Reimagined Monday: Aman Dhaliwal's Retro Redoux

Welcome to our first Reimagined Monday in May.  The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and everything feels refreshed. It's the perfect kind of day to share this fantastic retro redoux!
 
Lovely Aman Dhaliwal of Saman's Balti took this dated table from faded to fabulous, or as Aman put it so well, "thrift store find now one of a kind".

Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan doesn't require sanding or priming to adhere to any surface, but Aman wanted a clean fresh start for her project.

With the colour choice made (the hardest part!), some clear and dark Soft Wax, a good brush and Annie's "50 Transformations" book as a handy reference, it was time to dive in!

Duck Egg is a greenish soft blue, the perfect choice to offset the gorgeous yellow glass on this piece.

Chalk Paint® dries in a short period of time, so there is rarely much of a wait between coats and it is quickly ready for waxing!

Annie Sloan Soft Clear Wax protects the paint and creates a soft, velvety look and feel, though the paint is durable enough to hold up even on exterior surfaces without a finish.

Some buffing with a light sandpaper adds some glorious shabby chic-ness!

Aman brushed on Soft Dark Wax to give the table even more richness and character.

Duck Egg is a favourite at the Boutique, and here's an example of why...

No matter the origins of the piece, this colour always looks great.

This is such a wonderful reimagined little table, Aman.

Thank you for sharing it with us!

What have YOU Reimagined?

Send in your project pics and be entered to win our Reimagined Monday draw!

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Reimagined Monday: Tatiana's Bedside Table

It's our first official Reimagined Monday since returning from our Destination Downton trip, and we're really excited to share this one with you.

A few weeks ago, Kerry Engel visited the Boutique along with her daughter Tatiana.  They were on a mission to complete a project during spring break and it immediately became clear that these two lovely ladies were already experienced crafters!

Tatiana had been remaking her bedroom and wanted to reimagine her sidetable to work with her new decor. And WOW... does this teen have an eye for design!

Tatiana's Bedside Table

Arles... it is one of our favourite Chalk Paint® colours and it is a bold choice.  Tatiana, fabric swatch in hand, was fearless and confident that this was the right colour for her bedside table.

This sweet and simple table has great lines and is the perfect piece to showcase a pop of colour without being fussy or overstated.

Some of the great things about Chalk Paint® are that it has no smell, is low-VOC and dries quickly, which makes painting indoors a dream.  

Tatiana threw down a little cardboard to protect the floor and started her project on-the-spot.

Since the table was previously grey, Tatiana distressed through the Arles to let just enough peek through to create dimension, and to pull in the grey in her wallpaper and linens.

The result is this fabulous, custom piece:

 ... the perfect accent for an already stellar bedroom makeover.

All phtotos courtesy of Kerry Engel

Kerry and Tatiana breezed into the Boutique like a breath of fresh spring air and then infused it into the decor.  We think we may have a future designer in our midst!

Thank you for sharing your project, Tatiana... We can't wait to see what you do next.

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:  

And the winner is... Plus Reimagined Monday!

We would like to thank everyone who is a follower of our blog and also those who took the time to comment on our Facebook page!  Watch for more great contests coming soon.

The winner of Miss Mustard Seed's book,  "Inspired You" is:

Joanna Clark Dawyd

Congratulations, Joanna! Just contact us at info@appleboxboutique.com within 48 hours to receive your book!

And now it's time for...

We are posting this particular reimagining because we loved the stencil work and the fact that it was a family effort!

Amy Schmalz sent this in, and has been entered to win this month's Reimagined Monday draw. It is a Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan  project she worked on with her daughter... in her own words:

Entering your draw !! My weekend project with my daughter

"So Kim, (my daughter) had this old dresser she hated & wanted to throw it out. I was poking at different ideas & decided to stencil it, antique it & give a good buff with clear wax. I used ASCP (Pure) white ' AC clear wax.
 

We had so much fun doing this together!! We started by sticking the stencils on the front. Then we got to the fun part, Painting !!

After  2 coats of paint were dry we carefully removed the stencils.

My daughter decided she wanted to mix the hardware so she painted her old handles with AC graphite, the glass knobs are new. 

We gave the dresser a light sanding, a little heaver on the top as Kim likes a very distressed look. I let Kim antique the drawer's herself. 

We then gave the whole piece a coat of AS clear wax & a good hard buff ! 

