Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[Ridgetop]

I was in a bad mood all day after that. DD2 is keeping the baby home tomorrow. Said Annabel did not sleep all night. Robert is now running a slight temp too. Just want to stay healthy until we can escape to Texas. Although with the heat advisory now and Wood County having lost power I wonder if the food we left in the freezer needs to be tossed out.

Naturally after tarping the desk pieces the sun came out and it warmed up again. I went to put a second coat of varnish on the desk pieces and SHOCK! HORROR! For some reason the varnish had done something weird. I used an "oil modified water base" type varathane. I have used it before and had no problems but this tome it looked like it combined with the stain and clumped together making strange spots and streaks in color. The desk and its parts looked terrible. I sanded off all the varnish and stain. This time I started with 80 grit progressing through 180 to 220. Tomorrow I will have to try varnishing again. I will try the Spar Indoor/Outdoor marine varnish. I wonder if the oil modified water base one reacted with some of the finish I may not have completely sanded off but tomorrow I will use the other stuff. I am getting tired of sanding off the finish. Also running out of sandpaper for the rotary palm sander.

I replaced the zipper in the sofa cushion cover. I had to patch a couple holes in the cover first but they are near the zipper so not noticeable. I had to put the zipper in twice. The first time I thought I would be clever and put it in so the pull end of the zipper could tuck inside the cover. It didn't work out well. So I ripped it out and reset it. Then I made a muslin cover for the inner cushion and replaced all the stuffing. That dog had completely ripped the inner cushion apart. I finished with the inner cushion and replaced it in the outer cover. It looks pretty lumpy but too bad. If DD2 doesn't like the look of it, she can take it to an upholstery shop and get another inner cushion. At least she can remove the inner cushion to wash the covers which she likes to do. The cushion cover looks great.

 

[Mike CHS]

Varathane water base isn't compatible with oil base varnish.

 

[SageHill]

I was in a bad mood all day after that. DD2 is keeping the baby home tomorrow. Said Annabel did not sleep all night. Robert is now running a slight temp too. Just want to stay healthy until we can escape to Texas. Although with the heat advisory now and Wood County having lost power I wonder if the food we left in the freezer needs to be tossed out.

Naturally after tarping the desk pieces the sun came out and it warmed up again. I went to put a second coat of varnish on the desk pieces and SHOCK! HORROR! For some reason the varnish had done something weird. I used an "oil modified water base" type varathane. I have used it before and had no problems but this tome it looked like it combined with the stain and clumped together making strange spots and streaks in color. The desk and its parts looked terrible. I sanded off all the varnish and stain. This time I started with 80 grit progressing through 180 to 220. Tomorrow I will have to try varnishing again. I will try the Spar Indoor/Outdoor marine varnish. I wonder if the oil modified water base one reacted with some of the finish I may not have completely sanded off but tomorrow I will use the other stuff. I am getting tired of sanding off the finish. Also running out of sandpaper for the rotary palm sander.

I replaced the zipper in the sofa cushion cover. I had to patch a couple holes in the cover first but they are near the zipper so not noticeable. I had to put the zipper in twice. The first time I thought I would be clever and put it in so the pull end of the zipper could tuck inside the cover. It didn't work out well. So I ripped it out and reset it. Then I made a muslin cover for the inner cushion and replaced all the stuffing. That dog had completely ripped the inner cushion apart. I finished with the inner cushion and replaced it in the outer cover. It looks pretty lumpy but too bad. If DD2 doesn't like the look of it, she can take it to an upholstery shop and get another inner cushion. At least she can remove the inner cushion to wash the covers which she likes to do. The cushion cover looks great.

Man that was a busy day lots of do and redo ugh. More power to you for doing it right.
There’s some trick to see if your freezer got too warm when the power is out something like putting ice cubes in a container. If it ends up one solid piece it’s bad news. I think that’s it.
Fingers crossed your TX food is ok.

 

[Ridgetop]

Varathane water base isn't compatible with oil base varnish.

