Revamped and reloved the Annie Sloan way!

Have you jumped aboard the chalk paint train yet?

Many people seem to be recycling furniture these days including me. Its a great way to save money whilst doing a bit for the environment.


When I heard about chalk paint I was amazed. When I read about the Annie Sloan brand of chalk paint I was aghast. If someone told you that you could paint a piece of furniture with no sanding, no prep, and with little chance of ruining it, what would you say? This is why I wanted to learn how this chalk paint worked.

I have always hated sanding and priming and the thought of never having to do this brought a huge smile to my face. I am also a bit of a messy painter so this technique seems to suit me fine. As you don't have to use tidy brush strokes, you can brush rather haphazardly. As the paint dries quickly, you need to just get the paint on the piece as quickly as possible.

We often get asked in the shop if our furniture is for sale, so I have decided to do something about it. I have been buying old furniture for many years as I love to bring them back to life by painting, stenciling or using decoupage. After all, old wood furniture is made so much better than the flat pack stuff of today. Why not turn them into loved pieces rather than items for the skip/landfill. As I am intending to sell some of the pieces in the shop, I thought I better learn some professional techniques, instead of slapping on some paint and giving it a quick rub down with sand paper. So I booked myself and my friend Jane, on to an 'Introduction to Furniture Painting with Annie Sloan Chalk paint' workshop at Bunting Queen in Chester.

I heard of Annie Sloan chalk paint a few years ago when I first started painting furniture, but never really used it as I thought it was expensive. However I didn't realise the qualities of the paint, the time it saves you and the amazing result it gives, also how far a small tin will go.Chalk Paint sticks to just about any surface... wood, concrete, metal, matt plastic, earthenware and much more, inside and outside the home. Great on old garden furniture needing a facelift as well. Its also a 'GREEN' paint so to speak , with virtually no smell and safe to use on childrens' furniture .

The lovely Lucy at Bunting Queen held the workshop, talking us through how she started the business and how they began to sell Annie Sloan chalk paint. Very similar to myself, she painted furniture and used it as display for her bunting. She would get asked if the furniture was for sale, and was it painted with Annie Sloan paint she had used. After research into the paint she contacted Annie and the rest is history. 18 months later she is taking commissions and selling pieces through her lovely little shop, as well as holding workshop above the shop.

After the introduction we were given a piece of wood to start our painting techniques. We learnt four techniques, using different colours, waxes and techniques to create four very different looks. You can work up quiet a sweat with the waxing, great for the bingo wings. Refreshments were well provided, we had plenty of cups of tea and some biscuits to keep the energy up.

My favourite had to be the crackle look, can't wait to put this one into practice.

Great ladder display, holding the great selection of Annie Sloan colours and waxes.

Annie Sloan colour wheel

Display of colours

This piece shows what a normal pine set of drawers can be transformed into using decoupage techniques.I love decoupage we have a bureau in the shop which I did last winter and we get lots of comments on it.

Fabric has been used in the panels on this dresser which is very effective.

Before

After

This is the wardrobe which Jane completed the day after the workshop. Showing you how quick it can be done. She used Emile underneath and Paris grey on top before waxing and sanding the edges to show the Emile(purple) underneath. Think you'll agree that it looks great !

If you fancy learning the Annie Sloan techniques check out 'Bunting Queen' web-site for their workshops http://www.buntingqueen.co.uk/ Its a great day out, the girls are all very friendly, and you don't feel under any pressure to create a master piece ! Or keep an eye out for new pieces in the shop.

This is my project, loads of lovely wooden framed mirrors. These will be for sale in the shop very soon.
The vintage corner in the shop will look fab with these revamped, re loved pieces. And at last we will be able to say to customers that " Yes, the furniture is for sale!"

Thanks for reading my blog, hope you feel inspired to have a go, you can't get it wrong. If you are not happy with end result, paint over it.

Meet the maker - Eleanor's Attic

Today I spent a lovely morning with Helen from Eleanor's Attic. I turned up at her workshop with a bag of honey buns from the local bakery which went down rather well as a sugar fix for the start of  the day.

We then pottered down to my favourite coffee shop in Dolgellau - T.H.Roberts. This is a must if you are visiting Dolgellau. It's housed in an old ironmongers in the centre of town and in my opinion serves the best coffee in the area, also has fab cakes.

T H Roberts, still with its original features.

The old counting house now made into a snug to enjoy your  choice of beverage.

After putting the world to rights we finally got down to then reason for my visit - Eleanor's Attic. I got out my note book and pen and started reeling off my questions.....so many to ask !

