tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74367420627838877862012-02-16T09:58:04.694ZPaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-84944868243886940012012-01-30T17:25:00.005Z2012-01-31T15:09:33.693Z

I have been meaning to do a stage by stage; step by step Annie Sloan Chalk Paint because while I talk about it a fair bit in my blog .... have I shown you how to use it? No I haven't. Have I even explained to you why it is probably the best paint in the world? Nope....I don't think I ever did. Have I introduced you to the inventor of the paint? How remiss.....let's start there. Meet Annie Sloan

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-672429995914567022012-01-29T11:15:00.003Z2012-01-29T17:13:07.871Z

I wish I could get into the habit of blogging more regularly, I am just chasing my tail to keep you all up to date with happenings in the studio......and yes we are OPEN and working effectively in the studio and we open every Saturday 10am till 5pm and we are often in the studio at other times, just ring before popping in Our Annie Sloan Shop First I have to tell you that we had a wonderful

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-45097840077021429562012-01-03T22:45:00.002Z2012-01-05T13:56:27.416Z

The American Annie Sloan stockists have been giving paint away in prize draws all last month and I thought it was pretty sad that no-one was giving out paint in the UK. To celebrated our new studio open day we decided we would have a prize draw. Here is the prize .... Worth £72.79 Two litres of Chalk Paint in colours of your choice, 2 sample pots in colours of your choice, 2 waxes, a dark and a

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-51830841051841236152012-01-03T00:35:00.002Z2012-01-03T16:20:34.083Z

Let me introduce you to my niece Mathilda (known as Tildy to family). Mathilda is 7 years old and as can be seen absolutely gorgeous (especially in her Carte Blanche apron) and of course is a genius because she is related to me but Mathilda has never painted furniture before. Last week she came with her family for lunch at the studio and while her Mum and brother, who are both fashionistas,

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-82385660826303550562011-12-29T00:02:00.003Z2011-12-29T00:11:50.067Z

 I had a wonderful time making gilded canvas pictures as Christmas presents. I am really looking forward to doing some more some time soon Mini Canvas...not brave enough to do the big one straight off Once I got brave I made the one that was for my brother - James (Very Talented Brother) had mentioned he and (also talented and gorgeous) wife Harriet needed artwork for their newly painted walls

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-2037633304801138332011-12-20T14:33:00.005Z2012-01-03T23:44:00.107Z

While all the world and their wives have been shopping for Christmas I have been doing a different sort of shopping, I have been working on our on-line shop. Not the lead up to Christmas I had anticipated but with an incredibly busy New Year coming up I thought I had better get it done - a now or never situation. You can now buy Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, and Classes direct from here on the blog.

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-4536239272048865032011-11-10T00:50:00.001Z2011-11-19T11:18:50.150Z

So I am enjoying Pinterest....if you haven't heard of Pinterest it is an on-line pin board; you see something you like and you pin it. You store all your favourite images in one place; you have multiple boards and can store different areas of interest and you can look at other people's boards, and people can look at yours, follow you and so on....you have to request an invitation which takes a

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-28491167692804498172011-11-05T12:41:00.002Z2011-11-05T12:46:46.716Z

I am sorry, I am a terrible blogger, I haven't been here for SUCH a long time, but only because we have been SO busy. So what have I been doing? I went to America to teach ...to wonderful San Francisco where my hostess was Lynne Rutter. The class was in her amazing studio which is in an old factory and sports great height as well as a huge floor space. For working in oil this was perfect

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-21580512788421928762011-09-15T04:02:00.001+01:002011-09-15T04:02:51.323+01:00

This was a finish I have been meaning to post for a while and I took stage by stage photos while I did it especially so I could do a little tutorial but it has taken me an age to get round to it. Those that read my blog or follow Carte Blanche on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/carteblanchedecorativepainters) or follow me on Twitter (@paintycait) know that I am in San Francisco now teaching a

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-61603796703402373082011-08-25T15:27:00.000+01:002011-08-25T15:27:44.822+01:00

