life is a journey.

Published on by Quandie

I’ve got one last post today from my recent trip out west.  Be sure to read all the way to the end, because we’ve finally gotten to the giveaway!

When I was out at my mom’s place the first time this year, back in February, one of the things she wanted me to do was paint her front door.  Well, that is a project that is right up my alley!  And so much more fun than washing windows or doing her taxes, which are the typical sort of things she wants my help with.

So we popped out to her local Lowes to pick out paint for her door.  She wanted either a navy blue or a dark green.  We picked a lovely color from the sample chips and went up to the paint mixing counter to have it whipped up.  And you know what?  They couldn’t do it.  They did not have the appropriate dark base paint to mix up a dark color!  I have to admit, I was flabbergasted.  I mean, I’d been hearing that people were having some trouble getting paint these days but I guess I just didn’t expect Lowes to tell me that all they had available were pale shades.

Since I knew I was going back to visit again in a few weeks, I told my mom that I would bring some Dixie Belle paint with me for her door.  She ended up deciding that she wanted dark green rather than navy, so I chose Midnight Green from Dixie Belle’s new Desert Collection.  After all, a color from the Desert Collection seems appropriate for a door in the Mojave desert, right?

The beauty of the Silk All-in-One paint is that it has a built in primer and top coat.  So I only needed to pack the one 16 oz. jar in my suitcase.  I wrapped it in bubble wrap, and then enclosed it in a zip lock bag as an extra precaution.  I have to admit, I was a little nervous that the jar would explode in my suitcase and I’d be wearing paint splattered clothing for my entire visit (not as though wearing paint splattered clothing would be anything new).  But it survived the journey just fine.

To prep the door, I cleaned it with some spray cleaner that my mom had on hand and then I sanded it with a 180 grit sanding block that I did find at her Lowes.  Then I gave it two coats of Midnight Green.

Her door went from boring brown …

to a vibrant green.

One thing I hadn’t considered was how incredibly fast paint dries in a desert environment.  It was a gorgeous day, somewhere around 70 degrees, so not hot.  But the air out there is really dry.  I struggled to maintain a wet edge in order to avoid brush strokes on the large surface of a door.

But my mom loved how it turned out, so that’s the important thing, right?

Have you seen all of the colors in the Desert Collection?

There is the Midnight Green on the lower right.

I used the Mojave on the inside of a washstand I painted earlier this year.

I wasn’t sure what I thought of this color at first, but it really grew on me after using it on this piece.

It pairs beautifully with Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth.

Since I happened to be out in the desert, I decided to see if I could find some of the paint colors from the Desert Collection at the Ethel M Botanical Cactus Garden.

Cactus was easy.

It’s a cactus garden after all.

I was really hoping that Prickly Pear would be easy too, but this vibrant pink is the color of the flower.  Apparently Prickly Pear cactus blooms in May through July, so there were no blooms to be found.

I think you can get a hint of Mojave in the spines on these cacti.

They don’t really have an oasis at the cactus garden, but I thought maybe Oak Creek from Sedona would count.  The color is certainly right.

I also found a bit of the Morning Sunrise color during one of our sunrise hikes in Sedona.

There are 5 more colors in the Desert Collection, but I’ve chosen these five to include in today’s giveaway!

But before we get to that, I had to share this funny coincidence.  When we popped inside the Ethel M Factory after checking out the cactus garden, there were signs announcing their revamped packaging that pays homage to the color palette of the Mojave Desert.

There is Fiery Sky, Midnight Green and Morning Sunrise.

And here is some Mojave.

And here is Umber.

OK, of course these colors are not based on the Dixie Belle colors, or exactly the same, but I just had to share the fact that two entirely different products (paint and chocolates) on two opposite sides of the country (Florida and Nevada) were thinking the same thing at the same time.

That brings me to my giveaway!

It will include five colors from the Desert Collection; Morning Sunrise, Cactus, Oasis, Mojave and Prickly Pear.  Plus some Prickly Pear taffy that I picked up in Sedona, as well as this bracelet, also from Sedona …

I purchased one of these bracelets for myself, and then thought it would be fun to include one in the giveaway as well.  Life is a journey, not a destination.  Although, as destinations go, Sedona was a pretty good one 😉

The rules:  Simply leave a comment on this blog post to be eligible to win.

Your comment must be left on this blog post, not on Facebook or Instagram.  You are not required to follow my blog, although it would be awesome if you did!

I will randomly draw the name of a winner for today’s prize from all of the comments left on this post by Friday, April 15, 2022 at the stroke of midnight (U.S. Central time).

The fine print: no purchase necessary, you must be 18 years of age or older to win, void where prohibited by law, the number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning, approximate retail value of prize is $160, if the prize is not claimed by Friday, April 22, 2022 another name will be drawn at random to win, blah, blah, blah.

