Bean Bag Toss - Yard Art

I've been gone.  Gone, as in I have not been home.

First we took a few day trips over the past few weekends.

Then we went on vacation.

Often we have stay-cations and play at home, so all these little jaunts so close together are not the norm.

But while I was home for a couple days I did a little painting with some new outdoor paint from Maison Blanche.

We're fix'n to leave again tomorrow, but I'm ready because I lived out of a suitcase in my own bedroom the past few days.

Leaving our house is fun, but so is staying home - really it's like a park around here.  I guess I like to travel because someone else cleans and maintains the surroundings, oh - and maybe I like dinner out.  A lot.

Hmmmmm..... I just noticed I put *fish* on the board twice.  I must have been hungry. 

Anyway, when we are home we like to play.  Our lives revolve around kids of all ages, and we have set up our home and yard to reflect that.

The best time to use the outdoors in our neck of the northern woods, is from now till about November.

Days are warm, evenings are cool.  Mosquitoes are mostly dead.

And there is surely something to do.

We have always made our own fun.  With six kids if there was something they wanted to do, Brawn and I figured out a way to keep them at home to do it.

That's a great way to get to know their friends (you know - keep an eye on teenagers).

Even now with a couple of them married, they are still welcome to bring friends over, and they do.  They particularly like to do that when the parents are gone for the weekend.  Brats.

Burning the midnight oil to get this project done.

I might not be able to run a mile anymore, or maybe I'm just too lazy to try, and swimming is one of the only things I don't get winded at, but by golly I can still toss bean bags across the yard!

Trouble was we didn't have one of those bean bag toss games.

So we made our own.

Throwing bags is really popular around here.  They have leagues and teams if you're the type that takes playing very serious.

The game is called by a few different names, we just say bean bags.

You might know it as one of these:

Backyard Toss                    Baggo                        Bags/Beanbags/Bean Bag Toss

            Chuck-O                       Cornhole                                    Corn Toss

   Hillybilly Horsehoes        Soft Horseshoes                 Lawn Toss or Tailgate Toss

Maison Blanche Vintage Paint Company supplied me with paint from their new line of outdoor colors.  This paint is nice and creamy, doesn't smell, and the best part is it's no-prep. 

Did you catch that?..... no-prep OUTDOOR paint.

It has UV filters to help the color stay truer, longer, although in this case if it faded that would only add to the patina.

Did you catch that part too?....outdoor NO-PREP paint just like using the indoor stuff with the same chalky style.

Under belly

Brawn built the boxes based on online size recommendations.  I requested a plank look to which he oblidged as well as stained the cracks for me.

I gave the whole thing a coat of the outdoor paint in Ivory, then made my way through some Maison Blanche outdoor Franciscan Gray, and French Blue.  I also used some indoor paint for accents in Wrought Iron and Spanish Moss.

Due to a current condition of kayak arm and wanting to preserve my biceps, I chose to faux paint the wood for a weathered look rather than using my super human arm strength for heavy sanding to distress it. 

Don't know what kayak arm is?  Paddle my fat azz a couple miles in rough waters and you'll find out. 

I mixed up my own concoction of Franciscan Gray with Wrought Iron till I achieved the shade I was looking for.

I used my Cameo Silhouette and the generic version of green Frog Tape to make most of the letters, but in the end I had to hand paint some areas which increased my project time by a couple hours.

Not because I messed up or anything.

Ok, I messed up.  Happy now that I admitted it?

I want to mention that Maison Blanche has a Youtube Channel {here} with all the *how too's* of using each of their products.  I have referred to it several times for tips,  and Annie the owner is as cute as all get out.  I think she's a Texas lady ya'll, you can watch the outdoor paint video below.

Maison Blanche also has a satin varnish, a non-stinky version of varnish that gave my game art the perfect smooth finish for the bean bags to slide across.

Let me tell you, I loved the varnish, but I do have a request of all the specialty paint brands.... put product in a container with a wider mouth for dipping big brushes in.

Just my .2¢.  I like big brushes and I cannot lie.

These yard game boards serve a dual purpose.  Oh yes I'm a tricky one killing two birds with one stone.

I have an ancient game board secret, that won't be so secret in one second.....

There is a long boring outside garage wall that needs a little something something.

So I used the holes in the game as the letter *O* and set out to highlight everything we have to offer right here at home.  And immagonna hang it on that boring wall as yard art.

Why yes I patted myself on the back for that one.  I even told Brawn I'm a genius.

He stayed silent.

I'll show you next time how these two games will be hung so they will not only fill some blah wall space, but also work as a storage spot when they aren't being used.  

But that's gonna have to wait, since as you read this I have a date with my suitcase.

If anyone dare utter the words I'm bored, I'll point them to the garage wall art as a reminder of everything we have to do right in our own backyard. 

For us, the grass isn't greener on the other side of the fence, but we do like to hop over from time to time to check it out.

P.S.  A certain 6 year old boy thinks the word balls is very very funny,

so I included that just for him, because I think he's very very funny.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you have been following along the past couple months, then you know that myself and four other talented bloggers all used Maison Blanche Navy paint in June on which I converted a vintage radio into a bar, then in July we had painters choice using any color Maison Blanche where I upcycled a nightstand into a play kitchen.

 And now it's August and I wonder what they have created using the outdoor paint?  

It's a surprise for me too, so make sure and stop in at each of the blogs listed below, because I know they've painted something special for you too!

Doreen from Hymns and Verses

 Refresh Restyle with Debbie

Shayna from The Wood Grain Cottage

Karin of Art is Beauty
Bliss at Bliss Ranch

Linking up the Bean Bag Game at:
Knick of Time Best of DIY Party

Subscribe, Bliss Ranch arrives magically!