The world of furniture painting is small. Close knit. In constant communication! It seems weird, but one of my favorite things about carrying both Annie Sloan Paint and Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint is this tight community that is fostered through the product. Not just the community of customers, but that of retailers as well. We’re like a big family of furniture painters. I bring that up because months and months ago, our Milk Paint family participated in a survey and informal discussion about some desired new products. There were so, so many great ideas. One that kept popping up, though was the desire for a new line of stencils. Really, it made perfect sense. Miss Mustard Seed is an avid free-hand painter. Creating stencils that are inspired by her free-hand painting is the perfect pairing to MMS Milk Paint!

I am NOT a free-hand painter. Let’s just say, I know where my talents lay and that is not one of them. I happily volunteered to be among the first to try out the new stencils and photograph our projects!

My first piece is an antique dresser that I base coated in white and then added a custom mix of Kitchen Scale and Linen MMS Milk Paint.

I used Linen for the stencil and mixed a much thicker than usual batch to minimize the paint bleeding beneath the stencil.

This particular stencil design is very simple, so to add a bit more complexity and give the more free-hand painted look, I had pattern shoot off in a variety of directions all over the drawers. As a result, it looks much more free-hand painted than stenciled (enough so that all of my employees were fooled).

And, of course I love the minimal chipping on the drawers and front.

What sets the new Miss Mustard Seed stencils apart from other stencil lines is the simplicity of the designs and the ability to layer multiple stencils and create a unique pattern that doesn’t fit into a more rigid design formula.

As soon as I find out more about the availability of the stencils, we will post it on our instagram feed and facebook page! In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for those perfect stencil projects!

While these tips are specifically intended for applicants hoping to become vendors at the knot too shabby BAZAAR, you’re likely to find that this is a secret recipe to getting accepted at any craft fair or vintage market.

Here is a preview of the vendor application for the knot too shabby BAZAAR that you can print out and use to refine your responses before submitting the official vendor application on the knot too shabby website. Once you’ve filled it out, made revisions, and have a final draft that you’re proud of, make backup copies and save them somewhere so you’ll be able to use it again as a reference for future festival applications.

Selection for the #knottooshabbyBAZAAR is a juried process. To impress the selection committee, you need to show that you have quality merchandise that fits in with the festival’s guidelines and that you are prepared to act as an ambassador both online and in-person at the event. We’re looking for artisans with products we can get excited about and who will make customers excited to shop at the fair.

I’ve read a lot of applications in my five years coordinating the knot too shabby BAZAAR so I’m sharing with you 5 of the biggest mistakes applicants make and how to not only fix them, but how to make your application stand out no matter what the competition!

1. Quality photos

• BAD:
  
  

  Cluttered background, dim fluorescent lighting, crooked perspective, dusty product with the price tag still on, & unimaginative presentation.

• GOOD:
  
  

  Uncluttered background, bright natural window light, level perspective, clean product, & visually interesting presentation.

Don’t take your photos on your kitchen counter, on your couch, in your dirty garage, at night, or in direct noontime sunlight that you try to hide with a filter (it will look like it’s waiting for an old west duel with the sheriff). Please don’t. I’m begging you.

Sorry pardner, this filter won’t hide your high noon photo shoot

I get the feeling–it’s late, you’ve just finished that project you’ve been working on, the kids are finally asleep, and you’re in a hurry to snap a photo on your phone and instantly share it with the world. But with a few simple steps, you can make a photo that actually draws viewers in and entices them to buy your product–even if you don’t have a fancy camera.

Behind the scenes: No expensive lighting equipment, just a large window letting plenty of natural light shine through.

Lighting: Near a large window or in open shade is often best. Avoid your living room’s tungsten lamps or your kitchen’s florescent lights–these could make your product seem discolored and they never provide enough light.  Natural daylight is ideal, but pay attention to shadows–direct sunlight can create harsh unflattering shadows in addition to stark glare, but tree shade can also cast distracting mottled shadows.

“Home Sweet Home” sign by Maeberry Lane Design
Chalk Paint® color chart by Annie Sloan

Setting: Arrange your merchandise in a way that makes it easier for the viewer to picture it in their home (or even better, their dream home). Stage a vignette that looks inviting by mixing textures. A soft throw blanket and a live plant can add a homey touch to hard wood furniture. 

