Author: shizzle-design

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Our French Dining Table Featured by Redoux in San Francisco!

I am very humbled and excited to share with you that our dining room table and chair set has just been featured by Karen over at Redoux in San Francisco.  She’s the spunkiest gal who lives in one of my all time favorite cities, San Francisco and I can’t wait to go out and meet her some day. 

Speaking of San Francisco, I gotta give a shout out to Cousin Darin, the worlds greatest Niner fan.  “Hi Darin, Kalei and I wanna get back out there for another tailgate party soon ~ Go Niners!!”

Karen is the sweetest, funniest gal I’ve ever met and I feel so honored to have her feature our work!  Read her feature here!   The coolest thing is Karen also featured several of my close blogging friends such as:

 I kind of feel like it’s my own little party – lol!
  
Thanx Karen, you’re ‘da bomb!  Stop by and check out her site here, she is so talented!!

Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked countless hours almost a year using these products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other several other waxes by different companies, some were hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but also had those terrible fumes.  

I experienced months of reoccurring respiratory problems starting as soon as the weather got cold here and I had to start working within my workshop.  Even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove all the chemical hazards from my environment and find another line of work or find green products to work with in an effort to get well.  

I replaced toxic, hand burning, chemical strippers with citrus based strippers (which work better anyway), pulled chemical laden paints, waxes, glues… and started searching for better products.

It was during that search that I discovered CeCe Caldwell’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  It’s 100% Naturally Green ~ wahoo!! and I was geeked to find out that it’s owned and operated right here in the USA.  

From the first time I tried CeCe Caldwell’s paint and wax, I fell in love.   I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This line is so much easier for me to work with; it’s so different than any other paint I’ve ever used.

For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress of working so hard to achieve something that’s easy with a chalk and clay mixture.  

I have so much faith in CeCe Caldwell’s line that I became an Authorized Retailer for them.  I carry a complete line of CeCe Caldwell’s Paints, Clear Wax, Aging Cream, Satin finish, brushes, color charts… locally at our Shizzle Design space within Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture in Holland, Michigan here as well as online on our Online Shizzle Shop here.  Shizzle Design offers all 36 colors in quarts as well as sample size pots.  You can learn much more about CeCe Caldwell’s amazing products by reading through my blog archives in the sidebar.   

If you live in West Michigan, CeCe Caldwell’s Paints can be found at the Shizzle Design booth in 

2975 West Shore Drive, Holland, Michigan here.  
You’ll find our display along side all our hand painted furniture and home decor.

Click here to see some of the furniture currently for sale. It is constantly evolving as it sells quickly.


Wanna See More Shizzle Design?

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!
Posted on

Empire Dresser Refinished in Old White Chalk Paint

They have solid construction yet sport the neatest lines which create a ton of character. When these babies are painted with just the right technique, they’re show stoppers!

I refinished my first Empire Dresser in a Annie Sloan’s Graphite (see the post on that piece here).  I painted it in such a way that it resembled that of an old worn leather boot.  It’s my own little technique and apparently I’m not the only one who liked it because it sold right away:).  If I were to paint this again, I would choose these products instead for a more superior finish.

I was lucky enough to land another one recently so I jumped at the chance to transform it.  This time I chose Annie Sloan’s Old White and French Linen Chalk Paint and sealed it with clear wax.

Imagine how cool this would be as a sideboard in a dining room.  The shallow drawers on the top are such a smart size for smaller objects like pens and great for organizing paperwork.  When you need to get organized, these drawers just make sense.

I struggle with clutter so I’m constantly looking for solutions to eliminate it.  As an entryway piece, this offers a great place for your keys, receipts, pens… and the larger drawers solve the piling of scarves, gloves and backpacks.

The drawers are dovetail joint construction, have the original keyholes and have been lined with nice fabric.  I switched out two of the knobs and painted all of them in a brushed nickel.

This piece would serve as the neatest bathroom vanity.  Just imagine it all decked out with one of those vessel sinks and a cool faucet.  I had a hard time parting with this piece for that reason, our bathrooms are so outdated.  Some day….

So… what’cha think:?  

Leave a comment below to let me know how you would use it.