Love this bureau painted by Moira at Rustiques Annie Sloan Paint in Arles stencilled and crackled I have had a lot of time away from our ever dampening workshop...we are moving by the way...news of that coming soon So since I haven't painted anything groovy recently, nor run a class I reckoned it would be cool to let you see some Annie Sloan Chalk Paint People...those that stock the paint

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-58822434862534574442011-08-15T19:56:00.003+01:002011-08-15T20:04:36.283+01:00

It's some time since I have visited the Good Old U.S. of A. and I am so excited about my rapidly approaching trip. Some will have seen my classes advertised on my website and on my hosts' websites; on Facebook and Twitter and for those that haven't take a peek at where and what I will be doing. First stop will be at Lynne Rutter's beautiful Studio for a 5 day Marbling and Graining Class in San

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-27157682919027525282011-08-03T19:33:00.003+01:002011-08-04T09:12:38.402+01:00

Those that have been following the blog know that every now and again I create a post called "If I post it here I will HAVE to do it" to try and get me to focus on a particular project. The last time I did this was with a mural - the mural was fraught with problems...every time I got to the point of being able to start it or progress it something got in the way.  Here is the post "If I post it

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-42126977368537818732011-07-31T12:56:00.002+01:002011-08-02T12:38:03.974+01:00

It is lovely to be away especially in France but we did miss home - son James said he even missed rain. I thought I did till I saw what it was doing to our studio back home Here is what my darling husband has been coping with in my absence.....a drenched studio, buckets everywhere and everything stuffed anywhere where it won't get wet. The studio situation that has been dire for so long and is

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-54948584114220112352011-07-31T01:44:00.002+01:002011-07-31T02:02:14.552+01:00

We had a brief but welcome break the last day we were in France after a lot of long hours working and we were grateful for a quick dash to the Palace of Versailles. The Palace is amazing but trust me ...don't visit on a Saturday afternoon early in July. There is too much to show you it all...but here is a touch of the painty stuff. First off all every room has it's skirting boards marbled to

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-82769829750160807372011-07-30T17:02:00.005+01:002011-07-30T17:16:31.799+01:00

I am so sorry I haven't been here for such an age.... so much has happened in the last month it will take me an age to catch up.As many of you know James (son of 16 yrs) and I have been in France working. I took lots of wonderful pictures to share with you and then my laptop died. My client kindly lent me her laptop but the laptop spoke only French. It turns out I don't understand the French for

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-77977073073674359672011-06-02T12:45:00.007+01:002011-06-10T19:02:50.153+01:00

I hadn't posted here for a month.. my last post had been brewing for about 2 weeks and and then my poor laptop got sick and had to go to hospital. It came back home all sparkly and working brilliantly with a new battery that lasts hours and doesn't heat up to the point where it burns my legs and a new motherboard ...oh it makes me happy and I can get back to blogging. Soooooooo before I forget

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-71790427263877311952011-06-01T21:49:00.004+01:002011-06-02T13:06:08.434+01:00

Maintaining an historic home is an onerous task at the best of times. When faced with the devastating effects of dry rot as well, there is sometimes less money in the pot than you would like. Restoring mouldings to their original gilded splendour is an expensive extra item over and above having the plaster mould recreated and fitted. Here we see the original gilded molding and you can see that

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-75086489911537080722011-04-28T22:31:00.001+01:002011-06-10T19:08:01.064+01:00

So it was time to play a bit......we are demonstrating at the Scottish Home Improvement Show in Ingliston Edinburgh this weekend and yup...we are demonstrating Annie Sloan Chalk Paint and why??? Only because it is the best paint IN the WORLD!!! If you want to come and see us get free entry here. Click Here So in readiness we have been painting a few things in our beloved paint including

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-59634447207144800622011-04-28T00:48:00.003+01:002011-04-28T07:59:05.590+01:00

I mentioned in my last post how jobs had run over...this was another one. This was a gilding job that went array but turned out BEAUTIFUL!!!! It took 3 times longer than it should have done.When the lovely interior designer Allison Morse of Elizabeth Allison Interiors  sent me the picture below and asked if I could come up with a finish to work with this picture frame and that could be put on a

