August Artwork

August has been a busy month so far for C'est Moi, and apparently it has been the same for some of our local artists. We just received this beautiful piece from Kellie Montana. We love the texture and muted colors she used! The picture simply doesn't do it justice.

Amy Rankin has also added to her collection at the shop. This piece, inspired by the Bible verse found in Joshua 24:15, rings true to her style in both beauty and inspiration. Anyone who admires Amy's work will certainly adore her latest artistic endeavor.

Those of you who have followed Emily Little's journey might think her latest piece is a bit of a departure from her previous work. You can see her hand, though, in the way she's captured the charm and simplicity of nature in this painting. Like Kellie and Amy's work, you'll want to come in the shop to see this beautiful piece for yourself!

Dreaming in Color

Everyone knows we love color here at C'est Moi, and this little yellow ceramic pig is just too cute for words. The top is hollow, so it can be used to hold jewelry, knick-knacks, flowers, or just about anything else imaginable!

Another colorful piece to arrive are these bracelets from Amazima. Like their necklaces, these are hand crafted by women in Uganda, who are paid fair wages for their work and are then able to better care for their families. We love Amazima's jewelry, as well as its mission!

Perhaps the brightest piece of news to share with you is that we will be hosting a very special workshop! Deneen Glidwell, the talented and creative mind behind Dreaming in Color, will be teaching how to use CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan to create a one-of-a-kind jewelry box, as seen below. Anyone 9 years old and up are welcome to participate! The workshop will be Sunday, June 30th from 10:00 to 12:30 and costs $85. We can't wait to see you there!

English Yellow Has Arrived!

Yellow is, simply put, a happy color. It doesn't matter whether it's a rich gold tone, as seen on this beautiful French headboard...

Source: www.escapadeblog.com

or a more muted hue, as this stunning stair runner showcases...

Source: www.jonathanadler.com

or a bright sunny yellow that works seamlessly within a vibrant palette. Yellow imbues joy and radiance into any space it touches, which means that this week C'est Moi is certainly a happy place to be...

Source: www.jonathanadler.com

since we have received our first shipment of CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan in English Yellow!!! This is what Annie calls a "clean" or "non earthy yellow;" it blends beautifully with other colors. One of our favorite combinations is English Yellow and Antibes Green, which creates a perfect lime green shade. We've been painting everything in sight with this pretty pop of color, and we know you'll love it as well. Be sure to come by and see for yourself!

Source: www.examiner.com; photography by Christopher Drake for Annie Sloan

The Art of Giving

Amy Rankin, one of the newest artists to be featured at C'est Moi, is the owner and creative mind behind 2540 Designs. Inspired by the Bible verse Matthew 25:40, Amy and her husband adopted their daughter from China and have become supporters of several charitable organizations that promote and provide adoption services. Part of the proceeds from her sales go to these organizations. We admire Amy's desire to give back and serve others in need and are proud to promote her work.

We also happen to love the color, texture, and inspiration her art work exhibits. It's simply beautiful and would be gorgeous in any home!

Sheryl Putnam is another local artist whose work has blessed the lives of others. Several years ago, through the midst of several trials, she began creating what she calls "prayer pockets." She hand stitches pouches from vintage fabrics and attaches antique chains to them to create necklaces. A small scroll of paper, tied with a ribbon, rests inside each one. You can write a prayer on the paper and keep it close to your heart, reminding you of it throughout the day. Sheryl's prayer pockets are a sweet gift for anyone struggling through a difficult time.

Sheryl also makes these canvas vintage embellished backpacks. Its design and size make it a versatile bag that can serve as a regular book-toting back pack, a purse, and everything in between. They're even more adorable in person, so make sure you come to C'est Moi and take a look!

Brocante in Brentwood

"Brocante" is the French word for flea market, and Paris is home to the most famous brocante of all: Les Puces ("The Fleas.")  It covers 17 acres and receives between 120,000 and 180,000 visitors each weekend, making it the largest antique market in the world. Dealers and customers alike love to haggle over prices; negotiating is a hallmark of Les Puces, as well as other flea markets.

But you don't have to travel to Paris to enjoy a brocante. This Friday, June 15th, C'est Moi is bringing the brocante to Brentwood! A wide variety of items will be on sale, including rugs, bedding, furniture, and Waxing Poetic jewelry. Don't let the sale tag deter you from negotiating, though; the haggle is part of the fun! 

Introducing Artisan Enhancements

We've been asked about numerous decorative finishes and if they can be used with CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan®. We're excited to finally be able to recommend a fabulous product: Artisan Enhancements by Aloha Coatings. Below you'll see we've stenciled with their Pearl Plaster paint, which produces a velvety, pearlescent shimmer.

Pearl Plaster offers the flexibility that fans of CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan® have become accustomed to. It can be painted, rolled, toweled, dry brushed, and even tinted with various paint colors to create an endless number of finishes. 

When using Pearl Plaster, you can either wax over it or use Aloha Coatings' clear topcoat. The topcoat can also be used directly over CHALK PAINT by Annie Sloan®, so you can use painted pieces outside. No more worrying about the weather destroying all of your hard work!

In addition to Aloha Coatings' products, you'll want to pick up a topcoat brush. They are specifically designed to prevent brush strokes from showing, so you can finally achieve a perfectly smooth finish!

You can't use a brush without properly cleaning it, and this is hands-down our favorite cleaning product. This lye soap by Coda Artisans removes all traces of paint, wax, and other residual products from brushes. It is so amazing, you won't want to start painting without a Big Fat Lye waiting in your arsenal.

A Taste of France

As much as we love CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan, there's a new girl in town that has grabbed our attention. The Annie Sloan Fabric Collection® can be summed up in one word: stunning. Anyone who has been in the store has seen the Toile de Jouy line in Charcoal Pastorale. The beautiful pictures of country scenes are drawn in a charcoal graphite color on off-white pure cotton.

As it is double width toile, it can be used on walls, curtains, or light upholstery. We have displayed it in the shop over our cast iron bed. If you've been in the shop lately, you will surely have noticed this lovely addition to our decor!

If you need even more inspiration, you'll love our newest addition to our book collection, Romantic French Homes. Lanie Goodman profiles 14 homes that all exemplify romantic French style, from classic country chateaus to chic, modern Parisian flats.

We think Rann Woodward's latest artwork would add a touch of romance to any room it calls home! These serene hydrangeas make us want to take a moment, relax, and step outside to see the gorgeous flowers blooming all around us this spring.

Finally, we have a little project of our own to share with you. This cute accent chair came to us in pretty rough shape. The upholstery was in great shape, though, and we loved the color and character it brought to the rest of the piece. Instead of replacing or painting it, we kept the upholstery and played off the gold color by layering CHALK PAINT® by Annie Sloan in Arles and Cream. We love how it turned out and are happy we're finally able to show her off!