I didn't mix the varnish - I have used this stuff before on both stained and painted surfaces and never had a problem.
Sorry, I said the wrong thing - it is not Varathane, it is Minwax Water Based Oil Modified Polyurethane
It was an unopened can. Old, but I stirred it until all the solids on the bottom were melted into the liquid. I can try it on something else later, but tomorrow I will use the satin Spar Varnish. That is a true oil-based polyurethane. You haven't been able to buy oil based Varathane or polyurethane in California for the past 10 years or more. I try to buy it out of state when I can find it. Even this water-based oil modified stuff is not sold here any longer. I have several new cans stockpiled unopened in my shed. I tried the straight water-based varnishes, but they got tacky when it rained! LOL

Anyway, I think I didn't have the finish completely sanded down. I should have just sanded off the top of the desks and finished them to waterproof them since the rest of the desks were in good condition. The mistake I made was getting ambitious and deciding to refinish the sides and drawers as well. Should have just washed the desk with TSP, then polished the sides and drawers with Old English, and varnished just the tops. Instead, I did a light sanding and probably didn't get all the finish or polish off. A stupid error on my part which has now cost me more time and effort. However, I really like this desk for DH. And having keys for the drawers is a good thing, although locking drawers just gives people incentive to break the locks thinking you have valuables inside. However, when loading the desks we can lock the drawers and they won't roll out. Same with DH's low file cabinet console.

So three coats tomorrow if all goes right and it will be finished. I will post a picture when it is done. Then on to the other pieces that I have been putting off. Oh, and call the upholsterer about DH's recliner. Maybe he can pick that up and do it while we are in Texas. And the dogs have to go to the vet for rabies shots. And it is Tuesday - 10% senior discount at Ross. I need to get bathmats, a set of good knives, and a few other things for the Yantis house. Have to find the list. I was able to get some flour sack towels at the Costco Business. I Iike them for drying dishes better than the terry kitchen towels. Costco Business caters to businesses and carries different items for commercial businesses. The closest Ross in 'Texas is in Lindale - 1 1/2 hours away - easier to go to the ones here and drag the stuff back when we go.

At least DD2 is keeping Annabel home tomorrow. We will have Maysie on Wednesday though while Annabel is in preschool. I had planned to take her to DD1's to play with Elizabeth but she will be at scout camp for a week.

 

[Margali]

There’s some trick to see if your freezer got too warm when the power is out something like putting ice cubes in a container. If it ends up one solid piece it’s bad news. I think that’s it.
Fingers crossed your TX food is ok.

Take a small container, freeze a layer of water then put a coin in. Add another layer of water and free. You end up with coin in middle of ice block. If coin is on bottom of container, you know block thawed and refroze.

 

[canesisters]

I was in a bad mood all day after that. DD2 is keeping the baby home tomorrow. Said Annabel did not sleep all night. Robert is now running a slight temp too. Just want to stay healthy until we can escape to Texas. Although with the heat advisory now and Wood County having lost power I wonder if the food we left in the freezer needs to be tossed out.

Naturally after tarping the desk pieces the sun came out and it warmed up again. I went to put a second coat of varnish on the desk pieces and SHOCK! HORROR! For some reason the varnish had done something weird. I used an "oil modified water base" type varathane. I have used it before and had no problems but this tome it looked like it combined with the stain and clumped together making strange spots and streaks in color. The desk and its parts looked terrible. I sanded off all the varnish and stain. This time I started with 80 grit progressing through 180 to 220. Tomorrow I will have to try varnishing again. I will try the Spar Indoor/Outdoor marine varnish. I wonder if the oil modified water base one reacted with some of the finish I may not have completely sanded off but tomorrow I will use the other stuff. I am getting tired of sanding off the finish. Also running out of sandpaper for the rotary palm sander.

I replaced the zipper in the sofa cushion cover. I had to patch a couple holes in the cover first but they are near the zipper so not noticeable. I had to put the zipper in twice. The first time I thought I would be clever and put it in so the pull end of the zipper could tuck inside the cover. It didn't work out well. So I ripped it out and reset it. Then I made a muslin cover for the inner cushion and replaced all the stuffing. That dog had completely ripped the inner cushion apart. I finished with the inner cushion and replaced it in the outer cover. It looks pretty lumpy but too bad. If DD2 doesn't like the look of it, she can take it to an upholstery shop and get another inner cushion. At least she can remove the inner cushion to wash the covers which she likes to do. The cushion cover looks great.

You are amazing at all this re-doing furniture! I've had a couple of sets of that 'crate furniture' since I moved out on my own. The cushions have been replaced several times with cobbled together left-overs from other sofas & chairs over the years. I cover with sheets and hope for the best....

 

[Baymule]

Great ideas on freezer thawing! I never would have thought of that.

There is no Ross in Lindale unless they opened one since I left. There are 2 in Tyler. One across from the mall, on the loop and one in south Tyler in that sprawling outdoor mall. I like that outdoor mall, make it a day and shop all day. Great Thai restaurant catty corner across from Discount Tire, try it for lunch. Of course, you won’t have time for all day shopping for a looooong time! Hahaha!

It’s about 2 hours drive for me, probably hour or so for you. We could meet up one morning and shop all day! There’s a World Market there too, at Christmas they have tons of thin crunchy ginger snaps. I love them!