When did you first start making?
"My Mum taught me to sew. My very first project was a pair of flared jeans which I added a piece of triangle red fabric with flowers on in the flare."

Why did you start making bags?
"I use to collect bits of vintage lace, buttons, fabric from car boot sales. I wanted to use the lace so started making tote bags and adding the lace and buttons."

Why did you start using the oil cloth to make the bags?
"I was given a piece of oil cloth from a friend, and asked "what can you make with that ?". I then happened to see another oil cloth in polka dots that was a great combination with the one I had been given.  I found a supplier that made oil cloth table cloths, in various sizes . So I called them and asked what they did with the off cuts. I was told they filled a skip with them and they went to landfill. So they let me buy all the off cuts, and we still have orders from them today. If there are any we can't use I pass them on to local schools etc. Nothing gets thrown away. However Eleanor's Attic has grown since then and we also have to buy oil cloth on rolls."

Do find oil cloth easy to work with ?
No, it isn't flexible and it all has to be cut by hand with scissors which is time consuming. Where as the linings, can be placed in a pile  on top of one another and I can cut around them with a special machine doing a load in one go. Where as the oil cloth slides around and doesn't line up if you do the same with them.

How many do you have working for you?
"I employ 4 part time staff."

How many stockists do you have?
"Over 180 stockists, as far afield as Switzerland,Sweden and Norway."

Do you find people collect your bags?
"Yes, some have a number of different ones."

What is your favourite part of your job?
"Definitely putting the colour combinations together when making up the bags, also coming up with new designs. The combination of different oilcloths on the bags , having the stripes of fabric is what makes ours stand out."

Eleanor's Attic new Guitar cases (coming soon)

Have you any new designs in the pipe line?
"Yes, we have just developed a guitar case. Also a Laptop bag."

Some people sew as a hobby. What do you like to do in your free time?
"Sew! I like to make things for myself. I like to create things from start to finish. I love to make dresses."

I know you use to have a stall on the Farmers Market, do you still do that ?
"It's the 10th Anniversary this Sunday of the Farmers Market at Dolgellau, and I was at the first one selling cakes and jams. As my husband called it 'Fags and Mags' money.Well it was back then. It has turned into something  more than that now."



After our chat we walked balk up to Helen's workshop in the back streets of Dolgellau. It is an Aladdin's cave of vintage furniture housing her collection of fabric.

Lovely collection of bright oil cloth .

Lovely set of vintage haberdashery drawers housing all Helens bits and bobs.

I love this Retro Kitchen cabinet.

A big thanks to Helen for letting me spending the morning with her at her workshop, seeing how the bags are put together and getting an insight into Eleanor's Attic  success story. Helen won the Craft worker/ Artist of the year in 2012 , from Gwynedd Taste and Talent , well deserved !

Some of lovely new Eleanor's Attic bags avaiable  from us here at Luvit, also from our website www.luvit-online.co.uk

Lots more designs on-line and in the shop, so don't miss out if there is one you like !

                                                   

Why the sun makes us all feel happier !

Well at last Summer seems to be finally here, after such a long Winter I thought it was never going to arrive. Just a few hours of sunshine and blue skies seem to have a big effect on everyone. People are smiling and happy, sunglasses, summer dresses and flip flops are on and my legs are finally getting some sun after a long winter of tights and trousers. I just love summer clothes !!


So why do we all feel happier when the sun comes out to play ?? The reason for this is that sunlight stimulates serotonin and melatonin production in the brain. Serotonin helps maintain a ‘happy feeling’ and this hormone is the basis of antidepressant drugs called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Meanwhile, melatonin regulates sleep, so having lower levels of this hormone gives you more ‘get up and go’. This is why you need less sleep in summer but still feel livelier. Plus, being woken by natural light rather than an alarm clock helps you feel more positive.


This explains why all Winter I struggle to get out of bed, but this week I have been up at 6.30 -7 and spent a lovely few hours before work, walking the dog, pottering in the garden and enjoying breakfast in the garden before opening the shop.

What do you like to do in the sunshine ? Barbecue, picnic, swim in the sea ? I love to have an ice-cream from Knickerbockers on the harbour and sit on the bench admiring the view. This one was a New york cheese cake flavour and of course flake and waffle is obligatory, and I have to say it was DELICIOUS !!

Laughed at this Vintage image is she trying to keep warm ? 

Whatever you enjoy doing in the sunshine, lets hope we get many more days so we all get a bit happier !