Thank you to Dixie Belle Paint Co for providing the paint I’m giving away today.

108 thoughts on “life is a journey.”

  3. I love the Mojave and Oasis..WOW!!! The mojave, some black and brown, little beige/putty mixed with baking soda in the paints, would look awesome on a vase or pottery vase that needs a new do…The painting of vases is really popular now. Gonna try it out with some paints I have!! Happy Painting!!

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  4. Just so happens I’m painting my front door too! 😉 I grew up in Arizona, so I’ve sat on and stepped on quite a variety of cactus 🌵 lol No fun. I have always liked Fusion Minerals paint for that built in top coat. I’ll definitely need to try Dixie Belles.
    I loved your post as always!

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  8. All of those Dixie Bell paints look wonderful- very colorful, I have not tried that brand- but would love to win. Thanks for the nice giveaway.

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    1. We have a European Capitals cruise books for September. It’s one that we originally had booked for 2020, then for 2021 (both canceled due to Covid), and now 2022. Fingers crossed that third time’s the charm 🙂

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  11. Sedona is a wonderful destination and the colors of nature found there are incredible. It’s so fun and creative that Dixie Belle found those colors worthy for their paint! Thank you for your give-aways and sharing your work here.

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  12. Thank you for this! I love the desert colors, Oasis is my favorite. My front door needs painted this year, I would use that color in a heartbeat! I have followed you for years, keep up the great work!

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  16. As always, I love your posts and how you relate colors to real life! I have a few things of yours that I’ve picked up in Stillwater, I can always spot your items!

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  17. I have lived in Arizona most of my life. The desert colors are absolutely amazing. These paint colors are a lovely reminder of the beauty of nature.

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  19. What a wonderful trip you had. The green door was a beautiful improvement. Everyone knows that chocolates are a great little snack when you are painting!! Thank you for a chance to win some Dixie Belle paint and that wonderful bracelet. When I was in Sedona I had a prickly pear margarita and it was yummy! 😊

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  21. I savor your posts; so much so that when I see you in my emails I often wait to open it when all is quiet and I can spend time reading and then re-reading and enjoying your photos. I love the door you painted here. (Also, I’d love to sample those chocolates!)

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    1. They are pretty delicious! Just an FYI, if you’re ever in the Las Vegas airport, there is an Ethel M kiosk and they will give you a free sample if you ask 😉

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  24. This whole post is such an inspiration! I need/want to paint my front door and using Dixie Belle or one of the alternative paints at my neighborhood Aunt Bee’s House selection is a great idea! That door is a WOW! I’m inspired by the collection you’ve pulled together and the corresponding beautiful photos!! Maybe, a trip there is calling my name! Your blog is one of my favorites.. the finished products are so professional and unique … keep those tips coming!

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  25. I have been following you for not quite a year and have learned so much along the way. I haven’t tired Dixie Belle yet but love the beautiful colors they offer. I admire your work and all you are able to accomplish day to day!

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  33. I have a project in my head for each one of the colors, and I would wear that sweet bracelet proudly! Your giveaways are such a nice touch to a wonderful blog. Thanks for the opportunity!!

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  34. Great colors Linda, thank you for organizing another giveaway! To be honest, i liked them _after_ you paired them with actual pictures – that Morning sunrise photo… i can totally see it now.

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  35. I LOVE the dessert colors! So many pieces I could redo using them! Love your blog and all of your hints; very helpful! I hope you receive this as I have tried to communicate previously but have difficulty seeing responses. Have a wonderful weekend!

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  37. Great job on the door in that dry climate. I love any shades of green 😀 and I am really drawn to the mustard-y Mojave!
    Enjoy hearing about your travels and seeing inside shops I’ll probably never get to visit.

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  38. Back in the ’60’s, my mother was obsessed with the gold/brown/green pallette that became popular in the ’70’s so your selections of paint rought back quite a few memories of accents in her house.
    Iam about to start a couple projects myself and you’ve inspired me to try the Silk paints.
    I’ve only been to Ethel M’s during December -what an enchanting place!
    Thanks for the tips you provide; they are so helpful.

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  39. Very original post; I really like how you matched the paint colors with their counterparts in nature!
    Thank you for the giveaway!

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  40. WOW! Those colors are absolutely fabulous. Oh, how I wish I could paint my front door. The rules of townhouse loving…but I can dream. Maybe I need a little dollhouse to paint in all those delicious, vibrant colors. Loving your travel blogs!

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    1. I wonder if you could paint a back door? 🤔 😃 I have painted a side door, which is the one we use most, a bright red-orange that looks so beautiful during fall and winter.

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