Late Night on the Ave is October 4th!

Be sure to watch our blog "On The Apple Box" for details on our Chalk Paint™ by Annie Sloan colour of the month and our October draw!

Looking forward to seeing you this Thursday at Late Night on the Ave!

♥,  
Apple Box Boutique

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Breathe New Life Into Old Furniture Pieces: Dorm DIY

Project Personality

with Apple Box Boutique founder Leanne Playter Korsos

Hello and Happy Wednesday!  Has everyone adjusted to school being back in session?

A couple of weeks ago we were fortunate enough to be featured in an article on DIY for dorm decor.  Candice So of the Edmonton Journal came out to Apple Box Boutique and we had a really fun chat about how students can get the most for their money -- and of course Chalk Paint™ by Annie Sloan was at the top of the list!

Here is an excerpt.  To read the article in its entirety, visit www.edmontonjournal.com

Breathe new life into old pieces

Friends and family are a great source of second-hand furniture, but if you have your eye on that perfect old table at the thrift store, go for it! A lot of used furniture, while grubby at first glance, can be remade into something that fits the confines of student space and satisfies your design yearnings.

There are pieces for the taking priced at $50 or less - and that’s including restoration, says Leanne Playter Korsos, owner of Apple Box Boutique at 6507 112th Ave.

Second-hand dressers can go for $30 at Goodwill or Value Village, and while they may look like junk, a fresh coat of chalk paint may be all that’s needed, she says. Her store sells Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

“Chalk paint gives wood that lovely, rustic, distressed look,” says Playter Korsos. “To me, it’s the miracle paint.”

Photo:Bruce Edwards-Edmonton Journal

The painting process only takes a couple of hours because you can just slap the paint right on without first having to strip the piece down. The paint dries quickly, is non-toxic and can be mixed with other paints, says Playter Korsos, adding that if you paint a desk and decide not to wax or lacquer it when it’s dry, it can do double duty as a chalkboard.

Apple Box Boutique sells a four-ounce sample of paint for $14, but that can stretch far enough to repaint an entire bureau or dresser. Add that to the cost of a $30 bureau and presto, that piece was less than $50 — a good deal versus the cost of a new bureau. Playter Korsos’ own wedding was Jane Austen-inspired and used chalk-painted furniture." - Candice So

What didn't make the cut was that Chalk Paint™can be used to dress up your dorm or apartment in more ways than refreshing furniture -- Paint glass soda bottles to use as vases, or mason jars to make votive holders.  Add colour to inexpensive pillows and curtains with Chalk Paint™... or for that matter, paint T-shirts, shoes and other clothing to get a new look.

Pick up plastic or metal kitsch, planters, sconces and more at thrift stores and reimagine them!  There are endless ideas on Pinterest as well, and using Chalk Paint™ makes projects (including online tutorials!) even easier and quicker than with other types of paint.

I was asked if it's true that we DIYed our Regency ("Jane Austen") themed wedding... Yes, we sure did!

What can I say -- I'm a gal that loves a great deal -- and Chalk Paint™ fits the bill!

~♥~  Leanne

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Barefoot Venus Giveaway & Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ Updates

Usually Mondays are reserved for Reimagined Monday, but we are putting all that on the back burner while we catch up on a few things!  Don't worry -- it will be back next week!  As for today:

First... the winner of the Barefoot Venus Lilly Pilly Giveway is...

Nicole Ter Mors McEachern

Congratulations Nicole!  

Barefoot Venus is natural and oh-so-decadent!  We hope you love it as much a we do.

Second... for everyone wondering what has happened with our Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ shipment, there have certainly been trials and tribulations in getting it to Alberta, but things are looking up!

After slowly making its way to and then being halted at the border due to things we won't bore you with but having to do with a little something called Hurricane Isaac and its after-affects, things are looking good for it to be in our hands toward the end of this week.  

We've been assured that this is very unusual and future shipments will get here easy-peasy.  Or is that easily-peasily?  

Either way, as soon as this one arrives we will be getting paint and wax off to those who ordered online for shipping or for pick-up in boutique. Once those orders are filled, we'll send the rest in to the boutique!  

