Antiques, Home Decor and Garden Show in Monument

Looking for something to do this weekend?

Come out and join Shades of Amber at the Tri-Lakes Women's Club 37th Annual Pine Forest Antiques, Home Decor, and Garden Show and Sale!

The Pine Forest Antiques Show originated in the earliest days of the Tri-Lakes Women's Club.  The club began selling small handmade items and holding home tours to raise funds for community support.  These early efforts have grown into one of the club's major fundraisers.

Stop by to check out our booth featuring painted furniture, home decor accessories, and Chalk Paint® demos.  

Come support a great local cause and enjoy the weekend!

Annie Sloan on TV

Take a minute this morning to watch Annie Sloan create her magic with Chalk Paint® right in your own living room!  Annie will be appearing on Home & Family this morning on the Hallmark Channel! Watch her update this chair, fabric and all.  Click the link below to check out the details.  Tuesday morning 10a/9c 

http://www.hallmarkchannel.com/homeandfamily/comingsoon

Annie Sloan, New Orleans, and Inspiration

It was such an incredible treat to spend the entire week last week in New Orleans with the one and only Annie Sloan!  She is the real deal, the creator of Chalk Paint®  Words cannot express how inspiring she is and what a truly genuine person she is.  I came home with pages and pages of notes full of new ideas, dreams, and ideas that I can't wait to get to work on and share with all of you!

Annie worked with us on creating style boards for our shops, giving a fascinating presentation on different design styles.  Here are just a few photos that made their way to my style board

 pinterest

pinterest

Annie challenged us to really focus in on our design style and really define who we are and why.  With that said, we will be changing things up a bit around here, starting with our weekly link party.  My head is literally spinning with new ideas, now the challenge becomes getting them out my head and into the store and onto the computer screen!  

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Link Party

WOW!  I am so excited to be in New Orleans with 300 of my fellow Chalk Paint® Stockists!!

We are all here with the wonderful Annie Sloan herself for our annual meeting, more training, lots of business info, and tons of FUN!

I can't wait to share everything, but while I am busy taking notes, let's start the link party, shall we?

Susan at Simply Stone Creek shared this lovely little empire chest that she gave a fresh spring facelift using Luckett's Green Milk Paint.  Fabulous job Susan!

Take a look at this mid-century modern piece that Danielle from Finding Silver Pennies recreated.  She used Paris Grey, a little Old White, and some beautiful photography from a friend and look at the result!  Simply stunning, Danielle, thanks for sharing!

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, April 4th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Shades of Amber GIVEAWAY!!

Exciting things are happening at Shades of Amber and we want to share with a GIVEAWAY!!  

Win a $75 gift certificate to Shades of Amber!  

Can you guess the theme of our new room?!

Click HERE to head over to our Faceback page to check out the details and enter to WIN!!

https://www.facebook.com/shadesofambercolorado

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

This weeks features:

Mad Tea Parties shares with us a lovely combination of Old Ochre on the base of this little table and applies Olive to the table top. How amazing are the leaves detailed in just the right places? A new drawer pull, it's truly a work of art!  

Mad Tea Parties

Check out this Luckett's Green Milk Paint piece and all its chippy goodness!  
It is fabulous when it chips in all the right places, just beautiful Heirloom Market!

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, March 28th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

We hope everyone is having a lovely week so far!  We have been super busy changing things around for spring and receiving tons of new merchandise for the store.  Love getting new boxes full of beautiful things!! We would love to have you stop by and check out what we have been up to.

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

 This weeks features:

Silver Pennies helps a little girl, Morgan, get a bedroom makeover. Morgan's mom fell madly in love with a photo in Quick and Easy Paint Transformations book by Annie Sloan.  The maple dresser was painted with Chalk Paint® in Paris Grey and trimmed out in Old White and Dark Wax. With pretty glass pulls added to the drawers, this dresser is gorgeous!  A little girl's dream bedroom complete. 

Silver Pennies

Spring is upon us and Easter is just around the corner. I just had to share an amazing Spring Tablescape by Friendship, Life and Style.  The most beautiful setting of pink flowered Limoges, Fostoria Navarra and a cute ring of bunnies.  Perfect for an Easter feast and fellowship.  Have you begun your Spring decorating?  

