Projects

My Deck Project
With daily updates

Prior to moving into my new (to me) home, I was living in a place (notice home was not in this description)  that I wanted out of before I ever moved in. It was a transitional place just to put a roof over our heads. I looked at magazines often, yet didn't want to even unpack. One day I was looking at the new Do It Yourself magazine and I saw my perfect future deck. It was me and I knew I would have it one day along with most of the 48 outdoor projects :)
As soon as I was able to move I was calling every ad for a rental I could find that fit into where we needed to be and how much I could afford. The first house I looked at, I knew was THE ONE!!! After all it had the beginnings of my deck, and the most expensive parts as well (this being a rental I did not want to invest too much money that I couldn't take with me when I finally am able to buy our home.)
You are seeing a small amount of SEVERAL of other inherited items that came with the house when we moved in. Once these items are re-purposed and/or fixed up (or sold in a yard sale, hehe) this place will be GREAT!! The swing you see in the back is one of my inherited items. I have put one coat of spray paint on it, I still have at least one more coat and have to replace the cover??? on top then I will make a post on it all by itself. The chair in front was left (two of them total) along with a dining room table (another post once I finish the deck, swing, and play kitchen for my dd :) all of which will be posted.)

Well, I inherited A LOT of paint along with the other things, in with the paint pile was a 5 gal bucket of stain
.
With the deck being this dark
I knew it wouldn't have much time left if I didn't protect it so this must be the stain it will have on it, or so I thought... By the way, have you ever read the Danger warning on a can of this stuff???
Yes, it does say "Rags, steel wool or waste soaked with this product may spontaneously catch fire if improperly discarded." OMG I had no clue... Did you??? Does all of them say this???? Then it goes on to say "Immediately after use, place rags, steel wool or waste in a sealed, water-filled metal container." Do you ever do that??? I know I never knew to, therefor I never have... hmmmmm.... I guess I am really, really lucky that I have not had sheds, the back of pick-up trucks, my house.... lord only knows what could have spontaneously caught fire....
I have been making light of this but it is a very real danger!! 
The video below was shot by ABC News just 7 months ago, 
please take a second to watch it might save your garage, home, 
or even you and your family's lives:
Anyway back to the deck... This is what I saw when I opened the can of stain 
so nope, I do not believe this will not be what I use on the deck. I had a gallon of floor paint that was also left to me 
This is a color I really do not care for, it doesn't fit in with my colorful deck off of the magazine (also is currently on my front porch and back stoop, it's on my longgggggg to do list to change.) Then I remembered having almost half a gallon of a stain in my craft room that I purchased a couple of years ago in the oops section (don't you love that area) at Home Depot marked down to $5.00 
At this point I am thinking even though it this isn't the perfect color either, it will do. I remembered a pin on Pinterest (people you are really going to have to plan an intervention for me about that site....) on lining your paint tray to save money and time so like a good girl I line my tray 
all lining it did was waste some of my stain as well as some plastic wrap. I guess next time I will try the garbage bag trick. With in doing about a 3' x 3' area I saw how much the deck was soaking up the stain and I knew I didn't have enough to do the whole deck.  So I decided to only do the outsides of the deck in stain and leaving the center open to put my beautiful rug (that I still have yet to figure out)... There is my soon to be marvelous swing in the back :~) 
At this time I had not decided if I was going to make an outdoor rug out of a drop cloth, found how to on Pinterest :~} or paint one on.  Well I guess this made the decision for me (always look for those silver linings guys and gals) I am painting the rug on... After leaving the inside of the deck not stained I found I  wanted my 'rug' diagonal... But not to worry, once the stain dried I saw that after skipping  power washing the deck (no access to one) nor did I sand it... I hate, hate, hate, did I mention.... I hate to sand. So I will be painting that area as well. Now it is time to go through my many inherited paints to find the color of the rug 
And this isn't all of them, I have disposed of quite a few and have some in the house. 
I found this beautiful bright blue
and decided to go with it even though it is an indoor paint. I will either coat it with a sealant or leave it to wear a little to go with the shabby chic look. I LOVE how the blue looks on the deck 
Well it got way to dark, even with putting lights out to do anymore. So I will have to work on it more tomorrow... For now I am wondering exactly what I want to put on my rug... I know I want the bright beautiful colors this spring but I am not sure of the design. Have an idea??? Please give me a link in the comment area below!! Also if you have any other thoughts that would go along with this or past stories to tell we want to hear!!!
Joni's Pinterest Follow Me :~)

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