Upholstery Tutorial, cont'd - and various ramblings

The verdict is still out on my motorcycle decision. Okay, it's true that it may not be the best utility vehicle for carrying groceries. In fact, it may not be a sensible purchase for me to make. But, you know, sometimes you just want to make a decision to get something just because it's fun. Yes, I could get hurt on one. Yes, I could get killed. Let's see, when I die, would I rather wilt away from some debilitating illness or from having my body smeared all over the road while having fun on a motorcycle? Hmmmm...(weighing the decision with imaginary weights in each hand...) I think I might have to choose the latter. A friend of mine used to brag that her grandfather died from having a heart attack on the dance floor. He was in his late 70's. A couple years later, her grandmother died the same way. It gave Donna some peace knowing that they left this world having fun, enjoying what they loved doing. It probably didn't give a lot of peace to the dancers around them, though. The polls are still open, Folks! Scroll to the upper right hand side of this blog and cast your vote. You can do it anonymously, you know. It's not necessary to sign in, etc. I'd like to know what you think. We have a new family of babies in our garden birdhouse. This particular birdhouse doesn't allow access by raising a door or roof, so I have to try and get shots by poking my camera lens through the little bird hole. (Can you see the one little open-beaked guy?) I can see three little open-mouthed beaks when I peer inside but can't get as good a look using my camera. And, just to let you know, I'm working on the upholstering tutorial. If you've started deconstructing your chair, let me stress how important it is to completely strip out all the old stuffing. Chances are, unless you personally bought the piece new, you don't know it's history. You don't know how clean or careful the previous owners were. Just presume that someone or something, whether an animal, baby, or drunken uncle, peed on the cushion. Between this last admonishment and that of the creepy, crawly things you were previously warned about, I'm thinking 'Nuff said. And, in case you have stripped the frame bare, you can now prepare the frame. Whether it's metal or wood, cleanse it with a mild detergent. Slowly run the tips of your fingers along the frame to make sure there are no splinters, staple ends, etc. sticking out. Again, make sure you do this slowly. Doing this in a fast motion will only assure that your fingers will make contact with something sharp and rip your skin from the bone. (Jeez, I'm being graphic today. I'm not meaning to gross you out, although what I'm typing is the truth.) Anyway, if you do happen to find such an area, either sand it smooth or pound it smooth. Do whatever you need to do to fix the protrusion and assure it doesn't ruin someone's pantyhose or puncture someone's skin. If you are going to paint or stain the item, this is now the time to start your preparation. If you have broken corners, cracked veneer, etc., grab your wood putty or bondox, push it into place and let it thoroughly dry before sanding and painting/staining it. Let me forewarn you that, if you plan on spray painting, you'll need to first prime the wood or metal with a base paint. I've had major problems lately with spray paint bubbling on the second coat. This is regardless of the outside or indoor temperature, humidity, etc. As a result, I've been priming the surface then applying a thorough coat of spray paint in a manner that won't require a second coat. NEXT in the upholstery tutorial: Dressing and stuffing the chair BTW, I did end up painting over the roses on the red lawn chair and, while I was at it, painted the base of the lamp-plant stand. ANOTHER REMINDER: Leave a comment to get entered in the June Giftaway!!!