Nothing! Oops, that's probably not what you wanted to hear, huh? LOL

Actually, I just finished spraying primer on my little metal teapot I had found at TS. Plan to get it painted this week.

And I have a metal tray that was given to me (took two coats of primer to cover the old messed up design that was on it), and I'm looking for inspiration as to what I should paint on it.

Keep thinking that I should dig out some red, white and blue patterns and get something made for the holidays coming up.

I'm off for the day with a couple of friends, lunch and a little shopping. I'll catch you later. Hope you get those chores all done. ;o)

Luvs

I worked and worked last week but not much this week. Unless you want to count the porch swing that I repainted but that's just spray paint and all one color! LOL The swing sort of has me hung up. The cushions need replaced but I found out after we bought this two seater swing that the cushions are part of the seat. Without them, I have nothing to sit on. They are screwed to the frame in a way. So I have been trying to make covers for the cushions without any pattern whatsoever. Just throwing something together. That's coming along better than I expected. I have the two bottom cushions done, I just need to finish making the button holes so that the screws have a place to go through. :)

I am about halfway done with a "table" for the porch. It's an old barstool that I used for a small endtable in the living room until recently. I'm painting a checkerboard on top and then I want to do something around it. It can be used as a table or function as a game. I just need to figure out exactly what I want to use for the game pieces.

And I still need to decide on the accent color for the handle and latches on my Prim suitcase!

That's about it for now.

I was thinking of doing an outdoor checkerboard too sweets. If I may put forth some suggestions for the pieces since I've been thinking about it??? I'm sure you can buy the actual pieces at the store...or black and red poker chips. I was going to use big wooden buttons or hearts and stars painted red and yellow. I'm sure the craft store has lots of shapes to use. Like snowflakes or flowers.
I have also seen people use money...one side gets quarters one side gets nickles or one side gets dimes one side gets pennies. Different color milk jug lids. Coke vs Pepsi bottle caps or any bottle caps painted opposing colors. You could always make your own with clay. If you had some mini cookie or canape cutters you could make some fun shapes. Round gift tags(you could keep them on a ring until ready to play). You could get a dowel and cut rounds or you could make the rounds into into black and red lady bugs. I've seen stones used, but don't know how well they would stack for kings unless you painted a crown on the bottoms and just turned them over. I'm sure there are tons of different kinds of washers or other "parts" that could be used if you make a trip to the hardware store. Ok, that's all I can think of for now. Sorry that was probably more fun for me than it was for you. ha Hope you'll post your finished project here or on crafts. I check that one pretty regular too. :)

Luvs~ hope you had a fun day out with the girls. Did you find anything good at the TS? Sounds like you have some fun upcoming projects so some things for us to look forward to. I did get most of the chores done so I should have some time to paint today especially since it's gone cold again and I can't play outside. Bummer!! ha

~Anj

Sweets, I am in a similar predicament with my patio swing. It is one of those swings with the canopy top. The sun has done a number on the cushions and canopy--and I can't find replacements anywhere. I've taken the canopy off because it was looking pretty ratty. Now I'm thinking that I need to somehow recover the cushions for this summer. I can sew, but not the greatest. Not really looking forward to this project.

The checkerboard ideas sound cute. Anj sure had some cute ideas for the pieces. Would be nice if they were something that could just hang over one of the rungs, or from a hook underneath the top, so they were right there when you wanted to play. Can't wait to see what you both come up with.

Anj, I had a really fun day. We hit four or five TS. I ended up buying some pieces for totems and some more trays to paint on. Didn't really find much else to paint on--except for one little stool. It has a round top and a wooden screw type rod to raise or lower the bench. It's painted blue but the seat is sort of messed up so I need to paint that part. I thought little GD would have fun spining it up higher and then lower, or I could use it for a plant stand too. These two ladies are my "newest" friends, and such a pleasure to spend time with.