Hope chest painted using Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint & her Linda stencil

If you make apparel, jewelry, or accessories, spend a late afternoon or early morning photographing it on a live person in a setting that matches your style. Rustic? Take a trip to the great outdoors! Coastal? Head to the beach and find a lighthouse! No matter which location you choose, your setting should complement your product; not distract from it.

Model: Claire Max
Mona B apparel: knot too shabby
Jewelry: Fitzydoodles
Flowers: la petite fleur
Photo: Killer Cupcake Event Photography

Alternatively, you can use a minimalist setting to make your product pop. An all-white backdrop means that your merchandise stands out without any other distracting elements in your image.

Whether you use fabric, a painted wall, or a sheet of 8.5×11 printer paper like I did above, make sure your backdrop is completely clean of any scuff marks or lint, and that you have a large, bright light source to keep shadows to a minimum.

Angle: Do you know what your best side is? No, don’t look in the mirror–look at your merchandise. Often one of the best angles to photograph it from is the angle that customers will most frequently see it from. That means taking a moment and thinking about how your product is meant to be used. Sure, you may be on the floor already from painting those table legs, but customers won’t know what the tabletop looks like from that angle.

To improve the perspective of this photograph:
1. Turn the table or move your camera to get a 45° angle that shows more of the tabletop and all 4 of the legs.
2. Get closer–most of this image is wasted space.
3. Watch out for a crooked horizon line, it looks sloppy.
4. Remove distractions like that ugly electrical outlet and the funky shadows. To do this you can move in closer or re-position your camera like mentioned above, but sometimes you may need move your product.

Much better!

2. Dynamic descriptions

• BAD:
  
  

  This description is vague with no attention paid to spelling or punctuation.

• GOOD:
   
  

  This description is much more readable without distracting errors and it conveys vivid imagery.

The first description gets the ballpark idea across, but won’t set you apart from the many, many other furniture painters out there.

Specificity is key. What is it that makes your style unique? What feelings do you want your products to evoke? What is it about your process that no one else could replicate? Those aren’t rhetorical questions–sit down and make some notes about what defines your work and no one else’s. Then take those topics and incorporate it into your new tagline.

Did you notice the second description makes no mention of furniture at all? If you’re pairing it with a quality photograph or a well-designed logo you won’t have to. Some of the most memorable slogans bypass the literal for the emotional: Apple’s “Think Different”,  Capital One’s “What’s In Your Wallet?”, and Las Vegas’ “What Happens Here Stays Here” to name a few.

The second description may be slightly cheesy, but from the wording any reader could easily infer that vendor offers casual furniture pieces painted with eclectic patterns. Being vague is like a pair of old sweatpants: it may be comfortable, but if you want to go anywhere exciting, you’re going to have to make decisions and change.

3. Active online presence
   
   • BAD: 
     

     Social media business DON’T: pushy advertisements or little-to-no activity

      

   • GOOD: 
     

     Social media business DO: nuanced advertisements sprinkled in among lots of photo & video posts about how & where your products are made, who makes them, and what inspires you.

The knot too shabby selection committee looks for vendors who can help attract the most customers to our annual shabby chic festival. We want vendors who have vital online followings. Having a large number of followers can be helpful, but having followers who regularly comment on and re-share your posts is even better. Engaged online followers are most likely to become customers who are enthusiastic to visit the knot too shabby BAZAAR and spend money shopping there.

Incomplete or inactive websites and social media accounts discourage would-be customers. In addition to making it harder for them to contact you, it can also hurt your reputation. Especially if you don’t have a brick-&-mortar shop, your online presence is the face of your business. A profile that lacks descriptions, quality photos, and current updates gives the impression that you’re not serious about your customer service or your products.

Building an active online presence is about showing your products in the best light possible while building a relationship with your customer base. When posting photos, include a mix of product photos, work-in-progress pics, and yes, a few photos of yourself. Consumers who appreciate vintage and handmade products want to support small business owners who are authentic and relatable. Be careful not to fall into the trap of spamming your followers with constant self-promotion. No one likes to be bombarded with non-stop advertisements. Interact with your followers and fellow handmade & vintage enthusiasts on a genuine, personal level. Regularly like and comment on their posts. Consistently show quality work and kindness and you’ll go far. It’s as easy and as difficult as that.

