I’ll never forget our first trip to The Children’s Museum in Portland, Oregon. Our oldest daughter was absolutely IN LOVE with the interactive water part of the museum where little kids get to put on raincoats and play with all sorts of cool water contraptions! I was struck by the vibrant colors that surrounded us and thought how cool it would be as a child to have a room painted with so whimsy. As soon as we landed in Michigan, I drove to Home Depot and picked up some paint.
When saw the vibrant colors of American Paint Company’s Paints, I couldn’t help but think of two things: garden chairs and children’s furniture. I had two twin Dixie headboards in my stash and wanted to paint them to coordinate with the ornate mirror that my sister Cathy had just painted.
I planned to paint a base coat of the Coral Reef and Orange Grove and then layer over it with Beach Glass distressing back through but I loved the blended orange color so much ~ I left it.
I still think it looks cool against the Beach Glass and Surfboard on the dresser. Might not be your thing, but I love it. Makes me feel like I’m in Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory. You know the room, edible lollipop trees, chocolate rivers… you’ve dreamed of that too, I know you have!!
I did finish my daughter’s room that week so many years ago… I still love it today (when I can find it under all those clothes)
Took the matching twin headboards to my booth at Not So Shabby in Holland, Michigan and they were gone in a blink
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I hope you’re all enjoying a picture perfect night like we are here in West Michigan! The sun is setting as I write this post and I have to tell you ~ I’m so excited to share the pictures of this piece with all of you!
I loved it when I purchased it, then I got it home and for the life of me, I couldn’t decide what to do with it. So it sat in my garage until last week.
I had a general idea of how I wanted to do it but it sure evolved over the course of a couple weeks. I wanted to create some kind of old world paint finish that would represent years of wear and tear.
You’re going to think I’m crazy for how I started it, but I wanted to create a colorful base coat that would make it look as though it had been painted many times over the years. I loved the blue and purple that peaked through on the inspiration piece I had seen online. It looks nothing like what I ended up with but hey ~ ya gotta start somewhere!
What can I say? It was the first week of summer break!
I have to tell you, I received some pretty interesting comments after I posted this shot on our Shizzle Facebook Page. That’s ok, I’m used to getting strange looks from neighbors, my husband, my kids…. but stay with me here, this is just my base coat. I wanted a light neutral and APC’s Rushmore fit the bill! It’s a beautiful taupe, one of my absolute favorites!! I poured my paint into a little bowl and diluted it with a little water slapping it on with random brush strokes to cover everything.
I had already painted the details with Freedom’s Road. It’s a deep slate color which looks similar to Lincoln’s Hat until it dries. That’s when you can see Freedom Road is slate and Lincoln’s Hat is black. Anyway… I painted the crown molding with Freedom Road then dry brushed with a little Desert Cactus.
Then came the fun part ~ I used a damp rag to wet distress / remove the Rushmore which started revealing some of the initial colors. Cath taped this video of me while I was distressing.
Click the following link to watch my VIDEO on how to Wet Distress Large Areas to reveal Colors Underneath
It looked cool but after I had finished the front of it, I stepped back and realized doing the entire piece like this would be WAY too much.
I had to break it up.
It was late, dark and I was tired and crabby that it wasn’t turning out how I had planned so I painted over the door inserts with Desert Cactus and after it was dry, did a crazy wet wash using Lincoln’s Hat.
That’s when my heart skipped a bit. It was finally starting to take shape and represent my style.
I worked on it on and off for several more days, tweaking it here and there until I was finally satisfied. Sit back and enjoy all the close ups.
The paint we use has both chalk AND clay in the mix!
Hope you enjoyed the ride! It’s already loaded up an will be headed to the store. For location and availability of this piece, click here.
If it doesn’t turn out how you imagined, just keep working it!
Have a great night!! Shelly
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Anyone who follows our blog has probably figured out by now that we’re not the type to slap on a fresh coat of paint and call it good.
We drive ourselves bonkers fussing over the smallest details. My sister and I definitely fall into the “Tinker” category and if you knew our dad, you know where we acquired it.
Cathy and I like to add multiple layers of paint and mix it up using a variety of techniques, brushes, paint colors and finishes. Because of this, we added a Funky Finishes section to our project gallery. The problem is, you don’t see the Funky Finishes button until you click on….
Beneath our Funky Finishes button, you’ll find all sorts of different pieces we’ve refinished using different techniques. When you have a chance, click through some of our projects then let me know what you think.
Why am I mentioning this now? Because I’m getting super excited to unveil my latest Funky Finish on the armoire I just painted. I’ve been messing with this the past two weeks and will be finished soon. Here’s a sneak peak!
If you follow our Facebook Page, you’ve probably been following the progression of this piece. We share little snippets of information on our Shizzle Facebook page several times a day but I’ll be posting the complete transformation of this French Country Armoire later this week right here.
