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!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Link Party

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

With Valentines Day so close, we have the perfect workshop at Shades Of Amber!  Learn how to make Vintage Valentines Day Cards taught by local experts.  If you are in the area and would like to know more about this class, click here.

Our Features this week:

Mad Tea Parties had her first suitcase rummage in Lucerne, Switzerland!  She attended in fine fashion, I must say. A bright orange faux leather exterior coated in Duck Egg Chalk Paint® by Annie Sloan, then highlighted with Old White. I'm "Mad" for this suitcase and your visit to Switzerland!

I can't imagine a more beautiful Valentines table than this one by Penny's Vintage Home, a tablescape created in her own kitchen. Hand stitched strawberries on a vintage tablecloth, they look so much like hearts.  The perfect setting for hot chocolate, cupcakes and a book of poems.  So lovely.

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!

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, January 31st at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Start Linking!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Feature and a Happy New Year!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Our Christmas turned out to be a little different than we had planned.  Christmas Eve day landed us at the urgent care for our youngest, then Christmas morning around 1:00am took us to the ER followed by being admitted to the peds unit.  Influenza B, Strep throat and an ear infection, followed by LOTS of meds, I think we are now ready to ring in the New Year!  Thankfully, she is doing much better now.

What a crazy week we had and it's already 2013, how did that happen?!  

Last week we did not host our weekly Quite Simply...Beautiful Things Linky Party so we would like to share all of the posts from the last Link Party.  

Quinnspirations

Sledding in style with a vintage snow sled painted in Primer Red and the stencils in Olive and Old White.  Great Christmas decoration!

Wydeven Designs

An antique market chair and ottoman get a makeover with Old Ochre and Dark Wax worked into the crevices with a toothbrush.  The detailing looks great with the neutral striped linen fabric!

SmartGirlStyle

DIY Ombre Rushed Duvet Cover perfect for a girl's bedroom.  Get the steps to make your own professional looking duvet. 

Restoration Redoux

This huge undertaking turned out amazing!  Persistance pays off with multiple layers of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint™ and not giving up, impressive! 

Stiltskin Studios

If you love a girly, feminine look...you'll love this Can Can Chest.  Soft pink and Paris Grey shake things up with golden gilding.  This dresser certainly Can Can!

Secret Garden

A lovely pink metamorphosis, so haute couture dont you think?!

"Vintage Goods"

Snowmen made out of old quilts and buttons, so cute.  Unique and no two are alike.

Reloved Rubbish

Pair of Union Jack Chairs with Chalk Paint® painted right on the vinyl with a watered down Old Ochre wash for a faded look.  It's genius!

Imperfect Patina

Lovely $15 two tiered table painted in Graphite and the Union Jack painted in Pure White & Paris Grey. Very nice color combination!

Snob Interior Design

Duck Egg painted on a tray, jar lid, back of glass plates and watered down in bottles, very pretty.  Pure White with Dark Wax on the chalkboard windows look old, like it!

By The Way Jenn Gray

Added texture to a quatrefoil frame with Chalk Paint® in Primer Red, French Linen and Old White layered in just a way to give an old weathered look.

Renovating and Building

Finch pottery made to look ravaged by time and use. 

They are beautiful.

Love seeing all the Quite Simply...Beautiful Things!

image via Pinterest

We hope 2013 brings you all of your New Years Resolutions and More!  Can't wait to see all the projects created this year! We will resume our regular Link Party next Tuesday.  Enjoy the first day of the New Year!

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

It's a big week for us here at Shades Of Amber!

This Friday & Saturday Miss Mustard Seed is coming to Colorado and we can hardly wait!!!

3 out of the 4 seminars are SOLD OUT!!

We only have a few spaces left in the Friday DIY Seminar at 2:30pm...reserve your spot while you still can!

Of course, Marian is also doing an open Book Signing on Friday from 5:00-7:00pm

For more details visit our Facebook page...

click here

More exciting news, we have Annie Sloan Fabrics in the store!

Stop in to see these gorgeous fabrics in person!

Photo by Christopher Drake

Time for...

Weekly Link Party

Quite Simply...Beautiful Things

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

1.  Feel free to share all your beautiful things!

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, December 6th at 11:59 pm. We will pick more people to feature.

Chalk Paint® Link Party

We are featuring fellow stockist Christie Carter from Carter's Cottage in Illinois.  

She is such a fabulous, wonderful person and super talented to boot!

Check out her piece using Duck Egg, Old White, and Annie's Craqueler. 

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Craqueler

Do you have something you painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint®?

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

1. Our blog is dedicated to Chalk Paint® Please only share pieces using Chalk Paint decorative paints by Annie Sloan. It can be anything you want, as long as you used Chalk Paint!

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

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

4. Party closes on Thursday, August 30 at 11:59pm MST. We will pick more people to feature for next week.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Link Party

WOW! Can I just say that the last two weeks have been an absolute blast! A whirlwind of travel, lots of talking, laughing, sharing, creating, and late nights....but oh so worth it! We can't wait to share little tidbits from Annie and all of our adventures.

~ Stay tuned later this week ~

For now, let's start the party!

