Do you ever have one of  THOSE days?  THOSE weeks?  THOSE months?  I do!  Sometimes I just need to walk away from everything and escape the chaos for a little while.  This is one of our favorite places to relax.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park

Lake Michigan’s Beautiful Shoreline, Empire, Michigan

I love Michigan’s summers!  Since it’s light until almost 10:00 p.m. this time of year, late afternoons and evenings the perfect time for painting.  The sun isn’t intense, the winds are usually calm and everything seems more tranquil.

I took the opportunity to slap together a quick makeover using various leftover sample pots of American Paint Company’s chalk, clay and mineral paint.  I dumped blobs of each color onto a plate and went to town.  No deep thought, no planning ~ Ready, Set, GO!

The only thing I knew I wanted was a chunky, patchwork quilt type of colorful finish.  I used American Paint Company’s Beach Glass, Orange Grove, Amber Waves of Grain, Home Turf, Dessert Cactus (and I can’t remember what else).  Here’s what I ended up with.

To begin, I simply slapped on the paint and kept layering… and layering… and layering!

This dresser is a good representation of what’s going through my brain at any given moment.

To me, it’s not just about the color, it’s how a piece feels

I wish you could reach through your monitor and feel how silky smooth the finish is on this piece.  It’s sealed with American Paint Company’s Light Antiquing Wax which adds a sunset-like warmth to the vast array of colors I used.

I love APC’s Antiquing Waxes!  

They are by far the easiest dark waxes I’ve ever used.  They can be applied directly over the paint without an initial coat of clear wax!

APC’s Antiquing Wax comes pre-mixed so…

• You don’t have to mix it up yourself and worry whether you have it mixed well enough to cure properly.  It’s good to go.
• You don’t have to fart around cutting the dark wax with clear wax just to make it glide on evenly.  It naturally spreads out evenly without creating streaks you can’t blend into the finish.
• You also won’t have to dilute it with Mineral Spirits like some chemically laden waxes require to make them work properly ~ just brush it on like you would Clear Wax and buff with an old t-shirt and you’ll end up with such a buttery smooth finish that you won’t be able to stop touching it.

Ok, maybe that’s just me 

I touch a lot of painted furniture that doesn’t FEEL good

To create this look, take a variety of colors and start slapping it on in random patterns.  Dry brush in every which way then use a little water to spread it around and repeat over and over again until you like what you see.  I used a variety of colors from American Paint Company’s chalk/clay/mineral paints including: Fireworks Red, Home Turf, Surfboard, Orange Grove, Wild Horses, Home Plate, Beach Glass, Coral Reef and whatever else was within my reach that day.

I do the same thing with carpet, couches, sweatshirts and linens.  Living room carpet needs to be soft enough to lay on, the fabric on a couch needs to be so comfy that you can crash face first into it…  Yes, I’ve been known to lay on couches at LaZboy and I’m about as experienced as they come at picking out the best rocking chair.  Ok ~ so I like to rock.  One of these days I’ll share some of my earliest photos of this habit that I seem to have carried on to adulthood.  Did I mention, I still rock my 10 year old?  SHHHH ~ don’t tell her I told you!!

I dropped this off to our Shizzle Design booth at Not So Shabby in Holland, Michigan

These colors lift my spirits!

What do you think?  

Leave me a comment below ~ I’d love to hear about your favorite color combinations!

Did you know that…

• We’ve opened up a Shizzle Design Paint Studio at 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, Michigan 49428?  This is where Cathy and I paint our furniture but we want our customers to know that we’re here for you.  We encourage everyone to stop in any time to buy paint or to get your questions answered.
• We’ve taught people from all over the United States and Canada how to paint furniture Shizzle Style using chalk and clay paints?  Join us for a fun and relaxing workshop.  Click Paint Workshops to see a list of current classes offered.
• You can Subscribe to Shizzle Design for tips, tutorials, ideas, pictures, videos for our furniture painted in all natural chalk and clay based mineral paints?
• Did you know that you can get these sent directly to your inbox and that it’s FREE?  It is ~ so what are you waiting for?  Enter your email in the right hand column of our blog to stay in the loop.
• We have a Shizzle Design Facebook Page?  We share all sorts of additional tips, ideas, photos EVERY DAY and offer special deals (which you’ll only know about if you’ve Liked our Facebook Page?).
• We have numerous Pinterest Boards?  Stop in and check out our extensive portfolio ~ Pin us on Pinterest
• We sell our painted furniture at Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, Michigan 49424?
• Shizzle Design is an American Paint Company’s Chalk/Clay/Mineral Paints in West Michigan locations and sell both domestically and international online?  Click LOCATIONS or Online Shizzle Shop.

Click here to see Shizzle Design Painted Furniture Makeovers

Click here to see our Shizzle Tips, How To Tutorials & Video’s

Click here to see Funky Finishes

Linking up to these GREAT Parties!

Domestically Speaking – The Power of Paint Party

The Shabby Creek Cottage – Transformation Thursday

Miss Mustardseed – Furniture Feature Friday

Redoux – Friday Link Up Party

Homespun Happenings – Rustic Restorations Weekend

Funky Junk Interiors – Saturday Night Special

Silver Pennies – Silver Pennies Sundays

Knick of Time Interiors – Knick of Time Tuesday

a hui hou ~ Shelly