Many mahalos also go out to Marian at Miss Mustardseed and Danielle at Silver Pennies for featuring Cathy’s Vintage Dresser
We just got back from a fun overnight trip of pickin’ at the Michigan Antiques and Collectible Festival in Midland, Michigan. It’s a flea market spread over 80 acres with over 1,000 vendors near the thumb area on the east side of the state.
We went there to hunt for treasures for our Shizzle Design booth and check out the Design Gallery Competition.
Interior Design students from Central Michigan University and Michigan State University competed against each other in a room design. Each group was given a room to design s/a dining room, living room, bedroom… and could choose their wall color prior to the competition.
They were allowed to bring two items from home but they had to find everything else they needed for their design at the Michigan Antiques and Collectible Festival.
Friday afternoon, they jumped in their golf carts and raced off to score their treasures. They had to find pieces as the vendors were setting up and ask them if they could use their items in their designs, all items still were for sale and the girls were great sharing their prices…
There were six rooms designed ~ which one is your favorite?
Room #1 ~ Winner of People’s Choice Award
Room #2
Room #3
Room #4
Room #5 ~ Winner of Judges Award
Room #6
Aren’t they all amazing? So many cool elements in each room! I love the color combinations, the light fixture, the crates, the window treatments and the shutters in room #2.
I also loved the hope chest at the foot of the bed in Room #4
The girls who designed Room #6 pulled together some really neat elements creating this awesome bar.
What a cool score they found with this vintage cabinet in all it’s chippy fabulousness. I could walk right into this, kick back and relax. Seriously, any room with a rocking chair and a comfy blankee says home to me ~ love it!!
I was blown away with what they came up with. So many neat ideas from flea market picks!! Great job girls!! Can’t wait to hear who won!! Which one is your favorite??
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That’s how much confidence I think this old gal has now all decked out in her new threads! I think the look fits her personality perfectly ~ a little vintage chic yet colorful, classy and full of pizzaz.
My sister Cathy is the one who did this amazing makeover. She discovered this antique dresser in her son’s basement. She was looking a little worn down and aged when she found her.
But in no time, she had an entirely new look ~ I still can’t get over how cool it turned out. The variations and layering of color are so pretty!! If I’m type A, my sister is AAA ~ she REALLY fuses with her pieces, what can we say?
She used a color that I never would have tried because quite frankly, I thought it was a really ugly. I know! That’s not very nice ~ but I never would have pulled this color off the shelf…
until I saw this…
Boy was I wrong on THAT one! Just look at all this scrumptiousness!
Cathy painted the dresser in CeCe Caldwell’s Chesapeake Blue which is a blue, gray, with almost a periwinkle undertone.
She then washed over it with Dover White. Dover White best resembles the color of ground oatmeal flour. Not too brown, not too gray but with a rich, creamy color. It’s so pretty and without pigment so it’s quite translucent which create amazing affects when washed over other colors.
She sealed it with Clear Wax and while still wet, added a little surprise.
If you haven’t played with CeCe Caldwell’s Aging Dust in your wax then you’re missing out ~ Big Time! You just tap a little onto your brush and pounce it into and brush it into your wax while it’s still wet. Dip your brush into your Aging Dust then gently tap the excess off your brush before applying ~ like you would if you were applying a loose powder blush to your face.
The dust mixes right into the wax and adds tons of dimension!
So… huh, huh, huh? Did she do good or what?
I think she did and it sold almost immediately. I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
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.
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Three weeks ago, I traveled to the bay area to help out at the Paris Flea Market Fundraising Paint Workshop that was put on for the Crohns and Colitis Foundation.
Karen Berg, my blogging BFF from Redoux Interiors picked me up at the airport and we were off and running. No, Karen is not standing on a stool ~ she’s just way taller than me.
We were expecting the crowd to be capped off at 22 participants but when we walked in the Paris Flea Market the night before, we found this!
The number had nearly doubled! Wowzer!! The owner, Susan Goodman, didn’t have the heart to turn anyone down when the proceeds were going to such a good cause.
Crohns and Colitis affects nearly half a million people in North America alone. Susan understands how horrible this disease is because she’s watched her manager’s daughter suffer it’s affect for years. That kid has gone through so much but she is determined in her lifetime to find a cure! I can only imagine what she and her mom Lonae felt when they saw all these wonderful people show up to support the cause.
Let me just say, every moment I spent with Karen was an adventure in and of itself. Karen said a prayer just as we were headed out the morning of the fundraiser. She prayed for everything to go smoothly… Apparently, God had other plans for our morning because five minutes into our trip, our car overheated and we still had a good 30 minute drive into Livermore.
Never fear ~ Karen is always equipped with an apron!
We may be chics ~ but we are used to fixing things up ya know!