Friendship, Life and Style

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, March 21st at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Pine Cone Hill Bedding ~ Fun, Comfort, and Beauty

As a child, did you want a treehouse so bad just so you could sleep in it?  Invite your friends over to
roast marshmallows and tell stories late into the night?

(Pinterest)

(Pinterest)

(Pinterest)

How about the next best thing...

Bedding

An Annie Selke Company

Here at Shades Of Amber, we are thrilled to carry a remarkable bedding line by, "A charismatic pioneer of color and comfort," Annie Selke.

Create your own fantasy treehouse with the 

Urban Treehouse Collection.

Stone Washed Linen Bed with a gentle color-washed effect.

Treehouse Linen Chambray Sham & Duvet Cover.

Complementary stripes in easy-care linen.

Cotton Twill Oatmeal/Ink Bed.  Classic colors and tailored shapes.

Neutral Coverlet and Matte Velvet Glacier Quilted Sham.

All items are easy to layer.  Mix & match stripes, solids and textures with top quality cottons and linens. 

Coordinate your bedding with a new area rug or two from 

Dash and Albert Rug Company.

We carry the full Dash and Albert line to match for just the right combination.  

Make your fantasy treehouse cozy without compromising comfort and beauty. We would love to help you select and coordinate just what you are looking for!

For the kid in all of us.

Note: not all items are stocked in the store. 

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

This weeks features:

Danielle with The Newest of Old did a fabulous job on this bedroom set. She chose a gorgeous two toned combination of Coco and Old Ochre to give the feminine set a little more masculinity.  Stunning result!

The Happy Fushia shares with us these beautiful Toile slipcovers made for a pair of classic English roll armchairs. The neutral tones and timeless pattern mixes and matches with so many other prints and colors. We can't wait to see what fabric will be chosen for the matching sofa!  Thanks for Linking Up with us. 

The Happy Fuchsia

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, March 18th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

This weeks features:

Don't you love this Union Jack color combination Shades Of Blue Interiors painted with Chalk Paint®?  I know I sure do! Inspired by Miss Mustard Seed's ottoman, a combination of Country Grey, Old white and Provence.  Soft, subtle and magnificent!  You won't want to miss the other dresser painted with the same colors reversed. Perhaps another take on Quiet Riot?

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

Tattered Elegance really pulls the wool over our eyes.  Or should I say pulls the faux grain sack over our eyes? Those stripes are painted on, really. A lovely work of art, custom blended colors of French Linen and Pure White. Just a little Old White is added for some depth. The beautiful velvet gray damask on the back takes your breath away!  French elegance recreated at it's finest. 

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Weekly Link Party

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, March 7th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Thing

This weeks features:

Doodles & Stitches brings new life to a wonderful pie safe with history.  In the family for many, many years...the outside get's a coat of Duck Egg and nicely distressed!  The inside is painted in Old White.  With most of the original hardware still intact, milk knobs and latches, we are in love!  Thank you Nicole, super job. 

Daisy Mae Belle shares with us how her oldest daughter is now coming around and catching the creative bug as well.  Not a fan of yard sales in the past, a creative teen is now looking forward to the warm season paving the way to pounding concrete, pavement and turf in search for yard sale treasures. Didn't she do a beautiful job with this old rickety ladder, turning it into a ladder bookcase?!  Melissa, we're thrilled you shared a new chapter in your life with us. All the best!

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, February 28th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Features and Benefits of Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan

Many of you have may already know this, but for those just learning about Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan you need to know...

There are five very simple features and benefits of painting with this amazing paint product.

Once you've tried it, you will never want to use another paint ever again!

Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan

Features and Benefits:

1. The BEST paint on the market for furniture

2. No sanding, stripping, or priming needed

3. Quick dry time

4. Extremely low VOCs

5. Great value, save time and money

Chalk Paint® is so easy to use!  Once you do begin using this product you'll kick yourself for not trying it out sooner. It is the easiest way to change or update your furniture.  Whether you have an existing piece of furniture at home, inherited an antique or found a curb-side "I'm Free" item that you've been wanting to paint but have been hesitant...it's time!

