The Clay Trowel

Concrete Trend for Fireplace Surrounds

2020-12-07T09:36:00.003-08:00

What makes my job exciting is turning the focal point of a room into a work of art! This last house asked for an artistic clay finish on their new fireplace surround.

I used Iroquois American Clay and washed the top with a dark pigment to achieve the aged concrete look. Since clay IS an ingredient in actual cement it feels amazing and makes such a statement.

There are so many artistic directions you can take the clay. It can be modern OR old world style, it just depends on my technique and the color choices a client chooses.

The up close picture below is when the clay is wet - I love showing the DEPTH of the product and all the artistic divots and character each fireplace has.

The fireplace is starting to lighten up as it's drying.

I don't always receive a final, fully decorated AFTER picture but I did with these clients.

Blueplank Builders in Coeur d'Alene was the builder of this beautiful

home.

Give me a call to bid your own fireplace! It's such a unique focal point to give your new home construction OR just a redo on your current painted fireplace. The colors are endless and we can discuss a personalized artistic style for your home.

"Get the Look No One Else Has!"

Plastering American Clay That Looks Like Concrete for Fireplace Surrounds

2020-01-12T18:08:00.005-08:00

Hello Design Friends,

Today I have a very exciting post. Most of you know my absolute love for American Clay and lately, I've been specializing in plastering clay fireplace surrounds. Most of my clients have asked for an industrial hand troweled concrete/cement look but I can produce any artistic style you've envisioned..

My favorite part about the clay is that it's REAL and NATURAL. This is not a faux paint product or something synthetic trying to mimic a natural product. Concrete has clay in it.....so in part, I feel like you can't use a better product to produce a look similar to a cement or concrete fireplace surround.

What I have found from most of my clients who are looking for a concrete fireplace surround is they aren't excited about astronomical bid they get! What they get from me is a work of art (hand troweled and artistic) for a fraction of the cost.

Over the next few weeks I am going to showcase the MANY fireplace surrounds I have completed.

This was one of my first fireplace surrounds. It was showcased in the Parade of Homes - construction done by Axiom Homes in

Coeur d'Alene Idaho.

It can be a little challenging to see the TEXTURE and experience the feel of the clay but it's stunning in person. Here are a few up-close photos of the clay texture.

This is actually another one of my clay fireplace surrounds but it shows more the texture.

Another one of my fireplaces that had a rugged pulled form concrete feel. I love all the character and divots this client wanted.

In general, the fireplace is such a focal point of your home it's WELL worth the cost to make it unique and stand out from the rest.

Feel free to contact me and I'll give you a quote to do either your new home construction fireplace OR your already established fireplace. YES! I can simply go right over your current plain painted fireplace. :-)

Review for The Clay Trowel - Rustic Kitchen in Enjarre American Clay

2017-04-18T20:38:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends!

I just finished a LOVELY home project way out in the Coeur d'Alene forest :-)

My team applied a very rustic, one coat Enjarre finish to their kitchen. I always feel honored to turn a client's home into a work of art. I appreciated her "glowing" review.

BEFORE

AFTER

Their little girls room was done up in clay also.

My client even made that fairy art piece out of the clay!

She was inspired by this piece I did.

Best of Houzz 2017 - Client Satisfaction

~ Selina

Showcase Gallery of American Clay Before and After

2017-02-03T12:52:00.001-08:00

Since I just finished a large American Clay job, I thought it would be fun to do a post on some of my past clay projects. A little Before and After Showcase. :-)

Before ENTRY with Colorado Red Clay - skip troweled

After

Tuscan Gold clay over concrete walls (this was an all green thermal mass home).

After (such a pretty glowing color)

One of my favorite clay projects was this guest room. She wanted me to "age" the fireplace hood and then paint a true fresco of an antler. It was HUGE (or else I just have a tiny head) :-) but it turned out great and was a lot of fun.

Before (aging process)

After (complete with fresco using earth pigments)

This project was a client in California. This is the exact same wall in both pictures. I also helped with re-arranging and decorating the entire room. Acacia American Clay

Before

And the AFTER!

This series below is a photographers living room wall.

This couple wanted to get rid of all their hanging photography canvases and just have a beautiful clay wall in their living room in which they could still shoot their photos.

Before

After

This home was GORGEOUS......every time I came to the job site I felt like I was in another world! You can see her entire Tuscan American Clay home on this other post. She literally had me (and my team) do the ENTIRE home in clay.....yes, including the garage.

