23 in 2023 — 23 Painting Projects by For the Love Creations

The year started out HOT!

MMS Milk Paint Arabesque painted dresser

Arabesque by Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

It began with me painting a laminate drawer set with Arabesque — a soft pink from Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint, the perfect colour to ring in 2023.

Terra Clay Paint by Dixie Belle Paint Company

The weather was still hot when I got my hands on the brand new Dixie Belle Paint Company’s Terra Clay Paint! It has proven to be a creamy, rich, highly-pigmented, clay-based paint, made for the artist and furniture painter alike. Check out the deets HERE.

Terra Clay Paint warm yellow furniture paint

Terra Clay Paint soft green Agave furniture paint

Terra Clay Paint projects in Wheat and Agave

Because I can be hardware and tool challenged, I got a bit of help attaching feet to this thrifted piece. It’s painted entirely in Dixie Belle Paint Company’s Chalk Mineral Paint in the colors Midnight Sky, Pine Cone and Burlap. Once finished, it was immediately put to use in the shop where it lives to this day.

Dixie Belle Paint Company Midnight Sky Pine Cone Burlap

It’s easy to paint over laminate with Slick Stick bonding primer and Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint

We all juggle multiple projects, right? And that’s what happened when I upcycled this vintage chair in MMS Milk Paint Dried Lavender before adding black wax to highlight those gorgeous details in the PolyOnlay motifs.

MMS Milk Paint Dried Lavender painted chair

Thrifted chair painted in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Dried Lavender

Tie dyeing with Jolie chalk paint Tie dyeing with Jolie paint

Tie dyeing with Jolie chalk paint

Paint brushes had a rest while experimenting with tie-dyeing, using Jolie chalk paint. So much fun! Shortly after was the first painting workshop of the year — Paint Your Own Piece! We laughed, we learned, we painted! About this time is when I also began stripping a dining table.

For the Love Creations furniture painting workshops

Refinishing a dining table

All summer I had been side-eyeing my upholstered bedroom armchair. It’s best to paint upholstery in warm, dry weather right? Well, now it was April and the good weather was threatening to disappear for good, so I cracked on and it’s now looking fab in my bedroom!

Jolie paint Swedish Grey and Legacy painted upholstery

Upholstered armchair painted in Jolie Swedish Grey, Jolie Legacy on the stripes, Jolie Black finishing wax on the feet

Jolie paint in Petite Chateau with PolyOnlay motifs and Jolie Black Finishing Wax

I finished up my bedsides with Jolie Paint in Petit Chateau and PolyOnlay and while I was appreciating the bedroom theme, I opted to paint this dresser, perfect for a teen girl’s room, in Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Marzipan.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Marzipan sealed with MMS MilkWax Clear

Change of season had me sharing these moody painted desks in Dixie Belle’s Plum Crazy and Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Luckett’s Green.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Luckett’s Green fresh yellow green painted writing desk

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Luckett’s Green

Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Plum Crazy

This nightstand was painted in MMS Milk Paint Mora. It was my first time using MMS as a wash and I was not disappointed. Get all the details HERE.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Mora pale grey blue painted beside table

Winter brought us six new, cottage-inspired colours from Dixie Belle and Fusion Mineral Paint’s new Lost At Sea collection. The rich, deep, gorgeous shades got a warm welcome! I painted this chest of drawers using Fusion’s new colour, Chestler and I also painted this table using DB’s Weeping Willow with Buttercream on the Enchanted Garden stencil.

Fusion Mineral Paint Chestler deep jewel blue painted tallboy

Fusion Mineral Paint in Chestler

Dixie Belle chalk mineral paint Weeping Willow sage green chalk painted desk

Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Weeping Willow with Buttercream on the Enchanted Garden stencil

Barbie-palooza hit the world by storm and pink was EVERYWHERE and I was loving it! I grabbed my pink paints and Barbied up the weekend with Jolie paint in Rose Quartz and Hibiscus on the tray; Peony decoupage paper by Belles & Whistles on this little pot; and Fusion’s Rose Water looks sensational paired with Fusion Metallic Gold dry-brushed on this glass bottle. (Yes you can paint glass with Fusion!)

Jolie chalk paint Rose Quartz and Hibiscus Belles & Whistles Peony rice decoupage paper Dixie Belle Paint Company Fusion Mineral Paint Rose Water and metallic gold paint

More workshops, mean more FUN and we were in full swing as our painters showed up with their own pieces, chose their colours and painted up a storm!

Furniture Painting Workshops Adelaide South Australia

Furniture Painting Workshops Fusion Mineral Paint chalk paint

Furniture Painting Workshops For the Love Creations Adelaide South Australia

Spring blossoms appeared as my paint palette was unusually neutral with Miss Mustard Seed’s colours of the month Carolina Dune on the side table and Linen on the small shelf. Staying with the neutrals I restyled a desk for my daughter’s Year 12 woodworking project, layering washes of Fusion’s Wood Wick and Champlain.

Miss Mustard Seed’s Carolina Dune painted side table

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Carolina Dune

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Linen

Layered washes of Fusion Wood Wick and Champlain

But I cannot stay away from colour for long and soon enough Silk all-in-one Mineral Paint in Fiery Sky helped restyle a side table.

Silk all-in-one Mineral Paint in Fiery Sky painted side table

Silk all-in-one Mineral Paint in Fiery Sky

Dixie Belle’s Mint Julep updated the dining chairs. At this time I also finished the dining table in Jolie Espresso on the legs, sealing with Jolie Black Finishing Wax. The dining table top was stained with a wash of Jolie Espresso then sealed with four coats of Jolie Low-lustre Varnish.

Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint Jolie chalk paint painted dining set

Dining chairs painted in DB Mint Julep; table top stained with a wash of Jolie Espresso, legs painted in Espresso and sealed with black wax

Painted, texturised pots with raised stencil techniques turned into one of the most fun painting workshops in 2023. And after a curbside find went boho, I got my swing-on painting shoes for my nephew’s Gatsby-themed get-up.

Embossing techniques with Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Layla’s Mint and Linen painted side table

Painted leather shoes with Jolie chalk paint

As the year comes to a close a painting gal may need to drop everything and paint her pantry walls. Amiright?! Hello custom color mix by Jolie Chalk Paint.

Jolie chalk paint custom mix of Eucalyptus and Legacy medium green grey paint

Jolie paint custom mixing deck

And BAM it’s December! December just begs for Tricycle, however, before the year ends there is another desk (this time for Mr Uni), and an oak captain’s chair that I coordinated to my dining table legs with Jolie Espresso and black wax. Oh! And an MMS Milk Paint Colonial Blue stool with a tan washed top because, why not?

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint Tricycle vivid red milk painted dresser

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Tricycle

Jolie paint in Noir on the lower desk and chair; upper desk stained + sealed with Jolie Finishing Wax in Black

Miss Mustard Seed’s Milk Paint in Colonial Blue sealed with MMS MilkWax white

Raised stencil with a thick mixture of MMS Milk Paint in Boxwood

A big, fat, whopping, end-of-year thank you to all you fabulous painters and workshoppers out there who give me likes, comments, calls, texts, purchases and the occasional face-to-face “Hey, I saw that thing you painted. I really liked it!”

You’re all painting rock stars and I couldn’t do it for even a day without your support. I’m looking forward to a smashing 2024 with all you fabulous peeps. Let’s paint! Let’s Workshop!

All the BEST!

Katie For the Love Creations furniture painter workshops