Project Personality: Let's Catch Up (SO much to tell)!

Project Personality

with Apple Box Boutique founder Leanne Playter Korsos

Hello, and welcome to Project Personality -- It's time to catch up, don't you think?

I may lose everyone here, but I am going to go ahead and risk it... yup, because "risk" is my middle name!  Well, not really... Leanne is my middle name but we'll save that wacky story for another day :)

"Why might I lose you?", you ask!  Because once you read the following words you may very well be out the door and on the way to the boutique (or at least running around frantically looking for your car keys like I do) but there is more great news after this so I hope you'll hang around a minute.  

Are you ready?  Here goes...

We Are Restocked with Chalk Paint™

We have shelf-loads of quarts, samples, brushes, books, aprons and anything you could possibly need to get going on your weekend and summer projects!  Just think... all it will take is opening a can.  No priming, no sanding, no worrying about the surface of virtually any object. Easy peasy!

But that's not all!  I did promise more great news...

We were double-shipped a paint order and are guaranteed not to run out of Scandinavian Pink as we near the end of May.  With this being our Colour of the Month, more Chalk Paint™ enthusiasts have given it a try and it has become immensely popular.  Now you can get your hands on some while the price is as low as we go.

If you like this:

I've always said you can hear the angels sing after the second coat of Chalk Paint™

or this:

Scandinavian Pink, Graphite and Old White Chalk Paint™... Oooo-la-la!

or this:

Gratuitous inclusion 'cause I love Flamingos

then you'll LOVE this:

Now, on to more info (does the arrow give that away?)

A while back we introduced "Something Old Something New" (SOSN), a special feature where we post an item that we have been hoarding for one reason or another, but that we need to let go of.  The best part is that we let go of it for way less than it is or may be priced at.

Here is the latest, knocked down from $135 to $95.  We've been hiding it in and around the boutique, referring to it as a good example of Chalk Paint™ in Emperor's Silk with Graphite and a clear wax finish.  It holds a bar fridge (honest, we kept it for the colour), is open in the back to allow for venting (the air-flow kind), and has a wine rack ('nuff said).  

As with any SOSN item, the first to claim it with their pocket book (in-store, online or over the phone) is the proud owner of this great bar cabinet, at a great price!

Want to learn how to makeover something

so it's as cute as this cabinet? 

We have two seats remaining in our Workshop this Sunday.  It is the "bring your own piece" class, which teaches you loads of stuff and is lots of fun (plus we eat yummy food!):

Click this cool logo to read about it and register!

Last but not least -- because there is too much good stuff to not mention it -- tonight is the Highland's Outdoor Farmer's Market from 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM.  It is across the street, so be sure to stop in at Apple Box Boutique (we're open until 9:00 PM Thursdays!) and visit all the other fabulous shops along the street.  Last week was bustling... get down early to make away with all the  goodies before they're gone!

Should I be this excited?  It may be because I snuck in the Flamingo picture.  Nope, it's because I've had so much fun catching up with you!

Looking forward to seeing you tonight!

~♥~ Leanne

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Reimagined Monday: Giving Adoption Hope to Sad & Lonely Kitsch

Happy Reimagined Monday, everyone!

It's Leanne here, and I am very happy to be hosting Reimagined Monday today.

Why?  Because anyone who has talked to me about Chalk Paint™ by Annie Sloan knows that I am super-enthusiastic about it.  I have been since the day I first tried it, long before it landed in our little Boutique.  I love it for SO many reasons... its stress-freeness (hmmm... new entry in the lea-speak dictionary), its prep-free attributes, its look, its ability to stick to -- well, pretty much everything --

In fact, I haven't found anything yet that it doesn't adhere to and improve.  Which is one of my favourite things about Chalk Paint™ and the topic of today's blog entry... Giving adoption hope to those super-shiny, startlingly unappealing and outdated ornaments that are left sad and lonely on dollar store and thrift shop shelves across the nation.

Case in point... the great bunny makeover.  The lovely and always upbeat Janet of The Empty Nest has taken a pair of rather frightening, kitschy, over-lacquered rabbit types and transformed them into stunning little antiqued cottontails that anyone would be proud to display in a coveted spot on their mantlepiece.

Without further ado... Here are excerpts from Janet's blog post about her reimagined bunnies!

"Hello my friends!

Today I want to share a little painting project I worked on over the weekend.

Last week I bought two full size porcelain rabbits at a local thrift shop." 

"I mean really...look at this little guy.....way too shiny and a little scary looking.

Who's idea was it to dress this guy up with a funky blue ribbon???"

"He is just screaming out for some magical Chalk Paint™ decorative paint from Annie Sloan."

"Did you know Chalk Paint™ would adhere to glassy porcelain?

It absolutely does!"

"Here are my bunnies..yup, there were two ugly black mottled bunnies, after two coats of Old White."