We love it !!"

So do we, Amy and Kim --  thank you for sharing this with us!

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

What have YOU Reimagined?  

Send in your project pics and be entered to win our Reimagined Monday draw!

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Reimagined Monday: Double the Thrill!

When Marilyn and Jim stopped in at Apple Box Boutique, the visit started out with a conversation about how to refinish a couple of lamps. Marilyn took a keen interest in Chalk Paint® and made a command decision to dive enthusiastically into not one, but two projects straight away... fearlessness indeed. But after a few minutes of chatting it became clear that she comes by that courageous spirit naturally.

This lovely couple shared such interesting stories about Marilyn's father and his experiences and capture at Dieppe that I was mesmerized and humbled, to say the least.  I want to express how incredibly thankful I am for people like this brave and honourable man, who served our country as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces.  My father-in-law served as well and so this story felt very close to home.

A short time later, we received an email from Marilyn with pictures of her painted pieces.  She wrote that she was 'thrilled' with the outcome.  We can see why!

Her first project was to take a pair of outdated but good quality floor lamps and make them at least cottage-worthy.

Two quick coats of  Chalk Paint® and they were transformed into pieces that Marilyn has decided are too beautiful to banish and have now found a place in her home.

Excited about the results, she decided to update a mid-century dresser as well.

  With those great lines and insets, this piece went from so-so to so-fabulous! 

Together, these reimagined pieces brighten up the room with their fresh and stylish new look!  That is definitely double the thrill.

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

UPDATE: Our February Winner and Our Latest Contests!

Thank you to everyone who entered our February Reimagined Monday Contest. It was fantastic to see all of the wonderful projects people have been working on and we are so excited about the March entries!

The February winner is: Mary-Jane Downie. 

We drew from our goodie bag of prizes, and Mary-Jane has won a $50 Apple Box Boutique Gift Card!

Congratulations Mary-Jane!

What have YOU Reimagined?

Send in your project pics and be entered to win our Reimagined Monday draw!

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

Win This Book: Miss Mustard Seed's "Inspired You!"

Some girls get giddy over a new pair of shoes. Marian Parsons gets giddy over room makeovers. With a lot of ingenuity, a little bit of effort, and a tight budget, she has transformed her home into a beautiful space and filled her heart with a lot more contentment. Thousands have found inspiration at Marian’s blog, missmustardseed.com, and now she shares dozens of new projects, ideas, and DIY adventures in the pages of Inspired You.

Marian will remind you that homes don’t have to be magazine material to be special, comfortable, and inviting. The goal you’re working toward is home. Not a perfect home. Not an “impress the neighbors” home. Just home—one whose walls and rooms tell the story of the family who lives there. Beautiful homes start with inspiration and a willingness to try. So uncover your God-given creativity. Be encouraged, be willing, and be inspired.

Follow this blog to win your copy!

On March 15th, we will draw randomly from all of our blog followers.  Watch for your name and contact us within 48 hours to receive your book!

Like us and tell us on our Facebook page that you're a follower of our blog, and receive two more entries to WIN.

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Reimagined Monday: Repurposed Mid-Century Cabinet

Yayyy -- It`s Reimagined Monday!

Tomorrow we will be announcing the prize and winner of the February Reimagined Monday Draw.  If you would like to be entered to win really great stuff from the Boutique, just send in before and after pics (during too, if you have them!) and the story of your paint project using Chalk Paint® or Milk Paint.

We will include more information about the draw at the end of this blog post, but for now we`d like to share our first March entry!

This reimagination features a curvy mid-century cabinet, which came to us along with this lovely letter from Mary-Jane Downie:

"Hey!  Just wanted to share my little story.  I bought a vintage handmade piece off kijiji. It is some sort of china cabinet. Sadly I don't have the best before picture. There was a mirror in the background off the top portion.  The poor thing even tipped over in the back of the truck on the way home. That made removing the mirror easier though. :)  

I replaced the mirror with some antique ceiling tiles from Home Reuseables off Argyll road.  Such a great place!  It was my first time working with the Annie Sloan chalk paint and waxes and I had so much fun.  It was hard to take a break from my project to feed my family!   I think they are all relieved its pretty much done.  

I used Emperor's Silk with the clear and dark soft waxes. All were very easy to use. Lots of YouTube videos out there and information online.  Of course you were very helpful at the store as well when I called with questions!

