Not so DIS-Graceful Start times 2

To my surprise, Grace Mason is moving along quite nicely.   I have done a bit of the border which is a pleasantly simple repeating pattern.  Not to get tired of stitching just the border, I started stitching up some of the letters.   I figure I will add to the border once the alphabet starts to pass the border.  





















In addition I started an outside project today.   Me and my silliness thought it was a one day task....wrongo!  I painted a rug (or almost painted a rug) on my deck.   About ten years ago I painted a rug on the unstained deck using little bottles of Folk Art paint.   Over the course of summer sun and winter snow and seasonal power washing, it soon was washed away.   This time, I used stain.  I'm hoping it will last longer than the paint.  The best part I got what are called 'sample can' of 8 oz. of stain at a $1.99 each.  Sure a lot better than buying 4 gallons of stain!    So here are my steps....

I taped off the area I wanted as my rug and started sanding.

Several sheets of sandpaper later I was 

wondering why I stained the deck two coats 

only two weeks ago only to now be removing some of that finish. 

Oh and see that green peeking through.....remnants of my old rug.  But not to worry, I am hoping the stain with cover it.  

Got out my trusty quilting rulers to help me lay the painters tape.  

Green strip done

Yellow strip done

And entire rug, not quite done.    It was a little more on the old girl's bum hip painting a rug on the deck in 2013 than it was in 2003.   I took relief every now and again by floating in the pool because it sure was a hot one today.  I will continue the white squares and come back and paint the unpainted squares  yellow.  It looks good from the top of the bridge as we say.....up close, don't be checking it out because if you need absolute precision and perfectly straight lines......you won't find it here.   It's a rug on a deck not a work of art.  For now, I am off to my class in Massachusetts and finishing this will have to wait until I get back.

Here's a look at my first rug from 2003.