::Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Workshop::

PSSSST...I'm no longer blogging here!

You can now find me at

www.acottagegirl.com

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If you follow me on Facebook, (and if ya don't, please do!) you'll know I hightailed it to an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint workshop at the very.last.minute this evening at this new wee shop just down the road from me.  It's called The Poppy Cottage, and well, I'm smitten. 

With both the gal who runs the joint, and the paint she peddles.  

Smitten.  

(Meet Tammy, my new girl crush.  And meet Tammy's banner, my new, um, banner crush.)

I'm fairly certain I totally freaked her and her hubs out with my incoherent ramblings upon entering their shop for the first time earlier in the week, realizing such amazing-ness was a mere 2 miles away from my front door, in a shop I used to work in no less (it was a children's book store when I worked there).  

Serendipity.  

My new word, by the way: Serendipity.  

You might be hearing more of it 'round these parts.  

I've had a run of serendipities...er, serendipitous moments recently.

(via)

It means "happy accident".

(via)

And finding Tammy and her uber-awesome shop was most definitely Serendipity.

'Cause I was actually looking for a stockist for Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, having attempted a few DIY versions that left me wondering, 'Oooooh reeeeeally' in my best skeptical Steve Martin voice.

And not only did I find a stockist, but she's like a long lost bosom buddy.  

Yes, I typed that out loud.

(a quart of *cream* ready for action at the workshop)

I just wanted to see what all the stink was about, really.

(There's no stink actually.  I mean, no literal stink to this paint. It's awesome.)

I bought a quart (*provence*, of course), a brush, clear wax, and a waxing brush on my first visit.

And made a brand-spankin' new friend.

With SERIOUS ::cottage instincts::

Serendipity.

(it's playtime girls!)

Stopped back a couple days later under the guise of checking to see if my brush was in, 

.....aaannnnddd picked up two sample jars: *coco* and *old white*.

("laying on" the paint, barely pulling the brush along)

Popped back in tonight for the mini-workshop and might have bought a sample jar of *duck egg* and the bigger waxing brush.

I also may have a wee problem.

(practicing the rustic technique, which looks great after adding the dark wax, pic down the post )

I was impressed.  My DIY versions were nothing close to this paint.  Which is not to say others don't have success with DIY versions....but mine were nothing like the consistency, quality and coverage of the true blue (lettered) Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

(on the left side we did the french technique)

Tammy's hubster Jon actually taught the class, which was really helpful, even though it was taught by a man (KIDDING!). He cleaned all our brushes about 4 zillion times...which is where he was while the gals got their pic taken below.

(my classmates, who all have lovely names that I can't remember.....someone forgot the Dr. Seuss nametags, but I won't name names.  I do remember my name was Vicki.  Don't ask.)

I'm still scared of the wax, especially that evil dark wax, but after I play some more I may come around.
It did look all kinds of awesome on my *duck egg* board....

So, did I mention I've decided I'm going to get serious about starting a furniture painting business?

I may need to call it 

SERENDIPITY

~Painted Funiture and Finds~

Because truly, isn't every cast off, thrifty furniture find a happy accident?

Isn't every trip to the junk shop/estate/garagesale full of mystery and happy surprises?

Serendipity, I'm tellin' ya.

I'll keep ya posted....

Thanks to Tammy and her Hubby Jon for hosting and teaching us all about the Magic Paint.

If you're ever in Fort Wayne IN, get yer rear into The Poppy Cottage.

But leave the cute stuff for me.

ps...I stole all the pics of her shop from her facebook page.
That's what friends do.

Go.