Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More

We were pleasantly surprised to have received one of our most anticipated products a few weeks early! Annie Sloan's latest book, Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More, is a masterpiece of design and creativity.

(Photo Credit for Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More: Christopher Drake) 

It includes 40 new projects, almost all of them created originally for Annie's country home in France. Our favorite has to be this French Napoleonic bed, which adds what Annie calls an "outrageous pomposity" to this otherwise subdued and neutral room.

Each of the projects includes step-by-step instructions to recreate the looks presented in the book. We love the mixture of Antibes Green, dark wax, and gilded accents on the bed. It's absolutely gorgeous!

Some of the techniques she uses are new to even the most ardent Annie Sloan aficionados. Did you know, for instance, that you can use CHALK PAINT® to dye fabric?!

Annie has dyed monogrammed linen fabric and used it for upholstery, bed linens, and curtains. The fabric below has been dyed Aubusson Blue and Scandanavian Pink; the book includes instructions on not only how to dye fabric but how to vary the intensity of the final colors.  

One of the best aspects of Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More is the collection of various styles Annie showcases. Not only does she use CHALK PAINT® to create pieces inspired by classical French style, but adds Boho Chic, Modern Contemporary, and Country styles to the mix. 

This painted panel wall is a beautiful example of Swedish style, along with the textured pine staircase that Annie washed with Old White and Paris Grey. 

Those who have taken our advanced workshops will recognize the technique on this stenciled wall. For one of the walls in her home, Annie used four colors and one damask stencil to create a bold, layered design. The step-by-step instructions explain how to apply the paint with varying degrees of pressure and how adding a wash of Old White on top can develop a more subtle, worn look. 

These are just a few of our favorite projects from Annie's new book; it also includes an entire section on understanding and combining colors from her CHALK PAINT® line. We would love for you to come in and see for yourself why Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and More is the perfect introduction to transforming your home!

Annie Sloan CHALK PAINT™ Painted Frames

Anyone whose been in C'est Moi is very familiar with Kellie Montana's amazing art work. That makes us especially excited to introduce you to her equally creative sister, Ellie! Ellie builds each of these frames by hand, then uses Annie Sloan CHALK PAINT™ to spruce them up. They're sold individually, but we love this pair together. On these she featured Chateau Grey and Aubusson Blue, topped with Annie Sloan Dark Wax. Fabulous!

Ellie's designs range from geometric, like this one on the left, to subtle and whimsical. The small flower pattern on the frame on the right is dainty, but the dark wax on top adds vintage character and makes it feel a little more "grown up."

Chevron is everywhere these days, but it can be somewhat intimidating. If you're not ready to commit to painting it on a wall or buying a large patterned rug, why not add it in small doses? Ellie's Chevron frame is the perfect way to add the latest style to your home without much commitment (or wall space.)  :)

When you're done perusing the frames, be sure to check out our latest items from Dash and Albert. These throws are made from 100% hand loomed cotton. We love the classic stripes, and they're the perfect thing to cozy up to on a cold winter night!

The Annie Sloan Work Book

To be exact, we're talking about the Annie Sloan Work Book: For Your Colour and Paint Ideas and Inspiration. It's an understatement to say we're over the moon excited about this book!

It's not just about CHALK PAINT™; it's an interactive book designed to help you develop and define what Annie calls a "visual voice and language." The wire-bound pages lie completely flat and it includes an expandable band to hold items in place. These features allow you to sketch, paint, and keep fabric samples and inspirational photos all together.

The design of the book itself is both inspirational and extremely functional. It's meant to actually be used instead of just glanced at or flipped through, while her whimsical sketches are accompanied by some of her top tips and ideas, like this one:

We will be receiving our shipment of the Annie Sloan Work Book next week!  Be sure to stop by C'est Moi and get yours, as we're sure these will be flying off the shelves! 

A Barn Makeover

We're not sure exactly what to call this building, which sits just a few yards down from C'est Moi. But Tawnya has always had a little barn envy, so...

we gave her a makeover! We'll be focusing our energy on the inside in the coming weeks and months, but today it's all about the outside. We painted her in CHALK PAINT™ in Primer Red, to mimic the look of many of the old barns you see throughout Tennessee. Suggestions for "official" names are welcome. :)

Speaking of makeovers, take a look at this fabulous display of Kellie Montana's artistic talent. The dresser is painted in CHALK PAINT™ in Country Grey, with the trim and hardware in Chateau Grey. Kellie then used various colors of CHALK PAINT™ to create this whimsical birds and branches theme. We love it!

While Kellie went to work on her masterpiece, we watched several customers work on theirs during one of our workshops. Here they used blow dryers as part of a crackling technique. Ask about our workshop schedule the next time you're in the shop; there is always plenty to learn when it comes to using Annie Sloan ™ CHALK PAINT!