This is in the same home.....it was at least 30' high up by that window......we had 2 scaffolding's and a tall ladder on top of that and guess who the lucky chosen applicator was.......me :-)

My little girl's room......she chose PINK American Clay....of course ;-)

Before

After

And lastly, my own home......Nearly 200 hours worth of American Clay in this house :-) I was exhausted!

My Guest Bathroom:

Till next post my friends! As always, I hope to inspire some of you to give American Clay a try in your own home....you'd love it.

American Clay Over Concrete on a Thermal Mass Home

2015-03-25T13:52:00.000-07:00

Featured Project of February (article taken from American Clay's Blog)

A Stunning Transformation Using Lomalina American Clay!

A thermal mass concrete home was given a beautiful transformation with the use of Lomalina.

Selina Hoit from Creative Juices Decor (aka The Clay Trowel) gives us insight into this healthy home.

Tell us a little about the project and clients?

This was a beautiful home of a retired couple nestled away on 20 acres up in the country. They built their home out of concrete and only used building materials that were natural, non-toxic and green. Their goal was to create a thermal mass home made without any questionable materials. The decision to use American Clay fit right into that plan.

Who were the applicators and dealers?

The application was done by my company, Old World Walls. You can see more photos of the American Clay projects I have done by visiting www.creativejuicesdecor.com. Most of my product was purchased through the American Clay company and GTS Drywall in Rathrum, Idaho.

Why was American Clay chosen?

My clients did an insane amount of research before they chose American Clay for their home. Absolutely NOTHING was going to be put in their home that didn’t live up to their highest standard of clean living. Once they met with me and discussed it more, they were confident in the choice they had made.

What were the steps to applying American Clay over concrete and what tips would you give?

We had a few trials, the biggest one being we had to keep the integrity of an all natural green product and take in consideration the breathability of the concrete. The bonder base coat that was first recommended to apply the clay over the concrete was a USG bonder. This was not an option for my client as they wanted to keep the breathability of the concrete at it’s full potential and they also didn’t want to add anything that wasn’t green or questionable. The best advice I have for others that want to keep the product as natural as possible would be to double up their binder. We used Plaster Plus in our clay along with Sanded Primer as a base coat over the concrete. Of course, this was after each wall was washed with a water/vinegar mix to be sure it was free of any dust or oil that would be left from the concrete forms. If you are able to power wash your concrete walls before a lot of construction starts that is a very safe way to go about providing a better “grip” or “tooth” to the concrete. Don’t forget to fill in any divits or holes that come from the nature of poured form concrete. If the power wash had been done first, we might have gotten away with just the plaster plus in the clay. You can always do a large test area on any given wall (you must do the TWO coats of clay!) to see how your choice of bonder is holding up against the concrete or any substrate. When doing a large job, my motto is better safe than sorry, so if you could do all three of my recommendations – go for it!

How do the clients feel about the overall project?

They were thrilled with the American Clay. They knew that what they put into their home was safe and it gave life to the home they were retiring in. It’s been a year since I did this home and I haven’t received any phone calls regarding touch ups. Happily there has been no issues with the clay over the concrete.

See More of Selina's American Clay Projects at

Creative Juices Decor

Feel free to contact Selina for your next American Clay project.

To check out American Clay's Blog clink LINK.

American Clay Bathroom Benefits

2015-03-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

This bathroom was so inspiring! Adding American Clay to the walls was just icing on the cake. My client chose the American Clay product, Porcelina.

"Porcelina is often compared to the Venetian plasters of Italy. It is truly closest to quality of "porcelain" ceramics for which it was named. Satin smooth, easily blended for marble-like surfaces, Porcelina casts a spell of beauty…with an edge of contemporary, crisp lustre.which is the smoothest of all the clay products and closest to the look of Venetian plaster". (from A.C. website)

For those that are thinking about doing American Clay in their bathroom GOOD CHOICE! The clay has so many amazing benefits like the fact that it naturally absorbs water vapor and it is mold resistant.

Click on the link below on how water/steam is absorbed into the clay instead of running down your walls! You'll be blown away. The American Clay Humidity Demonstration.

The color was one of my favorites: Amber Grain.

Pardon the dust! We did this home right in the middle of all the construction process, in fact we did this entire home in American Clay - top to bottom including the garage! The home overlooked Lake Coeurd'alene in Idaho. I just LOVE this natural stone vessel sink paired up with a deep mahogany wood along with the depth of the textured, all natural clay walls.

The value of putting American Clay in your home is non disputable. I hope this post is what you needed to be inspired!