Update:  Many many changes have occurred since I first wrote the post on this dresser.  We stopped using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint years ago in lieu of much more superior paint products which don’t have all the toxins and are also much easier to use.   The new paint products we choose to create our high end finishes are not only better made, the amazing all natural formula absolutely rocks!  It glides on effortlessly and the wax, both clear and dar are an absolute dream.  No wonder it’s the Nation’s #1 seller!!  We can finish a piece of furniture in not time and the quality is amazing!!  No more pulling my hair out with tacky wax, no more VOC’s.  Work just got a whole lot easier around Shizzle Design.  To find out what we’re using now, click: here.

Nation's number one chalk clay paint

 

Did you see our new brushes?

Vintiquities finest paint and wax brushes Shizzle Design Distributor Retailer

NEW!!!  Vintiquities Paint & Wax Brushes!

Vintiquities finest paint and wax brushes U.S. Distributor retailer opportunities Shizzle Design 1

 Stop into today and grab one at Shizzle Design 2018 Chicago Dr., Jenison, MI  49428.  They can also be ordered online here.

Retailers: for the opportunity to carry these brushes in your  own shop, contact me here with your name, type of business and location.

  A hui hou ~ Shelly

button-lime - Copy

Did you know…

  • Need Paint?  We ship paint supplies and brushes worldwide.  Order now on our Online Shizzle Shop.
  • Get our weekly blog posts by email.  It’s FREE, so what are you waiting for?  Enter your email in the right hand column of our blog to stay in the loop tips, tutorials, pictures, videos..
  • Like our Shizzle Facebook Page for DAILY tips, ideas & specials.  See what we’re working on every day.  In order to get posts, be sure to click the down arrow to the right of the LIKED button, then click “get notifications” at ShizzleLLC
  • Pin our posts on Pinterest ~ you’ll find all sorts of inspiration here.
  • We sell our painted furniture in our Shizzle Design Paint Studio at 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI 49428 AND Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, Michigan
  • Shizzle Design is an Authorized Retailer for American Paint Company Paints and Distributor for Vintiquities Brushes.  We only offer products we use ourselves and stock a large inventory of chalk and clay paint and brushes at our Shizzle Design Paint Shop /Studio,  2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI  49428 and two other shops in the Grand Rapid’s area, click LOCATIONS for directions.
  • Shizzle Design is a small business owned by my sister and I.  We work, paint, ship and teach our chalk and clay paint classes out of the same workshop where we create all our designs.  Cathy and I empower DIY’ers by sharing our years of experience.  Stop into our Jenison Paint Store for paint and we’ll offer you honest and knowledgeable answers for all your chalk and clay paint needs.
  • We appreciate your business!  It typically takes me 10 hours to publish one of my blog posts.  I am not paid by any paint company to write my blog, Facebook page, Pinterest Page…  I put in this time to not only spread the word, but to hopefully generate business from people who enjoy and learn from what we share.  Everything from doing the projects, shooting the photographs, writing the content, editing pictures, cropping… is just me sharing my passion.  I put in approximately five hours a day in online customer support alone.  The only way we make money is if someone purchases paint, comes to a workshop or buys a piece of painted furniture from Shizzle Design.  If you enjoy what we do, please tell your friends, share our website, Like & Follow our Facebook Page, leave comments and share our posts.
  • We teach people from all over the Nation.  I have a passion for painting and teaching.  Join us for one of our super fun hands-on chalk and clay paint workshops.  Learn in our casual & relaxed environment.  Click Paint Workshops to see a list of current classes offered.

For more Chalk & Clay Painted Furniture ideas, tips, tutorials & inspiration, click:

 Shizzle Style Painted Furniture Makeovers

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 Shizzle Tips, How To Tutorials & Video’s

Shizzle-Tips-and-Tutorials3[1]

 Funky Finishes

Funky-Finishes3[1]

Posted on

Mele Kalikimaka ~ Our Hawaiian Themed Tree

Over the years we’ve collected quite an assortment of Christmas Tree ornaments.  I started out with a small collection of Hawaiian ornaments which I gathered while living on the islands.  The kids have also received plenty from Tutu and aunties which means we have a very sentimental tree all of our own.

Decking the halls is a time of reminiscing at the Andrade hale.  My youngest rips into every tote she can get her hands on and starts chucking things left and right as she “remembers”.    My oldest also dives into the totes in search of the nativity scene, then she meticulously sets it up the way she envisions that holy night.