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-48243735739099958632011-04-23T19:45:00.005+01:002011-04-24T21:20:24.534+01:00

I am not sure if this is a phrase used the world over, so here it is explained:Idiom Definitions for 'At the coalface' - If you work at the coalface, you deal with the real problems and issues, rather than sitting in a office discussing things in a detached way.Is this my excuse for not producing wonderful images of a mural that I should be well on with...hmmmm probably. For those that don't

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-872245301856632422011-04-13T21:59:00.007+01:002011-04-14T07:53:08.802+01:00

I was absolutely thrilled for sister-in-law Katie Whitson who's lovely blog Vintage Squirrel was awarded the Liebster Blog AwardI was even more thrilled when she in turn awarded it to our little bloggy...weeheeee...as a relatively new blogger this is just lovely....which is what leibster means...lovely, nice, darling and other words similarly endearing. So what is it? The aim of the Liebster (

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-17349801406940499842011-04-10T09:49:00.000+01:002011-04-10T09:49:54.047+01:00

I just had to post this lovely jolly jazz sampler video from a totally different Carte Blanche. Perfect sounds for painting to. Just goes to show that Carte Blanche are the watch words for excellence.  http://www.carteblanchesamples.com/ New York's Carte Blanche is a unique revivalist jazz group which delivers a mix of classic American 20’s and 30’s jazz standards, French, and Latin American

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-35115545716328896402011-03-26T11:48:00.000Z2011-03-26T11:48:20.284Z

OK, so I have another monkey on my back...calling it a monkey makes it sound horrible and it's not, it's a fabulous project but it just seems to be one of those projects that gets stalled at every turn. I won't bore you will all the stupid things that have gone wrong so far but suffice to say if you decide to do an exterior mural and using external ply....make sure it doesn't have any flaws in it

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-7954909246806466902011-03-25T15:38:00.007Z2011-03-26T11:54:19.391Z

I've really not been feeling well at all....a bit peaky, and I wondered do you spell that piquey? anyway you know what I mean, a bit off colour, and I've been feeling a bit peaky for days. And every day has slipped by and I've not  achieved what I set out to achieve. Very frustrating. So I made a list of all the things I meant to do over the past wee while.....and here I am doing one of them,

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-15341600493726956832011-03-22T13:48:00.003Z2011-03-29T08:16:36.055+01:00

We had to postpone our recent Shabby Chic painting class because we were worried that the predicted snow would endanger people travelling big distances. Sadly not everyone can make the new date of Sunday the 27th March 2011, so we have some spaces next Sunday. Why not join us - you can buy a class place on any of the classes by going to our on-line shop and buying here SHOP or you can call me

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-24950068418304739792011-03-13T23:42:00.005Z2011-03-26T09:43:28.270Z

I thought I'd bring some news of latest projects. As you know I was off in Aberdeenshire transforming 2 rooms. I spent about 10 days up there with Gibson coming up at the weekends. Gosh it was quite hard work. I was staying with my parents who live in the Courtyard House of The Burn near Edzell. The Courtyard House The Burn House Mum and Dad were wonderful at letting me a just be .....I

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-1815077209398599642011-03-10T08:29:00.004Z2011-03-26T09:44:13.979Z

I haven't been here for an age......I feel like the blog is almost human. I feel guilty if I neglect it, don't pay it attention but I have been working away from home and working hard on getting something long overdue live on the net.....yes...you guessed it ...we have a NEW WEBSITE!!!!! check it out http://decoratescotland.com I know some of you are saying "about bloomin time too!", how long

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-82406438133390191692011-02-17T00:44:00.002Z2011-03-26T09:44:43.659Z

My last post was a challenge to my own massive skills in the procrastination department. I had a really tricky project matching some timber and because it was tricky I was finding every excuse NOT to do it so just to get me going I posted it here, knowing that I had to then get on and complete it or look like a total slacker... So to recap here is what I was given, an beech door with an MDF panel

