Painted Patio Furniture

The hubster and I have been busy fixing up our lanai...you know, fun stuff like having some screens replaced, painting the floor...REAL fun {hear the sarcasm??} I have a project I want to do, but still need a trip to JoAnn's for burlap, so what I really wanted to do has been on hold while we finished up the lanai. Have you ever finished a fix-up, then think, "I gotta improve this other stuff too?" Happened to me. We have had a table and two chairs FO-EVA that really needed updated, so I thought I'll take on painting the patio furniture {instead of doing the project that is burning a hole in my brain :)} A before of the boring, bland furniture:

We bought this furniture in Alaska way back in 2001...held up really well, but so over the light color...the after:

I used Rustoleum's Hammered.  I have two complaints:  I didn't realize that Krylon's Oil Rubbed Bronze isn't meant for use on outdoor items {BOO, that's the color I really, really wanted!} and Rustoleum should really change their nozzel!  Well, at least the on the Hammered ones.  My fingers still hurt!  I don't understand why they have "comfort" nozzels on most of the others, but not this one???  Killer on the fingers!  Anyway, I'm really pleased with how it turned out and since the hubster won't buy me new patio furniture, I'm happy with an updated look!  Anyone ever have problems with spray-painted outdoor furniture??

Linking Here:
Polly Want A Crafter?
Making The World Cuter
DIY Home Sweet Home
Fabulously Flawed
The Shabby Creek Cottage
Blissful and Domestic
At The Picket Fence
Stuff and Nonsense
Young and CraftyFunky Junk InteriorsBe Different...Act Normal

Window Re-do

Did anyone else have an April Fool's Day joke played on them yesterday? My four year old son tried all day to get me, but he didn't exactly get the concept of tricking me. He would tap me on the shoulder, run to my other side and said, "It wasn't me. April fool's!" But then.....he was upstairs playing in his room and he came to the stair landing and said in a very worried voice, "I accidently pooped in my room." I just kept repeating, "What?!?! Why?!?!?" {He used to do that during potty training ALL. THE. TIME} As I got up {not gonna lie, I was pretty angry}, he yelled, "April fool's!!!" Man, he got me good that time! Hubster was rolling on the floor laughing so hard! So happy April 1st is over :)

In this post, I was gushing about the new Rustoleum colors available at Home Depot, including Key Lime, Fire Orange and Lagoon and I was inspired by the Lagoon. I was curious to see if it comes out as vibrant as the cap {nobody used it at the craft party}. I had a window that I purchased at Ikea in the "as is" section, oh, about a million years ago, that has been neglected in my garage. It was the lucky piece!

Do you think $10 is a good price?  I remember I once bought a very old window from an antique store for ten bucks, so worth it for the character!

Taping off the glass is torture for me, really dislike this part.

The color did not disappoint!  Very vibrant! 

After sanding.  I love the dark wood coming through and in some areas I sanded down to the bare wood. 

I traded out the silver knob for a "glass" knob that I got in the dollar section of Michael's.  I like it much better for that shabby chic look.

No, that is not how I am leaving the mantel.....it doesn't match or even go :)  Just couldn't find anywhere else in my house to take pics.  Well, back to Home Depot I go to do errands for Hubster!  Happy day!

Linking Here:
At The Picket Fence
Making The World Cuter
Stuff and NonsenseCommon GroundThe Charm of HomeThe Shabby Creek Cottage

Craft Party!

Happy Sunday and Happy April Fools! Last night my friends and I had our monthly craft party...mouse pads and dessert stands. It was a BLAST! I ate WAY too much food, the girls never disappoint!  And...how about them Jayhawks?!?!  My husband {and I} almost had heart attacks!  Rock Chalk!

They crew: Carola, Me, Debbie, Wendy, Becky and Sarah B.  Self-timers are great, right?  What would have been better and easier, if one of the men making faces through the window would have came in and took the pics....no, they weren't some random creepers, just my hubby and Wendy's man who were banned to the Man Cave.  We didn't even let them eat.  Ha!

Wendy was sweet to host the craft party at her house this month.  It's beautiful!  Her man is a contractor {lucky}, so she has all these little details around her home that are gorgeous and are like "duh!" A tray ceiling with lights behind the molding for "ambiance."  Sweet!

Carol and Wendy fighting over Kenny Chesney...Wendy looks real scared, right?  I've never known two grown women who have such a fanatic love for Kenny.  Sarah B. and I don't understand.  I love his music, but we think he looks like a turtle :) Anyway.....we had so much fun eating, drinking, goofing off and oh yeah, crafting, that we forgot to take a group picture with our crafts!  So this is what we made last night:

The dessert stand: candlestick and silver tray from Dollar Tree.  I hadn't been to Home Depot in a long while, so I was so happy to find all the new paint colors!  This color is Rustoleum's Key Lime, I think it's my new favorite.  I also picked up Rustoleum's Fire Orange and Lagoon.  Love them!

Before we began our mouse pad craft, we used E6000 to glue the candle stick to the tray.  While that dried, we went to work on the mouse pads.  I'm not sure where Wendy got the idea from, but it was easy peasy.  She provided templates for the shapes, so we traced them onto the cork board and cut out.  Be sure you have very sharp scissors or an exacto knife for a smooth edge.  The we picked our material, ironed it {first time I ironed in 39 years.  Yes, I'm 39.  I NEVER iron.}, ironed on the fusing....see, I wasn't really paying attention because I can't even tell you what it's called.  Bond something?!?!  Once it was ironed together, we traced and cut out the shape a little smaller and ironed the fabric onto the cork.  Super easy!  Most of the girls didn't really need a mouse pad {unlike me}, so they made theirs bigger and are going to use them as an actual cork board.  Wha?!?!  Use something for it's actual purpose?!?!  Shock!

After completing the mouse pad, we went out and spray painted the dessert stands.  I had to convince some of the girls that they weren't making a life altering decision in picking a paint color...it's just paint.  Do overs are allowed.  I re-paint mine for whatever holiday or party is coming up.  It saves money to re-use!  Do you ever have a hard time picking a color?  We had an awesome evening and we are all looking forward to next month's party.  Any easy craft ideas?  If you try any of these projects, I'd love to see YOUR pictures! 

Linking Here:  Sisters of the Wild WestI Heart Naptime