A full-circle moment

“Annie Sloan has been a household name in interior design since 1990” - Elle Decor

Annie Sloan. In Thomasville. In our shop. For an entire day!

In exactly one month, Annie Sloan herself will arrive here in Thomasville, to our home. (We are busy as little mice getting the guest rooms all ready!)

Then the next day (July 14th) she will be in our shop ~ for not merely one event, but two extraordinary experiences.

You know how sometimes life comes full circle in ways that make perfect sense?

Let me take you back to 2016.

Chris and I were exploring Oxford, England – one of our favorite cities – and I knew I wanted to visit Annie Sloan's shop. I’d been painting with her eponymous Chalk Paint® for a few years and had become an avid fan.

Stepping through that door was like discovering my creative home. The cozy way the light played across the painted furniture, the artfully arranged displays, the sense of activity - so inspiring!

I spent a long time in that shop, studying the furniture transformed with Chalk Paint®, taking in the colors, absorbing the relaxed but artistic atmosphere that Annie had cultivated.

Even oohing and aahhing over the paintbrushes (that I knew she’d used!) hanging over the sink.

There was something about what she'd created – this blend of timeless European sophistication and approachability, of honoring the past while embracing possibility – that resonated.

Standing there in Oxford, I couldn't have imagined that one year later I'd be opening my own tiny shop in Tallahassee, and then in less than a year later move it to its new home in Thomasville.

I had no idea I'd become a Chalk Paint® stockist, or that I'd spend my days helping others discover the same joy I felt that afternoon. But that visit was clearly planting seeds.

And now THE Annie Sloan, whose influence on the design world has global ripple effects, is coming here. To our town. To our shop that was so influenced by hers.

She'll be here for the first day of {Chalk Paint® brand ambassador} Tristan Merriam's Joy of Painting Masterclass ~ a hands-on 2-day workshop with very limited seating that's been a sensation worldwide and is now coming to our shop!

Participants get the opportunity to learn the latest paint and finish techniques directly from Tristan, with Annie herself there to share her expertise (a highly unusual occurrence, especially here in the US!)

Then at 6pm that Monday, we'll gather a bigger group to celebrate the 35th anniversary of Chalk Paint® and Annie's new book, Colourful Living, which introduces 30 sustainable upcycling projects.

A ticket to The Evening with Annie Sloan includes the book talk, book signing, drinks, and nibbles. We have moved the event to a larger venue, Thomasville Center for the Arts, at 600 East Washington Street.

If you're interested in joining us for either event – and I hope you are – the Masterclass is a full two-day experience (July 14th-15th) that includes all supplies, lunch, and lots of goodies, plus reserved seating at the book talk (and your copy of the book!)

Or, if you prefer just the evening event, your $45 ticket includes a signed copy of "Colourful Living" plus drinks and nibbles.

We would absolutely love to have you join us. We’ve had so many people (from near and far!) already purchase tickets to both events, but we still have room for a few more!

xo,