Thank goodness the Mr. was still nearby. After a quick switch-a-roo of vehicles, we were on our way just in the nick of time. Susan started out making introductions. Some people are just naturals speaking in front of a crowd…
Other’s… not so much. When Karen handed the mike over to me, I was totally caught off-guard. I felt like a dear caught in headlights when I was asked to introduce myself. I’ll be the first one to tell you I am NOT the type of person who wants to be the center of attention ~ like EVER! Especially if it has anything to do with talking about me. Can somebody say AWKWARD!
I teach paint workshops all the time but I do them in a much more intimate setting. I’m in my element when I’m working one on one with each individual student; sharing tips and techniques with everyone as we move along.
Speaking in front of a large group with a mike in my hand, especially when I had to talk about myself, made me feel VERY uncomfortable. I have no idea what I said, but I’m know the words came out all twisted lacking any sense at all.
I am SO thankful Karen is comfortable with this! I was able to go around and offer my help as she explained how to do it. Ok, I’m not sure what Karen is doing with her mouth right here, but she does like to make silly faces.
Apparently it’s contagious because by the end of the week we were both doing this!
CeCe flew out for the fundraiser as well. She, like me, prefers to work quietly behind the scenes. Everyone was excited to meet her had fun learning how to mix new colors. I especially fell in love with the deep coral color she mixed up.
After a morning of color mixing, and practicing different techniques on trim pieces and pictures frames, the students brought in their pieces from home and went to town. In the blink of an eye, their furniture was transformed into…
Doug flew in for the event and stole the show with his charming nature. He was definitely the life of the party!
He created the neatest finish on a chair he was painting for a friend ~ I can’t wait to see how it turned out!
Many mahalos go out to everyone who helped make this day a huge success!
and may the prayers continue for all those affected with Crohns and Colitis until a cure is found!
The morning of the workshop is always a bustle of activity and then there is the calm before the storm…
Then, almost simultaneously, everyone piles in. It’s so cool to watch student’s furniture evolve as they layer on their paint.
Many pieces have seen better days. Lisa transformed this worn Duncan Phyfe Coffee Table from this…
into THIS awesome piece! I demonstrated how to do simple dry-brushing and she knocked it out of the park!! Love it!!
Beth transformed this side table.
She first based the entire table in a darker gray and then layered over the base using a lighter gray similar to Smoke Signal. Beth did a fabulous job wet distressing which gave so much richness to all the detailed areas.
What a classy transformation!
Eve’s table had really pretty lines to begin with.
She wanted to emulate the vintage drum table I painted way back when, where I combine a smokey blue gray, a bright green and a khaki army color.
I didn’t get a finished shot of Eve’s table, but it was starting to come together in this shot. I SO wish I could have gotten a picture once she started to do her distressing and dry-brushing but I never have enough time to capture all the shots during class 🙁
Eve came with Katie who painted her end table with red. You just can’t go wrong with a great shade of red and we carry some fabulous ones! Can you believe the legs on this table are made with some find of funky faux plastic wood?
She based everything in red and then topped it off with a pale creamy ivory color with yellow undertones to resemble the finish we did on this Primitive China Cabinet.
Katie had already carried her table out to the car before I could get a finished shot, but the colors looked very similar to this.
Natalie had planned on painting and end table but as she was leaving the house, there was a change of plans. The only other piece she had to paint was this adorable petite buffet. The top was in need of repair, so she removed that and just painted the base during the workshop.
It’s not even finished yet in this shot, but I’m sure you’ll agree ~ it’s to die for!! We tried a couple different colors on this but decided the dark gray in and of itself looked very rich. It hadn’t even been distressed or waxed in this photo (urg ~ another shot I missed) wish you could have seen it once it was finished!
After two daughters get married, Julie was ready to do something for herself. She brought in a black lacquered multi-level plant stand.
She painted this a vibrant cobalt blue then went over everything with a bright white.
I’m not sure why. It may be that the base coat was applied too thin on a super slick surface. I don’t have an answer for it, but she was bummed to have spent all that time applying the blue for nothing. I think what she really wanted was a white piece with accents of blue on the round details… We sent her some with some of the blue, so she could apply them to some of those areas.
Julie’s friend Deb brought in a chair to coordinate with her heirloom desk. She base coated it in a medium blue then layered over it in a soft dusty green. She was nervous when it came to distressing and planned to only do nice, clean lines ~ but once she got started, she flourished and before we knew it, she was distressing like a pro! I wish you could feel the finish on this piece! It was so silky smooth just from the wet distressing before she even started applying the finish. She’ll be enjoying this chair for years to come! Great job Deb!!
Danielle brought in an octagon end table which immediately took on a whole new look with just a few brush strokes. Danielle painted it all over in Seattle Mist then gave the top a couple coats of Vermont Slate.
