A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of the beginning of this commission. I have had, just about literally, my "nose to the grindstone" ever since. And while this picture shows a lot of progress, there is still a ways to go. The creative parts of the process are pretty much over and now the dirty work begins. Actually, it began when I finished cutting all the glass and lead and soldered the last piece. At that point, the entire window was covered in gunky flux which is necessary to help the solder adhere to the lead.  But it's also a mess and it requires a ton of scrubbing to remove it before the patina is applied. Over the years, I have tried a lot of different products and my favorite without question is the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. (Mr. Clean, please feel free to use my testimonial! I love you!) After dissolving multiple magic erasers, I moved on to the step of applying the patina. That turns all the shiny metal (that appeared in the July 28 photo) into the traditional black lead lines. Next I will flip the window over and clean and patina the other side. It will get messy again when I begin the cementing process, forcing black putty under the edges of the lead came to help hold the glass in place. That is followed by a whole lot more cleaning with rags, toothbrushes and even those pointy tools your dentist uses. I'm looking forward to sharing this photo with my client who is patiently awaiting the completion of her window.