There is so much that I enjoy with sharing this furniture stenciling pin!

It’s a superb piece by  good friend Debbie Hayes of Faux Design Studio and the Faux Plus Design blog. It uses Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (Duck Egg Blue and Old White), AND Deb incorporated two of my most favoritist stencils from Royal Design Studio: the ever popular and classic Fabric Damask and Brocade Border. It all comes together beautifully in Deb’s brand new studio in Greensboro, NC, where she’ll be hosting an open house this coming Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 pm:

FAUX DESIGN STUDIO, inc
1100 Revolution Mill Drive, Studio 8, Greensboro, NC
336.707.6945

And the winner of the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint gift basket is……

Kim Lombardi. Kim left comment #7 and ALSO left two other bonus comments including a comment about which Royal Design Studio stencil she would like-our amazing Springtime in Paris Typography stencil. Way to wish big! Kim, you WIN and are also entered in this weekends drawing to attend the Annie Sloan North American Tour date of your choice.

Thank you all for your comments!! I really enjoyed reading your fav Chalk Paint color combinations and stencil choices.

Welcome to a brand New Year! It is now time for the annual rite of making new promises to ourselves, setting new goals, attempting to discard bad habits. A fresh year bring a fresh slate; a blank canvas. Of course you don’t need the occasion of needing a new calendar to start afresh. Your future is yet unwritten and so each day or even each moment brings opportunity and possibilities, BUT there is something very powerful about closing the books on the past year and focusing RIGHT NOW on how to improve on the next one.

If I was to focus on just one, simple way to feed my psyche, nurture my soul, and tend to my spirit (all of which helps me, of course, to be better to myself and others) I would have to say that I simply need to paint more. As my decorative painting businesses (Royal Design Studio and Modello Designs) have grown the creative art that inspired them has increasingly given way to Biz running business. There’s no time to get a brush in my hand because it always seems to be filled with a phone or a computer mouse. I have a fabulous painting studio that stares sadly at me every day while I rush past it in to my computer. This. Will. Not. Do. I have decided to  give myself the gift of regular “painting retreats”-in my own studio. It’s time to get back in touch with me…and this is where it starts. Lots of blank canvases. Thrift Store furniture pieces exactly, that are being transformed for the new year with some creative stenciling and Annie Sloan Chalk Paint.

Here’s to a 2012 that is creative…

…filled with bold strokes…

…and many bright, creative ideas!

What gift are you giving yourself for the new year? Please-be generous!

So, by now, you’ve heard about world famous Annie Sloan Chalk Paint right?

The amazingly easy-to-use, environmentally friendly, paint-right-over almost everything in 28 gorgeous, historical colors that launched a furniture painting revolution Chalk Paint?

And you probably are aware that this “British invasion innovation” is now available at over 100 stockists around the U.S. thanks to Lisa Rickert at Jolie Design and Decor. Well, just in case you’ve been living under a designer pillow, here’s some Chalk Paint info on our Royal Design Studio website. Oh, and by the way, did you know that we are now stocking the amazing Chalk Paint? And offering classes in Chalk Paint?? Well, now that you are fully up-to-date and in the know, it’s time to move on to the super fun portion of this post-everybody’s favorite-The BIG announcement and GIVEAWAY! Drumroll……

Announcing the Annie Sloan American Tour and Chalk Paint Giveaway!

The U.S Stockist have banded together to spread a little paint magic around and celebrate the Annie Sloan American Tour, coming in Spring 2012 to a city near you! This little blog, Designamour, is just one of many hosting an Annie Sloan Chalk Paint gift basket giveaway, that includes: 2 quarts of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint (you choose!),  Annie Sloan Soft Wax in clear and dark, and Annie’s juicy “tell-all” book, Quick and Easy Paint Transformations.

Here’s how to enter the Designamour Chalk Paint Giveaway:

Go to our Chalk Paint page at Royal Design Studio and leave a comment here telling me which are YOUR two color choices.

For an additional  entry, post a link to this giveaway on Facebook  and leave a comment here that you did.

For an additional, additional entry, post a link to this giveaway on Twitter and leave a comment here that you did.

For an additional, additional extra special entry, go to Royal Design Studio and leave a comment here telling me which stencil you would love to have to paint a piece of furniture with. (If you do, and THAT comment is chosen as the winner, you will get the stencil AS WELL as the Chalk Paint Gift Basket! Brilliant!

That’s 4 chances to win! The Giveaway ends December 31, when a comment winner will be drawn via random.org.

AND the chances don’t even end there. There’s MORE!

The lucky winner of the Giveaway here will also be entered to win a free registration to the Annie Sloan American Tour, in the city of your choice. THAT winner will be drawn by Annie Sloan Unfolded and announced on Annie’s Blog on January 10, 2012.

Good luck!!!!!!!

All furniture images designed and painted by Annie Sloan. Photographer: Christopher Drake