No need for priming, sanding or stripping of your existing finish.  Save some time and money and start painting, you'll get the coverage needed.

The drying time of Chalk Paint® is quick.  It's not necessary to have your furniture sitting for a days while the different layers and applications dry.  The fast dry time allows for quick turn-around and you can be done the same day!

This amazing product is water based and eco friendly.  With extremely low VOCs there's virtually no odor. 

Chalk Paint® costs $36.95 per quart. Being able to paint with no extra charges or time on stripping agents, primer or sanding is priceless. The paint covers more and uses less than traditional paints. We have many customers that paint multiple pieces start to finish and back in place in one afternoon.  

The average cost of Chalk Paint® is $10 in product per piece of furniture.  What a great value! Chalk Paint® is extremely versatile and allows you the freedom to be creative and expressive.

Build your Chalk Paint® Toolbox

Chalk Paint® products & supplies are available to purchase from our online store:
SHADES OF AMBER 

and our store in Monument, Colorado
125 Second Street

We're here to help you Build Your Chalk Paint® Toolbox.
If you have any questions don't hesitate to give us a call.
719 265.9921

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Thing

This weeks features:

From ashes to light...The Tattered Treasures has a bright idea!
 A vintage standing ashtray is repurposed, just brilliant.

The ashtray section is turned upside down and a nightlight is created.  Beautifully repurposed and brought back to life, thank you  so much for sharing.

The Tattered Treasures

Midcentury Modern breathes new life.  The New Normal paints up a mint condition dresser and finds the perfect home in this dining room.  Painted in French Linen Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan and the draw pulls take on an oil-rubbed bronze finish. This old beauty has new purpose in our century, great job!

New Normal

It's time to Link Up this week!

Please share in our Link Party, here are the details:

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things! If you are linking painted pieces, they MUST be painted with Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan or Miss Mustard Seed Milk Paint ONLY

2.  Please post a permalink to your post only, not your entire blog.

3.  Please help spread the word about our weekly Linky Party- Grab our button on the sidebar.

4.  Party closes on Thursday, February 21st at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Wax ON - Wax OFF with our "Secret Weapon" for Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan

Using the proper tools of the trade is so important when painting with Chalk Paint®.  It doesn't matter whether you are an expert with Chalk Paint® or just beginning.  Knowing what and how to apply each product needed for your project is key!

If you're preparing to paint a piece of furniture with Chalk Paint® for the first time and you're not quite sure how it works, here's a great tutorial about How To Use Chalk Paint®.

By far, we get the most questions about the waxing process.  There is nothing difficult about it, it is just different than what most people are used to.  Our tutorial above goes through the process, step by step in how to apply the paint and wax correctly. 

I love our wax brushes made specifically for soft wax.  The highest quality brushes in the industry by far, made from the finest Shanghai white bristle.

Wax Brush


But what I'm really excited to share with you is one of our favorite tools!
Our "secret weapon" is high quality Rymplecloth. 

Rymplecloth-Large

It looks similar to your ordinary cheesecloth but it's not.

Rymplecloth is a purified, unbleached cloth made of 100% cotton woven fabric with a unique crimped and twisted weave.  These natural yarns are more absorbent than traditional cheesecloth.  This kind of absorbency allows for a smooth and even finish for waxed furniture.  The unique crimped design provides more surface area for trapping, collecting and removing excess wax.  The texture of the cloth ensures little waste of the product.  Rymplecloth can also be used to buff the waxed finish. 

Rymplecloth - Small

Small and large size rolls are sold online.  Simply click on the images to place your order today!

Once we started using Rymplecloth, it made such a difference in the wax finish!  Such a simple thing - whenever our customers have a wax issue and switch to this - the problem is always solved.  We even have customers in the store buy it for other reasons as well - mixed media art, decorating, silverware, etc.  Someone even made a gorgeous rose wreath out it, we love it!!  

 We also carry Soft Wax® in clear and dark.

Annie Sloan Soft Wax - Clear

Annie Sloan Soft Wax - Dark

When you're using good quality products there really is no room to cut corners.  
Wax On - Wax OFF with only the best.