We decorate our tree with lots of ornaments, wooden beads, ribbon and a large bow and a spray of twigs exploding out of the top. So… without further delay, here’s the Andrade Kalikimaka Tree.

christmas tree 2 rc

Mau Kau Kau, Hae Hapae, IMUA!
christmas tree 17 rc

christmas tree 13 rc

I love these Hawaiian Quilt pattern Ornaments.  I found them at a craft fair years ago.  Sure wish I could find some more of these!

Anna’s the supervisor.  I think she likes it!

 This is the flow-y, bow-y, stick-y thing I do at the top.
  I love bouncing the reflection off this vintage mirror.

UPDATE:  12/13/11

I posted this too soon!  The girls just got really cool new ornaments from Aunty Ena!  Check out how adorable they are!!!  THANK YOU AUNTY ENA!!!

That’s all folks!  Hope you enjoyed checking out our tree.  Until next time, sit back and relax and enjoy the view.  “It’s Aloha Friday, no work till Monday, be do, be do, be do be do be do be do!!”

a hui hou!

Don’t forget to subscribe, follow, or “like” us:)
a).  Subscribe by email here
b). “like” our Shizzle Page on Facebook here
c).  Follow us in a reader in the right hand column of our blog
c).  Stop by Not So Shabby in Zeeland, MI. directions here
d).  Bookmark Shizzle Design on your computer
e).  Questions! contact by email

Linking up to these awesome parties!
Sisters of the Wild West
Metamorphasis Monday – Between Naps on the Porch
Tuesdays Treasure – My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia
Nifty Thrifty Tuesday – Coastal Charm
Vintage Furniture Link Party – Three Boys
Knick of Time Tuesday – Knick of Time Interiors
Wow Us Wednesdays – Savvy Southern Style
Restored it Wednesday – Restore Interiors
Piece of Work Wednesdays  – Primitive & Proper
Beyond the Picket Fence
Furniture Feature Friday – Miss Mustardseed 
What have You Redone? – Redoux
Potpourri Friday 2805  – Twenty-eight O Five
Feathed Nest Friday – French Country Cottage
Saturday Night Special – Funky Junk Interiors

Have a great weekend!

Posted on

French Dining Room Table and Chair Set

Hot off the press, or should I say “fresh out of the workshop” is this beautiful French dining room table and chair set!  Our redesign gives it a cool eclectic style all of it’s own.  I like that!  (The seats weren’t attached yet in this picture, but I took it anyway ’cause I was running out of good light.)
Dining Room table and chair set, chairs only 1rc
This set was restored using a lot of old fashioned elbow grease, restoration skills and patience.  This is what we started out with.

One of the chairs was beyond repair, so we kicked around ideas until we came up with a way to seat six people with five chairs.  Our solution was to build a bench using the fifth chair.  That gives us seating for six and the bench has the same legs as the chairs so everybody’s happy.

In my mind, all we had to do was chop off the top, cut a new seat, take out the cross bars and replace them with wider ones.  What’s so hard about that?  Right?  Well, we all know it’s always harder than we think.

That’s where big sister’s come in handy.  I grabbed a tutorial on how to build a bench, handed it to Cathy and wished her luck as I went up to take a nap.  I’m not kidding!   Cath packed up what she needed and went home to do her magic.  Actually I think Carter or Ty stopped by, ‘cause that carpentry work is a little too impressive for an amateur.  Who was it Cath?  Huh?  Huh?  Who ya hiding over there?

dining room table and chair set chair front side angle 1rc

I painted the chairs and bench in Annie Sloan’s Old White, accented in French Linen.  Cath, reupholstered the seats in some of dad’s leftover fabric from his upholstery workshop  – thanx dad!

The top of the table has a beautiful wood inlay veneer, but the top coat was scratched up quite a bit.  I planned to refinish it, but couldn’t cut through that diamond coat.  That’s what I’m calling it, after two strippers and sanded like a mad woman couldn’t cut through it.   

I ended up painting the top with Annie Sloan’s French Linen.  I layered the base and legs in several other colors to really play up that French look.  In this picture, the legs haven’t been waxed yet, the top has.  You can see how rich the paint becomes once waxed.

Sadly, this is the only picture I have of it all together.  It was so cold the day we took it to the bank, I forgot to shoot a picture of the table – ugh!  This picture is taken in the lobby of Macatawa Bank in Byron Center.  They’re featuring our furniture the month of December, and since this set would take up a lot of floor space at the store, we decided to display it in our hometown instead. 