Step by Step - Pictures of a Dramatic American Clay Wall

2015-03-20T18:23:00.000-07:00

American Clay Plaster is one of the easiest ways to add warmth, texture, and character to your walls. While the finish looks high-end, it's a project many DIYers can tackle themselves with the right tools and techniques. In this guide, I'll walk you through the step-by-step process so you can create beautiful clay plaster walls in your own home.

I am an interior designer by degree and an American Clay applicator. I absolutely can't say enough wonderful things about this product.

Shop the tools!

Hawk and trowel

Gardz Primer (mix w sand)

American Clay products

This project I'm showing you wasn't my typical clay wall. This wall's purposes was to be used as a photography backdrop instead of having to put up canvases in this professional photographers family room. I had to view this project as more of an art piece than "just doing a wall"

Believe it or not the hardest part for me is the "getting ready" part. Mixing up all the clay (80 lb bag of clay!) and getting all the pigments right with the binder is always time consuming.

I tend to just dump in the pigment and then mix it with my plaster drill, adding water until the clay gets to be about a milkshake consistency.

I have always bought very expensive Japanese trowels from the American clay website but I found these on Amazon that look almost identical! If I update my trowels I will be buying these.

JAPANESE TROWELS

Or this set

4 piece Japanese trowels

This project consisted of 3 colors - Bryce Canyon, Palomino Valley, and Acacia. This was the first time I used American Clay's newer product Enjarre and Up and EZ binder. Enjarre is their only one coat system and for those on a tighter budget it makes doing clay on the walls a doable option. The instructions in the first photo is if you use Loma or Porcelina. Those require two coats of clay. Enjarre is the only one that just requires one coat.

Here are the before shots!

Get ready to see the transformation from country STENCILS to Tuscan BEAUTY!!!

I troweled on a rotation of Bryce Canyon and Palomino Valley to give added depth and texture to the wall.

I'm sorry, isn't this clay is the most mouth watering, luxurious thing you have ever seen? Makes me want to eat it! (which by the way you CAN, this stuff is so natural.)

Enjarre one coat mixed pigments of Bryce Canyon, Palomino Valley, and Acacia.

After I covered the walls in the 2 darker tones (which was tricky since the clay color wet isn't the clay color dry, so it is kind of like you are painting blind!) I skip troweled on the Acacia color in spontaneous areas. Once the lighter color dried for a while I used a clean plastic trowel to blend it into the darker colors

Here is the wall finished with the first coat and still wet. (Remember the clay always dries a LOT lighter.)

Here are the AFTER shots! It is so textured and rich! Can you also see this is a powder room, or a wall in your kitchen? Give me a call and I'd be happy to do it!

Previously they had to hang canvas as a backdrop on their plain wall.

Detailed instructions DIY AmericanClay

Tape off like you were going to paint.

Mix one bag of primer sand with a gallon of the Gardz Drywall Primer.

Apply sanded primer to the entire area.

One bag of American clay Loma covers 180 ft. You will need two layers of Loma.

Once the sanded primer is dry, you can apply the mixed wet Loma clay.

Pour the entire bag of Loma clay into a large bucket. Add water and pigment to make it the consistency of a thick milkshake.

Trowel one layer @ the thickness of a credit card over the entire area.

Once that has dried, do your 2nd layer of American clay Loma over the top.

Once that is at least about 60% - 100% dried, lightly mist about a 3-ft by 8 ft area with water (I usually use a weed sprayer container) and compress the clay with the trowel. Do this over the entire wall.

Take off the tape and you are done!

What are your thoughts? :-) This is my own home in American Clay

Do you like the rich deep terra cotta color or do you prefer lighter more subtle color like this room I did? See my home tour for more American Clay!

Feel free to Contact me for any information regarding the clay or other design questions.

American Clay in Tuscan Style Northwest Home

2015-03-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

I feel so blessed that people recognized my hard work and I once again won an American Clay Competition.

Here is the article:

Project Contest American Clay Winner!

The winner is….Selina Hoit of OldWorldWalls (*now known as The Clay Trowel)

"The project contest has come to close and the winner is Selina Hoit, an American Clay applicator of OldWorldWalls.

We were very excited and thrilled to see such beautiful projects being done throughout the World posted on our Facebook page. American Clay would not only like to congratulate the winner of the project contest, but all of you who participated and showcased your stunning works of art."