If you know what you want we recommend you order from our website to beat the rush.

And now it's time for... 

 

For your patience, for hanging in there with us, and for just being you -- our fantastic customers, friends and followers!

It may be a little quiet around the blog for a few days, but there will be much to tell soon!

Have a fabulous week! 

♥,

Apple Box Boutique

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NEW! Shop online 24/7 with The Apple Cart

Last night we stopped counting at 150+ requests for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™  since the Alberta Stockist (distributor) suddenly discontinued their services last week and we announced we would be doing our best to get everyone their orders.  We have now signed on to become a Stockist with Annie Sloan/Annie Sloan Unfolded and are working hard behind the scenes in anticipation of the first major shipment of paint arriving next week.

With so many loyal customers patiently waiting, we knew we'd have to move fast and efficiently to offer good options to people without creating mayhem at the Boutique.

Effective today our online shop

The Apple Cart

is ready for business! 

Because of the speed with which we've launched this option, it admittedly is a bit clunky with customers having to choose their shipping option on each item rather than a complete order, but we will improve that as soon as we can! Just select the same shipping method on each of your items so that we know what to do at this end for a quick and trouble-free process. The important thing is:

we went with security over pretty 

so that all of your information is protected -- and we will not share it with anyone!

We want to get your paint and accessories to you as soon as possible, so here is the low-down on shopping with the Apple Cart, which consist of online shopping options for Annie Sloan products, Miss Mustard Seed products and the Jewelry line.

Here is what the Annie Sloan shop looks like:

Click to view larger

and the shipping options:

Click to view larger

and following is the Apple Cart after a couple of items are selected.  You can change the Quantity here, and click Update to confirm it.

Click to view larger

In this example, the customer has selected to have their order shipped with Canada Post COD.  You can also have it shipped with FedEx Ground Services or choose to pick your items up at Apple Box Boutique.

If you choose to pick up in-store, your reserved, pre-paid item(s) will be available the day following your order (when placed prior to 3:00 PM) and will be held for three days.*


After you've filled your Apple Cart, click the Check Out or PayPal button to make payment.  You will receive an email message confirming your purchase and your order will be processed in 2 - 5 days.  Depending on where you are located, shipping is generally 3 - 10 days.

It's as easy as that!

Online purchasing is available for both Annie Sloan and Miss Mustard Seed's (MMS) paint and supplies!  Not to worry about switching between the two -- just click Add to Cart in either shopping page and then pay for your Miss Mustard Seed items and your Annie Sloan selections all at once.

You will also see Jewelry as an option for purchase online.  This will take you to a secure external website where you can view the catalog and access the online system for Simply You, the company that makes all the pretty, sparkly jewelry pieces, which will be shipped to you separately.

Now all that's left is for you to

get to The Apple Cart and start shopping!

All orders are first come, first served, and with this improved service we are happy to make shopping with Apple Box Boutique quicker and easier for all of our valued customers.

Have a great day!

♥,  
Apple Box Boutique
 

*For Boutique pick-up, your reserved, pre-paid item(s) will be available the day following your order when made by 3:00 PM. Orders processed after 3:00 PM will be available two days following your order. They will be held for three days.  Please see website for additional information.

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Chalk of the Town: The Paint That Annie Built

It's true!  Canadians are raving about Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and it is turning up in articles across the nation. Mag Ruffman, alias ToolGirl writes a Herald Homes column for The Chronicle Herald and recently reviewed Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ .  Here are excerpts of what she had to say:

Chalk of the Town: The Paint That Annie Built

"Last weekend I drove two hours for a can of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. I’d been reading about this paint all over the Internet, where decor buffs have been raving about it to the point of discipleship. After my recent experiments with homemade milk paint, I didn't really believe there could be anything better, but my curiosity was piqued.

Vrooom

I screeched to a stop just 15 minutes before closing time at Kathie Jordan Design in the beautiful little town of New Hamburg. I was greeted by an effervescent young woman who I psychically divined to be Kathie Jordan, and as it turned out, I was correct. (There was only one other person in the store and it was a guy.)