I priced this set insanely low for a couple of reasons a). I don’t want to store it and b). we really need the money right now with all the failure we’ve endured with our vehicles, appliances and electronics the past couple months.

The Table, four chairs and the bench only $550!  I know, I’m crazy.  It’s such a cool set; just check out those legs!!  Hopefully people coming into the bank will not only notice the dining set, but will also realize what a steal it is.

We are also offering to sell the table separate from the chairs.  If you’re interested in doing that, we’re offering the table only for $300 and the four chairs & bench for $300, so you get a little break if you buy it all together.

Well… You likey?  Please leave a comment or like my Facebook page to let me know what’cha think:)

Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked countless hours almost a year using Annie Sloan products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other waxes, some were very hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but still had bad fumes.  

I experienced months of reoccurring respiratory problems starting as soon as the weather got cold here and I had to start working withing my workshop.  Even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove all the chemical hazards from my environment and find another line of work or find green products to work with in an effort to get well.  

That hurdle led me on a search and God must have been watching out for me because that’s when I discovered CeCe Caldwell’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  It’s 100% Naturally Green ~ wahoo!! and I was geeked to find out that it’s owned and operated right here in the USA.  

From the first time I tried their paint and wax, I fell in love.  I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This line is so much easier for me to work with.  

For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress, toxins and months of breathing problems I experienced while using the chemically laden products.  

I have so much faith in CeCe Caldwell’s line that I became an Authorized Retailer for them.  I carry a complete line of CeCe Caldwell’s Paints, Clear Wax, Aging Cream, Satin finish, brushes, color charts… locally at our Shizzle Design space within Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture in Holland, Michigan here as well as online on our Online Shizzle Shop here.  Shizzle Design offers all 36 colors in quarts as well as sample size pots.  You can learn much more about CeCe Caldwell’s amazing products by reading through my blog archives in the sidebar.   

If you live in West Michigan, CeCe Caldwell’s Paints can be found at the Shizzle Design booth in 

2975 West Shore Drive, Holland, Michigan here.  
You’ll find our display along side all our hand painted furniture and home decor. 

Click here to see some of the furniture currently for sale. It is constantly evolving as it sells quickly.

Wanna See More Shizzle Design?

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!
Posted on

Nate Berkus, Shaunna West & Shelly Andrade – ha!

Hi everyone.  Just in case you’re wondering where I’ve been…  I’ve spent the past 2-1/2 months battling some kind of lung infection.  My allergist said I have a really bad case of a viral mycoplasma pneumonia that’s taken it’s toll recently in our area, especially for those with asthma. 

My primary ordered a cat scan which showed a small nodule and some granulomatous changes in my lungs, whatever that means.  The nodule doesn’t seem suspicious but I have to get cat scans every six months from here on out.  Doc referred me to a pulmonologist for further testing, said something isn’t adding up and is most concerned with the exposure I had to asbestos almost 30 years ago – great.

Anyway… I’ve been feeling lousy and I was having a really bad day a few weeks ago so I grabbed a hot cup of tea and curled up in my La-Z-Boy after the kids went to school.  I read the night before that one of my favorite blogging friends was going to be featured on the Nate Berkus Show.  How cool is that?

I turned the TV on and and there she was, Shanna West from perfectly imperfect!  You can watch the video of it here.   I was all geeked, so excited for her to have this opportunity.  Shaunna is such a sweetheart; just the sweetest gal with the most adorable Southern accent. 

Shaunna is one of the very first people I ran across when I started tossing around the idea to paint furniture.  I admired her style so much, I purchased her eBook – “Creating Your Masterpiece” on painting furniture.  It was Shaunna’s inspiration that tipped me over the edge and gave me the courage to jump in and take the plunge.

A couple days later, I came across Shaunna’s blog post called “All Things Furniture Chalk Paint Features” and I thought to myself, “self” wouldn’t it be cool if someday Shaunna featured my work?  I’m scrolling on down and all of a sudden I see the top of my blue mahogany dresser.  No joke!   My heart missed a few beats.  Shaunna featuring MY work?  Wow!