The Winner: Selina Hoit, Old World Walls, Idaho

The powder room. This powder room was done by Selina Hoit of OldWorldWalls. Selina Hoit talks about the project below:

“This was a very fun project in Idaho. The homeowner had seen American Clay at a home show and immediately knew it was the product she wanted for her entire 4,000 square foot home on the lake.
We covered every square inch of her home, even the garage and mechanical room. She just couldn’t get enough of it! Almost the entire home was a custom mix of equal parts Acacia and Nantucket sand. Her powder room, the one showcased, was the only room done in a richer pigment, Amber Grain. She wanted a look closer to Venetian plaster so she chose the Porcelina clay, which we compressed to achieve a beautiful satin finish.

Before I completed this project, the texture and look of Loma was my favorite, but now that I have had a chance to do an entire home in Porcelina I think I am a convert. I can’t tell you how AMAZING her house feels with every inch covered in a buttery smooth yet full-of-depth texture. I feel fortunate to have found American Clay and every job I do is an exciting one.”

Here is a photo of the grand prize winning wall I did previously. The winner was chosen by a board of professionals in the Albuquerque area.

You can see even more of Selina's American Clay projects by clicking over to her other blog.

Creative Juices Decor

More Pictures of American Clay in My Home!

2012-05-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

Over the past 5 years of being an American Clay applicator I have collected many left over clay colors from multiple jobs. Being that am I a free spirited designer, I thought it would be fun for my powder room to be a collection of all the left over colors! (I wonder if tile installers ever do this with all their left over tile remnants! I know I'd probably have an entire mosaic wall, good thing I'm not a tile installer!)

I started with the base in Guadalupe Dunes in Enjarre

Next was a skip troweled Quartzine (white) in Enjarre

Then on top of that, Amber Grain Porcelina

And last but not least, Savannah Moss in Porcelina!

Obviously, these were all troweled with areas open to the color underneath.

Since I knew I needed to compress the walls, I ended up using a damp sponge to reach all the layers. (a light misting and a trowel was not going to reach the other colors!) Unfortunately, by using a sponge, some of the bright colors became muted by the Savannah Moss being swiped over them.

The result??? It looks like an old crumbled concrete wall from Italy. Since I just used leftovers, I may chosen different colors if I started from scratch but I am happy to have my powder room be something different from the rest of the neutral colored house.

It's almost a room you need to see in person. Here it is completed.

And one more up close - Enjoy!

(sorry, the watermark is from my other blog.....)

A collection of old plates adorn the wall.

Starting American Clay Enjarre on my Own Home!

2012-01-14T08:14:00.000-08:00

I am so excited because I finally get to apply American Clay in my own home. After renting for 4 years, this interior designer is ready for some fun!

I chose to do the entire main level in the Enjarre clay because it only requires one coat (instead of two) and I was doing it myself and on a TIME CRUNCH!

I am so happy with the end result, but if time and money didn't mean anything, I would still opt for Loma or Porcelina, at least in a few rooms :-)

I choose Caltrite and Agate which used to come in pre-tinted Enjarre bags. (From what I heard, they no longer sell the Enjarre pre- tinted, you just buy the pigment or tint separately.)

Since I was doing just one coat, I knew I had to get creative with the clay. I ended up mixing (on my hawk) both the colors and then came back when the clay was still wet, and skipped some of the Quartzine Enjarre on top. I wanted LOTS of texture. The more the merrier for me, although, a lot of my clients prefer the super smooth texture that gives off this rich buttery feel like this bathroom in clay that I did.

And here is some AFTER shots!

If you would like to see more pictures of my own home, stop by my other blog,

CreativeJuicesDecor and enter the word HOUSE in the search box.

Acacia American Clay - Voted Best color

2011-09-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

American Clay recently did a pole on what was the American Clay fan's favorite clay color pigment and Acacia was the winner!

Funny thing is, that was the same color one of my favorite clients picked for her beautiful home on the lake. One thing I liked about that color is that it was warm and yet subtle. Acacia perfectly accented every piece in her home from art to the various wood tones.

Here is a home done in the Acacia American Clay color:

Texteriors source

Isn't that gorgeous! Not only are the walls spectacular but the room has so many interesting accents. The RICH wood floor paired along with the grey cabinetry is perfect. I also love how the wood beams pick up on the color of the flooring and how the fire place picks up on both the rich wood tones and the grey stone colors. The floor to ceiling window is such a focal point along with the old wagan wheel turned light fixture.

Here is a picture of the home I did in Acacia.

It truly is an amazing color. Although, there isn't any color in the American Clay family that I don't like!

