TLC Vintage will open -- ready or not!

Time has flown this month and found it odd that I had not posted here for over two weeks! But with all the travel and working this week on the shop, I've been just too tuckered out to even think straight!

Here's the front door to the shop! No signage on building yet, but I do have signs (not shown) now in the window that we will be open next week. There is also a temp display in the right window! Started painting one small wall at the back yesterday so the workbench can be lifted into place as it is up on rollers at the moment.

Colby Properties has been great. All the workmen have been so cooperative. One guy stopped by to admire the chandelier, saying his wife wants one. So I said I would locate one for him. Need to get more lighting up today, finish waxing the bench and get a good photo to post. First customer stops by at 10:30 from Omaha....so need to take some paint for sale to the store. Gotta dash!

Learn the Versatility of Chalk Paint -- Oak Brook!

There is still time to sign up and learn some terrific applications of Chalk Paint on the Annie Sloan American Tour stop in Oak Brook, IL! Also learn some color theory and how to combine her paints for some outstanding "custom" colors from the Chalk Paint inventor herself!

I've just come off two full days of Annie Sloan immersion, surrounded by some of my 191 North American colleagues retailers and stockists! The left side of my brain has been totally overworked with the creative influences around me!

If you are just painting on was over your Chalk Paint, you probably do not understand the process. If you haven't used dark wax, worried about how it will look -- then think again  as it opens new doors. Shying away from the bold colors, not sure how to use them? We can show you how.

Oak Brook, IL with Annie Sloan Saturday March 24 all day workshop! Visit Annie Sloan American Tour!
See you there! I am told that this tour is one of a kind for Annie and won't be repeated to this extent -- 8 cities in 3 weeks! This is to celebrate the Chalk Paint distribution network growth in the U.S. and Canada from 12 stockists and retailers last year to 191 this year! Wow!

The Rock Star of Paint -- Annie Sloan -- has landed!

Don't miss out on meeting and learning from the Rock Star of Chalk Paint, Annie Sloan, British fine arts trained decorator and inventor of Chalk Paint!

There are still places and time to sign up for the Saturday March 24 workshop in Oak Brook, Il! This is a terrific girlfriend outing -- junking to and from the event -- then learning how to apply paint to get the results you want from all your trashy finds! Or beautiful furniture too!

Me? I'm headed out of town to join up with Annie and other retailers around North America for our annual convention. We will be learning about room fragrances and fabrics from the Annie Sloan line scheduled to arrive later this year. Then I will have a whole day of advanced training with Annie herself....yep, that's me -- happy to be playing in the paint...

Then once I get back, I turn around and leave in a couple days for Oak Brook, where I will lead one of the break out sessions at the workshop.Wow!

Meantime, no shipping during dates I am gone -- March 9-18 and March 22-25! Sorry, but there is a supply available 12 hours daily at the Brass Armadillo in Des Moines. Whew! What a schedule. Plus look at what my signage will look like at the new shop once it is approved by the landlords! Like it?

More soon -- from the road to New Orleans! First stop, Memphis Tennessee! Hello, Graceland!

Custom Job Completed -- Shop Construction

Forgot to post the finished custom table. Client wanted to add maps of countries these places are in, so did. Not sure I would do that, but the customer is always right!

A new acquaintance that cleans out abandoned property brought this great workbench to me yesterday for the new shop-studio! How cool is this? It will need a little chalk paint though!

And here is the new shop in process of being finished. They had to take out about a half dozen plumbing locations from a dentist office that had been there before.

That alcove at right back will hold the workbench, double sink and packing materials/supplies. The studio and classroom area will stretch diagonally from that doorway which is also at an angle. The bathroom and heating room are that area with the uprights...

This area is to the left of the previous photo and will house the Tattered Finds -- where clients can pick a piece to refinish if they would like. This is also my stash of projects not yet completed -- a Pickers Paradise.

This area is directly in front of the previous photo to the east...Non-working door...Showroom area...

This is the entry and front windows -- showroom area. It also the area I was standing in to take the first photo of the work area...Long ways to go!