going

to end up with in the end.  In 2006, I did 

a bathroom cabinet remodel for a client.  

When you are glazing or antiquing a 

piece, you have to choose your

base color appropriately, especially 

if you are using dark wax.  I'll never 

forget the panicked call I got from my

client about the base color when she 

came home and it was drying!  I reassured

her it was all going to be exactly as

we discussed and reminded her to be

patient that it will change drastically

once it is antiqued and finished.

I love how this little Henredon castaway

turned out!