~The Empty Nest is having a Birthday~

Hello friends......can you believe it has been almost two years since I cut the ribbon at 

The Empty Nest

Grand Opening!

Well it is time to 

PARTY

You are all invited to come and help 

Carol, Sue, Tina and myself celebrate.

We have lot's of giveaways planned 

and promise to have a table full of food and drink 

to help get you in the party mood.

*****

When: Saturday, July 19th

Where: The Empty Nest

92 Main Street Suite 102

Warrenton, Va

Time: 11am-4pm

We will also have a special table filled with lovely things at special prices 

that are looking for a good home.

Feeling lucky??

We will be having door prizes and giveaways all day.

*****

Chalk Paint®decorative paint by Annie Sloan

Annie Sloan paint brushes

Wax Brushes

Annie Sloan books

Cavallini & Co

More..More...More

*****

**Grand Prize**

2 quarts Chalk Paint®

2 4oz sample pots Chalk Paint®

Clear Wax

Dark Wax

Annie Sloan paint brush

Annie Sloan wax brush

Annie Sloan Workbook

You must be able to come to the shop to pick up your prize package

No shipping will be offered

So we hope to see you on the 19th.

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

                                                              

~ Holiday hours at The Empty Nest ~

Happy Independence Day!!

The Empty Nest will be 

CLOSED

on the 4th of July

so we can spend the day with our families as we celebrate our nations birthday.

We will reopen on 

Saturday the 5th and have regular hours

10-5pm

If you need Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, be sure to come by Thursday

and stock up!

Carol,Tina and Sue are always ready to assist you in color choice and proper technique.

Happy 4th of July everyone!

                                                             

~ The Empty Nest update and Feeling a little Blue....Napoleonic Blue that is!~

Happy Sunday friends!

I'm back to share with you what has been happening at 

The Empty Nest.

Busy...busy...busy!

Lately I have been feeling a little blue......

NAPOLEONIC BLUE

that is!!

A few months back my shop ladies base coated this dresser in Napoleonic Blue.

And then it sat....and sat....and sat!

I just was not feeling it....loved the color but it needed something...something bold and graphic.

Now I am not exactly Bold and Graphic when I paint.

However this bold blue was demanding more than wax and distressing.

STRIPES!!!

Big Bold and Colorful 

STRIPES!

Even on all the drawer sides!

and you know what.......

I LOVE IT!!!

One lady came in to the shop and thought it was a giant grosgrain ribbon draped over the top.

I am hoping someone else falls for it as hard as I have.

PS.....honored to have this painted piece featured in this weeks blog post by Chalk Paint® fan and amazing graphics lady extraordinaire..

Leslie Stocker

Many thanks Leslie!

I have been a little 'bottled' up about something else also...

Altered vintage bottles!!!

We have been having so much with European lace, auction score jewels and 

Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan and her other paint products like 

Craqueleur and Decoupage.

LOVE this small lace cuff that fit this little old milk bottle perfectly, just like a small corset!

Antique looking crazing anyone?

LOVE this Chalk Paint® product!!!

I used Annie's Decoupage to fix the paer rose graphics to the bottle.

Yes....we painted right on the glass...and it waxes beautifully!

A little distressing over the raised wording and some vintage bling...gorgeous! 

Lovely

I used Annie sloan's Decoupage to adhere the lace and fabric to the bottle

and it worked great!

One of my favorites...Kress Dairy Farm bottle

with jewels and paper roses.

Hope this has inspired you to get creative!

I have some fun news coming up soon so be sure to come back and visit again!

Until then....be kind and stay creative.

                                                                   

~ New things..painted things...fabric things...and pretty things ~

Hello friends....so happy to have you visit here today.

First of all I would like to say 

Happy Father's Day 

to all the great Dads out there. Here in Virginia it looks to be a spectacular day to do something fun with Dad!

(Ok...I just got around to posting this and the day is pretty much over..sorry)

Now on to the subject at hand

The Empty Nest

Some magic has been happening in the shop lately

Two sweet side chairs in a horrible dark pink fabric.

Now they are reborn

These two beautiful side chairs have been restyled and Frenchified using 

Annie Sloan's gorgeous

imported (France)

Charcoal Pastoral Toile. 

The curvy frames have been painted Old White from the 

Chalk Paint® range of colors by Annie Sloan.

LOVE how the arms crackled all by themselves.

We call that fortunate accidents!

And just look at that double piping!!!

No glued gimping in this shop!!

When you visit the shop you will always find lots of beautiful color.

Pillows, painted antique doors and lots of vintage fabric and linens.

So many of our lovely painted pieces have found forever homes.

My Old Ochre and Old White buffet SOLD

The gorgeous pair of gold leafed bombe chests SOLD

Beautiful robins egg toile sold very quickly

in addition to many other pieces.

I played with some new finishes like a wet wax technique that you can see in 

Annie Sloan's Color Recipes book.

and a wonderful rustic sawdust technique.

Love playing with Chalk Paint®

it is so very versatile.

Next post I will share with you my newest obsession and addition to the shop.

Also a lovely piece I have been working on.

YOU WILL LOVE IT!!

Plus plans are being made for our 2 year anniversary party!!

Can you believe The Empty Nest has been open for two years!

So be sure to come back for all the details.

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

                                                     

~ Me and Annie Sloan....fun in New Orleans ~

Hello friends....I know...I know....last post, I promised to be better at blogging.

Ugh......I have been having such a case of writer's block.

No problem with Facebook or Instagram and Pinterest

Just this blog!

Want to know what I have been up to?

Well......recently I hopped a plane

Enjoyed my window seat and the gorgeous views...

Landed here......New Orleans

AND PLAYED WITH HER!!!!!!

The one and only

 Annie Sloan!

My favorite photo of Annie.

She saw me taking her picture and gave me a sweet impish smile.

This is typical Annie...so very real.

Annie did a fabulous presentation on the color wheel and color mixing.

I could listen to her talk for hours on this subject...she knows her stuff.

April James of April James Interiors, Utah and me

I got to hang with some pretty sweet and talented fellow Stockists.

At the first evenings reception, the room was surrounded

by lamps sporting handcrafted shades.

On every single shade I saw..

images like this..

and this....

and this.....

Another Stockist pointed out to me that I was on every shade.

top photo

Karen Donnelly and Patty Seaman(Classic Wall Finishes)

and Bahia Akerle (On The Purple Couch)

Many of my good friends had their smiling faces on the shades also.

That's Amy Chalmers of the fab design blog

Maison Decor

My fellow Stockists

Adri Saenz(The Netherlands), Kathie Jordan (Canada) and Michelle Gallant(Canada)

Ms. Amy again having what she lovingly calls

'Miller Time'

after a good sales day at Maison Decor.

One of my favorite people to see again was this little lady

Sweet Willow, Annie Sloan's new granddaughter. If I could have stuffed her in my carry on, I would have.

Love this photo of Willow and her beautiful and talented Mum, Lizzy Brown.

Lizzy and Felix Manuel, Annie's son and Willow's father, 

are the crackerjack team behind the wonderful marketing of the Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan brand.

Annie's family is very much involved in the whole business and it is a joy to watch them interact.

That is just a taste of what I have been up to lately.

Many more photos of New Orleans and the Conference to come in future posts.

For now I will say good bye and remind you to...

be kind and stay creative!