I just need to pick out some hardware and she is all done! 

Thanks for the inspiration! I can hardly wait till my next project.
 
-Mary-Jane Downie"

Don`t you love the repurposing Mary-Jane did with this piece? Adore that colour, too!

We send a big thank you to Mary-Jane for sharing your story.

Read below to learn more about how you can enter our Reimagined Monday Draw! 

>What have YOU Reimagined?

Send in your project pics and be entered to win our Reimagined Monday draw!

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

New Arrival: Miss Mustard Seed's Book, "Inspired You!"

Some girls get giddy over a new pair of shoes. Marian Parsons gets giddy over room makeovers. With a lot of ingenuity, a little bit of effort, and a tight budget, she has transformed her home into a beautiful space and filled her heart with a lot more contentment. Thousands have found inspiration at Marian’s blog, missmustardseed.com, and now she shares dozens of new projects, ideas, and DIY adventures in the pages of Inspired You.

Marian will remind you that homes don’t have to be magazine material to be special, comfortable, and inviting. The goal you’re working toward is home. Not a perfect home. Not an “impress the neighbors” home. Just home—one whose walls and rooms tell the story of the family who lives there. Beautiful homes start with inspiration and a willingness to try. So uncover your God-given creativity. Be encouraged, be willing, and be inspired.

Follow this blog to win your copy!

In two weeks, we will draw randomly from all of our blog followers.  Watch for your name and contact us within 48 hours to receive your book!

Like us and tell us on our Facebook page that you're a follower of our blog, and receive two more entries to WIN.

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Reimagined Monday: Ugly Duckling 80's Dresser to Swan

Hello!  It's Reimagined Monday and we are very excited to share this fantastic project with you.

One of the things we've been doing at the Apple Box studio is use legs on otherwise average pieces to give them some real 'stage presence'.  Today's entry is a fabulous example from one of our lovely customers, Kathryn Brandt.  Completed last summer, Kathryn's dresser is a real showstopper!

Here is the before pic of the dresser Kathryn bought on kijiji for $35:

Unremarkable, outdated and blah-brown veneer it is hard to envision this ugly duckling becoming a swan.  But with a little Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and some reimagination, anything can happen!

Kathryn wrote, "...I sure loved the paint - super easy to use and such beautiful colors ! I also bought these legs from home depot for $5 each and had my hubby install on bottom to make it less dresser like and more entertainment unit ish!"

The legs are cute and inexpensive and an assortment of styles can be found at most hardware and home renovations stores:

Rather than make a heavy investment, Kathryn then sprayed the hardware with black spray paint and this swan took flight:

Kathryn Brandt's gorgeous cabinet in French Linen Chalk Paint®

Gorgeous! All of us at the Boutique just love this piece and continue to gush over it; but we'll leave the final words to Kathryn...

"So fun and can't wait to do another project!!" 

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

What have YOU Reimagined?  

Send in your project pics and be entered to win our Reimagined Monday draw!

Reimagined Monday Draw

We would like to highlight more customer projects!  Send us your before/during/after pictures and tell us about your creative process and you'll be entered into our monthly Reimagined Monday draw.

Each month we will give away a different item like paint, brushes, books, supplies, gift certificates and more. You don't have to be featured to be eligible... the month you enter is the month you will be included in the draw. 

Send your name, pictures and story to:

info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

Latest Shipment of Finds -- Ready to be Reimagined!

First, we have to say our pickers are outdoing themselves these days.  With it becoming more and more difficult to find unique furniture in and around the city, we are very pleased (and fortunate) to have connections near and far that keep our 'ready for reimagining' pieces rolling in.

We don't have the greatest photos of them yet, but here are some of the latest items on the way to our studio -- Just choose your paint colour(s) and we'll custom finish to your peference!

(Re-) imagine this gorgeous antique cabinet with a surprising pop of colour inside!

This matching sideboard is set to be extraordinary:

A sweet little dresser that is the perfect cross-over piece... pretty enough for a girl's room and yet the defined lines work well for a boy's room!

French Provincial tables!  ALWAYS a huge hit.

We love it when cabinets like this turn up... they are drop-dead gorgeous in Chalk Paint® or Milk Paint!

Contact us at: info@appleboxboutique.com to learn more about how you can purchase and customize your One-Of-A-Kind piece -- but don't wait too long.  These are sure to go fast!

♥,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________

We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog: