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February 07, 2013

Chalk Paint® Workshops: Lots of Learning, Lots of Fun!

We managed to tuck in two Chalk Paint® workshops right at the end of January, and it amounted to a lot of learning and plenty of laughs.
The People Are Chalking class is a great way to learn a variety of applications, distressing and finish techniques.
We made good use of the fabulous Chalk Paint® colours in Annie Sloan's designer line of decorative paints.

It was so much fun to share ideas and questions... such a creative bunch of people made for really interesting and varied samples!
Samples in progress!

 
Thank you to everyone who attended in January!  

We are so looking forward to the February offerings:  We'll be holding another People are Chalking 'jump-start' class and new this month is the workshop everyone has been asking about, Chalk It Up To Fabulous -- bring your own small furniture piece or decorative item and REIMAGINE it!


To register or learn more, visit our CHALK PAINT® WORKSHOPS page
or click here:
,
Apple Box Boutique

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February 06, 2013

New Chalk Paint® Workshops have been scheduled!


This February...

Chalk It Up To Fabulous Workshop

This is the Chalk Paint® class everyone has been asking about!  Spend an afternoon reimagining your small furniture or home decor item.

Learn application techniques, distressing techniques and the how-tos of finishing using Soft Wax.  Then apply your new skills and reimagine your own piece, with expert guidance on hand.

Includes paint, finishes and all painting supplies for use during class. 
Lunch and beverages are provided.


People Are Chalking Workshop

This ‘jump-start’ Chalk Paint® workshop covers everything you need to know about Annie Sloan paints and waxes.  Learn application techniques such as washes, dry brush and layering, different distressing techniques and finally the how-tos of finishing and antiquing using Soft Wax. 

You will leave with the enthusiasm and expertise to go home and reimagine a piece of furniture with confidence.

Includes all materials, paints and finishes for use during class. 
Snacks and beverages are provided.


To register or learn more, visit our CHALK PAINT® WORKSHOPS page at www.appleboxboutique.com

We’re looking forward to seeing you in class!

,
Apple Box Boutique
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February 04, 2013

Reimagined Monday: Dining Room Chair Makeover

Welcome!

As the first entry into our February Reimagined Monday contest, Evelyn's dining room chair makeover is an excellent example of how to make the most of pieces you already own.

Here is Evelyn's project, in her own words:

Our old dining room chairs were still in good condition, so when we bought a new dining room suite I wanted to hang on to them as extra seating for parties.

This summer, I spotted the perfect fabric to recover the chairs with. It is Waverly’s Canton Bazaar in 100% cotton. I thought the contrast between the black material with cream highlights would look lovely with Annie Sloan’s Old Ochre Chalk Paint®. I purchased enough material so that each chair would have an unique scene on it.


Each chair was hand-painted with 3 coats of Old Ochre. Then my husband hand-applied two coats of Varathane Diamond Wood in Satin Finish for protection. The product we chose was water-based and non-yellowing.   

Annie Sloan’s Chalk Paint® has very little odor, but the varathane, although water-based, is still quite strong so it must be used in a well-ventilated area.


We then used a staple gun to attach the new material to the seat covers. As the old material was still in good condition, we simply recovered over the existing material and padding.

The chairs were a lot of  work to do, but we’re very pleased with the results. 


Talk about showroom gorgeousness.  We love them, Evelyn!  Thank you for sharing your project.

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:
,
Apple Box Boutique

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We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

February 02, 2013

Sew Fabulous! Annie Sloan Fabric Collection Tutorial 3

Swedish Blind
Annie Sloan, creator of the internationally successful Chalk Paint®, has unveiled her new Fabric Collection, made to complement her Chalk Paint® decorative paint line. She has honed this collection from her most popular designs and her own favourites. The fabrics are sourced from France and Belgium and come in a range of styles -- a bit of boho chic, a bit of French, a bit of country, and a bit of modern.

