Sunday, January 24, 2016

Winter Projects

I have to admit that, come late autumn, my project execution momentum slows way down.  I have good reason - most of my projects require space, warmth, light and dryness... no easy task when outside in Cumberland BC in the winter.

I do have some project work I can complete - I acquired additional shelving brackets a month or so ago - and so could finish out the pantry... I also had a couple of truck loads of wood delivered before Christmas - but I ended up with a cold virus - and then a second one - and so have been coughing since late December and significantly weaker all month - meaning I tire out MUCH more easily, and therefore the biggest weekend project I have managed this month was laundry and house cleaning.  Today, feeling a little heartier, I took Jasmine for a good walk in the forest and then moved some of the wood I split into a proper stack.

Long way to go to "normal" but getting there. 

This past weekend we celebrated my brother's birthday... and while preparing for the gathering and speaking with my Dad, he told me about this new product he'd got his hands on - something called Kramer's Best Antique Improver - and I have to admit, it sounded pretty neat!

Dad was willing to let me buy what he had left so he could get a bigger bottle (and I can see that I am going to need WAY more, and soon!) and so last  night after dinner I thought I might try it out on one of my little half-moon tables - just to see how it works...

Man!  This stuff WORKS!

Before - and yes, it had been dusted... 
kind of gross, but I wanted to show the rag

And this is the OTHER side of the rag!

After the first treatment - I'll do a second treatment on it
either tonight or tomorrow night - just so I
can see how it turns out 

So... what I took away from this is that for the next treatment, I'll start (gently) with a superfine steel wool - that will help agitate and lift the crud.  Then I will wipe down with the rag.  I suspect it will still bring up a LOT of crud - but as you can see, the white damage spots are gone, as are some of the scratches. 

Sadly, there are only two distributors in Canada for this miracle restorer - the one we got our supply from, and another one on the mainland... and apparently it is pretty expensive to bring in... so I will be stocking up in the next couple of months (just in case they stop bringing it in) because I can see just how valuable this will be!!

With love across the waters...