 

[Ridgetop]

It’s about 2 hours drive for me, probably hour or so for you. We could meet up one morning and shop all day! There’s a World Market there too, at Christmas they have tons of thin crunchy ginger snaps. I love them!

Sounds like fun! Particularly for Christmas shopping! Definitely will do that. I think there is a Burlington's there too. I get all DH's and DD1's super plus sizes there. Particularly good for hard-to-find plus size jackets.

My grandmother taught me to recycle stuff. She started me off by teaching me to sew. I made all my clothes in high school, and for the children until fabric got too pricey. About that time clothes from Taiwan and India got cheap and discount stores opened up. It cost more to make clothes than to shop for cheap stuff. I still sew for special occasions and special items like baptismal gowns, etc.
Next project was reupholstering an antique chair Gammy had. She had me paint it white and antique it. Then talked me through reupholstering it. On to an old barrel chair Gammy got free from a neighbor for her bedroom. Her hands had started to be crippled from arthritis so she talked me through that as well. That upholstery job included sewing for a channel back and was more complicated. Later I was able to upholster a set of Gothic style dining room chairs that had upholstered and welted backs and spring seats. Those were difficult. I had to make muslin covers to act as patterns. They also required nail head trim to finish them off. When I got married she took me to garage sales and introduced me to the wonders of spray paint. DH and I got her old wedding set of dressers from her old house when the tenants moved out. (We eventually bought and renovated that house). They were black with age. I had them stripped and refinished them. I still have them, they are over 100 years old and lovely. They are Circassian Walnut and are made so the grain flows down the front of the drawers from one to the other. I just went on from refurbishing old furniture there since we didn't have any money. Gammy and I shopped yard sales for furniture, baby furniture and items (eventually) and artwork to furnish our homes. Lots of fun and one reason why everything has a meaning since I usually got it with her. When shopping for used furniture i always check the drawers for dovetailing. You can often also determine the wood (if the furniture has obviously been painted). In addition, there are often maker's marks stamped on the inside of drawers or cabinets if the piece is from a good manufacturer. If you are a careful and knowledgeable shopper, you will find excellent pieces that just need to be refinished. I found a lovely buffet that was painted a horrible pea green once. It was on closeout at the thrift store and I paid $35 for it. It was oak and when I stripped it down it I found it was quarter sawn which is a beautiful graining. It also had carved detailing - hard to strip and redo, but beautiful. I refinished it and gave it to DS3 and DDIL1. They love it. I also make drapes, curtains, duvets from sheets, and dust ruffles. Sewing has saved me a fortune and allowed me to have a custom home on very little. (Just replaced the zipper in a sofa cushion for DD2 and it looks like new. Just keep that dog in the crate or get rid of it! I can only do so much!)

When we moved here, Daddy and Mom Robbins still lived nearby. Daddy had built my old kitchen from scratch and his post-retirement cabinet business had taken off. He had already taught me how to draw up true plans for cabinets and now he taught me how to make them. I would go over with DS2 and DS3 while the older kids were in school and spend the day with my in-laws. Mom would play with the boys and I would work in the garage with Daddy helping him on his cabinets and learning from him. When we installed my new kitchen at this house he taught me even more.

Mom Robbins taught me to quilt. She found me crouching on the floor trying to quilt a double bedspread - no frame, and no idea what zi was doing. She had Daddy go home and make a frame (4 pieces of pine 1x2's and 4 clamps. Then she taught me how to stretch it and roll t on the frame and quilt it. I have done a lot of personalized baby quilts since then.

Daddy taught DH how to do rough carpentry work, how to lay cement, and a lot of other DIY stuff when DH was growing up. DH and I taught our boys everything we learned. (DD1 didn't want to learn anything from us and now regrets it. DD1 is teaching her husband stuff now. LOL) We were truly blessed to have my Gammy and DH's parents in our lives. We learned everything they taught us and have used it. So blessed to have them. No renovation project scares us and because of our wonderful relatives and their elbow grease attitude we have the knowledge to do it. Of course, nowadays anything you don't know is on U Tube!

 

[SageHill]

Take a small container, freeze a layer of water then put a coin in. Add another layer of water and free. You end up with coin in middle of ice block. If coin is on bottom of container, you know block thawed and refroze.

I knew there was a trick - THAT'S IT!!!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

That is a great idea! But, I'm lazy and look for the easiest way, lol. I just keep a bag of ice cubes in each freezer. If they melt and refreeze - they refreeze into a block and not individual cubes.

Might be more fun to go on a treasure hunt for coins though, lol! My grands would love that idea!