Refurbished Kitchen using Autentico Velvet Chalk Paint by ShabbyAnd...

ShabbyAnd........The Story Gathers Momentum

ShabbyAnd........The Story Gathers Momentum

Just over a year ago a new business began on Mersea Island that is going from strength to strength at a breathtaking pace.

Partners and self-confessed workaholics Ann Beament and Sara French are local Mersea girls with expansive ambitions. Their business, ShabbyAnd, was conceived originally to up cycle vintage and retro furniture using fresh ideas, exciting colourways and much elbow grease. In the early days, word-of-mouth, local advertising and a strengthening web presence brought in the business but soon the partners realised a retail outlet was required to give their customers the opportunity to see and touch the products of their inspiration and perspiration.

Ideal shop premises became available in Barfield Road, West Mersea, which they quickly acquired and opened in September 2013. Soon other items were selected to sell alongside their unique and striking items of furniture. These comprised gifts including locally designed cards and jewellery, eclectic but very original ornaments and unique handmade soft furnishings too.

ShabbyAnd became proficient users of Autentico Chalk Paints and soon added an authorised distributorship of the wide range of lime based products to their portfolio. The two partners hold workshops in their Barfield Road shop teaching this exciting method of reinventing old furniture favourites, and these have proven to be extremely popular. They have also been asked to run classes teaching their craft as part of the Community Arts Workshops at the Community Enterprise Centre in Colchester. Based in Commerce Park on the Whitehall Industrial Estate, the Centre provides work space for community projects.

The burgeoning reputation of  the partners' talent for colour and design has led to a lot of orders to reinvigorate furniture, including commissions to remodel a number of complete kitchens. This is challenging them to extend further and acquire workshop premises too. Just watch this space for the next instalment of the ShabbyAnd Story. 

ShabbyAnd... Chalk Paint on Kitchens

Sara and I would like to thank all our followers that have liked our page and our customers for all there support in our 1st year of business, we are now into our 5th month in the shop and it just keeps changing daily, we not only Up-Cycle furniture and make soft furnishings we stock an extensive range of unique gifts and cards.  Some of which is Fair Trade and some made by local craft people.

We are now the local stockiest for Autentico Chalk Paint and have started running workshops for you all to get involved in.

We are very excited at the moment as other than you are all keeping us busy we have taken on our 1st Kitchen transformation using Autentico's Velvet Chalk Paint as it is a harder wearing alternative to vintage and comes in all the same colours.

West Mersea Free Church Giving Thanks to ShabbyAnd...

ShabbyAnd... in the papers

ShabbyAnd... Shop Launch

ShabbyAnd... Giving Thanks

ShabbyAnd … has launched!

Sara and Ann would like to thank family and friends for their support and help in putting it all together but in particular Charlie Edwards our decorator, Ian and Teresa Watson for transport, Ronnie Bird from Formula Flooring and Ainsley at Evo Signs.

The response to the shop has been amazing and it’s been great to meet new clients, We have now been appointed official suppliers of Autentico Chalk & Lime paint and we will be starting paint classes from the end of November.  

We are also planning to hold special events throughout the year and are starting with a book signing on Friday 11^th October 5.30pm to 8.00pm by Ed Taylor a local Mersea author who has just published his first book “ Dirty Bombers”

Book Signing at ShabbyAnd

Local girls Sara & Ann of ShabbyAnd.. have successfully  launched their shop in Barfield Rd West Mersea and would like to thank family and friends for their support.

So what can you expect to find in this little gem: Ann & Sara’s love of up-cycling furnishings for the home means that all pieces are totally individual and unique. They use reclaimed materials which are carefully hand painted, waxed and distressed and as with any pre- owned furniture there may be the odd blemish or bump that you'd expect with age but this is part of the attraction and if like us you love vintage pieces with character this is the place for you. There furniture is complimented with hand made soft furnishings and a mix of home accessories and jewellery.

Ann and Sara will be hosting events throughout the year and the first is a book signing with Ed Taylor a local author. Ed has just published his first book 'The Dirty Bombers', fulfilling a lifelong ambition that he only found time for once he retired. 

Ed Taylor was born in Herne Bay, Kent and has lived on the Island for over 30 years. Ed is a keen member of both the Dabchicks Sailing Club and West Mersea Yacht Club and races locally most weekends. His love of the coast explains why maybe Seagulls would be the focus for this heartwarming work of young adult fiction, which will also appeals to older readers.

Ed says "It always fascinates me that there are almost daily reports in national and regional newspapers about gulls acting strangely and sometimes viciously. They have definitely lost their fear of us. At the same time I was reading reports of the intractable problems of the Palestinians and Israelis and I joined the two thoughts together." 

The Dirty Bombers is a story of a gull colony that is under attack, being secretly culled by local business men. Rork, a young seagull finds himself thrust unwillingly into leadership of the gulls and organized a dramatic protest. Anne Rigby, a feisty young news reporter notices the gulls acting in a structured and coordinated way; she realized they have a message to convey.
The local population takes sides in the conflict that follows. This culminates in a pitched battle between gulls and gunmen. The conclusion is as sudden and surprising as it is unexpected.

Come and join Ed on Friday 11^th October between 5.30pm and 8,00pm and enjoy a glass of fizz.

A New Shabby Chic Business for West Mersea

A New Business For Mersea!

Local Mersea “GIRLS” Sara French and Ann Beament have had great success with their online shop and are now bringing ShabbyAnd… to West Mersea.

ShabbyAnd… Offers Shabby Chic, vintage and retro furnishings for the home with a mix of jewellery and hand made gifts using a combination of up-cycled and new materials. Ann & Sara’s ethos is to make this Chic style affordable to all, so only price pieces according to the cost to them.

The Grand opening of their high street shop in Barfield Road West Mersea is on Friday 6^th September from 5.30pm until 9.00pm and will flow into Saturday 7^th from 10am until 4.30pm.  Sara & Ann will be available to discuss their work and any commissions you may have.

To celebrate the opening they will be serving that all-important glass of FIZZ and nibbles and as a thank you for attending the opening they will also be offering 10% off all furniture and commissions on the day and up until the 14^th of September.

So what can you expect to find in this little gem: Ann & Sara’s love of up-cycling furnishings for the home means that all pieces are totally individual and unique. They use reclaimed materials which are carefully hand painted, waxed and distressed and as with any pre- owned furniture there may be the odd blemish or bump that you'd expect with age but this is part of the attraction and if like us you love vintage pieces with character this is the place for you. There furniture is complimented with hand made soft furnishings and a mix of home accessories and jewellery.

For that shabby Chic look they use Annie Sloan's chalk paint to give each piece more character and that 'time worn' distressed look, these are then waxed to give a soft sheen and seal in the beauty.  The retro look has smooth flowing lines and to compliment this they apply a smooth finish using vibrant colours.

If you have your own piece of beloved furniture that you can not part with but want to give it a new lease of life. Ann and Sara will take commissions to give it the finish that you are looking for. They are also happy to discuss your requirements, source furnishings, materials, paint colours and finishes and put them together to form a unique piece of furniture for your home.

Ann and Sara are already looking to the future and hope to offer workshops in paint finishes to help you achieve that Shabby look yourselves.