Kathie showed me all of the fantastic vintage projects she’s been painting. Each piece had a silky glow and the palette was gorgeous — deep, rich, luminous. But the best part, Kathie said with a squeak of excitement, is that there’s no prep required. Annie Sloan, the fine artist who created the paint, designed it to stick to anything: plastic, glass, marble, ceramic, masonry, wood, any finish on any kind of furniture — NO PREP. Did you catch that?! No sanding, no stripping, no scraping. No matter what the finish, this stuff sticks."

How does it do that?

"Annie Sloan Chalk Paint is a kind of gesso, made from poly-vinyl-acetate (white glue), chalk whiting and pigment. Okay, I haven’t seen the actual formula, but Annie Sloan talks about glue-and-chalk formulas in her book, Paint Alchemy, and this stuff smells just like white glue and wet chalk." (ABB side note:  This is not the Annie Sloan recipe, but it does stick to anything!) 

"I bought two quarts (946ml) — ‘Old Ochre’ and ‘Versailles’ — and if I’d known how much I would like the paint, I would have bought every one of the 27 colours [sic].

I’ve been trying to figure out how to describe Annie Sloan Chalk Paint without sounding like a commercial. There are certain products that belong in an exceptional category because they’re infallible, extremely fun, utterly high-quality, eco-friendly, cost-effective and pretty. This is the first one I’ve found in a long time. Let’s dub it ‘ToolGirl Approved’ in every area.

Infallible

Seriously, you can’t screw up with this paint. It goes on like silk, covers like crazy (the instructions say that one coat is enough for most projects and I found that to be true, except with kitchens, where you want extra durability.)

Extremely fun

You’ll feel like a kid again. You’ll want to paint everything. After blasting through a bunch of furniture, I moved on to painting my kitchen cabinets, which are covered in brittle, aging alkyd. No sanding, no prep. On goes the Chalk Paint, the exact colour of the cabinets in Jasper Dale’s kitchen in Road to Avonlea (‘Versailles.’) Lovely.

Utterly high-quality

PVA is an expensive ingredient to use in paint and its inclusion makes the adherence spectacular. Cheaper binders tend to blister, lift or peel. Or smell badly. PVA is mild and sticks like, well, glue.

Eco-friendly

Ten minutes after I painted a row of cabinets in the kitchen, my extremely odour-sensitive husband cane in and couldn’t smell the paint. The formula is extremely low in volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Cost effective

A little goes a long way. A VERY LONG way. It’s not gummy and thick like latex, it’s thin and extremely opaque. It doesn’t skin over like regular paint and it dries very quickly (10 to 30 minutes). Four stools, one huge unfinished wood table, two chairs, seven kitchen cabinets, a garden bench, baskets, glass bowls, ceramic pots, and various plastic bowls made from old LPs, and I still have more than a quart left.

Pretty

Chalk Paint has a vintage-y matte finish. If you want a satin finish, sand the surface lightly with 400-grit sandpaper and then apply a special soft wax that Annie Sloan developed to give a rich, retro lustre to any surface. Drop dead gorgeous.

If you want a translucent stain, just dilute Chalk Paint with a little water.

If you want an aged effect, apply Annie’s dark wax, which fills the grooves of brush strokes and adds exceptional patina and depth.

Because the paint contains whiting, its flat finish mimics a chalkboard so you can create a writing surface on any object.

If you don’t like a paint effect or a wax layer, just paint over it. Just keep layering until you get the effect you want.

You can tint Annie’s waxes with a bit of Chalk Paint if you want a more opaque wax.

You can create a crackle finish using a hair dryer to heat the fresh paint."

For more experiments and photos please visit ToolGirl.com.

At Apple Box Boutique we carry the full line of 30 Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™  colours + they can be mixed to create an unending array of custom shades.

Plus... and this is a BIG plus... you can paint indoors year 'round without worrying about toxins or smelliness (is that a word?) -- Now that's a product Canadians can really embrace!

♥,

Apple Box Boutique

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It's Official -- Apple Box Boutique is On The Map!

How do you like THEM apples!

