It's 5 O'Clock in the Garage

When Sissy died, she left a house full of furniture, and when we finished selling, donating and sorting it all, we were left with two Adirondack chairs that no one wanted.  We hated to just give them away, so we kept them, even though we really didn't have a place for them.  They ended up sitting behind the garage all last year, unused, except for the occasional bird watching moment for Hubby while he enjoyed an icy adult beverage after mowing. 

We pondered what to do with them but didn't really have any great ideas.  Until we went on our cruise in January.  While we were at the Margaritaville store in New Orleans, we were looking at the painted Adirondack chairs sitting outside the front door, and I said, "Self, you should do that with our chairs."  Here's a sample:

You can actually order "Margaritaville Adirondack Chairs" from the Margaritaville folks, but they range from $400 to $600.  PER CHAIR.  So had I never considered buying any, but I sure could paint the ones I have.  So, about two weeks ago, I dragged them out back and started painting them.  But first, there was the sanding.  Plenty of sanding.  More sanding than I was interested in doing. 

And then came the painting.  Funny thing about multi-colors on dry sanded wood.  It takes a lot longer to do each color than if you just slap one color on the whole thing.  Oy, the painting, drying and painting of more coats.

And you have to do it with exterior house paint if they're going to sit outside.   It soon became a project I was eager to start and even more eager to finish.

And then came the decorating.  Look, mama and daddy!  Those art classes in college weren't a complete waste of time and money.

Two weeks and one ruined manicure later, they are done, except for the clear sealer I have to put on them when the oil painted designs are finished.  I'm pleased, although, I'm not sure I'd do it again, given the time that I had to put them.  But they are a fun piece of the tropics in the backyard for about $100, as opposed to the $1,000 plus I would have spent (theoretically) on the real deal.  They're not as elaborate as the inspiration piece, but I'm done painting. 

Someone pass me an icy adult beverage.