Still beaming from ear to ear, I continued reading only to discover she also featured not one but two of our pieces; our Provence blue dresser AND our Emperor’s Silk red buffet!

Are you kiddin’ me?  Two of our pieces?  I was ecstatic!

Both pieces have been featured numerous times across the web recently.  The ironic part is, I wasn’t happy with how the finish turned out on the red buffet.  I ended up redoing the whole piece and had it back to the store just in time for the Christmas Open House.

Shaunna also wrote a post called “Chalk Paint Cost and Why I Use it”, where she again showeded my Provence dresser – yeah!  You can read her post on that here.

I’ve been working so hard trying to get my business up and running so it means the world to me to have someone in her position recognize my work.  Thanx Shaunna!  Stop by and check out her amazing blog “perfectly imperfect” here.  You’ll love it!

Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked countless hours almost a year using these products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other several other waxes by different companies, some were hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but also had those terrible fumes.  

I experienced months of reoccurring respiratory problems starting as soon as the weather got cold here and I had to start working within my workshop.  Even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove all the chemical hazards from my environment and find another line of work or find green products to work with in an effort to get well.  

I replaced toxic, hand burning, chemical strippers with citrus based strippers (which work better anyway), pulled chemical laden paints, waxes, glues… and started searching for better products.

It was during that search that I discovered CeCe Caldwell’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  It’s 100% Naturally Green ~ wahoo!! and I was geeked to find out that it’s owned and operated right here in the USA.  

From the first time I tried CeCe Caldwell’s paint and wax, I fell in love.   I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This line is so much easier for me to work with; it’s so different than any other paint I’ve ever used.

For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress of working so hard to achieve something that’s easy with a chalk and clay mixture.  

I have so much faith in CeCe Caldwell’s line that I became an Authorized Retailer for them.  I carry a complete line of CeCe Caldwell’s Paints, Clear Wax, Aging Cream, Satin finish, brushes, color charts… locally at our Shizzle Design space within Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture in Holland, Michigan here as well as online on our Online Shizzle Shop here.  Shizzle Design offers all 36 colors in quarts as well as sample size pots.  You can learn much more about CeCe Caldwell’s amazing products by reading through my blog archives in the sidebar.   

If you live in West Michigan, CeCe Caldwell’s Paints can be found at the Shizzle Design booth in 

2975 West Shore Drive, Holland, Michigan here.  
You’ll find our display along side all our hand painted furniture and home decor.

Click here to see some of the furniture currently for sale. It is constantly evolving as it sells quickly.


Wanna See More Shizzle Design?

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!
Posted on

I love this Cool Vintage Wooden Chair!

Several years ago, my Aunt Katie dug an old wooden chair out of her barn and brought to me so I could refinish it as an outdoor garden chair.  I was selling them at the time and she thought it would make a good garden planter.
I was like “what?”  I was like “huh?”  This one ain’t (sorry Mrs. Lyndrup) going into the garden!  We have the perfect spot for it in our living room, right next to the fireplace.

Continue reading “I love this Cool Vintage Wooden Chair!”

Posted on

Sneak Peek of Three New Pieces & More Features!

Several months ago, I came up with the crazy idea to start my own furniture refurbishing business.  I started asking around on how to build a website when a friend of mine suggested I try a blog instead.  BLOG?  I didn’t even know WHAT a blog was, let alone how to DO one.

I did what I always do when I need information – I Googled it.  I stumbled upon Blogger and immediately started designing my own layout.  I’m still working on it every day and there’s a million things I’d improve upon if I had more time or money but at for least now, I get it.  I’m officially – a blogger!

Never would I have imagined that my furniture designs would be showcased across the globe and in such a short period of time.  In the past THREE weeks alone, our furniture has been featured THIRTEEN times by other designers and we’ve had more than 13 THOUSAND people view our posts.  Wow!  We are SO humbled.  That being said, I have three more features to add to the list. 

Angie at Knick of Time featured the purple ladder chair planter I made in lieu of a flower arrangement when Sydney passed away.

Read my post of this beautiful little girl here.

I wrote the story about it last Tuesday when we all dressed up in purple and celebrated what would have been Syd’s 7th birthday.  I’ll never erase the image of Kami wearing Syd’s HUMUNGOUS purple dress up hat as I walked into Olive Garden for lunch that day.  How she ever made it through those doors is beyond me!  It was a very touching moment as we all felt the entire spectrum of emotions simultaneously.  Stop by and read Angie’s feature of Syd’s chair here. 

