spray paint + old chairs

Is it Friday already?! I had every intention of updating the blog on Sunday night, but after spending 6 hours painting in the 85 degree heat and high humidity I could hardly move. Before I knew it, the nights flew by and here I am.

First off, let me say that I hate folding chairs. I hate sitting in them (they are always so uncomfortable) and I hate the way they look... so I began using old kitchen chairs. We had some at home and shined them up with a couple coats of black spray paint. And just like that we have extra chairs that dinner guests won't mind sitting in. Yes, they take up much more room than folding chairs, but we have a large basement where we keep them.

A couple weeks ago, I found four of these Windsor chairs for only $6 total. Perfect for our use.


I picked up some of my favorite primer and flat black spray paints. After much use of varying brands, these are they only two I will use anymore. The only problem is the primer is sold at Home Depot and the paint at Ace.


Two cans of each and Voila!


So much nicer than cheap plastic folding chairs!

A couple months ago while browsing a thrift store, I came across this old rocking chair. For only $7, I had to get it for our front porch.


I first used some wood filler for the chips on back and center crack. Then it was painted with the same spray as the kitchen chairs, starting with a coat of the 2x gray primer.


Here it is, in its new home.


Sitting beside the rocker are two galvanized wash tubs. I cannot tell you how excited I was to find them at a garage sale...especially at $2 each. I had been looking for one to use for firewood, and these were perfect. To think I almost walked with just one of them.

The smaller one will be used as a party tub for drinks on ice and the larger one has been loaded with firewood. I decided to place it on the front porch, just under the window. I am hoping its location will keep prying eyes from getting right up to the glass.


Finally, I got to use my new paint sprayer! I had bought a dresser for use at work and thought it would be perfect piece to try out the sprayer. The dresser needed to be functional, but not pretty. So even if it was a botched paint job, it would not matter. Honestly, I think it was uglier in real life than in the picture.


It was a bit of a struggle, but I really learned some things in using the sprayer. In all, it turned out pretty well. Given some of the faux pas, I decided to distress it slightly. I also sprayed the hardware an oil rubbed bronze color. I only wish I had thought to fill in the holes of the missing knobs. Oh well, it will still serve its purpose well.


Cost Recap

4 chairs = $6
rocking chair = $7
4 cans spray paint = $7 (after using $5 in Ace Hardware)
3 cans gray primer = $9

galvanized tubs = $4

dresser = $5
leftover paint = $0
hardware spray paint = $3

Total for all = $41

geekville

My goodness, what a slacker I have been. I cannot believe it has been 4 weeks since my last post. Not that I mean for it to be that infrequent, it is just working out that way.

I have been busy working and trying to keep things up on the house. I had great plans to finally paint much of the stuff I have collected the last 6 months. Unfortunately, the weather has not been cooperative with my free time. The best thing about work is that the boss asked me if I would like to shop Craigs List to buy furniture for work.... would I?! He must not know me well if he even has to ask. So, scouring CL ads and garage sales has been taking up much of my free time.

With all my own shopping, D has managed to muster up some of his own stellar finds.... neither of which were very frugal, I might ad.

The first is something he has been pining over for a year-and-a-half. When he found out it was 25% off, he wasted no time in ordering one. In fact, from what we understand it has completely sold out nationally.

I am not sure if I can explain how massive this thing is. It is about 5200 pieces and, in the box, weighs 25 lbs. He expects it to take nearly 30 hours to put together and will be nearly 3 feet long and 2 feet wide when completed. I think we will need to create a mancave for him to display these. I have no idea where else it would go.

His next find came from Williams Sonoma. The moment we walked in the store, it was an immediate must-have.


The only decision came with whether it should be the cookie cutters, or the pancake molds. Obviously the cookie cutters... they have Boba Fett!!

D is most looking forward to making the cookies with the nephews this summer, but rest assured there is no way their little hands will come near the Millenium Falcon.

It is really true that men are just boys with bigger and more expensive toys.