Pure Sanctuary and Some Very Seductive Interiors

Today we have a smorgasbord of our favorite things. First up we have Pure Sanctuary's newest charms! These Regal Crest necklaces featuring brass initials lend an old world quality to modern jewelry design. Hand cast in their Los Angelas studio, Pure Sanctuary "makes sure each piece is made with the Love and Care needed to last through Generations."

Anyone who follows Tawnya's facebook page knows how excited we are about this book! Sera Hersham-Loftus is a London-based interior designer whose clients include Mick Jagger's daughter, Lizzie, and Courtney Love. She describes herself as a "makeup artist for interiors" and says her style is "Rock n Roll meets Victorian Goth." We definitely agree; it's far from pure and simple shabby chic design. She mixes elements like dark, rich velvet with lacy florals...and it works. We encourage you to come take a peek at Seductive Interiors. You won't be able to put it down!

These bride and groom collections from Murfreesboro artist Phyllis Reed have been selling out like hotcakes! She uses CHALK PAINT™ to create her pieces on top of old cabinet doors or boards. Phyllis also takes custom orders, so she can make the bride and groom resemble the "real deal," whether the bride is a brunette...

or blonde! Her custom orders come in different sizes as well. Be sure to look around for Phyllis' work the next time you come in!

Fall Decor

Autumn is here, but that doesn't just mean Halloween for us at C'est Moi.  For our store it means beautiful, vibrant colors and warm, rich textures. This display says it all. The dresser shows off a quirky combination of Annie Sloan CHALK PAINT™.  We layered Emperor's Silk and Provence over Arles and Chateau Grey, which peek through the outer layers and dark wax ever so slightly.

Our new Dash and Albert Gypsy Rose 100 % Cotton Hooked Rug adds an off-beat elegance to the vignette. The eye-catching accessory also comes in 100% wool, for those who need just a little more warmth under their toes this winter. 

Kelly Rae Roberts is an inspiring artist based out of Portland, Oregon. Her artwork, like that of Nashville's own Emily Little, is licensed and can be seen on more than just a canvas. These tin caddies, for instance, can be used for everything from organizing a craft drawer to holding silverware.

Her artwork says it all, doesn't it? This quotation by Norman Vincent Peale is the essence of Kelly's experience and work as an artist. Like Emily, she calls herself an "accidental artist," since she discovered her talent late in life. This little accessory imbues a wonderful sense of hope and inspiration; it reminds us that we should see the possibilities all around us!

Those are just a few of our new items this fall. We'd love to see you come to C'est Moi to discover even more!

Ready for a Close Up

Sometimes photographs just don't do a painted piece justice, especially when the beauty is in the details. This chandelier-in-progress, for instance, has a lot of design work that would be difficult to see if you're not in close range. Let's take a better look...

Using a chip brush to dry brush CHALK PAINT™ highlights the chandelier's embellishment. It's not always a good idea to fill in every crevice; it's usually much more interesting to not paint a piece perfectly. At least that's the way we think around here.  :)

If you just can't help but strive for perfection, though, then we have a new product for you.  We love Gilders Paste by Baroque Art.  These little beauties come in several shades that each add a beautiful metallic finish to anything they touch.

We used it with a stencil to layer over some impasto CHALK PAINT™ on a canvas.  You can use your finger, a sponge, a toothbrush(!), or a cloth to apply it straight out of the can. Or you can thin it out to use with a brush, just like a normal paint.  It's a versatile product we know you'll love!

Our last features are for those of us whose best friends are of the four-legged variety.  Wendy Day always manages to produce fun, whimsical watercolors, but these simply make our hearts melt! 

This one is our favorite.  He looks like he's having fun, and the bright blues and greens in the background lift our spirits, too!  We can always count on Wendy to radiate happiness, even when she's not in the shop!

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If you happen to be close to Hartsville this weekend, come stop by the Strawberry Patch Barn Sale!  The fun begins to day at 10am and goes until 6pm; tomorrow we'll be there from 10am to 4pm.  We look forward to seeing you!

It's All About Florence

Have a project lying around, just waiting on you to decide what color to use?  Then we are pleased to announce we have the perfect solution for you! New 4 ounce sample pots of CHALK PAINT™ are on our shelves!  You can now compare several colors at home without the commitment of buying a whole quart. Perfect for those of us who change our minds more than a few times. :)

There's one lady that we never change our minds about, though. She's Florence, of course!  Remember this bookcase we painted in Florence and Antibes Green?

How about this French piece with beautiful gilding on the front? (One of our favorites!)

