My latest Painter in Residence: Hester van Overbeek!

I am so thrilled to introduce my latest Painter in Residence to you all, the wonderful Hester van Overbeek! Some of you may already know Hester from her blog and YouTube channel, Hester's Handmade Home.

I have been working with Hester for a while now - check out her 'Meet the Maker' interview with me here. Her work is always equal parts accessible and inspirational and her books are jam-packed with projects, hacks and ideas!

Originally from the Netherlands, Hester has been based in the UK for 14 years, 5 of those in the seaside town of Ramsgate. Along with her partner, there's also Kermit the dog and the brand new arrival of gorgeous Kiki, her newborn baby girl!

Hester says: "I have been making things all my life, my mum taught me how to work with fabric and my dad showed me woodwork and power tools. I spend my free time as a child sewing up little felt toys, clothes for my barbies and sawing out little wooden figurines out of leftover timber.

I love being a Painter in Residence. I love a Nordic look and easy transformations that don’t cost a lot of money to achieve. I hope you will enjoy my projects and that they inspire you to get the paints and fabric out and start making."

I'm so excited to share the projects that Hester has created as part of her residency with you. Keep an eye on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page: @anniesloanhome to see Hester's first project! 

Yours excitedly, 

Annie 

My latest Painter in Residence: Ildiko Horvath!

I am beyond excited to reveal my latest Painter in Residence, the incredible Ildiko Horvath aka Restored4u!

Based in Ontario, Canada, Ildiko has been creating some wonderful work over the past couple of years with my paint and products. I know lots of you are familiar with her work so let's take a look at some of the previous pieces that show just how talented a painter she is! 

I love the way she layers colour together to create a gorgeously rich and sumptuous patina. Often using blue, the way she merges colours is seamless and stunning. 

 

She is a master of the 'ombré' technique, where you gradually blend colours from one to the other. The projects that she has done for me as part of her residency reflect her previous work, so of course, there is a fabulous ombré piece in there too! 

Ildiko says: "I have come to see the pieces I do as works of art and they give me pure joy. It satisfies me to know that although this type of thing may not be for everyone, those who have managed to acquire one of my pieces truly appreciates them as I do."

I couldn't agree more when Ildiko says she sees her pieces as works of art, and as I begin to share the pieces she has painted for me as a Painter in Residence, I'm sure you'll agree that they truly are!

Keep an eye out on my Facebook, Instagram and Twitter page: @anniesloanhome to keep up to date with my Painters in Residence!

Yours excitedly, 

Annie 

#25Project : Michigan, US!

The space has been inspired by the Bloomsbury Group.

Here is the 25 Project from Michigan! When choosing the space I was really drawn to the ethos of it being used as a community learning centre for young and old alike. I am a firm believer in the idea that you never stop learning and that everyone, adult or child, should be encouraged to be creative. The East End Gallery in Marshall, Michigan, does this perfectly. This not for profit organisation aims to 'encourage, promote, educate and cultivate the arts throughout Marshall and the surrounding area.'

One of their classrooms in this old building needed a little lift so along with the volunteers and my stockist in the area, Janet from Bayberry House Interiors, have been giving it a makeover. This particular project is ongoing due to construction and remodelling, however, I thought I'd share with you some of the pictures I've received as they are too lovely not to share.

The wonderful volunteers! 

Fantastic painted frames here!

Lovely details using my Coloured Linen, Stencil Collection and of course Chalk Paint®!

If you want to keep up with the transformation as it progresses then follow the East End Gallery here! 

Well done to all involved and I hope that this new space, now given the name the 'Bloomsbury Classroom' is a hub of creativity and learning for the whole community. 

Yours, 

Annie

#25Project: Raglan, Wales!

It gives me the greatest pleasure to present you with the latest 25 Project – this time from Wales! As it's 'back to school' for a lot of you this week, I thought it fitting to share this transformation of a gorgeous old school hall with you.

