Finally Finished!

I love to hit the thriftstores.  I call myself the Thriftstore Queen.  Unfortunately, because Montana is so rural, our thrifty scene is a bit limited.  In order to make the most of it, I have to visit our local thriftstores on a really, really regular basis.  What this means is that when I go to lunch (I work a regular 40-hour-a-week job), I grab something quick to eat, then cruise one of our shops.  Many times, an excursion like this ends with a phone call to MMM, which - I guess it's a good thing - he's become accustomed to.  He's even called me at noon, asking, "Whatcha looking at?"  That's because he knows I'm likely to ask if he drove the pickup today, and if he'd be willing to do a pick up for me.  I usually can find room in my car for the treasures I've found, but occasionally, the Titan is necessary.


About the middle of July, I was working out a place to sit on MMM's deck.  He has a lovely backyard and an incredible deck, but there was just no place to sit and enjoy the sunshine.  I have a collection of bamboo furniture I've been working on to create a lounging area (and I'll share that when I've finished), but we needed some dining area furniture too.  I was at the Good Samaritan Thrift Store early one Saturday morning, when I spotted it!  It was a complete dining set - you know the kind.  Brand new, it would probably have cost $600.  There were four chairs, a tempered glass table, two ottomans, an umbrella, and a cast iron umbrella stand.  Every cushion was with it, and all in pretty fair condition.  The olive drab powder coat was pretty drab and rusty in places.  Clearly, this set had seen better days, but just needed some love to bring it back into usefulness.  Best of all -- the price:  $100.  MMM's mom went halves with me, and it was ours! 


I brought it home, and started in to work on it.  I chose a color that went well with the cushions.  It's  
Rustoleum's Painter's Touch, in Strawflower. I love this stuff.  I used the Rustoleum 2x Primer in advance of spraying the color, and I only had to have one coat of each.  I have to confess, it ain't perfect, but I'm OK with that.  It's pretty darned nice.  For a while there, it felt like I'd never get done, and I about emptied the Home Depot of their supply of Strawflower, but I finally got it done.  (I'm not being paid by either Rustoleum or Home Depot, for the record. I just want you to know what I used and where I got it, in case you have questions.)


I don't have a before, but you know exactly the shade of dull olive green that so typically gets sprayed on all kinds of outdoor furniture.  Imagine that.  Now imagine it dull, rusty and ugly.  That's it.

But here is the after:

Isn't it nice?  I don't have any in-process pics. I started the project well before I started the blog, and it simply didn't occur to me.  I'm going to have to learn to be a better blogger.  But you can bet that I put off that umbrella until last.  It was a real challenge. 

By the way, you have to forgive that deck's surface.  It's next on our agenda.

I'm still working on that bamboo set.  All I really have left is some upholstery, and I'll bring that to you. 

Love ya,

Sass