Well, I had better get moving. After goofing off all day yesterday--I need to get caught up with my chores! ;o)

Luvs

Luvs~ so glad you found some fun people to hang out with. Although hope ya'll don't start fighting over the TS stuff. ha It's so nice to have someone to chat and share with while you are shopping and eating out. I haven't found anyone around here with my same interests yet. Maybe when all my kids get in school and I have more time to get out, take some painting classes and things.
Good luck on your swing project. ~Anj

Anj,
Thanks for all the ideas! I thought of bottle caps and that's as far as it went. I have a jar in the kitchen that I keep filling with beer bottle caps. I could paint the tops or something? I'm thinking I want to put them in a small box or something like that and keep with the stool. In the house, I have a barstool and used this one before for a small stand. I put a piece of slate through the bottom rungs and it made a nice shelf. I think I'm going to so that outside, too!

Luvs,
My swing is on our porch with a roof. The canopy doesn't look bad but it's not hunter green anymore like it was. I was going to put it back on but now I see how it won't match the cushions too well so I may leave it off.

My whole plan is just to make the swing fit in with the porch better. I like Prim and Rustic stuff and so I wish I could like tea stain the cushions but Polyester won't hold stain so that scrapped that idea. I found about 4 yards of this sagey hunter green (if there is such a thing), burgundy and tan plaid. That's what I'm making the covers from. The swing has been repainted a glossy hunter and looks as good as new, if not better. I want to get grapevine and some lights and wrap that around the frame up top. And I have a few throw pillows to put out there. Should look cozier. I just need to get a new rug for the floor. The bright green indoor/outdoor isn't working! LOL

Is your swing like mine? If so, I can give you a few pointers with the covers. I had NO clue what I was doing. I sewed in Jr. High and my Gram would have me work on stuff when we were at her house. I got my sewing machine from my other grandmother about 4 years ago and I get it out and mess around a few times a year. I'm getting better. Somehow this is all just coming to me and it's coming together!

Here is my swing. This is from last spring.

Oh, I hit the TS today! I found a bunch of dinosaur books for my DS mostly but I found two older books to display on my old school desk in the living room. The only thing I found to work on is white stool with ivy stenciled on it that's getting a new paint job. I'm not doing anything fancy..just painting it a dark color and distressing it.

~Leslie

Sweets, your swing looks good to me. You said pic was from last Spring, did one year of being out cause the cushions to fade allot? If your canopy is in good shape, there is a fabric spray paint out now. I was looking at it the last time I went to Lowe's. I could see it repainted then some ivy or checks stenciled on in white or another color. I like your vine and lights idea too.

Mine is similar, but the cushions go long ways and it seats three. I'm pretty sure I can make a sort of pillowcase style cover for the cushions--but not sure I can fix the canopy. I would just leave the canopy off, but mine is on a front patio and in full sun, so it's nicer to have the shade from the canopy. I'll just have to drag it out and see what I can do with it. Sure would rather just find replacements. LOL

Glad you had good luck at TS, I love to go, sort of like a treasure hunt--never know what I will find.

Luvs

Luvs,
It doesn't look bad in the photo but the green in the cushions isn't quite as green. Some parts are lighter than others because of the sun. And now that I painted the swing (it was rusting in spots and looked dirty but could not be cleaned) the green does not look good at all. Besides with my Prim style, the white strips bother me. Oh, and the white has tiny mildew spots. I've cleaned it but they won't go away.

I took my awning off the other day to wash it. It's really a flat piece of fabric with the corners cut out to drape the way it is. If you used it for a template, it would not be too hard.