I didn’t get a finished shot of this, but will add it once they send it to me. They’re adding a little surprise to the top which I can’t wait to see!
Last, but definitely not least, is Danielle’s mom Shirley. She brought in a petite French style nightstand.
I mixed up a creamy white for her but after it dried she wanted to kick it up a notch without doing a lot of distressing.
I mixed up a little glaze for Shirley to experiment with then she finished it with clear coat. I mixed the glaze / water about 50/50 then added a few drops of dark brown and slate to tint the glaze. I just mixed it, but Shirley created an awesome masterpiece!
Holy Frappuccino Batman! Is this cool or what? I LOVE how this nightstand turned out!! Just check out the detail!
…and just like that, another workshop has come to pass
Surfing U.S.A. I couldn’t help but sing when I finally finished this dresser that I’ve been tinkering with on and off for several weeks. I painted it three times trying to get it just right but each time I wasn’t feeling it. Am I the only one who does this?
I initially painted it in a rich green but felt this color was a bit too taste specific to sell quickly in our area.
You know me, I like to mix ‘em up so I layered over it to tone it down a bit.
The top was given one nice coat of APC’s Blue Jeans which has since been retired. I washed over that color with APC’s Surfboard. The two colors really pop one another!
The icing on the cake was when my friend Laurie stopped by and asked if I wanted to borrow her awesome stencil for anything. Um ~ YEAH!
I mixed up some leftover sample pots to paint a base color of orange then topped it off with another layer of yellow.
Scuffed it up a bit then sealed it with Clear Wax and off she went to the shop to await her new owner.
Ooo~La~La!
Finally ~ I Likey! What do you think?
Want to create this look without the guesswork? It’s easy ~ Order one of our Shizzle Design Custom Paint Kits. This particular combo is called “Everybody’s Gone Surfing” and can be purchased here.
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Our Painted Furniture is offered at: Shizzle Design Paint Studio 2018 Chicago Dr., Jenison, MI 49428 and Not So Shabby at 2975 West Shore Drive in Holland, MI 49424
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Last week I finally had the privilege of meeting Karen Berg of Redoux Interiors. Even though we had never met in person prior to this, it felt like we had known each other forever.
As soon as my flight landed in California, we were off and running… Karen is VERY serious and VERY boring in real life… NOT!!
She’s as sweet, energetic and crazy silly as she comes across online and we couldn’t stop talking or laughing all week long!
She took me to some of her favorite places to shop. Did you know she’s the queen of dumpster diving? She’s even written a Dumpster Diving Series.
I couldn’t wait to join in on the fun
I felt right at home with Karen. She’s got furniture piled up everywhere just like I do. We couldn’t resist using some of Karen’s treasures to do a five minute junky garden up-cycle that even Donna from Funky Junk Interiors would appreciate.
I can’t wait to see what this headboard looks like once the bed is overflowing with zucchini blooms.
and the Tomatoes will look way more cool in the garden when supported by these old rusty metal whatcha-ma-call-its.
Seriously… how could be leave this one behind? It was just begging to be part of the fun! A little twine and the peppers will be good to go.
I’m sure Karen will share how everything looks when it’s time to harvest her goods but right now she’s probably knocking down the gates at her favorite local cherry orchard making sure she’s picked the very first ones off the trees.
If she is, you’ll bet she’ll be wearing this. Did you know, she wears aprons LIKE ALL THE TIME? Seriously… I just about died laughing when I turned my head in the car and saw this!
You just never know when you might spill something ~ lol! Never mind the grunge under our fingernails from pickin!
Just to humor Karen, I threw one on for the fundraising paint workshop at the Paris Flea Market ~ I’ll be sharing more on that soon.
Enjoy the rest of your weekend ~ and Happy Mother’s Day!
Tomorrow I’m back to painting furniture. I’m going to try something like this display piece painted by my good friend Laurie!
A lot of chairs are refinished during our Shizzle Style Furniture Paint Workshops and our special workshop taught at MSU was no exception. We had two gals bring in chairs that day and both of them turned out FABULOUS!!!
Stephanie brought in a typical kitchen chair to refinish but it’s what she did with it that makes it so special.
Stephanie base coated it in a quick coat of CeCe Caldwell’s Blue Montana Sky
Don’t let chairs fool you ~ their spindles can be quite tedious. That didn’t stop Stephanie, she was on a mission. Finish her dining room set and then search for a cottage to match
When she finished with her first quick coat, she layered over it with Alaskan Tundra, did a little wet distressing and sealed with clear wax.
Viola!!
Karen also brought in an old chair. This is the before
She layered Alaskan Tundra Green and Michigan Pine on her masterpiece.
It still amazes me how quickly a little paint changes the appearance of things.
Karen has a really good eye for distressing!
Love, Love, Love the fabric she combined with her painted finish!
Great job ladies!!
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