~ Old World Walls ~

Old World Fireplace

2011-02-21T08:56:00.000-08:00

source unknown

American Clay verses paint - the BEST baby room choice.

2010-12-28T07:30:00.000-08:00

When I think of a little baby sleeping in a room for countless hours (hopefully) I can't think of a better wall covering than a 0 VOC application of breathable, all natural American Clay. All the fumes from paint can't be good! This room is done in their Marittimo clay product. I covered their Porcelina product in this post of a 5000 sq foot home we did, and the Loma in this post, so what better to cover the Marittimo in this one!

Photo credit by Nick Novelli

Marittimo™ is a name created with the "mar" (or "sea") at its core. Maritimo™ uses recycled, crushed shells from the U.S. Gulf Coast. This plaster top coat brings the greatest textural surprise of them all. Its faceted luminescence is produced by burnishing and light sponging brings back the spirit of the shells used in this formulation. (taken from American Clay website)

Always expect delight.:-)

This nursery (by Keren Navarro) was a mix of the pigment Kentucky Moon and Wild Horse Smoke. I adore it! I could see this blue used in a bathroom or even a dining room with lots of white beadboard and molding.
American Clay Earthen Plaster not only was a healthy alternative to paint, but added depth and humidity control to the walls. For a humidity demonstration click highlighted section.

Be inspired! American Clay is the best choice!

Artistic American Clay Application

2010-12-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

With this project my client wanted to add an accent wall in clay behind her bed. She asked for something fun with lots of character to add elegance but also liven up the place. This was not a typical application of the clay but we had a lot of fun doing it. Since my last clay post was about the American Clay product Porcelina, today I'm showcasing a room done in Loma.

"Loma™ The Original Earth Plaster. Loma™, meaning "earth" in Spanish, conveys the essence of suede through its sensuous matte surfaces resembling the textural delights of a Tuscan farmhouse. Made with reclaimed marble, sand, and multiple clays, our patented formula offers a remarkable breadth of surface possibilities." (American Clay website)

Plain Old Boring Bedroom Wall........ (-:

Unique and Vibrant Bedroom Wall......

We achieved this look by putting on a base coat of Acacia in the American Clay product Loma. Next we put on very random trowel markings in Amber Grain.

As you can tell by looking at my American Clay posts I enjoy pushing the artistic envelope with the product. I believe we pulled off what the client wanted and made this bedroom something special.

If you would like to see a more step by step tutorial of how to apply American Clay click this post.

Thanks for looking and please contact me for price quotes on making your OWN room unique!

selina (at) fusemail (dot) com

Furniture Applications and American Clay Contest Details.

2010-12-09T07:30:00.000-08:00

A few of you have asked to have more details about the clay lamp and up close pictures of the winning American Clay wall. I am happy to oblige.

With the lamp, it came to me with the center being a white PVC plastic tube. I have no idea why it was like that or what was on there before. The rest of the lamp is a very nice, heavy duty structure with a stone base and top.

I painted the plastic with a coat of the sanded primer then I troweled on the American Clay. In general American Clay colors are not very deep or dark. The best way to deepen the color is to apply an oil, stucco soap, or sealer over the top. I decided to actually add paint over the top of the clay. By doing this it does take away all the breathablity of the clay and turns it from a very natural product back into just another painted product. But I decided it was just a small lamp and I was willing to change the clay property this one time.

I also wanted to add some more depth to this lamp and applied a few leaf stencils over the entire pole. Just put the stencil on (I sectioned off the leaf from the surrounding stencil) - and pull it off. Let it all dry before applying any other topping (like the paint).

Sealing the clay with a penetrating sealer is always a good idea for projects like this. It just gives it some hardening aspects. (I would do this very last!)

Now on to the winning American Clay wall. (The Details)

My client wanted an Old World look. I started with the American Clay color Acacia in Loma as the base and followed up with a skip trowel technique with more Loma in Acacia. Once dry I took watered pigment in Tuscon gold, Savannah moss, and a mixture of Savannah moss and palomino valley to create the effect of aged clay - in essence it's like a true fresco - earth pigments on top of the clay as a decorative effect. I worked it with a stippler brush and burnished it until it was just like she wanted it.

LOMA in ACACIA BASE with mud glue (primer on edges only)

LOMA in ACACIA TOP COAT skip troweled

Earth Pigments in Savannah Moss, Palomino Valley, and Tuscon Gold. Brushed on watered down.

Can you see using this wall as a photography backdrop? - no more bulky canvases!

