Inspiration and Resolve

This is where my inspiration began...with this book by Annie Sloan, Creating the French Look. I had gone down to visit my youngest daughter in LA, and we were looking for bedding in a shop. I saw this book and loved the ideas in it. When I returned home to Portland, I realized there was a special paint made by Annie Sloan that was now available in the US. I contacted a source from the book and was led to a stockist in California, Anne Skougard of House of Anne. And the rest is history!

I ordered some paint from Anne and started painting a small table. There was no prep work, just put on the paint, let it dry, add another coat, rough it up a bit for texture and character, apply some wax, let it dry overnight, buff, and voila! Magic is revealed! Now I wanted all the colors.

And then I found THE book, the one that explains all the attributes, the beauty of the colors, and the talent behind this incredible paint, Annie Sloan. I think I have every book on paint and technique that she has ever published. And the names of the colors are pure bliss. How about "Paris Grey" or "Duck Egg Blue" or "Emperors'Silk" or "Versailles"? I wanted to be transported in time to the color and the place. How could I possibly go wrong? It was simply a feast of color waiting to be indulged.

So this is how and why I came to this place. It is the "tip of the iceberg" for me.

I am sure that those that followed my whereabouts via mendofleur am wondering where I am headed, but I will still be exploring my other passion, textiles and stitching on my other blog. Please visit me there as I hope to keep up an occasional post on textile history, a love of cloth as well inspiration, thanks to my mentor in this important part of my life, Jude Hill.