Oh 2020...who would've ever thought you'd be such an interesting year?!

In our little paint world we've had quite a lot happening. So here we are with the latest news to update you on all things paint at For The Love!

We moved! Eek! We bid Carol a you'll-always-be-a-part-of-us farewell and welcomed Katie and her tribe. We've had some delivery and supply issues with our old favourites and to keep you (and us!) happy and painting we researched and tried other paint brands to find what works best for our customers Australia-wide.

Here's what we've added to the For The Love family:

If you know us, you know we don't like to do anything quickly or small. We weren't sure at first but Dixie Belle won us over 100%. Firstly, they have a solution for every possible painting problem, challenge or desire! From Slick Stick (for those who don't want to sand), to awesome Gel Stains which are darn near impossible to get in Australia to a colour palette that reaches above and beyond with 60+ colours!

Dixie Belle Paint is a chalk-mineral based so it's easy to use, blend, get full coverage,  layer or distress and the variety of topcoats, sealers, waxes, stains and clear coats will make your head spin. 

Just when you thought Dixie Belle nailed everything about paint (and they have!) they come up with SILK all-in-one Mineral Paint which has a built-in stain blocker AND sealer. What?! Well, of course we love this so much and the colour palette is 20 shades of stunning coastal-inspired goodness. It's easy to use, has excellent coverage and from what we're seeing, the durability is off-the-charts. Give it a try if you haven't already as it's flying off the shelves as the next best thing in paint!

This brand has my whole heart. Everything Jolie does is sophisticated, elegant and beautiful. The paint itself is a high-quality chalk paint said to be the original recipe from the infamous Annie Sloan (she's changed the formula and it is quite thick which isn't ideal for the Aussie climate). All I can say is after years of painting, I cannot recommend Jolie Paint enough!

Jolie is the answer when you want an authentic chalk-based paint with the very best coverage, adhesion and durability — and hands-down the most beautiful colour palette in the industry with 40+ colours. The finishes are simple and complete with Clear Wax as well as favourites black, brown and white — as well as silver, gold and copper Gilding Waxes. Their brushes are beautifully crafted in Italy to last a lifetime and we've also just added a non-yellowing water-based varnish in both Gloss and Low Luster -- as well as a very durable Floor Varnish. 

If all this isn't enough, let the stunning real-life colour chart win you over, or the extensive and detailed fan deck with near-limitless colour-mixing options. They've thought of everything and it shows.

Exclusive to For The Love Creations, our Australian-made small-batch all natural paint brand is back! After a short hiatus we've reintroduced some of our best-selling colours and a few extras.

Old World Paint is eco-friendly and our cleanest paint with ingredients taken only from the earth. It is VOC-free and devoid of any synthetic ingredients, chemicals, hardeners or toxins. It goes on like a dream, covers like mad, has zero smell (well, maybe a bit earthy until it dries) and we've carefully curated the best-of-the-best colour palette.

Old World is traditional, genuine and authentic chalk paint (with clay) and should be sealed with Polishing Wax or similar to bring out the true colour and dimension.

We've carried Miss Mustard Seed from the very start 8 years ago and we've never looked back, it's a staple in our shop and in our painting lives. Everything about Milk Paint speaks to the soul of the furniture artist. There have been some recent changes and upheavals with Marian (Miss Mustard Seed) selling the brand. We were skeptical, but the new owners are passionate, experienced and are bringing new life to the brand.

We are uncertain at this moment when we will receive new stock but rest assured, we are on the case and will keep you informed on our Facebook group page and newsletter as information is made available to us. In the meantime we "hoarded" all the MMSMP we could for you! We also like to believe more will be on it's way soon...

It came onto the market about 5 years ago and many of you have never looked back. The convenience of built-in sealer and the 50+ colour range won our hearts. Fusion Mineral Paint brought us new colour releases and speciality products and taught us painting kitchens and bathrooms was not only OK, it was easy and anyone could do it!

This year we've had challenges with supply and as we wait still for that to normalise, retailers have been working together  to try and find you what you need. You have been patient and understanding and we cannot express our appreciation of this. 

For now it remains a waiting game. We are due a new shipment before Christmas but nothing is guaranteed at this point, so please...experiment, play with the colours we have in stock, try new brands and have confidence knowing that as soon as WE know, YOU will know when our paint supply will return to normal and you can once again Paint It Beautiful!

For many of you this doesn't matter too much being we ship Australia-wide. But actually, it does matter because we are closer to the city so our post office doesn't cut off shipping as early. We will continue to ship Express at our additional expense and we're working harder then ever to get you your orders quickly and in perfect condition!

For those of you coming from interstate (when you are able) or local to South Australia, we are now in Salisbury Heights, just north of the city. While things are still up in the air with shutdowns etc...we are offering curbside pickup or meetup (you decide) as well as continuing to ship Australia-wide. We've also introduced shop-in-the-box experience like no other, get in touch with Katie to organise your visit.

Carol, who has been with For The Love since the beginning, needed a change. Of course she still pops in and fields questions, etc... And funny, but she seems to be painting more than ever! Katie and her crew are all-hands-on-deck and have immersed themselves in project knowledge and heaps of new and exciting additions and changes coming to For The Love in the coming months as they get their hands and clothes covered in paint. So be sure to stay tuned!

Well 2020,  you are more than halfway over and I still have no idea what's happened...or what's to come. We will continue to do our best to help you with your projects, provide you with paint and supplies and offer you exceptional customer service and product/technique knowledge.  

We are cautiously looking forward to the next few months as our new paint lines are so beautiful and you seem to be loving them. We are wanting you to stay safe and healthy and trying to embrace the saying: "May You Live In Interesting Times..."

Happy Spring and Happy Painting xx

The quick and easy was to make certain if there is a wax finish on furniture is to do the fingernail scratch test. This means taking your fingernail and dragging it along the surface. If there's wax, it should come off..well...like wax!

I never really thought I'd have the opportunity to visit the Fixer Upper empire in Waco Texas that is Magnolia Markets. But...it happened. In 40+ degree heat and 100% humidity with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds!

For a complete tour jump over to our Facebook Page and look for the TWO Facebook Live videos where I walk through the masses to give you a firsthand look.

It's inspiring to see how Chip and Joanna Gaines have created such opportunities in this inland Texas town — and the spilling over of growth and revitalization is visible as you drive the neighborhood.

Let's start outside.

The gardens are gorgeous with greenery and ample seating everywhere. There are porch swings and vegetable gardens, vertical green walls and a grassed play area for the little ones. Picnic seating was under cover with water misters to fight the heat. And there were food trucks and stands to grab a meal, a drink or a snack.

​And of course...those gorgeous rusty silos.