A SPECIAL SHOUT OUT TO LINDA COURIER-SEEGERS

We really would like to take this opportunity to thank Linda.  Linda is a wonderful neighbor and is incredibly talented.  We were honored to have her in our class. Within an hour of leaving our workshop I received a message from Linda that she had made a Smilebox for us from her time spent in our workshop.  As we viewed it, we were so incredibly touched that she took the time to put together such an artful presentation of her experience!  It meant a lot to all of us and I would like to share it with all of you!

Linda's Smilebox

She is ALWAYS in the know on all the hottest things.  She has her own fabulous blog filled with great information on her travels, her finds and is just a terrific resource for all kinds of information on just about everything.... Click on the link below to learn all about her, you'll enjoy the ride!

Linda's Fun Stuff

HOLY SMOKES! CHALK PAINT DOES WORK ON MELAMINE!

Whew!!  We just finished a HUGE project with Annie Sloan Chalk Paints and boy did we change the look of a room!!  We are very fortunate to have some of the best customers and clients in the WORLD, here's the quick scoop.

We have a couple who's home we have done from top to bottom - custom drapes, bedding, flooring, furniture, lighting...the list goes on (take a look at the latest HOUSETRENDS pg 75 magazine for an editorial done featuring this home and our work) however, there was one room that was our latest challenge.  An office off the master bedroom.  This room has a built-in wall unit that is constructed of orange melamine.  Now you're asking yourself if I just said "orange melamine", yes I did and here's a picture to prove it.

These wonderful home-owners allowed us to learn, hands-on, if Annie Sloan Chalk Paint could live up to the statement of "no prep work".  We brought a host of supplies and an incredible enthusiasm and got busy!.  To put it into perspective this unit is 18 feet long, 10 foot high with a depth of 24 inches in most cubbies and had 17 flat-front doors.  When we saw the doors we had an "a-ha" moment and ran to Home Depot with a measuring tape in hand.  We thought the doors needed to be enhanced with a little trim.  Soooo, for $10.39 per 8 foot piece, we bought 10 pieces, asked a carpenter/friend of ours to make the miter cuts and add trim to the flats of the door using Liquid Nails.  We used a total of 6 quarts of Chalk Paint.  Three Annie Sloan Chateau Grey and three Versaille, two clear waxes and one dark wax to achieve the final result.  We even painted the laminate countertop!!  For that we used a mixture of Old White, Country Grey and a hint of Graphite.  And just like that it looks like a marbled finish on the countertop!!  A TOTAL transformation.

We were thrilled with the results.  But best of all, our amazing clients loved it even more than we did!!  So you could say it was a TOTAL success.  Here are a few pictures of the process.

(This was before we added accessories to shelves)

Pretty Fantastic, wouldn't you agree?!  More later.....Robyn

More Incredible Makeovers from CHALK PAINT Workshop Participants

Carol, one of our class participants has gone WILD!  Here's just a few pictures that she's shared with us.  She's been working non-stop since she attended our first series of workshops!  Carol asked a bunch of great questions, bought our Starter Kit and the Paint Transformation book and has been busy ever since!

Thanks for sharing Carol, keep the pictures coming!

LAUNDRY ROOM UPDATE

Well, I knew it was bound to happen!!  The first moment I picked up a brush and played with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint I was hooked.  Seriously, what's not to love about "no prep work".  Anyone that knows me, knows that I am the QUEEN of INSTANT GRATIFICATION!  But what's even better is that I have created monsters at my store, Robyn Story Designs.

Scott Lau, a very talented Floral Designer at the store and now Painter Extraordinaire, just finished his white melamine laundry room cabinets!!  He simply used the Olive paint and both clear and dark waxes to give a finish of glazed wood.  It transformed the space!!  You go Scott!!!

We've been busy painting at the store as well.  More pictures to come!!  Robyn

Lori's First Project

One of my creative staff members, Lori, was excited to share her project using Annie Sloan Chalk Paints.  Below is her blog on her weekend project.  I plan on sharing all of our work, both in the store and the things we do on our own.  This paint has taken my staff and myself to new creative levels!!!!!!  ENJOY!   Robyn

So, I've had the opportunity to work with the FABULOUS Annie Sloan Chalk Paints at the store and during our work-shops but........I've been dying to get my hands on this paint for my personal projects.  Finally, we have a wonderful stock of all colors and waxes and I had to have some!!!  My wonderful husband said that I could do anything I wanted all weekend, after all, it was Mother's Day.  So we went out antiquing and I found the mother-load.  We stopped at Robyn Story Designs on our way home and I picked up my supply of colors and waxes and rushed home to get busy.  I am excited to share my success with everyone.  Above is the 'before'.  At one time it was a lovely mahogany but it had a lot of damage to the finish and needed to be re-done.

Above is the picture of it after I applied Annie Sloan Arles as the base coat, Olive as a top coat and then I distressed it along the detail.  I wanted the Arles and the original wood to show through.  Here's a close-up

Then......VOILA!!!!!!!!!!!  The finished product.  After I distressed it I applied the dark wax, one layer at a time until I reached my desired depth of color.

It looks absolutely amazing and I had so much fun on my little Mother's Day weekend.  If only all weekends were Mother's Day....I wonder if my husband will be so kind as to humor me again this coming weekend.....  Believe me, I am addicted to this.  Stop by the store, we'll be working on projects on a regular basis!  I'm sure I'll be posting my next project.  Hope to see you at the store soon!  Lori