No ivy. I did that years ago and it's not me anymore. It just doesn't go! LOL

We have that exact swing Sweets. ha Our canopy actually got caught in a wind storm and broke one side off, but we rigged it back together. Ours sits mostly in the shade and under the porch in winter so it's not faded too bad yet. The first thing I thought was to try to paint the canopy somehow to make it fit better with your cushions. But I like the vine and lights idea too.
Your stool sounds like a fun idea.
I have to paint my kids swingset this year and try to find replacement seats. My DH just rolls his eyes, but he won't spend the money on a new one and it's a cheaper fix this way. The rustoleum paint is so good now. I think I'll do it in red or bright blue. Our swingset as kids lasted for years and years because my mom sprayed it and changed the seats out every few years. It only has to last a few more years since my little one will be 3 this month.
Luvs~ would the long chaise lounge replacement cushions they have everywhere work for your swing? ~Anj

I went out this morning and took the cushion off. The underneath side looked really good, so I fooled around with the tabs that hold the back part on--and guess what? I was able to flip it, so that should get me through this year. I won't be that lucky with the canopy because it is sun rotted and tearing. I've actually stitched up some of the tears a few times, but it is just getting too rotten for that to work anymore. I had thrown it in the garage--might dig it out and see if I could recover it.

Red or blue sounds good for the kids swing set Anj. Bet they will have a renewed interest in it when you get it all spruced up too.

Sweets, hope you'll show us pics after you redo your swing. I like the vine and lights idea too. Can't wait to see it.

Luvs

Funny that you mention painting a swing set, Anj. I just bought the stain last night to do our kids'! LOL We have a huge wooden one that we didn't pay a cent for. My cousin puts together the Amish sheds and swing sets and he had a few pieces from kits that they discontinued or parts that people bought in a kit and then didn't want. He gave my Dad and Pap enough pieces that they made one with a huge treehouse and sandbox underneath and we have two swings and the slide. DH and I keep saying we're going to add on but we haven't yet!

I also got some grommets last night at Lowe's. I decided to use those instead of doing the 18 button holes. It wasn't going too well! I should have the swing back together today to show you!

Gosh that sounds like a great swingset for the kids and a great deal too. Free is always nice. ha We have been wanting to build one like that for years, but other priorites always come before it.

My kids are 12, 9, 7 and 3 and we've had our metal swingset since the oldest was 3. The older kids use it as monkeybars (and they climb all over it like monkeys) and the littlest is just learning to use it. I just can't see throwing it out because of a little rust and cracked seats when I can just paint it and replace parts. My brother bought one at the same time we did and they sent theirs to the dump a few years ago. Wish they would have brought it to me. I'm already thinking ahead to when the kids don't want it anymore. I can take off the slide easily and put a regular sized swing on it with some hanging pots on the side. ha T2T and Gardenjunk really make you think hard before you throw anything away!! I have an old horsey that the kids don't use anymore that I want to spray with that stone paint and use in my yard on a pole. My DH will probably flip when he sees that! ha He just sees it as junk. Maybe he won't mind it too much if I put it in the back yard. ha

Look forward to seeing your new improved swing. It's really been fun having you over here with us. :)

Luvs~ glad you could hang on to yours another year! ~Anj

hi,

I've been reading the forums here for several years, but this is my first post. I have a swing like the picture that sweets98 posted on may 3. I managed to make a canapy that worked ok, but the seats are killing me! I made seat covers out of a shower curtain. I made them like a pillowcase. the problem was that when it rained the water got under/inside the covers I made and just stayed there unless I tipped the swing to drain it. I am not willing to do that everytime it rains, so I really need some tips on how to cover the seats...they are old and ripped. oh and I can just barely sew!

or do you think it would work to just go buy those chair pads that tie on? I'm not sure they would be big enough though...

thanks for any help
cindy

Hey Cindy~ glad you came out of lurkdom to join us. We don't bite.....hard!! ha I hope Sweets or Luvs and maybe Sal will see this and post an answer for you. I cannot sew at all without a pattern and a lot of swearing involved. :O I had suggested to luvs that maybe one of those big lounge chair type cushions would work if you can't find a way to sew one??? You can get them at Walmart and other places right now. That's all I've got, but hope you'll come back and visit with us more. We like to chat as much as we like to paint. :) ~Anj

Cindy,
If your swing is exactly like mine...it's hard to put replacement cushions down! We're lucky in the sense that our swing is under the porch roof so I don't have to worry about the cusions getting wet or anything like that. I made covers for my cushions using regular old fabric. It was a cotton homespun that I found at the thrift store, actually. When these cusions give out, the plan it for DH to make me a new seat. The frame could be drilled into so that boards can be attached to the swing but you have to be a little handy with a saw for that. I really can't offer you much more advice other than that. Or what if you did the macrame used in chairs or the webbing for lawn chairs?