Kristen over at Sohpia's Decor was on the hunt for a farm table and scored with this one (oh how I wish to find the twin!) She and her husband put some serious muscle into it and look at her result ~ WOW! Doesn't it look like it has been sitting in an old farmhouse aging and gaining a patina over time? That's the magic of Duck Egg and Pure White - Beautiful!

Connie from Hartwood Roses took a 1970's china cabinet and turned it into a stylish home for a TV using Duck Egg and Olive. I just love the two toned finished look, very updated glass shelves and would fit right in to any home.

Do you have something you painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?

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

1. Our blog is exclusive to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Please only share pieces using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It can be anything you want, as long as you used Chalk Paint!

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

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

4. Party closes on Thursday, March 29 at 11:59pm MST. We will pick more people to feature for next week.

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Linky Party!

One of the blessings of being an Annie Sloan Retailer is the people we get to associate with on a daily basis. We want to thank all of you that came to our workshop last Saturday. We had a lot of fun even though it was snowing, Again. Only another three months of winter for us here in Colorado. We are so ready for Spring!!!!

We have a great opportunity this week to share some pieces that are very clean and beautifully done. One of the many great advantages of Chalk Paint is the versatility of the product. Most of you have seen a lot of pieces distressed, but check these pieces out.

Danielle from Silver Pennies painted this dresser and a chest in Old White and Duck Egg blue. She thought about distressing them, but I am glad she didn't.

Beautiful!

Heidi from Lily Field Furniture painted this fantastic piece in Aubusson Blue. I must say that this kind of shocked us, and in a good way. We don't normally see Annie's paint on this style of furniture. All we can say is WOW. Love It.

Do you have something you painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?

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

1. Our blog is exclusive to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Please only share pieces using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It can be anything you want, as long as you used Chalk Paint!

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

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

4. Party closes on Thursday, February 16 at 11:59pm MST. We will pick more people to feature for next week.

French Desk and Chalk Paint Sale

Picked up a great little antique vanity the other day. Love the lines and the overall design of the piece. Would make a perfect french desk.

The top was in pretty bad shape, very scratched up, but fortunately the scratches were not too deep.

Stripped the top using a water based stripper called Motsenbocker's Lift Off Paint and Varnish Remover. Took me about three applications to get down to the bare wood.

Now with a clean surface, I decided I wanted a nice contrast with the paint.

Went really dark with Jacobean stain from Minwax. I let it sit for about 15 minutes to absorb into the wood to the desired color. Finished the top with a Minwax wipe on Poly after the stain was dry.

Painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint

Country Grey

Duck Egg

I wanted to reveal the Duck Egg underneath the Country Grey in areas, so I sanded back to reveal the color as well as some of the wood beneath. This time I decided to sand before waxing, and I used a damp terrycloth towel to "sand" with. Much less dust that way and very easy to control how much you are sanding back to reveal.

This is what I love about Chalk Paint. Look at how natural the distressing looks. Just like it happened over hundreds of years. It feels just like velvet. And it is so incredibly easy to do!

In fact, it took me three times as long to strip and restain the top than it did to paint, distress and wax the entire lower part.

Now I have a divine little french desk.

Don't miss out on our inventory blowout sale of

Chalk Paint 4 oz sample pots!

In anticipation of the newly redesigned sample pots to be released soon,

we need to get rid of our existing inventory.

Own all 24 Annie Sloan colors in our Ultimate Chalk Paint Sample Kit

available for a limited time only.

Linking to Debbie-doos

Annie Sloan Chalk Paint Link Party

They say.....a picture is worth a thousand words. I say, this picture frame is worth a thousand words. BEAUTIFUL! Nicole from Davis Domestications took a boring brown cast off frame and created this beauty that would be proud to hung in any home.

She used Duck Egg & Old White along with Clear Wax and Dark Wax to bring out the carved details.

Next up is Becky, from White Street Interiors. She saw the potential in this great little desk and chair she found at a garage sale. Painted it up with Louis Blue and Old White along with a couple coats of Clear Wax and little distressing.

Love the combination of the Louis Blue and Old White, simply gorgeous!

Do you have something you painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint?

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

1. Our blog is exclusive to Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. Please only share pieces using Annie Sloan Chalk Paint. It can be anything you want, as long as you used Chalk Paint!

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

3. Please help spread the word about our Chalk Paint Linky Party

4. Party closes on Wednesday, August 9 at 11:59pm MST. We will pick 2 more people to feature for next week.

Chalk Paint Reveal

Finished up with the night stand and it turned out beautifully!

Here is what it looked like to begin with, good bones but the finish was beat up

Painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, main body painted in Old Ochre

I wanted to accent the drawer and make it pop, so I used Duck Egg Blue

along with Old Violet.

Here is the drawer with a little punch of color.

Loved the raised area down the side of the night stand and wanted to accent it a little bit, but didn't want to take away from the drawer being the focal point. I painted a layer of Duck Egg Blue and Old Violet just on the raised area prior to painting the whole piece with Old Ochre. Waxed it and then sanded back to reveal a hint of color beneath.

Here you can see both colors revealed, also sanded through to the wood in areas too.

Finished with a coat of Clear Wax and Dark Wax accents.

I wish you touch the finish through the computer, it is so smooooth!

What do you think? Not bad for a beat up thrift store find.