~ Annie sloan...the paint,the person...Chalk Paint™ ~

Hello friends...I am so very proud and excited to debut this fabulous new video...

Enjoy!!!

This is why I feel so very honored to call Annie my friend.

No other decorative paint on the market has what we have....

the incredible talent and heart of 

Annie Sloan.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative!

                                                               

~ Don't judge me ~

So you ask me if I have been busy lately...

This is what greeted me in the powder room this morning.

*

Don't judge me!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

PS...it will be Christmas before I know it and then I will be ahead of the game!

                                                                

~ Squeezing in a Workshop ~

Hello friends....yes, I'm still here!

With the opening of my new shop, I have not had much time to blog.

 Hopefully that will change once things settle in.

I received many requests for workshops on my opening day and I am trying to squeeze one in before July ends.

So..here you go!
UPDATE
Class is Full!
Stay tuned for additional classes!

July 29 , Sunday
12pm -4pm
Beginners Chalk Paint Workshop
Cost: $80
Includes use of all paints and supplies needed
Light refreshments will be served

You will learn:
All about Chalk Paint™ decorative paints
Assorted painting techniques such as
   Rustic
   2 layer
   Washes
   Wet distress
   Dry distress
  Application of Clear and Dark waxes
  Coloring waxes
  Trouble shooting with problem furniture pieces

A small take home piece will be painted using techniques learned in class

Please call or email to hold place in class as seating is limited to 8 students per class. Credit Cards accepted.

All of you ladies who put your names in my workshop book....I have e-mailed you.

Hope to see you soon!

PS...photos of my big day are coming soon. Waiting on my photographer son to transfer them from his camera to mine.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative!

                                                                

~ I've Moved ~

It's official!

The Empty  Nest

has officially moved to

92 Main Street #102

 Old Town Warrenton, Va.

(click above link for a map)

My Grand Opening

will be on July 20th

with a ribbon cutting ceremony at 9am.

Then the doors will be swung open.

I want this to be a day of friends, laughter and fun...no pressure to buy.

Come back Saturday and I will apply purchase pressure then.

I hope to see many of my local readers and my Fox Den customers.

Refreshments will be served and a smile is required to be admitted.

Parking available along Main Street and also at the rear of my building.

If any of my Fox Den customers have a Chalk Paint™ emergency, 

please call me 540-219-6905 or text me.

e-mail me at

theemptynest.metzger930@gmail.com

Shop hours:

Tuesday-Saturday

10am-5pm

Workshops will be added ASAP!

Remember folks...this is paint..not medication (I think, although it is therapy)

So emergencies only please until Friday.

Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

Thanks for understanding.

And by the way......

I'M OPENING MY OWN SHOP!!!!!

Ok, I will go back to typing normal size now.

I would like to say a
 HUGE
THANK YOU
to all the Fox Den crew who have been the best to work with and I loved that they always looked out for me and interacted so beautifully with my customers.
Sharon..Andy..Phi..Janice..Lucy..Dave..Linda..Mickey
You are the best!!!!!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

                                                               

~ Sneaky Peeks~

Hello friends.....just popping in to tease you 

with a couple of tiny little sneak peeks at what I am up to

in the new shop on Main St.

Wait until you see the awesome display tables Mr. Secret Agent build for me.

I washed each one in different Chalk Paint™ decorative paint colors.

I love them...and him.

Wendy hopped in a U-Haul and drove all my vintage doors and windows from NY to Virginia.
Thanks Wendy!

And remember those decoupaged swimsuit forms...

Well my sweet sister-in-law Wendy, did a little modeling for the camera.

Pretty cute, don't you think?

                                                                

~ Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ~

Hello friends...thanks so much for visiting today. 

My post today is a tale of lost innocence...of Milk Paint, that is.

You see , I have never painted with Milk Paint before...

EVER!!

I decided that if The Empty Nest was going to carry

Miss Mustard Seed's

new line of Milk Paint colors, then I should become the best spokesperson possible.

Here is the dresser I chose.

