Just what the doctor ordered, a fresh can of paint & a bottle of mineral oil!

I woke up early today, anxious to get the day started.  My sole goal was to get 2 coats of paint on the office & living room walls.  Yesterday so much was going on, I was distracted & felt I didn't accomplish as much as intended, but missing any part of the "sink" event was NOT happening, & playing gofer for Matt was essential a couple times...

There is something so beautiful & exciting about a new can of paint & a clean roller!

Office: ceiling done, 1 coat of primer....before color

Living room: before wall paint!

As Scott says, "nice color"!  & yes it is!!! We decided to err on the lighter side of dark chammomile & chose Malted by Martha Stewart.  We both LOVE it!  This will be the color of the office, living room & 1 wall in the dining room....a bit hard to tell on the screen, its a gold/tan kind of color...




And the sink progress continues:

 No, the camera lens is not dirty- the dust when sanding this sink is incredible! 

 On went the mineral oil...per recommendation of online reading & Tom Joyal of Old House Parts in Kennebunk we began rehydrating the gem today....Tom warned us the sink would change in an amazing fashion...and boy did it ever!  It was beautiful before, and wow it's like a whole new sink today! 

 Suddenly all the variation & details of the stone were brought to the surface- you couldn't see that ANY of this was in the gray dried out stone- it is AMAZING!  Apparently mineral oil can save you from constipation & bring a sink back to life...all for $3.99!

The sink will soak in the oil & we will per recommendation re-apply to keep her hydrated.

Some info below for those of you interested in soapstone itself:  (from Vermont Soapstone company website)

MINERAL OIL AND SOAPSTONE
Soapstone fresh from the quarry is light gray in color. That rich charcoal color soapstone is known for comes when the stone is exposed to water, grease and oils. These liquids cause the stone to oxidize, which darkens the stone’s color and really brings out its natural beauty. To help expedite oxidation of the stone, we recommend that you treat it with mineral oil from time to time. This treatment will keep oxidation uniform across the entire surface.
FIRST OILING PREP
Once your soapstone is installed and enough time has passed for glues to set up properly (overnight), it’s time to bring out the natural beauty of the stone with mineral oil. Newly installed stone will have some dust residue, which easily wipes away with a sponge and clean water. When all the dust is gone, your soapstone is ready for its first coat of mineral oil.
FIRST OILING
The first oiling of your soapstone will take a bit more elbow grease than follow-up oilings. With a few clean, dry rags at the ready, simply pour the mineral oil directly from the bottle onto the surface of the soapstone, rubbing it on to the entire surface with one of the rags (a small paint brush can be handy for corners). Once you’ve covered the stone with oil, let it sit for a half hour or so. Then just wipe off the excess oil with another clean, dry rag. Remember, mineral oil is just a thin moisture layer that is used to speed up oxidation of the stone. Since the stone doesn’t absorb the oil, over time it will evaporate and need replenishment. Now that you have brought out the character of your soapstone, it’s ready to use.
FOLLOW-UP OILING
This treatment and its frequency of application depends on the individual homeowner. Most people find an average of once a month for a year works for them. Some are finished with treatment within a couple of months. Some people treat the surface for a couple of years. A general guide to reapplying the mineral oil is, when water is leaving a noticeable dark spot, oil it up.
OILING SOAPSTONE SINKS
We’ve had a longstanding debate around here over the oiling of a soapstone sink. When the oil is applied, the sink looks great. But, with the use of dish detergents, often the oil is removed after a few washings. That said, we leave the oiling up to you. The sink will darken with age and use, anyway.
CLEANING SOAPSTONE
You can clean your soapstone after the mineral oil treatment using any household cleanser such as Ajax or Comet. Usually just wiping the soapstone with soap and water works just fine. A soapstone sink will stand up to any mild cleaner. Sink corners can be easily kept clean with the use of a small vegetable brush when needed.
USE YOUR SOAPSTONE
Without a doubt, soapstone loves to be used. In fact, we’ve found that the more the stone is used, the less often you need to do follow-up oiling.

So, to conclude, the sink is done, waiting for the plumber now to install our beautiful faucet.

The dining room walls got primed, and our bedroom floor was primed....all in all, a good day...!

If snow permits, we'll find our way over again tomorrow to tackle more....winter will end right?!