Plucky Maidens Show

My dear and very special friend, Gina, helped me with Plucky Maidens on Friday and Saturday. Gina and I have the same passion for all things French, and she also loves beautiful French toiles and linens as much as I do. Gina also is devoted to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and does so many exquisite pieces using the Chalk Paint™. She actually went to San Francisco to meet Annie Sloan during Annie's US Tour. We had so much fun catching up with our lives and our creative projects because Gina lives in Bend, Oregon, so we usually talk in fits and starts on the phone whenever we can grab a few minutes. It was so nice to be together for two whole days!

Our husbands had roles too! My husband stayed in my store to help customers there, and Gina's husband helped us move things in and out of the space and fetch us drinks. We could not have done this without these two wonderful men.

Gina has two friends that have lots of beautiful European textiles that Gina sells. Her friends sew them using some of the most beautiful linens.

This is Gina's Louis Blue and Old White dresser with clear and dark wax. It has a marble top and beautiful tiles on the decorative back piece. I have consigned this from Gina for my shop.

When Gina sent me photos of this chair (she has two), it was love at first sight. They are so beautiful! Gina painted them in Paris Grey with details in the lovely color, Antoinette. The eye-catching red pillow was one Gina sewed.

Such a lovely bench in French Linen and Old White.

I think Duck Egg Blue is everyone's favorite!

Gina's husband, who is also very talented, created this adorable coat rack with a mirrored piece and used old door knobs for the "hangers". It is in the background leaning against the legs of the chair. Gina and I also both love beautiful dishes.

We both are hoping to do more fun shows together so we can keep on collecting and painting and sewing and catching up with our lives as we plan future events.

Workshops and a Show

It is almost time for the Plucky Maidens. I will be out there to greet you next weekend, Friday night and during the day on Saturday with lots of Annie Sloan Chalk Painted furniture, china, textiles, and other fun collectibles to purchase. I will have my dear friend, Gina there to help me. Don't miss this show. It will be a great one and lots of fun. Look for The Purple Pear!

Just a reminder....I have a lot of fun workshops listed on my website here so take a look and sign up for something that will energize your spirit as we wind down from the rainy season. More will be added too, so keep stopping by to see what is up. The samples above were from a recent workshop. I love this technique "clouded stipple" because every single person does something different that is amazing and beautiful and so easy!

Jeanne d'Arc Living

I am thrilled to be offering this magazine in my shop! Every issue is packed with beautiful ideas, lovely French inspiration, gardens, and painted furniture. It is printed in Denmark, but I will sell the English version. The other thing I love about this publication is that there are absolutely no ads. It is page after page of wonderful photos and descriptive decorating ideas.

A Lighter Heart

Last weekend on my two days off, Sunday and Monday, I piled all my furniture in the middle of my store and started to paint every wall a new and cleaner color for spring and summer.

It is funny, but ever since I became a Stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, I have wanted to go home every night and change every room in my house. I am starting with my shop.

I think one of the most difficult things is deciding on what color to paint a piece of furniture. I have to live with it for a few days and feel the whole gestalt of it before I decide. I am not always right, but most of the time I am feeling a certain mood for the color as you can see in this cabinet. I am going to store lots of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and wax in there as well as brushes and Crackleur and gilding wax.

What seemed to be missing all winter in my shop was a little extra sparkle. I had lights in the window, but on the other wall opposite, it seemed a little dull and boring.

I have tried for the longest time to not bring anything too feminine or romantic into the space, and then one day I just woke up and asked myself why I was not defining this huge part of myself, a hopeless romantic and feminine person. I am giving into the feeling and I love it!

Sometimes you simply have to indulge your senses.

I have lots of new products coming into the shop including furniture hardware and other embellishments.

I am going to use this beautiful wooden violin case for display. I fell in love with the weathered patina and could not resist taking it back to my shop.

Honestly, she needed a good home.

Tomorrow I will be bringing in a whole pile of vintage and antique linens, Victorian Whites and trims, and an assortment of things I bought in France awhile back. I even have a few Fortuny pieces I am finally willing to let go of. Why? I am not sure, but sometimes you cannot covet something forever! I can hardly wait until Annie Sloan comes out with her beautiful line of textiles.

And of course I am continuing to paint lots of things for the shop in my favorite Annie Sloan Chalk Paint colors. Could you ask for a more perfect existence in a world of color and dreams and exploration? I think not.