Over the last couple of days we have featured Tutorial 1, a trimmed edge cushion/pillow and Tutorial 2, a gathered heading curtain.  In today's tutorial, Annie Sloan demonstrates a simple technique for creating a Swedish blind using fabrics from her Fabric Collection.  The fabrics shown here are Charcoal Pastorale and Paris Noir et Lin.

You can do this at home -- either sew by hand or machine. All you'll need is a bit of fabric, curtain lining, curtain rod, velcro, wooden batten, measuring tape, staple gun, scissors, pins, and a needle and thread.



View our oversized 3 yd sample swatches in-store and order your fabric in time for Valentine's Day!

,
Apple Box Boutique

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February 01, 2013

Sew Fabulous! Annie Sloan Fabric Collection Tutorial 2

Gathered Heading Curtain
Annie Sloan, creator of the internationally successful Chalk Paint®, has unveiled her new Fabric Collection, made to complement her Chalk Paint® decorative paint line. She has honed this collection from her most popular designs and her own favourites. The fabrics are sourced from France and Belgium and come in a range of styles -- a bit of boho chic, a bit of French, a bit of country, and a bit of modern.

Yesterday we featured Tutorial 1, a trimmed edge cushion/pillow.  In today's tutorial,  Annie Sloan demonstrates a simple technique for creating a gathered heading curtain using fabrics from her Fabric Collection.  The fabric shown here is called French Hens.

You can do this at home -- either sew by hand or machine. All you'll need is a bit of fabric, curtain lining, heading tape, a penny weight, measuring tape, scissors, pins, and a needle and thread.



View our oversized 3 yd sample swatches in-store and order your fabric in time for Valentine's Day!

Speaking of Valentine's Day -- Our February Colours of the Month reflect all the love and romance of the occasion.  Get great savings on two very lover-ly shades:


,
Apple Box Boutique

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January 31, 2013

Sew Fabulous! Annie Sloan Fabric Collection Tutorial 1

Trimmed Edge Cushion/Pillow
Annie Sloan, creator of the internationally successful Chalk Paint®, has unveiled her new Fabric Collection, made to complement her Chalk Paint® decorative paint line. She has honed this collection from her most popular designs and her own favourites. The fabrics are sourced from France and Belgium and come in a range of styles -- a bit of boho chic, a bit of French, a bit of country, and a bit of modern. 

Here Annie demonstrates a simple technique for creating a trimmed edge cushion using two of her fabrics:  Charcoal Pastorale toile and Riviera Red ticking.

You can do this at home -- either sew by hand or machine. All you'll need is a bit of fabric, a cushion pad, measuring tape, scissors, pins, and a needle and thread.



View our oversized 3 yd sample swatches in-store and order your fabric in time for Valentine's Day! 

,
Apple Box Boutique

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We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

January 30, 2013

Annie Sloan Fabric Collection: Sew Fabulous!

Now available at Apple Box Boutique: The Annie Sloan Fabric Collection

Annie Sloan, renowned creater of Chalk Paint®, has unveiled her designer line of French and Belgian fabrics.  Made to coordinate with her Chalk Paint® colours, the fabric collection includes cotton tickings and florals as well as linens that are ideal for curtains and upholstery.

The Monaco ticking by Annie Sloan (above) is 100% cotton and is one of our most popular ticking fabrics as it has a lot of colours yet it is not too bright or overpowering.

The colours are light denim blue, pale blue, chestnut brown, white, wine red, oatmeal , grey and pale sage green. There are more colours because of the way the coloured threads are woven so you get one stripe in blue and green and some of the stripes have a vertical weave and others have a spotty weave. Great value!

Width: 55 in
Made of 100% cotton

Faded Roses. A beautiful old print of faded roses that looks perfect with old whites and spotty prints.

Width: 55 in
Repeat: 25 in
Made of 100% cotton

Gigi is one of our most popular ticking fabrics as it has a lot of colours yet it is not bright or over powering so it works with just about everything.

