Terrifc Tuesday! Major projects going here.............finally!

This is my front door with the orangish tan color..........nothing exciting but then I painted it.........

It doesn't show up as green as it is......it's like a light Granny Smith Apple but not as pale as this picture.  Once it's totally dry I'll post a picture with the little window scraped and washed and from the outside.  I thought about yellow but I really wanted a green after I bought those green plant pots but Walmart didn't have much to chose from in exterior paint.  It took 3 coats!
I decided with the heat and all going on here and everywhere that I would have to get up early in the morning and get right outside if I wanted to get any projects done this summer.  Yesterday was 107 but mornings are in the 70's early so that's what I did.  I threw on my clothes and went outside.  I didn't even brush my teeth!
There was an old saying about doing your "big rocks" first in the day because you will always find time to do the "little rocks" later.   It was based on a glass jar where you put in your big rocks, then you can fit smaller pebbles in and after that you can pour sand in to fill the jar completely.  I'd been doing the little rocks in the morning....my daily tasks only to realize that by the time I got them done it was too hot out for me to want to go out and get started.  So, I went out and worked until noon and acclimated myself as it warmed up and by the time I came inside it was in the high 80's but I had gotten my BIG ROCKS done!  Yippee!  Thus the lateness of this post.   Here's what else I got done outside.  Oh, and I also weeded and put down more rubber mulch but didn't take a picture of that.

There are 2 of these foam plastic flower boxes that I got at a garage sale.  This is after I scrubbed them and set them out in the drive way to dry.  I plan on painting them with some plastic spray paint I bought and so I'll post a picture after that.
This bench with a lift up seat and storage has been with me for years.  I got it at an auction (really cheap...you'll see why!) and tried several times to strip the paint off of it but it has at least 8 colors that I counted and I've decided to sand it and paint it. 

 This little sander is a God send!

Then I spent 2 hours just trying to get the hardware off of it....it was painted over don't ya know.......

More trusty tools to get the job done and yes...there is always a kitchen knife involved!  See that black and red screwdriver?   It is one of my favorite tools as all the heads are in the handle and you never touch them....

You pull up and they're all there and you just align that red marker on which bit you want and push it back down and voila!  Your bit is there...ready to go!  I got one for my son-in-law one year and he thought it was the bee's knees....there you go girls!  Christmas present for the guys!  It's a Craftsman....I got it on QVC but you can order from Sears.  Of course, being a Craftsman it has a lifetime warranty too.

So...finally got the hardware off but it was in rough shape......... so I came inside and Googled how to clean antique hardware and lo and behold!  Put in a crockpot with water and dish detergent and set it on high and walk away.  In they went...screws and all..........

a few hours later this is what I saw...............

Do you see that filthy water?  Whoa Nellie!  I was shocked!  But I had taken my bath and really didn't want  to spatter myself with the dirty water so that's a project for tomorrow.  I turned it off and I'll "reheat" tomorrow and then I imagine there will be some old toothbrushes involved in further cleaning but who knows?  I'll save that for another post.  Below is the "lid"/bench seat but it must have been just glued together because when I lifted it up it came apart into 2 boards.  Hmmm.....any ideas anyone as to how I should put them back together?  Anyone have a handy hubby they could ask? I'm thinking nails should be involved but I am no carpenter.  I'd Google but not sure what to ask?  I better dig out my woodworking books.

I did get my small rocks done too after I came in and I can't say I'm not tuckered out because I am but what a great feeling to get going on some projects that have been on the back burner WAY TOO LONG!
I am going through items like that bench and if I'm going to keep them then I need to make then usable and attractive or out they go!
I hope you had an enjoyable and satisfying day too and don't forget..........big rocks first! LOL!