I posted a pic later of my finished swing. I should take a new picture when the sun is out...this one is so dark. So far, so good but the dang cat hair really sticks to this fabric. I have a way to remove it, though :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Swing pic

You know, Sweets, your swing really looks like two of the patio chair cushions would fit it. You might have to add additional ties on it to secure it in place. Sometimes, Walmart or Big Lots have those pretty cheap. I'm thinking about the thinner ones--not the great big puffy ones.

I'm sort of missing the canopy from mine. I haven't even tried to recover the old one yet.

Luvs

My problem, though, is that one day the cushions are going to fall apart. The cushions are made to fit on the frame of the swing. There are bars that fit INSIDE the cushions and then holes in the cushions underneath so that the screws can be put in the bars and attached to the swing frame. Without the cushions, there is no seat for my swing...just the frame and holes! I would be sitting on the ground. LOL And I can't go get some wooden swing and just use this frame because it's a two-seater, and a regular swing is larger :) DH will be able to "fix" it for me when the time comes :)

That's great that your DH has a plan and will be able to fix it. I have seen some of your posts on GJ, so know that he is quite talented with a hammer and nails. I loved the roof he put on your little seating area.

So have you been able to find time to do any painting? Are you working on any special projects? You paint really well and are very creative. Can't wait to see more of your work.

Luvs

Luvs,
I haven't worked on anything in about a week or two. Last week it was just so dang hot and DH was working so much we didn't have time to get the a/c in! I was sluggish most of the week! LOL So far this week, I have spent my days scrubbing and cleaning and dealing with two kids. My DS should be finishing up his last few days of school but he's been off the last 3 days with strep! :( I hope to get back into the groove before long!

I also need more stuff to paint. My wood supply has really diminished! The modular home plant down the road throws out scrap wood but it was cool here for so long that people were sitting down there just waiting for them to dump the scraps so they would have wood to burn and didn't have to get more firewood! It didn't help that it got slow and the plant closed for about 6-8 weeks this winter either!

Time to get busy! :)

Leslie~ do you have a good TS in your area?? I think you said you had gotten stuff there before. It can be a good source of things to paint for cheap! If you look over on the conversation side you'll see all the wood things I got yesterday for .50 cents each. You can also take a peek at the cool picture I got!! Since you like prim I think you'll like it. I hope you find something to paint soon. I love your creativity. :) ~Anj
P.S. Hope your DS feels better soon! And no one else catches it! ~A

Yes, we have a good TS. It's a local store that is set up just for restorative justice, meaning they take people from the county jail that are in there for petty stuff and teach them to do chair canning and refinish furniture to keep them busy and teach them a craft. (Although, I must admit much of their work is CRAP! I have seen a few things that I liked the bones of but the price was high because they just re-did it and I'm sure it looked better before! They seal stuff until its really thick and glossy and bumpy! YUCK!)

I can't always get to the TS because they have been doing this road widening project on the road in front of the TS. A few weeks ago DD and I wanted to go there and we had to do this huge detour and go out back roads to come up from behind or sit in traffic for a half hour. The TS isn't worth 30 mins in traffic! LOL So there's traffic, sick kids, transportation(Truck was in the shop so I had no car yesterday), money (truck in shop, so there goes my "extra" spending money) and room (we live in a mobile home and I don't make things to sell, no interest in it!). So....I guess I just go through spurts. :D I will have about ten things I'm working on that I'll complete and then do nothing for a bit! LOL ...Now, I'm out of the clear spray paint I use for sealer and I can't get it until I drive 15 miles to Wal-Mart!

I did paint yesterday but it's nothing fancy. I repainted our resin Sunflower thermometer that hangs on the porch. I've had it for several years and the goldish color of the flower mostly faded to white.