Angie also recently featured our tall white highboy.

Read my post on the transformation of this piece here.

I like Angie, not because she’s featured our furniture, but because she just seems so cool, so real.  She designs some really neat furniture and has a neat shop on Etsy where she also sells all sorts of unusual vintage finds that time has left it’s mark on.  Check out her shop here.

Sarah from Three Boys has been a DIY’er since she was a little girl.  She has a great blog covering many different facets and like me, as a little girl, is the queen of organizing.  I however have lost that gift over the years.  Hmm! 

I’d love to have Sarah move in for a week and shape me up again!  I just realized she’s right here in Michigan – wahoo!  Anyway… Sarah just featured our Red Buffet post (if you haven’t seen the amazing transformation on this piece, you’ll want to check it out here).

And last, but in no way shape or form least is Amy and Emily of Sisters of the Wild West.  

Sisters of the Wild West surprised me Sunday morning as I fired up the computer.  They are currently featuring the lady’s vanity I just finished; read the entire post on this beautiful vanity here.

Amy and Emily are a sister duo who are multi-talented.  These gals can do ANYTHING!  Check out their site and read their feature on my vanity here.

Again, many, many mahalos to each and every one of the amazing designers who have featured our furniture!

West Furniture Revival:   featured our Tall White Highboy & Lane Cedar Chest HERE.
Knick of Time:   featured Sydney’s chair (see above) AND our tall white highboy HERE. 
4 the love of WOOD:  featured our Provence Blue chest of drawers HERE.
Shades of Amber:  featured our Tall White Highboy HERE. 
Savvy Southern Style:  featured our Red Buffet HERE.
Coastal Charm: featured our Red Buffet HERE.

551 East Furniture Design: featured our Red Buffet HERE
A Potpourri of Life at 2805: featured our Red Buffet HERE

Beyond the Picket Fence: featured our Red Buffet HERE
Three Boys:  featured our Red Buffet HERE.
Sisters of the Wild West:  Featured our Lady’s Vanity HERE
Too Much Time on My Hands:  featured our lady’s vanity HERE

All I can say is WOW!  What an amazing few weeks!  Thank you, everyone!  Now I have to get the word out in West Michigan:)

Here’s a few sneak peaks of what I’ve been working on.  Two of these are headed to the store tomorrow and one of them, as Angie would say, I’m writing MY name on.  Can you guess which one?

Stay tuned for more furniture transformations!  If you don’t want to miss anything, subscribe, follow, ‘like”… Shizzle Design with whatever suits your fancy!

  • Subscribe by email here
  • “like” our Shizzle Page on Facebook here
  • Stop by Not So Shabby in Zeeland, MI. directions here
  • Questions?   Leave comment below

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!

Posted on

Antique Walnut Accent Table hand painted in Old White

This parlor table was lacking pizzazz when I found her this summer.

The octagon top, curved legs and all her details were GREAT but the finish on the wood was dull, dark and dreary.
Zinnser Gel Strip to the rescue!    Zinnser Gel Strip is a green product – figuratively and literally!  It’s safe for the environment and works slow and steady for up to 24 hours.  That’s great because you can let it work while you sleep then wake up to a bubbly-painty-gooey-sludgey goop in the morning.  I usually need very little elbow grease to scrape off the leftovers in the morning.


Underneath the goop, I discovered a beautiful piece of walnut!  I cleaned it all off then applied Minwax stain; I can’t remember which color.

I finished the top by hand rubbing and buffing several coats of wax into the grain.  The waxed finish really enhanced the beauty of the walnut and brought it to a whole other dimension.

The ornate legs were painted, glazed and distressed.  She’s now drab anymore! She’s very sturdy, well built piece and now has all her wonderful details highlighted.

Bye-bye drab and dreary, HELLO fabulous!

This CHIC accent table is available for purchase in our booth at Not So Shabby Antiques & Fine Furniture in downtown Zeeland.