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-72934837247123579232011-02-14T16:32:00.003Z2011-03-26T09:45:41.856Z

I have to make this blank MDF panel in the centre of this beech cabinet door look like Beech Cabinetry this Spalted Beech here Spalted Beech  I have put it off and put it off, for too long....a complex job, lots and lots of little detaily stuff in this timber, it's beautiful, but the more you look at it the more you think you'll never quite get it. So having committed here.... I now have

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-27349072338587555972011-02-13T01:18:00.004Z2011-03-26T09:47:01.779Z

The Scottish Conference for Social and Private Enterprise is held annually here in Perth, run by Perth College UHI in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Social Economy Partnership. Gibson and I attended the first in 2009 and it really fired us up so this year since we have felt so slow to get motivated  we decided we needed a dose of NewBiz'11 and joined the other 300 delegates at Perth Concert

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-75685159934495306442011-02-06T00:27:00.006Z2011-03-26T09:47:38.345Z

I was lying in the bathtub this evening and for a change I was reading a magazine...normally when I am in the bath in the evening I make phone calls I love to soak and chat. Tonight it was too late to call anyone, I've finished my latest library book ("The Riverman" by Alex Gray) so I picked up the latest Homes and Interiors Scotland Magazine and started to read. Homes and Interiors Scotland was

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-83401889528905313142011-02-04T00:21:00.000Z2011-02-04T00:21:49.564Z

Last week I had a bit of a blitz on the studio, it is normally a bit of a tip and it seems we have just wayyyyy too much stuff at the moment. There are a lot of furniture"finds" waiting for paint, they are all stacked up at the back of the studio; My *Finds* the paint store was so full I couldn't walk through it and the office was so stacked with junk it was mad. Then our sample storage was

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-40275096806513151952011-01-27T00:45:00.002Z2011-01-27T01:02:02.978Z

Carte Blanche are  often called on to blend a new piece added to a property into an old existing piece or to blend out damage. A client may want to block up a door and there maybe victorian panelling all around the door that needs to be matched; there may be damaged marble or stone that needs to be repaired but the original marble is no longer mined or a match can't be found or a cupboard door

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-13815487093278758272011-01-24T15:46:00.004Z2011-01-27T01:08:59.655Z

Those that know me well, know that I am not really very good at being a girl, certainly not one for spending time on my appearance, but last week I surpassed myself. At the beginning of the week I had a text from my hairdresser, 1/2 price on cut and colour....well, too good to miss. I have started going to a hairdresser in Auchterarder called Deja http://www.dejahairandbeauty.co.uk/team.php.

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-65907115912534678442011-01-20T00:46:00.003Z2011-01-27T22:49:53.167Z

For nearly 2 years we have been working with, teaching classes in and selling Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It says on the tin – the best paint in the world” and we can verify IT IS!!!!! So what makes it so good? First of all it is the easiest paint to use in the world – no preparation required...let me say that again NO PREPARATION REQUIRED!!!! No stripping or heavy sanding, no chemicals, dust, no

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-8768607642651431312011-01-19T23:56:00.001Z2011-01-19T23:59:20.778Z

At LAST the snow has gone. On Monday for the first time I could walk Rosie dog on a surface that I didn't crunch  through or skite on...phew, it really is a joy. We hadn't seen green for 7 weeks. There had been a period of about 3 hours 2 weeks past Tuesday I think it was, when we saw some lawn but the snow snatched it back again Rosie It finally felt like we could start the year,  up till

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7436742062783887786.post-4626759074784234952010-12-07T01:28:00.003Z2010-12-07T01:37:31.225Z

Some time back my father who is a great countryman and writer penned in one of his writings that the wonderful harvest of wild berries in the hedgerows would herald a truly hard winter and I scoffed. The end of 2009 and Spring of 2010 were very hard weather-wise with very many snow-days...I really couldn't believe that it could be worse this year and I wallowed in the wonderful free hedgerow

PaintyCaithttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17711927764026790597noreply@blogger.com5