(Click image to enlarge)

Words to kick back and relax by Liven up an Adirondack chair. Using three coats of varnish, you can seal your creative work against the elements. Project design, text and picture, created by: MADELEINE LANGLOIS Hands-on time: Weekend project, completed in stretches of several hours each. Total time: Add drying time for paint, leafing pen and varnish. Skill: Moderate. Project cost: Under $30 for the supplies, excluding the chair. Project creation, article and photo by: Madeleine M Langlois

Materials & tools: Adirondack chair Sandpaper (or power sander) and tack cloth 3 cans of H2O paint by Krylon (I used Bay of Bengal Orange 2601) Circle template or compass, plus pencil Acrylic paints in assorted shades of turquoise and a 1-centimetre angled paintbrush Computer printouts of assorted words or phrases in different fonts, styles and sizes (minimum font size 70) A ruler, scissors Transfer paper by Saral (choose a colour other than what you're painting your chair) Painter's tape, 2.5 centimetres Fun-Tak putty by LePage Silver Leafing Pen by Krylon Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or a clean cloth and paint thinner Exterior spray varnish by Krylon (Materials for this project are available at arts, crafts and hardware stores.) Looking for a creative way to spruce up an Adirondack chair? This summer, express yourself with colour and words and imprint your style. For a burst of fun colour I used vibrant orange H2O paint to jazz up my Adirondack chair. The chair is then embellished with circles in assorted shades of turquoise to impart a sleek modern touch, while various words and phrases in silver offer a creative whimsy of words to relax by. The new H2O paints by Krylon are low-odour, water-based spray paints with easy soap and water clean up. They can be used indoors or outdoors on wood, metal and wicker, or applied directly onto walls. They provide a fast-drying, durable finish. After some testing, I noticed that the H2O paint has a slightly translucent finish. For best results, it should be applied to unpainted or stained items. If your chair was previously painted, it must first be well sanded or stripped. Sand the chair, and then wipe it down with the tack cloth. In a well-ventilated area, apply two coats of H2O paint to the entire chair, letting it dry between each coat. Use a circle template or a compass to draw about half a dozen dots (assorted sizes) on the Adirondack chair in key areas. Fill in the dots using an angled paintbrush and assorted shades of turquoise acrylic paint. Let dry, and then apply a second coat if needed. Make computer printouts of various words and phrases in different fonts, styles and sizes to use as templates. Use the ruler to measure surfaces of the chair on which to fit text. For my chair, I used about 36 different sayings (e.g., Maddy's Chair, Escape, Day Dream, This seat is taken, Freedom, No cell phones allowed, etc.). Cut the words out a half inch around the edges. Cut bands of transfer paper in a similar size. Apply putty at the back of each word, and then stick the words all over the chair, including the arms, seat and sides. Rearrange words until you are pleased with the composition. Then, one word at a time, place a band of transfer paper under the word, removing putty, and use painter's tape to attach word and transfer paper to the chair's surface; use a pencil or pen to trace the outlines of the text onto the chair. Remove the template (transfer paper and text), and fill in the outlines of each word on the chair with the silver leafing pen. The chiselled tip is perfect for making thin or thick lines. Once dry, wipe off any exposed white transfer paper lines with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or a damp cloth. Set aside to dry a few hours before applying the top coat of varnish. In order to really protect your creative work from weather conditions, apply at least three coats of exterior varnish, allowing it to dry between each coat. Once dry, allow 24 hours before exposing the chair to the elements. Tips: For hard-to-reach areas to spray paint, spray a small amount of paint into a plastic container or bowl and apply the paint using a 5-centimetre paintbrush. If you see drips, wipe them off right away with a paintbrush. For goof-ups with the silver pen or to simply remove or change a word, erase right away with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser or a clean cloth and paint thinner. Variations: This all-over text concept can also be creatively applied to benches, flower boxes, a picnic table, birdhouses, lawn decorations and shutters. Write words in different languages, or use different colours of paint markers or leafing pens to make a colourful statement. Copyright MaddyLane Designs/Miy Decorations © 2008 No portion of this article is to be copied or published without permission.