4. Know your ideal customer

• BAD: 
  

  DON’T: try to appeal to every customer that could possibly exist–that would be overwhelming

   

• GOOD:
  

  DO: focus on appealing to your ideal customer
  and you’ll go far

Especially when you’re responding to open-ended questions such as:

• “How would you describe your merchandise?”
• “What materials are used in creating your merchandise?”
• ​”Tell us about your booth space”

Write your answers as though you were responding to your ideal customer. Not only will you create more vivid descriptions, you’ll have sales pitches that will be ready for use in conversations with customers at the knot too shabby BAZAAR and beyond.

Who is your ideal customer? If you answered “anyone with cash” then you have some critical thinking to do. You’re never going to please everyone all the time and you’ll spread yourself too thin if you try.

Think about the lifestyle, spending habits, and interests of the ideal customer for your business. Is your customer someone who prefers quality or quantity? Do they appreciate originality or nostalgia more? Would they care about practicality or luxury more? What need does your product fulfill for your ideal customer? What changes in their life would prompt them to want your product? What concerns might they have before buying your product? The more clearly you can define your ideal customer, the better you can market your products to the customer base you’ll have the most success with. Know where they’re coming from, how they like to spend their free time, and which social media platforms they interact on. The more you understand about your ideal customer, the easier you can make it for them to discover your business.

Lots of customers may come and go, but if you can find your ideal customer they’ll shop with you again and again.

5. Individual style
   

• BAD:
  

  Trying to fit in with the crowd is exhausting–and you risk going unnoticed

   

• GOOD:
  

  Be yourself without worrying what everyone else is doing.

What’s your style? If it’s vintage or shabby chic, perfect! But that’s only a start. Every applicant’s style is vintage or shabby chic–don’t be afraid to stand out!

Use every relevant comment box on the application to your advantage. The multiple choice questions will tell the knot too shabby BAZAAR jury all the necessary basics, so there’s no need to duplicate that information. If you answered the multiple-choice question “What types of merchandise do you offer?” by choosing the option “Live plants” then your response to the short-answer question “How would you describe your merchandise?” should elaborate much more than also typing out “Live plants.” I’m not saying you need to write an essay for each comment box; after all, brevity is the soul of wit. Choose your words carefully to concisely create a vivid image of your business. Give us your best elevator pitch! If you only had 30 seconds to get a complete stranger excited about your business, what would you say?

Be as specific as you possibly can. Odds are, there are plenty of other applicants who share the same category as you. If you sell vintage clothing, what sets you apart from other vintage clothing sellers? Knowing your ideal customer will help you distinguish your individual style (and vice versa). Someone who sells rare items meant for collectors will have a different perspective than someone who’s selling items for everyday use. If you’re making items by hand, do you have a technique or tradition that sets your business apart from other makers? Perhaps you use antique tools to make your jewelry or the stationary paper is made from the flowers of distant lands you’ve traveled to–these are the kinds of details that will get the knot too shabby BAZAAR jury excited about your application!

In a nutshell, be original and go the extra mile to give your words and photos that “Wow!” factor. Whether your application gets approved or not, you will have crafted a portfolio for your pop up shop that will be beneficial for as long as you keep it updated to reflect your growing business.

When you’re ready, submit your application for the knot too shabby BAZAAR. Don’t take too long–the deadline is March 28th!

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Our best recommendations for using Chalk Paint® decorative paint by Annie Sloan.

Last month, I went on a whirlwind of a trip to Oregon to take a painting class with Annie Sloan.

By whirlwind, I had to align the sun, moon and stars to pull together childcare, store coverage and the dollars to get myself to Oregon all within an eight to ten day time frame. But, IT WAS COMPLETELY WORTH IT!

I stayed in Oregon City right on one of the many rivers and commuted the short fifteen minutes into Canby where Annie Was teaching her class.

This workshop was like taking Annie’s Color Recipes for Painted Furniture and bringing it to life! Of her books, that one is my favorite and I’ve read it multiple times, sometimes in sections and cover to cover. But, nothing compared to having her teach the content of that book!

It’s entirely impossible to convey in writing the experience I had learning from THE BEST in the industry! But, I’ll try.