Go check her out!
Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked around the clock for a year using these products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other several other waxes by different companies, some were hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but also had those terrible fumes.
I experienced months of recurring respiratory problems and even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove as many chemical hazards from my environment as possible or find another line of working order to get well.I replaced toxic, hand burning, chemical strippers with citrus based strippers (which work better anyway), pulled chemically laden paints, waxes, glues… and started searching for better products.
That search eventually led me to the products I choose today ~ American Paint Company’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  From the first time I tried  them, I was sold.   I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This type of paint is so much easier to work with.  It spreads easier, covers better, adheres well and the wax and finishes have been life changing for how much work I can accomplish on any given day.
For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress of working so hard to achieve something that’s easy with a chalk and clay mixture.

I love these paints so well that I decided to share what I do with our followers.  We proudly offer American Paint Company Paints locally in the Greater Grand Rapids area and sell worldwide on our Online Shizzle Shop.  

shizzle design paint studio 2018 Chicago Drive Jenison MI American Paint Company CeCe Caldwell's Paints retailer buy chalk clay instructor workshops paint retailer 1

  • Did you know…

    • Shizzle Design is a small family owned business in Jenison, Michigan.  My sister Cathy and I work, paint, ship and teach our chalk and clay paint workshops out of the same space where we paint all our furniture.  We are truly humbled to be known as a leader in the world of chalk and clay paints.
    • Instead of hoarding our knowledge, we empower DIY’ers by sharing our years of experience.  Stop in for paint and we’ll offer you honest and knowledgeable answers for all your chalk and clay paint needs.
    • We are so blessed to have taught people from all over the United States and Canada.  Join us for one of our super fun hands-on chalk and clay paint workshops.  Learn in our casual & relaxed environment.  Click Paint Workshops to see a list of current classes offered.
    • 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 ~ 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 tips, ideas, photos EVERY DAY and offer special deals (which you’ll only know about if you’ve Liked our Facebook Page).
    • Pin our posts on Pinterest ~ Find all sorts of inspiration here.
    • We sell our painted furniture in our Shizzle Design Paint Studio at 2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI 49428 and at Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, Michigan
    • Shizzle Design is an Authorized Retailer for American Paint Company Paints.  We offer a large inventory of chalk and clay paint and supplies at our Shizzle Design Paint Shop /Studio,  2018 Chicago Drive, Jenison, MI  49428.  We also stock several other shops in the greater Grand Rapid’s area, to find out where, click LOCATIONS.  Not from Michigan?  No worries, we ship paint and paint supplies worldwide through our Online Shizzle Shop.

    Click here to see Shizzle Design Painted Furniture Makeovers

    painted-furntire-makeovers3[1]

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

    Shizzle-Tips-and-Tutorials3[1]

    Click here to see Funky Finishes

    Funky-Finishes3[1]

    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

A hui hou!

Shelly

Posted on

Open House at Not So Shabby

Please mark your calendars and join us for Not So Shabby’s Annual Christmas Open House on Friday, November 11 from 4pm-8pm and Saturday, November 12 from 10am-4pm.

This is the store Cathy and I moved our furniture and home décor into so if you haven’t had the chance to get out to the store, please consider doing so.  

 
Not So Shabby is always displayed with unique gifts, hand made goodies, one of a kind decorations, unusual home décor, wonderful gift sets, and of course really unique, custom painted furniture. 


All the artists will have their spaces loaded with Christmas displays, creative gift sets and unique inventory.  Cathy and I are making nice gifts and pulling out our latest designs for this event.  There will also be yummy treats available while you shop!


Some little girl’s gonna LOVE opening this Christmas Morning!
 

Not So Shabby is located at 114 E. Main Avenue in downtown Zeeland (click here for directions).  I’ve lived in Byron Center most of my life, but only recently learned how to Feel the Zeel!

For a small town, Zeeland sure has a lot of spectacular events going on.  I love the old fashioned street lights that line the streets, listening to the bells chiming as I walk down the sidewalk and checking the unique shops that line E. Main.  Almost every time I’ve gone to the store, there’s some kind of event going on. 
So…  I challenge you to shop local this Christmas.  Our business is called Shizzle Design.  Our space is the first booth on the left as you walk in.  If it’s got a Shizzle Design tag on it, that’s us!  

Make time to check out our store, you’ll be glad you did.  Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked countless hours almost a year using these products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other several other waxes by different companies, some were hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but also had those terrible fumes.  


I experienced months of reoccurring respiratory problems starting as soon as the weather got cold here and I had to start working within my workshop.  Even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove all the chemical hazards from my environment and find another line of work or find green products to work with in an effort to get well.  