Not too long ago we also shared this extraordinary frame makeover. Florence, of course, was the star of this show.  Are you noticing a trend yet?  Just keep going...we promise it'll be worth it. :)

This side table is one of our most recent designs. We painted most of the piece in Florence, while the lower shelf and drawer inset is Graphite. All it needed was a little clear wax to top it off.  We love the contrast on this piece!

We liked it so much, in fact, that we used the same colors on this bookshelf!  Florence covers most of the piece, while Graphite accents the back.

And just in case you thought CHALK PAINT™ is for furniture only, we also painted a floor covering. A bright, punchy floor mat can add much-needed color in unexpected places.

Now for the best part of this post; the quart of Florence in the picture above is the only can of paint we used to paint all of the pieces in this post!  So if you're worried about how far a quart will go...don't be. Yet another reason we love CHALK PAINT™!

We're not the only ones in love, though. The students at our advanced workshop centered around Florence learned to mix it with other colors to shade their layered stencils. One of our favorite colors is made when Florence is combined with Provence; it turns out a beautiful Tiffany Blue.  Why don't you pick up a couple of sample pots and see for yourself?  :)

The Paint and the Person

Every customer at C'est Moi knows at least a little bit about CHALK PAINT™ by Annie Sloan, but do you know Annie herself?

This video provides an intimate portrait of her inspiring work at her home in France. She turns a dark staircase into a whimsical piece of art, transforms a French armoire, and puts her design experience on full display.

After understanding the person behind the product, you'll see why CHALK PAINT™ is, in the words of Barb Skivington, "very simple but very special." 

Did you catch a glimpse of the yellow paint she mixes in the first half of the video? That beautiful color is called English Yellow, and we hope to have it available in the United States soon!

We hope Annie is as inspiring to you as she is to us; come by and pick up your own copy of her Creating the French Look to add some whimsy to your own home!

Behind the Scenes

Anyone who's come in the shop has probably noticed our nice little workstation in the back corner. If you've ever seen one of us toiling away at the table, you'll know that this is where we complete almost all of our smaller painting projects.  These craft boxes, for instance, are a great painting project for those who don't want to leap into a big commitment.

You could paint them each in solid, coordinating colors or you can use our approach.  We'll reveal the final result when their complete, but there's no need to be traditional with such a quick and inexpensive project. Try using three (or even more) colors on one box to really brighten things up! 

These 1" chip brushes are the perfect tool to try it with!  Having several of these on hand makes changing paint colors easy. They're also fantastic for painting in small crevices or cutting in edges and corners.

We'll definitely be using these brushes when we spruce up these drawers. They've been waiting for a makeover, and we can't wait to give them a little more life!

You can see from this picture just how much of a difference a little paint can make.  We painted both the frame and the mat, and they now highlight a beautiful Midori paper pattern. A quick, easy project that's easy to replicate at home! 

If you do decide to start a project, this might be your new best friend. No fancy or expensive products here; baby wipes (yes, baby wipes!) will clean CHALK PAINT™ right off your hands. Sometimes simple is best!   

What's Your Sign?

Our newest items from Waxing Poetic put a whole new spin on astrology.  Are you always making friends? Loyal and generous? Influenced by kindness?  Then why not wear Planetary Traits Cuff to show your heart on your wrist instead of your sleeve?

In case you're looking for a project to work on, you might want to take inspiration from the one we finished a few weeks ago.  We started with this very outdated upholstered chair and a can of Pure White CHALK PAINT™...

And we ended up with this beauty!  While painted upholstery has been attempted before, it's never been this easy.  No preparation or mixing paint with extenders. All you need is CHALK PAINT™, a brush, and some outdated fabric!

If you'd rather leave the painting to someone else, come to the shop and check out Wendy Day's newest art work.  Her beautiful watercolor peaches are the perfect way to brighten up a room!

You can also lighten and brighten with a solar Lid Light.  Fit it on top of any standard mason jar, turn out the lights, and watch it glow!  This best seller creates beautiful natural light for backyard parties but can also be used as everyday decoration for patios, sun rooms, and more.

Paint and Pancakes

Who says something has to have good bones to be worth painting?  This old crate hardly had any bones at all, but thanks to Kelli Montana it can now fit in to the cutest of rooms.  Having "fresh", bright flowers year round is just a bonus.  :)

We promised a makeover and here she is! Remember when this little bookshelf used to look like this?  Antibes Green and Florence perked her right up, so she's now worthy to display the fantastic new art work by Emily Little.

This hall tree is the perfect piece to brighten an entryway.  While Antibes Green and Florence create a bright and bold look, Pure White and Paris Grey are a classic combination.  Their neutral tones create a beautiful neutral background for any decor. 

Finally, we have just one question before you go:

Too forward?  Well, we thought we'd give it a shot. :)  It'd still make a darling accompaniment for your kitchen. You might even get some pancakes out of it!