Width: 55 in
Made of 100% cotton

Charcoal Pastorale.  An elegant fabric printed in a charcoal graphite color on an off white pure fine cotton. The pictures of idyllic country scenes are drawn beautifully and finely. It is double width so in keeping with French tradition can be use on walls, window treatments or for light upholstery such as a headboard or a bedroom chair.  

Width: Double 110 in
Repeat: 28 ½ in
Made of 100% cotton

Normandie. The toile depicts delightful country scenes in a warm sepia on a light dusty greyed lilac. It is suitable for curtains, walls and light domestic upholstery.

A double width fabric as is quite normal in France, often used on walls. This is 280cm wide rather the normal 140cm wide so if you need 4 metres of normal width fabric, you will only 2 metres of this fabric.

Width: Double 110 in
Repeat: 24 ½ in
Made of 100% cotton

French Hens depicting chickens, roosters, eggs and a feather on a linen look background make this a charming fabric right for curtains in the kitchen or garden room or a small chair. The colours are sophisticated and unusual being reds and rich purple and would go beautifully with our linen or red spots. It is excellent value as it is an old design and comes straight from a French factory. It works with many of our paint colours.

Width: 63 in
Repeat: 24 1/2 in
Made of 80% cotton & 20% polyester

Panama Rouge. A horizontal stripe in off white and tomato red in different intensities. Being double width the fabric could be hung so the stripes are vertical as the fabric would be is 280cm long. Could be used for curtains, blinds and light upholstery.

Width: Double 110 in
Made of 100% cotton

Width: Double 110 in
Made of 100% cotton

Paris Noir et Lin ticking. So chic, so smart. A black cotton is woven simply with a putty colored cotton softening the black to give it a lovely texture. Strong yet light. Use this for everything including cushions, curtains, blinds and upholstery.

Width: 55 in
Made of 100% cotton

That equals 100% L-O-V-E ... view our oversized 3 yd sample swatches and order your fabric in time for Valentine's Day! 

Check in tomorrow as we share the first of three video tutorials demonstrating Annie Sloan Fabric techniques... and yes, they are Sew Fabulous!

,
Apple Box Boutique

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January 28, 2013

Reimagined Monday: Hemp Oil (A New Secret Weapon!)

One of our favourite new finishes is Miss Mustard Seed's Hemp Oil.  Why?  It is multi-functional, all-natural and oh-so-easy to use!

Here is Miss Mustard Seed herself, Marian Parsons, explaining the benefits and how to use it to enhance wood and milk-painted surfaces:


Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is available at Apple Box Boutique, in-store and online.

Don't miss our Milk Paint Colour of the Month for January...
  
Get Shutter Gray for just $20! 
(Regularly $24).

Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Shutter Gray
Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint in Shutter Gray and Grain Sack
Miss Mustard Seed's Shutter Gray Milk Paint Swatch: "A bluish gray"

Here are more colours from Miss Mustard Seed's designer line of Milk Paints:




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:
,
Apple Box Boutique

_______________________________________
We'd LOVE it if you shared our blog:

January 23, 2013

What's On at Apple Box Boutique? Here's the Latest!

People are Chalking Chalk Paint® Workshop
Well, that was fast!  Our 'People are Chalking' morning workshop has sold out and the evening session has just one seat left.  We are SO excited to be holding Chalk Paint® classes and looking forward to getting creative with everyone attending.

Visit our website Workshops page or click below to learn more about this workshop or to register:

Want to hear about upcoming workshops?
Visit our Workshop Notifications page to sign up and hear about upcoming workshops!  Your interest and feedback helps us determine which sessions to run next!

Colours of the Month
Who would have guessed that our January "New Year's" colours of the month would sell out so quickly!  But we are fully restocked and with everyone starting back into projects put on hold over the holidays, it's a great way to save money.


Christmas in January Sale
There's just one week left to make a clean getaway with fantastic sale prices on bath products, decor and ornaments! Save up to 50% until January 31st.


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, phone number, pictures and story to: info@appleboxboutique.com and win!

,
Apple Box Boutique


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