This is what I love about Annie Sloan Paint, her products, the person…everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is done with complete intentionality. The colors she has created are made with versatility for mixing and blending and an authenticity for the inspiration in which the color has been named.

The workshop began with tips on curating the design and style of our shops (there were around sixty shop owners taking this workshop with me) and understanding the various definitions of “vintage style.” Oddly enough, I had an e-mail exchange with Annie about five years where she helped me to understand and be able to communicate what my design style is.  You can read about that exchange here.

She then, seamlessly transitioned into teaching us how to use color, both within the context of our stores, but also in our homes. For some, pairing colors and/or mixing them together is intuitive. You can see a lime green and just know that English Yellow and Antibes will give you that perfect shade of lime green.  Because I’ve been mixing colors for so long, and because I’ve read much on the subject, I’ve become quite good at it.  But, that isn’t the case for most people. I learned the “non-intuitive” way of understanding color which will be an amazing tool to have in my pocket both when I teach about color but also when I work with our customers on custom color mixing or pairings.

I couldn’t possibly even begin to summarize everything that I learned, but I’ll pass on a couple of fun nuggets of information from Annie Sloan herself.

1. When you are working with a lot of color in a space, you should use a lot of white or black to provide balance.
2. Take time to curate your home. What you may see as an eclectic gathering of objects in reality is a mis-matched mess that doesn’t work well together.
3. When you are working with the neutral shades (Paloma, Paris Grey, Country Grey, etc.), you should understand what colors are used to create those neutrals so that you can pair the same colors in your space. For example, Paris Grey is made by mixing Barcelona Orange, Napoleonic Blue and white together. Therefore, pairing orange and blue into a space dominated by Paris Grey works well together.

If I could pass along one tip, it would be that understanding the neutral colors will completely change how you infuse color into your design!

And People…I’m always here to help inspire confidence in your projects and share tips and tricks. So just come in and ask!!! (Or take a workshop ;))

Happy Independence Day to all of our American readers!

Today I’d like to feature some patriotic projects by some knot too shabby family members: my dad Bill and his sister, my godmother, Darlene!

My dad volunteers at The Farm at Fairplex where he grows produce, cares for animals, and educates local schools on the value of sustainable urban agriculture. But he’s more than a farmhand, his real specialty: farmhandyman. If something needs fixing or building, he’s the person to ask. And with his perfectionist streak, any broken fixtures are often rebuilt better than they were made originally!

So when he came to me looking for help painting an American flag decoration that would look at home in an antique barn, I knew I had to introduce him to the real deal: Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint.

The color will penetrate the wood for a lasting finish that won’t chip or flake.

Milk Paint has been around for thousands of years. It was found in the pyramids in Egypt and on ancient cave paintings. It’s been used in America for years on furniture, walls, barns, etc. It is a versatile paint that can be used to achieve a variety of looks from chippy and distressed to smooth and sleek.  Milk paint provides a completely breathable coating and is ideal for painting wood, plaster, drywall and a variety of other surfaces. It is environmentally friendly, non-toxic, contains no VOCs, and is naturally mold resistant–a perfect combination for The Farm’s organic and sustainable culture.

Milk Paint acts like a stain, but looks like a paint.

Repurposing a salvaged pallet, my dad took to Milk Paint like a duck to water. With thin coats of Tricycle red, Linen white, and Flow Blue (plus a dash of Artissimo blue for depth) he painted like a pro to achieve rich, natural colors while emphasizing the wood grain. A couple teaspoons added to the Linen white remaining at the bottom of the cup created a thicker, creamy texture that made stenciling the stars a breeze–no bleeding around the edges. Once the paint dried, he took a sanding block to the raised edges to further highlight the texture.

At this point, normally I would recommend finishing with Antiquing Wax, but since this pallet will frequently be displayed outdoors, I blended (but only partially, I wanted to keep a variety of separate hues) a small amount of Curio brown, Trophy grey, and a touch of Typewriter black into a thin, watery mixture. My dad applied this using a light dry brushing technique for added variation in color and texture. Now that we had replaced the wax’s antiquing effect, we still needed something to replace its protective properties. And nothing could be a more perfect fit for this project than Hemp Oil.