The clay is so pretty that the client Kira has even used it as a backdrop for her children's photos. Another professional photographer just contacted me and would like me to do a rich terra cotta clay wall aged in a deep tea stain for a backdrop. They were just so tired of having to pull out the canvases in their home studio. Now they can have a timeless wall (that will add to their house value) without all the hassle and clutter of canvases.

American Clay Art on Canvas

2010-12-07T07:30:00.000-08:00

Hello Friends!!

As my love for American Clay continues I try to explore different uses for the product. I've even gone so far as to coat a lamp out if it. (the center on that lamp used to be a white PVC pipe which is probably why I got it for 10 bucks at a thrift store!)

Today I would like to showcase an art piece I created with the clay and in good 'ol blog fashion try to explain how to........ Do It Yourself. :-)

First buy yourself a blank art canvas. I bought four canvases 24"x30" which would make the final piece a whoppin 4'x5'! Michaels craft store carries a lot of sizes. (I've even done this technique on a tiny 8"x11" canvas)

Since American Clay needs something to stick onto I applied a sanded primer to the canvas and allowed it to dry.

Next I covered the entire four canvases with a layer of clay. I would highly recommend doing 2 layers of clay but as you read through my blog you will see I am quite impatient, not a great quality of mine! I compressed the clay extra to make sure it was a solid surface for my stencil. The canvas needs to be 100% dry before you move onto the next step. (It was starting to dry in this picture.)

Then I applied my stencil. These very large stencils can be found at Modello Designs - a fabulous design store full of amazing ideas. Just to warn you though these big babies are expensive! ($300.00+) You only get to use them one time. They peel off like a sticker and you apply it to the wall or floor but in this case - a canvas.

Next I slather on my alternating color of reddish clay over the stencil, carefully troweling in the direction of the design. I only did one layer of clay (debated doing two. but you know my impatience thing) and slowly peeled off the stencil (while it was still damp - that wasn't because of impatience, it was because working with it damp seemed easier.) When you peel off the stencil pull it completely flat against working area - do not pull UP! I'm a sucker for the "old world" look so I felt it necessary to "age" my art. I watered up some earth pigments and used my round stippler brush to age the clay.

All finished! - just how I wanted it. Next I will be finding the perfect place for this on a wall. (Can you imagine it above a jetted bathtub on a terra cotta colored clay wall - maybe this is of things to come??)

I found a site that you can order custom stencils or choose from a bunch of cute ones in stock. These are not the sticker stencils, but mylar. I am sure they would also work just tape it in place and hold steady!

If you would like to commission me to do a custom clay art piece for your home please CONTACT ME. I do understand that the whole DIY thing isn't for everyone and I would be happy to do what I do best for you!

American Clay Professional Catagory Contest Winner!

2010-11-30T17:36:00.000-08:00

My love of American Clay came as I was flipping through a design magazine and ran across this picture of American Clay.

I was sold instantly. I wanted my whole life to look like that picture! OK well at least some rooms in my home. I showed a friend and she said, “Well let's go to Albuquerque and learn how to do it!” Easy enough – right? So off we went and I’ve never looked back. If your walls were bread, American Clay is the butter, maybe even the butter and the jam. What I’m saying is American Clay is a MUST!

I just entered my first Professional American Clay makeover contest and am happy to announce my room won the grand prize. Follow this link to read the full article.

Here is a summary:

I entered three of the homes I did this past year.

Below are the BEFORE and AFTER pictures.

Ledeboer's had me do their kitchen and dining room.

Loma 2 coat skip troweled in Savannah Moss, aged edges.

McKee's had me do a wall in their Living Room:

Loma 2 coats skip troweled in Acacia. Aged with multiple earth pigments.

Jan had me do her guest room with an antler fresco:

Porcelina in Nantucket/Acacia mix. Fresco with the earth pigments.

Actually Jan had me do her entire 5000 sq foot home in American Clay. It was stunning!!

The winner was chosen by a group of well known professionals in the community.

The McKee's living room wall was the winner and the antler's received an honorable mention as 3rd place. I was awarded $1,000 towards American Clay product. Since we are building a house soon I will enter one of my rooms for next year's contest. You can be sure that as many walls as I can afford will have American Clay on them. I can't wait!

You can always learn more about the clay on this website. My creative mind doesn’t usually get all technical – it will just tell you how pretty something looks. (Although the informational/technical side of this stuff is quite amazing too –natural, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, no VOC’s and made in the USA....the list goes on and on.)