You must live in a town like the one I grew up in. We had to drive 25 miles to Walmart......the movie, McDonalds, Pizza Hut, $1 store, pretty much everything! ha Towns there are really separated by miles and miles of nothing but fields and woods. I guess I've been spoiled now that I live in a place where cities run into cities and in 15 minutes I can drive by 4 Walmarts. ha I'd trade it all for my little hometown though!

I hear you about the road work. My gosh it seems like they are working on every road in our state. Why don't they finish one at a time instead of ripping up 50. They put cones and barriers up 10 miles before you actually get to the place they are "working". And you never see anybody working!

I forget that you live in small quarters. You probably have to move something out when you move something new in. Been there, done that. Still kinda doing it, but better than it was before so I can't complain too much.

Are your kids feeling any better yet? I always wait until everyone is done being sick and then I get it. Mom's curse I guess. ha Hope you stay well.

It's raining here again today. Those are usually my painting days when I can't get outside. I'm determined to finish one project today. I have 4 kids so I get interrupted a lot. ha ~Anj

hi,

I appreciate your answers to my swing question. I am just now replying because I forgot which forum I posted my question in and had a hard time finding it again... good grief!

my swing cushions are worn and starting to shred. I got a cheap fabric shower curtain, hemmed it so it was the correct width, then made a deep pocket that I slipped over the back of the seats and a shallow pocket to slip on the rods on the bottom of the seats. so far it is working great. I'd send a picture, but I cannot find instructions on how to do so.

thanks again
cindy

Anj,
It's not really bad. Where we live, there are things but some things you just have to drive further to get to! LOL Like we actually live on a pretty busy road and at the end of it, two miles from our house is a convenience store and gas station. The schools are right beside it and we have a pizza shop. Then you drive another mile and we have Dollar General! I was THRILLED when they put that there! A bit further down the road into town and you have two banks, two convenience stores, two gas stations, the hardware (Ace), a small town store, a bar...no red light! LOL We also live only 3 miles from an exit on I-80, so we have a McDonald's, Subway, two truck stops, a hotel..lol.

The next closest town, Bellefonte, is a Victorian town and it's a bit larger. There we have the grocery store, another DG, small local stores, restraunts, doctor's offices, etc.

Now if we want Wal-mart and Lowe's and the bigger stores and restraunts, we have to travel 15 miles to State College. Then we virtually have anything we want! LOL

I have ALWAYS lived in this area. I love it here and don't really even like to go away on vacation! LOL It doesn't bother me all that much. I think it's better to have to drive to get places so I'm not always at the stores and stuff. I have been a SAHM for the last 8 years and most weeks I haven't ventured out of the house at all until the weekend and it's okay with me!

I'm trying to work on outdoor stuff since it's nice now. We got more mulch and mulched a few new beds that we started last year on Saturday. Yesterday I dug grass out of an area that I wanted to use to expand my one flower bed along the shed and I hung up a few things that I had been collecting. I just need to get the plants in the ground (I'm dividing a few things that I already have). I would have finished last night but we decided to load up the four wheeler and head off to camp for some family time. I needed a break anyway!

There's nowhere like Home Sweet Home, right? ha I sure miss living in the country. I've been a SAHM for almost 13 years!! Wow, time does fly! I don't think I'd mind being "stuck" at home so much if I lived in the country. My neighbors are stacked right on top of me here. That's why I can't wait to get that fence up. I actually enjoy being home too. I saw the pics of your back wooded area. I'd love to have something like that. We used to stay in the woods all day long playing and would only come home when it got too dark to see or the mosquitoes were eatin us alive. ha Wish I had that for my kids. Bet yours love it.

I got a few things to make and to put in my outdoor beds this weekend at the TS and I planted some more zinnias and sunflowers too. My DH probably wishes the TS was farther away so I'd be less apt to pop in there every week. ha I so wish they'd get a Dollar General here! We have Family Dollar, Dollar Tree and Honk's here, but DG is the best! ~A