American Flag Pallet with Miss Mustard Seed’s Hemp Oil–seen here still absorbing

Hemp Oil is a finish that is a nice alternative to the wax. It is all natural, so it’s great for people who are sensitive to chemicals. Hemp Oil is best when it’s applied to a porous surface (like raw wood, stained wood or Milk Painted raw wood.) It will absorb into the surface, creating a durable finish. It’s a food safe finish that can be used on cutting boards, butcher blog counters and kitchen tables. Hemp Oil is also great for projects that will be used outside. Once it cures (after approximately 30 days), it protects and wears beautifully in the elements.

In all, the American flag pallet took less than a day to complete. With time to spare before July 4th, my dad took what he had learned and taught my godmother how to paint too! With strong ties to the military (her husband, father, mother, and grandson have all served) she had been saving a section of 30 year-old fence that had been pulled out two years ago, to create a special testament to her family’s service–so we knew that this flag decoration had high expectations to live up to. I never doubted the quality or ease of Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint to achieve that lofty goal.

And yes, even in 90°F weather, with a sudden soaking from automatic sprinklers just before painting, lots of spirited debate about exactly where to stencil the stars (what can I say, perfectionism runs in the family), and an old dog who wanted to nap wherever Aunt Darlene needed to stand, she finished her American flag fence in no time at all.

The family that paints together, stays together.

From my family to yours, have a safe & happy 4th of July! -Caitlin

If it’s important to you to use fewer toxic chemicals in your home, then the first place you should look to cut back on them is in your cleaner cabinet. We commonly use some pretty toxic chemicals when cleaning mildew off the grout, or hard water deposits off the faucet, or even just disinfecting the kitchen counters! The good news is, you don’t have to. Not only are natural household cleaners better for the environment and your family, they also are cheap to make! From fabric softener to oven cleaner, we have the best DIY natural household cleaner recipes out there, by great bloggers who care enough to share! So pick one or two you use often, and take a jump on over to their websites to check out the natural cleaner recipes… It only takes making small changes in the beginning to make a complete change in the end!

From the ‘Liz Marie Blog’, I love this recipe for DIY  laundry softener for a couple reasons… First, that jar with the chalkboard label is adorable…. Second, the recipe is so easy, and can be customized. You can use either a high end organic conditioner, or one from the dollar store! Check it out at her site!

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Need to tackle that bathroom soap scum? This all in one bathroom cleaner recipe from ‘Riffles and Ruffles” uses just a few things found around the house, but takes the place of several cleaning products.

Try these homemade fizzy toilet bombs from ‘One Good Thing by Jillee’… You can make a big batch, and always have a way to freshen the toilet, without the chemicals…

From ‘Passion for Savings’, try this DIY stainless steel cleaner on those appliance fingerprints!

Try this all natural carpet cleaner that will get out any stain, from ‘Surviving the Stores’!

Cleaning the toilet is not a fun job, and we all know it. Feel a little better about it by using this DIY non toxic toilet bowl cleaner by ‘Live Like You Are Rich’.

‘Mrs Happy Homemaker’ has a DIY carpet powder recipe to freshen those stinky, stale rugs… and she even has a twist that is supposed to repel bugs!

‘365ish Days of Pinterest’ has a DIY grout cleaning recipe for you, and when looking at the before and after, it looks like it really works! No bleach fumes!

‘Joyful Adorations’ shows us how to make DIY dishwasher detergent… Did you know that some commercial detergents contain lye? ICCKKK!

‘Rooted Blessings’ has a DIY oven cleaner that has no toxic chemicals! And it works! You know how bad those commercial ones are, you have to wear thick gloves just to use it!

Try this DIY natural furniture polish by ‘Sweet T Makes Three’! I honestly hate the way “Old English” smells.

Want to take a shot at creating your own natural household cleaner? Use this infographic from ‘Heiton Buckley’ as a guide to creating DIY cleaning products, covering the most popular ingredients and what they do. What kind of natural products do you use? Share with us in comments!

Photo by ‘DIY Network‘.

Image Credits: DIY Network, Liz Marie, Riffles and Ruffles, One Good Thing by Jillee, Passion for Savings, Surviving the Stores, Live Like You Are Rich, Mrs Happy Homemaker, 365 Days of Pinterest, Joyful Adorations, Rooted Blessings, Sweet T Makes Three, Heiton Buckley

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