With a population just short of 2,000 and the nearest town of Abergavenny 15 miles away, this Old Church School Hall has always been a focal point for the village of Raglan. A little history first: built in 1857, this hall started as a local community school. In World War II, many of the families in Raglan opened up their homes to evacuee children and so the school had to accommodate an influx of new children.

Over the years, as the old school became a hub for the local community, it understandably started to show wear and tear. Together with some fantastic volunteers – young and old – my Stockist Lucy Hywel, who runs That's Lovely That in Abergavenny, gave the place a much-needed facelift.



Using mainly Old White and Duck Egg Blue, they really made a feature of the wood panelling on the walls. Touches of Aubusson Blue help bring everything together, creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere.

I've been told that, since the completion of the project, two new clubs have been formed and are now using the hall for Yoga and Tai-chi. This, along with the other organisations and clubs that use the space already – that's martial arts, kids clubs, art groups, film nights, and girl scouts. Phew!

Well done to everyone who participated in this gorgeous transformation. May the Raglan Old Church School Hall continue to be used by the community for at least another 160 years!

Yours,

Annie

#25 Project: Methilhill, Scotland!

Are you ready for some bright and cheerful colour? Well, I have just the thing with this 25 Project from Scotland!

This is 'Charlie's Shed' in Methilhill, an eastern coastal town in Scotland. This space is now a cafe for the local community who use the youth club next door.

I love that the space is used as an after school club and a community cafe, and that they also hold skill building and family centric workshops there. 'Charlie's Shed' was built within the Methilhill Community Learning Garden in 2016 as the next part of their continually growing project. The idea is that this space will also be a place that offers cookery classes using the produce grown in the local garden.

Before the transformation began, the local community were consulted by my stockists based in Kirkcaldy, the wonderful Lorraine and Nadia of Love Restored. Everyone who wanted to be involved spoke about how they'd like to see the space looking. I love that the final look reflects this, with the main look being all about fun!


A total rainbow of a room, most of my brightest colours were used, including English Yellow, Emperor's Silk, Antibes Green and Napoleonic Blue. The tables and chairs in the cafe were all painted and given a coat or two of Clear Chalk Paint® Wax to protect it from food stains and spills.

The real works of art, however, are on those wooden walls. A big beautiful rainbow, adorable sprouting mushrooms and that huge tree were all painted in Chalk Paint. I especially love the stencils incorporated throughout, including my Stencil in Classical Bird that seem to be fluttering away!

I want to thank all the people involved in making this transformation happen, and I especially want to say a big thank you to all the children who helped with the painting too! Well done to everybody!

Yours,

Annie

#25Project: Sendai, Japan!

Here is something special now, a 25 Project all the way from Japan! When I visited this extraordinary country in 2015, I was welcomed with open arms and came away with the most wonderful memories, so it was such a thrill to see these photos land in my inbox!

The project took place on a farm in Sendai, where a space was being built for children affected by the tsunami in 2011. This building was built by the community and painted using my paints.

The Kubono Community Association, along with the children who will benefit from the space, used Chalk Paint® to add bright, cheery personality to the furniture and walls, really making it their own. I love how the structure of the building is very typically Japanese in style, and yet the colour combinations they chose, like Henrietta and English Yellow, are so playful!

Here are a few photographs from Sendai that I feel really tell the story of how this community came together:

I'm sure you'll agree that these photos are very special, and I feel very proud of my stockists in Japan for being such wonderful ambassadors and leaders in their community.

I want to give the last word to the community of volunteers involved in this project, who told me the following:

"In 11th of March 2011, we lost so many friends, families and so many things by the huge earthquake and Tsunami, but now we stand up for our bright future. We are appreciated for having experience such a kind project. Volunteers enjoyed painting and was full of smiles. We are so proud of being chosen the project as a representative in Japan, and we are looking forward to using this space."

If you'd like to read more stories like this from my 25 Project, search #25Project on this blog.

Yours, 

Annie