Sunday, November 27, 2016

Christmas Memories


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My parents put up two Christmas trees, one huge 12" tree in the living room, then a smaller tree in the basement. I always help put up the big tree and decorate the house, but Mom and Dad do the basement tree. Usually Christmas is such a whirlwind event that I don't really get to spend much time looking at all of the ornaments on the little tree.

Well this year my parents are working on a big remodeling project so decided not to put up the huge upstairs tree so they will be ready to start construction at a moment's notice. So, I ended up hanging all of the ornaments on the basement tree. That tree includes lots of handmade ornaments, including this little gem from 1973 painted by yours truly.

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Waxing Poetic


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OK, I think I need to lay off the word play...

After checking out the cutting boards last night I realized I had done a better sanding job than I realized. All I did was burnish them with a Scotch Brite pad and apply a coat of Perennial wood wax. The colors really pop now and the cherry should darken with age.

I am very pleased with out these turned out, but the being the perfectionist that I am there are a few spots where the grain of the wood tore out and a few bug holes in a couple of the walnut strips. These will drive me nuts for a while, but eventually I will start looking at the entire board, not just the imperfections in the natural wood.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

Plain Cutting Boards


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Well not that kind of plain, plane–as in I needed to smooth the surfaces of my laminated boards.

I spent a few hours at Perennial this afternoon planing and sanding my cutting boards. Also cooked up some of their custom wood wax while I was there. I'll probably give them another once over with a scotchbrite pad then wax them tomorrow. I'm so excited to see the colors come out.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Second Hello Fresh Meal


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Again it was delicious, tri tip steak, couscous, red bell pepper, spinach with chimichurri. So far so good from Hello Fresh.

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

First Hello Fresh Meal


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Have to say it was delicious, porkchop with balsamic cherry glaze, with roasted potatoes and broccoli. Great first meal from Hello Fresh.

Thursday, November 10, 2016

Cutting Board Crazy

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I'm on a roll. Glued up three of the four cutting boards I laid out last night. I would have done the fourth, but I ran out of glue. Once I get the fourth one done, then I will head back to Perennial on a community workshop day to plane then.

Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Cutting Board Worshop

bCutting

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Day one of my cutting board class at Perennial here in St. Louis. Wood strips glued up and clamped (I did eventually clean up as much of the squeeze-out) until next week's final class. I am very excited to see how the different colors of wood–ash, oak, walnut and osage (where hedge apples come from) come out after oiling/waxing.