I replaced toxic, hand burning, chemical strippers with citrus based strippers (which work better anyway), pulled chemical laden paints, waxes, glues… and started searching for better products.

It was during that search that I discovered CeCe Caldwell’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  It’s 100% Naturally Green ~ wahoo!! and I was geeked to find out that it’s owned and operated right here in the USA.  

From the first time I tried CeCe Caldwell’s paint and wax, I fell in love.   I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This line is so much easier for me to work with; it’s so different than any other paint I’ve ever used.

For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress of working so hard to achieve something that’s easy with a chalk and clay mixture.  

I have so much faith in CeCe Caldwell’s line that I became an Authorized Retailer for them.  I carry a complete line of CeCe Caldwell’s Paints, Clear Wax, Aging Cream, Satin finish, brushes, color charts… locally at our Shizzle Design space within Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture in Holland, Michigan here as well as online on our Online Shizzle Shop here.  Shizzle Design offers all 36 colors in quarts as well as sample size pots.  You can learn much more about CeCe Caldwell’s amazing products by reading through my blog archives in the sidebar.   

If you live in West Michigan, CeCe Caldwell’s Paints can be found at the Shizzle Design booth in 

2975 West Shore Drive, Holland, Michigan here.  
You’ll find our display along side all our hand painted furniture and home decor.

Click here to see some of the furniture currently for sale. It is constantly evolving as it sells quickly.


Wanna See More Shizzle Design?

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!
Posted on

Two More Amazing Features on Our Red Buffet!

We stand in awe at how many features we had this week!

Honey at A Potpourri of Life at 2805 featured our red buffet table on her Potpourri Friday 2805 party.  Honey’s parties have an assortment of creative posts on home décor, decorating, photography…  Tons of inspiration!  You can check out Potpourri Friday 2805 here!
Thanx Honey!

Becky over at Beyond the Picket Fence also featured our red buffet table at her Under $100 Linky Party.  You won’t believe the amazing pieces people create on a $100 budget!  Check out Beyond the Picket Fence here!
Thanx Becky!

We are truly blessed!

Since this post, I’ve learned so much.  I worked countless hours almost a year using these products but continued to have difficulties achieving a quality finish with their wax.  I tried other several other waxes by different companies, some were hard, other’s were a little easier to blend in and work with but also had those terrible fumes.  

I experienced months of reoccurring respiratory problems starting as soon as the weather got cold here and I had to start working within my workshop.  Even with my exhaust system, I was advised to remove all the chemical hazards from my environment and find another line of work or find green products to work with in an effort to get well.  

I replaced toxic, hand burning, chemical strippers with citrus based strippers (which work better anyway), pulled chemical laden paints, waxes, glues… and started searching for better products.

It was during that search that I discovered CeCe Caldwell’s all natural, eco-friendly chalk and clay based mineral paints.  It’s 100% Naturally Green ~ wahoo!! and I was geeked to find out that it’s owned and operated right here in the USA.  

From the first time I tried CeCe Caldwell’s paint and wax, I fell in love.   I know that sounds so dramatic, but after everything I went through, It was a God send.  This line is so much easier for me to work with; it’s so different than any other paint I’ve ever used.

For my style of painting, I can achieve a much more superior finish and can create it much faster eliminating the stress of working so hard to achieve something that’s easy with a chalk and clay mixture.  

I have so much faith in CeCe Caldwell’s line that I became an Authorized Retailer for them.  I carry a complete line of CeCe Caldwell’s Paints, Clear Wax, Aging Cream, Satin finish, brushes, color charts… locally at our Shizzle Design space within Not So Shabby Antiques and Fine Furniture in Holland, Michigan here as well as online on our Online Shizzle Shop here.  Shizzle Design offers all 36 colors in quarts as well as sample size pots.  You can learn much more about CeCe Caldwell’s amazing products by reading through my blog archives in the sidebar.   

If you live in West Michigan, CeCe Caldwell’s Paints can be found at the Shizzle Design booth in 

2975 West Shore Drive, Holland, Michigan here.  
You’ll find our display along side all our hand painted furniture and home decor.

Click here to see some of the furniture currently for sale. It is constantly evolving as it sells quickly.


Wanna See More Shizzle Design?

Thanx for stopping by!  A hui hou!