Very well made and with beautiful lines.

However the orangey wood has to go.

Not being a shrinking violet, I chose

Tricycle

a spunky cool red.

Well what do you know....

Marian was right, it does just flake off in spots.

I did not use the bonding agent.

Yeah, I live life on the edge!

After two coats of Milk Paint

some sanding with a sanding sponge

a coat of Miss Mustard Seed's wax

She has a whole new sassy attitude.

So what do you think?

I am really pleased with the results..

  I know you are dying to hear my take on Milk Paint.

Amuse me folks..

"Yes Janet...we are dying to hear you opinion!"

Ok...here you go..

1. I will admit the mixing part will take a little bit of getting used to, but it was not rocket science and only took a few minutes.

2. For those wondering how it differs from my beloved Chalk Paint™ decorative paints.

The minute I applied the first brush stroke, I new this was a whole different ballgame.

3. Milk Paint smells different..feels different..reacts to surfaces differently, distresses different....it is simply

DIFFERENT

I in no way mean that in a negative manner...it's just apples & oranges

4. Two coats covered nicely and I used very little powder. You will get multiple projects per back..easily.

5. I mixed the Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint powder with warm water to make a smoother paint.

6. It dried pretty quickly.

7. I was able to get a super smooth feel after sanding..nice.

8. Love how the paint will literally flake off in spots..instant age.

9. Miss Mustard Seed's wax was super easy to apply with a soft cloth and has a nice sheen

 (Mr. Secret Agent is beginning to wonder where all his t-shirts are)

10. I buffed 30 minutes later

11. I'm happy

I think Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint is a great option for those of you who love the look of 

American Primitive and Folk Art.

I found it more earthy and organic (what the heck does that even mean??).

Marian's colors are beautiful and I found the paint easy to work with.

Almost forgot to add...

no prepping was done to my dresser other than a good cleaning.

So there you have it,

I am a Milk Paint virgin no more.

Have you ever used Milk Paint???

I am looking forward to offering Marian's paint to all my

 The Empty Nest 

customers as another option for their home decorating needs.

Check out Marian's new video series for more information.

Hopefully I will have Miss Mustard Seed's Milk Paint on the shelves by August.

Speaking of shelves....

I have less than two weeks till Opening Day!!!!!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative.

                                                                 

~My Grand Opening ~

It's almost time.

The Empty Nest

 Grand Opening 

is just around the corner and you are all invited!!

Clear you calendars on 

July 20th

because that's the day I get to cut the red ribbon and declare

 The Empty Nest

open for business.

I have been very busy getting the shop space ready for all of my wonderful customers.

I spend my days 

painting

arranging

decorating

pricing

putting it all together.

While I am working, women have been peeking in the windows 

and asking if they can take a look inside.

One nice woman asked to buy one of my painted vintage doors!

My inventory has been arriving...

I took delivery of my very first shop packages yesterday...

Yup, I have my own Fed-Ex guy!!

I always wanted one of those.

Remember this view of 92 Main Suite 102?

Well it's totally filled now!!!!!

Mr.Secret Agent has today off and we will be spending a marathon three days 

getting lot's done.

Stay tuned for all the 

Grand Opening 

details!

I would LOVE to see as many of my 

blog readers as possible come out to say 

HELLO!

Until next time...be kind and stay creative!

                                                               

~ 4th of July ~

Happy 4th of July to all my fellow Americans.

I wish you musical parades, grills ladened with hot dogs and hamburgers,

wedges of juicy watermelon, pitchers of ice cold home made lemonade

and loud colorful fireworks!

Remember to take a moment to wish America a 

Happy Birthday.

She has earned it!

                                                               

PS...I know I have been a little (OK...a lot) MIA lately. I have been spending all my days at 92 Main...

painting...painting  and when I am done with that I am doing more..PAINTING! I will no longer be selling Chalk Paint™ hand painted color charts. I will now simply be presenting my two hands to my customers as they are forever stained with just about all of Annie's beautiful colors.

Until next time...be kind and stay creative!