"Ok...now I have found that the secret to painting on super slick surfaces like glassy porcelain is to not try too hard.

By that I mean don't try to get full coverage all in one coat. I painted one coat of Old White, not worrying about complete coverage. Don't overwork your brushstrokes. You need to apply a light coat quickly and leave it alone!!! Like overnight leave it alone."

"THEN apply a second coat and the same technique applies.

Lay on the second coat and leave it alone to dry..don't mess with it!

The above rabbits have two full coats of Old White, over the span of two days.

DON'T RUSH THE PROCESS!!!!"

"Here are two lovely rabbits  with two coats of Old White and a coat of Step 1 of

 Annie Sloan's wonderful 

Craqueleur  Varnish Crackle.

Have I told you how much I LOVE this product??

Yeah..I pretty much LOVE IT!!!"

"Step two is now applied and depending how thickly I apply it, will determine how bigs the cracks are.

Liberally apply dark wax all over the piece and rub it into the cracks.

Voila!"

"Pick up some clear wax and wipe all over your piece 

to clean off all the residue dark wax on your piece"

This is what the final effect will be.

Beautiful crackly, crazed and antiqued gorgeousness.

Can you say 

YUM!!

"The lovely thing about Annie's crackle medium is that it doen't touch the paint, but crackles the varnish."

"So cool!

You are able to achieve an antiqued old world varnish crackle."

"Hands down my favorite product!

You can get lovely looks with this product and try to attend a local workshop for some real fun."

"Until next time....be kind and stay creative."

                                                               

Thanks Janet!

I can say that I have successfully painted fabric, plastic, metal, enamel, laminate, and more... even those weird and unknown finishes that are slicker than a greased weasel!

But for many people it has to be seen to be believed, and Janet's bunny project is a wonderful example of how loveliness can be found in all things.  Sometimes it just takes a little reimagination!

♥,  
Leanne & Apple Box Boutique
 

Here is how to share your reimagined paint project at On the Apple Box:

Send us a description of how you used Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ to get from your vision to the reimagined piece, before and after pictures, pictures of your project in progress or a couple of it in its finished state, and you may be highlighted on our blog!

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

The Apple Cart - Great New Shipping Rates!

In September we quickly created special online shopping options to help with customer demand when our Chalk Paint™ shipment was delayed due to Hurricane Isaac.  Now that we have all caught up, we are revising The Apple Cart.

What's new?

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is again available for pre-order. With the original 'rush' shipping rates being a bit higher than we were comfortable with, we closed the MMS section of our online store until we could do better for our customers.

The 'Pick up at Boutique' option has expired.  We added this as a choice so that when Chalk Paint™ by Annie Sloan arrived there wouldn't be a crush at the paint cabinet.  The pre-orders came pouring in and we feel it was the right thing to do under the circumstances.  Now that things are settling down, it is back to 'the normal rush' and paint is available on the shelves at Apple Box Boutique. 

We've been looking for really great shipping rates and we found them! 

Now when you visit The Apple Cart there is an Add To Cart button rather than a drop-down box with options.  That is because we researched and landed great rates so that we can get your paint to you as inexpensively as possible.

Watch for upcoming online specials starting in October!

And don't miss Late Night on the Ave this Thursday, October 4th... but more on that tomorrow, here at On The Apple Box.

♥,  
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait... Chalk Paint™!

After tap-dancing around the fall-out from a hurricane including lost packages, confusion by Customs and sparring with the universe, we are happy to report that our shipment of Chalk Paint™ has finally arrived in Edmonton!

First things first:  We now know that everything that happened to delay our anxiously-awaited shipment was directly related to Hurricane Isaac, and want to thank everyone that put in time and energy to get it to us and to our customers.  

Like they say...

Good things come to those who wait!

Because if we had to wait for something, this is absolutely the thing we would continue to wait for.  There is nothing else out there like it, and thank goodness we've ironed out what happened!  It's hard to imagine a DIY life without this miracle paint.

With that, we would also like to express our excitement at officially becoming a Certified Stockist of the Chalk Paint™ brand by Annie Sloan!  It is new and fun, and we are looking forward to carrying a full line of Annie Sloan™ products over the coming months and supporting retailers in making it more readily available to customers in Alberta!

Image courtesy of Sea Rose Cottage

For those of you who took advantage of The Apple Cart to be first on the list for paint and wax, orders will be available for pick-up starting Tuesday.   We realize the wait was long -- we'd like to sincerely thank you for your patience and we are also waiving the 3-day pick-up condition.  We are happy to hold your order until you can get in to the Boutique to pick it up.

Likewise for our customers who have patiently waited for your shipped orders.  We so appreciate you hanging in there with us!  Your purchases will be shipped on Monday and Tuesday in the order they were received.

And what of the Boutique?  We will be stocked up with paint and waxes!  But stop in soon... we know it is going to go fast!

♥,  
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog: