Friday, April 20, 2012

I 'SLOANED' MY DRIVEWAY!!!

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint goes over ANYTHING
A year ago, actually 14 months ago, I needed to prove to ALL that this really is the case.

As you may remember, I LOVE McKenzie Childs.  So I decided to make my entrance to 
UNIQUE
just like my little store nestled in Carrollwood.
ASCP Old Ochre and Graphite done in a checkerboard pattern
This has not been sealed.  Raw paint on raw concrete!!
This is the entrance from our parking lot
My Parking Lot!
This has been rained on, 
sprinkled on, 
driven on, 
walked on, 
merchandise has been dragged across, 
it is in FULL Florida sunshine
Gets beaten on by the notoriously strong thunderstorms
and it
STILL LOOKS AMAZING!

While I'm at it, I'll share just a few more pics of my cute little store from the outside
These are silks!  You'd never know!
Can you see the puppy peaking from the little house?
Stop by and sit for a spell.  It's beautiful in my gardens!
Don't forget to come see us at the FANCY FLEA in Lakeland.  We're sure going to transform two tents into a Mini Robyn Story Designs& boutique

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Robyn Story Designs, Fancy Flea & FREE SHIPPING

IT'S OFFICIAL,
WILL BE AT THE 
FANCY FLEA IN APRIL

WOOOOHOOOOO
Look for us at booth numbers 115 & 116 
at intersection of Lemon Street and Kentucky Avenue

We had such a GREAT time when we were there in November but we didn't have enough room to 
spread out!!  

Seriously, when I shop, I like options so I want to make sure that you have 
OPTIONS!!!

I have no idea exactly what we're bringing but I've got a hunch that it'll be 
GREAT!!

So get your Annie Sloan Chalk Paint ™ list together because we're showing up
stocked to the gills with 
ALL THINGS ANNIE!!!

That's right...PAINT - (EVERY COLOR), WAXES, BRUSHES, all of 
Annie's BOOKS

and her new 
CRAQUELUER PRODUCT

If you get your list together early, 
here's a GREAT deal for you

Call your order in - the SKIES the limit because
I'M GOING TO DELIVER IT TO YOU AT THE FANCY FLEA!

That's right, you order it, I deliver it - FREE SHIPPING
because we'll be hand delivering it to you!
AND
I'm going to throw in - FREE - two of our 
NEW MINI WAX BRUSHES**
AND
If that's not enough....AN EMBELLISHMENT PACKAGE!!
(a lovely little package with ribbons, fabrics, brick-a-brack, florals, buttons, pins - creative bits and pieces!)



Check out our website for all the goodies that you can pre-order.
Check out our new GILDING WAX while you're at it!

This comes in FOUR different colors, goes on like a dream and is just a beautiful product to work with.  I've thrown away all other "wannabe's".  This is the REAL stuff, straight from France.

Since you're not paying shipping, 
why not add this to your order!!

What are you waiting for, call your order in NOW 
(Store hours 10-5 Tues. - Fri  10-4 Saturday) .
For this promotion all orders must be called into the store so that it is processed for the Lakeland Fancy Flea
we will not be offering this special on the day of Fancy Flea and  

All orders must be received by Thursday, April 26!   
NO EXCEPTIONS 



HOPE TO SEE YOU ON THE DAY OF FANCY FLEA!!
 

**minimum purchase of one quart of paint required for FREE BRUSHES & Embellisment package

Friday, April 6, 2012

Annie Sloan's GREAT AMERICAN TOUR and Robyn Story's UPDATE

OH MY GOSH
Can I tell you what an amazing time we had in Atlanta?!
As you walked into the Conference Center Annie's Pictures and Fabrics greeted you!
Words alone can never define who Annie is.  
She's BRILLIANT
Charming
Witty
Incredibly Talented
and just an INSPIRATION for us all.

Not only for her talent as an artist but for what she represents as a woman.
Successful
Driven 
Caring
We started off at 6:30 on Wednesday morning. 
  Lori and I decided at the last minute to load up the car and drive!!
 I know....I need to bring pretty things...
to set a stage....
to tell a story....

Can I tell you what a GREAT decision that was.  We were loaded to the gills with all things ANNIE!  
We brought our "Antoinette", our mannequin inspired by Annie Sloan Colors and she brought
joy 
 a sense of style
and a 
personality to the whole environment!
Welcome to our Workshop/Breakout Room.  This is Antoinette, David - Annie's Husband and Me!
I also loaded up on sample pieces from the store and we even made a special little table just for Annie.
Here are a few pictures of our Workshop/Breakout room
This is our room before we worked out little magic.

After we decorated and set it up.
Our "place settings"

One of our vignettes
I have made it a personal mission to own all of Annie's Books.  She's a wonderful speaker and an amazing writer as well.
 On Thursday, Annie's BIG day, we were all set up and people started rolling in!

I am SOOO proud of my wonderful customers.  SO many familiar faces were coming through our doors.

Thanks to ALL of YOU that shared this wonderful event with us!  Don't forget, you get a FREE workshop in our store for coming to Atlanta and supporting Annie.  Those dates are coming....
Carol (who won the national giveaway of 29 pots of paint & her daughter Danielle were there to learn from Annie
Julie from Venice was glued to all that Annie had to say!
Michele and Ken Hiley of Stiltskin Studios were there to share in ALL of the festivities!
Even Pierre (Ken's parakeet) made the trip and had to room with Lori!


Michele Hiley - Stiltskin Studios and Anne Smith - Gyspyfleur
 Our workshop was just fabulous.  LOTS of familiar faces and some GREAT new friends.  We placed some drop cloths on the floor and had each of our workshop participants dip their hands in Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and leave their hand prints as well as their autograph on this cloth.
Even ANNIE GOT IN ON THE FUN!
Annie leaving her mark on our cloth!
Who needs Hollywood Boulevard!!!!
Okay, enough of my pictures.  What did we learn from Annie?!  Too much to blog about but I will tell you she has a BRAND NEW BOOK coming out in about a year.  It's a recipe book.  A How to Book on mixing colors.  Her color theory was amazing to listen to.  Her stories about the history of colors was so fun and educational.  I'll never look at Antoinette again and not remember her story.  Same for so many of her colors.  I loved that she shared those stories with everyone. 
A page out of her book that she uses in her store in Oxford.  Love the color combinations with her fabric. 
 Oh, and NEW PAINT BRUSHES FROM ANNIE are on their way!!  I just got the info that we HOPE to have them by the end of the month.  Fingers and toes crossed.
There will be three different paint brush sizes.  We had an opportunity to use them in Atlanta and they're FABULOUS!
(Speaking of brushes....don't forget our Two For One Mini Wax brushes)

Can you tell that I just LOVE LOVE LOVE all things Annie.  Finally, I got to share all of this with one of my staff members, Lori.  She's as fanatical about this paint as I am.  Loves every minute that she gets to spend working with it.  Seeing her meet Annie was such a treat for me.  It was a magical time.   If you were there, you understand.  If you weren't, I can not stress enough - if you EVER get this opportunity - 
TAKE IT.  It was worth every penny and then some.

Okay, one more picture.  Lori and I drove up my driveway, Steve opened the door and there's my Louie waiting for his momma with a new, prized possession.  Seriously, is he not the cutest!!??