Yup, Apple Box Boutique is on the map, baby!

Effective this week, we have become an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™  Stockist.  I'm sure some of you are wondering what that is and how it affects things, so here's the scoop!

First... This is exciting stuff!

Previous to becoming a Stockist we were a Retailer, and that won't change.  We will still sell Chalk Paint™ at Apple Box Boutique but now we are part of a bigger family and will be providing Annie Sloan products to other Retailers as well.

Second... There are more cool things to come! 

We will also be offering classes, online purchasing and more fabulous Annie Sloan products. Plus if you are interested in becoming a Retailer, we can help with that, too.

Last... But most definitely not least!

Thank you to all of our fantastic customers for your patience.  It has taken some time to sort things out since things changed suddenly with our Alberta distributor, but we are back on track and can't put in to words how much we appreciate you hanging in there with us.  Your support has meant everything.

So... What about that map?

Annie Sloan Unfolded is the international distributor of Chalk Paint™ brand decorative paints developed by Annie Sloan Interiors Ltd., based in the U.K.  Being on their map makes it official... we are a part of something really big!

We can't wait to get started on this new adventure and share all the great things to come with you.

Watch On The Apple Box for updates, sales, news and events coming soon to Apple Box Boutique!

~♥~  
Leanne and the Apple Box Boutique family

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Big News: AS Chalk Paint™ and MMS Milk Paint 24/7

We are very excited to announce that Apple Box Boutique will soon be offering Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint 24/7!

Starting next month we will open our full online shoppe, which means you can order your paint and supplies at any time of the night or day, at your convenience.  We will ship your order to you, or you can pick it up at the boutique.

It's all about YOU!

Currently, we have pre-purchasing available online so that you can be among the first to get your Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint when it arrives next month. 

 Beat the rush and order now!

Favourite products, big convenience, lots of fun -- We're thrilled to be able to share it all with you!

♥,

Apple Box Boutique

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Project Personality: Annie Sloan Gets Dressed Up -- Again!

Project Personality

with Apple Box Boutique founder Leanne Playter Korsos

Last week I shared some images I have hoarded assembled of gowns that reflect the colours found in the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ collection.  I also dedicated that blog to "all my girls"...  Well, I have heard from some folks who felt that was completely unfair, so to make up for it today is a blog for all my boys!

As Annie Sloan says about her ASCP, it's a girls' paint, but boys can use it too!  In fact, here are the reasons the company says it is the best paint in the world:

1.   It's the BEST paint for painting furniture by a long way
2.   You can use the paint by diluting it with water to make a wash to show the wood grain
3.   You can use it as an impasto ( thickly) - leave the lid off to thicken
4.   You can use it on any surface, indoors and out (the outside of our shop was painted in it- perfect!)
5.   No need to prime or prepare
6.   The colours are mixed intelligently and the web site shows how you can adapt your colours for your use

7.  It's a girls' paint, but boys can use it too

8.   It's flexible so you can be creative and change your mind
9.   The paint can be washed off your brush even when you find your brush weeks later.

10. It allows your walls to breathe so it is perfect for cottage walls
11. Extremely low VOCs so it is good for the environment
12. It doesn't form a skin on it when you leave the lid off - just add some water if it's too thick
13. Very little black is used in their manufacture so the colours are mixed with thought
14. You can paint it on walls for a soft matt effect or wax it for a polished plaster effect

I'd like to add number 15:
15.  It can be used on fabric

Oh, and 16:
16.  The colours are so gorgeous, they make for stunning gowns

... here's proof!  Continued from Part 1:

ASCP Henrietta

ASCP Louis Blue

  ASCP Napoleonic Blue             ASCP Antibes Green   

ASCP Old Ochre

 

ASCP Old Violet

 

ASCP Old White

ASCP Olive

ASCP Paloma

ASCP Paris Grey

ASCP Primer Red

ASCP Provence

ASCP Pure White

 

ASCP Scandinavian Pink

ASCP Versailles

Now I have no idea what to wear today, but after all these gorgeous gowns I'm off to find a gala!

Have a fantabulous day!

~♥~ Leanne

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