April arrived, set to be a busy month. Easter morning we were on a plane, flying out of Detroit, on our way to a big ship in the ocean, chaperoning our daughter and five friends during spring break. A year ago we were on our way to Mexico for my son’s spring break…
Milestones like this make me think back, way back…. when did my kids grow up?
It was busy the week before I left – multiple workshops, and I’d been working on completing this custom painted vanity for a client –
They wanted it similar to this piece I’d painted –
I used American Paint Company Voyage, and Stenciled with various APC colors, and sealed with APC Hardcoat and Topcoat Finish
The week off was a lovely change – the weather was perfect every day – I soaked in the vitamin D and much needed sleep
Even while away from work, I’d find myself noticing things – like this guy’s shirt that looked like one of our Monahan Botanical papers…
or the paint colors as we ventured on island excursions…
It was a joy sharing fun moments with this crazy group of five – I made sure to take a zillion pictures, so they’d have them to look back on… 
I was drawn to this designer – such artistic detail
Boy if I won the lottery…. 🙂
Home Sunday, back to work Monday, feeling a need for another week off just to recover. These flowers arrived, a pretty thank you for watching over the girls…
The week was a whirl – I got moving on a customer’s vanity – she wants a metallic finish with a wood grained look on the top
I’m about 2/3’s done…
I had to quote painting a 15 foot statue (she’s in parts) for a popular yearly music festival music – Electric Forest – held in Rothbury, Michigan.
If I get the job, they’d deliver her to my studio in a large crate – a crate full of body parts 🙂 How cool would that be? Would love to turn her into an earthy queen of the forest…
We rolled into a mid-week Paint A Piece Workshop –
before
after: layer 1 Caromal Textured Basecoat Parchment, layer 2 American Paint Company Shoreline, sanded, APC Topcoat.
before: this whole piece had an existing crackle finish
after: Cottage Paint Custom Color Gorgeous Grey, top stenciled with another custom color, Ash
before:
after: awesome barnworn finish by Caromal Colours – layer 1 Textured Basecoat Chocolate, layer 2 Chipping Creme, layer 3 Textured Basecoat Parchment, sanded with mouse, layer 4 Caromal Toner.
Even though we were past time, I showed her how to apply a raised textured stencil with the Chocolate – it turned out so darn cool!
before:
after: a Cottage Paint custom tinted color, Groovy Green, with our White Glaze. Stenciled with Caromal Colour Stencil Creme White.
before:
after: a Cottage Paint custom tinted color, Ash, stenciled with American Paint Company Coral Reef.
before:
after: a custom Cottage Paint tinted color, Slate, with our Black Glaze
before:
after: layer 1 on top, to hide some damage: Textured Basecoat Wisteria, layer 2 on whole piece, Cottage Paint custom Gorgeous Grey. Topped with our White Glaze.
before:
after: Cottage Paint custom Gorgeous Grey with our Black Glaze
This past week we also received another customer ‘to do’ project… six chairs and two curios –
A black finish with some reveal is requested, trust that I REALLY tried to talk this client into a DIY project, but she wanted no part it. Looks like we need to get busy painting!
Saturday ended this action packed back-to-work week, with another monthly taping of Shelby DIY TV. This show will discuss taking items you can find around the house, painting them in a variety of ways, and then protecting them with Caromal’s awesome Reclaim Indoor/Outdoor Sealer
Old pots and pans can make great outdoor (even indoor) wall art –
same with very over sized grilling tools
What about the cheap clamp light – granted, not made for outdoor use, but I’d use this under my patio umbrella for a night of ambiance… just take it inside when the evening is over.
A Salvation Army find – 2 identical Fisher Price plastic trucks – in the TV show it picks up a load of pansies 🙂
How many of us have these glass vases from past flower deliveries, stuffed in a cupboard? Perfect for decorating your summer table…
Even plastic ware can get a new look –
This strainer was stinkin cute with the pansies in it –
I’ll share the link this week once the episode is live.
I ended Saturday waxing the purple piece – 
I’ll buff it this week, and probably should put the glass back in it. Is it just me, or do you also prefer these sans glass? A few minor ‘tweeks’ and this one will be complete .
Our new shopping site is coming along – STORE.FABFINISHER.COM . Our original shopping site is still functional, and won’t be removed until our credit card merchant, Chase, passes all of its safety requirements, for accepting credit payments. It might already of happened, last I heard it was any day.
It’s good feeling to be back – until next time, happy painting!
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