A sneak peak

Well, this was intended to be a bit more of a sneak peak than it is, but my camera ran out of batteries in the middle of downloading. This wouldn't have been a problem, but we are OUT of the ones I need! Can you believe this?! So I'm afraid what you will be viewing tonight is a super sneak peak!

Okay, I have another confession to make...I am not ready for Christmas yet! Can I press the pause button until I can catch up a little? Too bad I can't! Now when I say I'm not ready for Christmas, I do not mean I'm not ready mentally, because I am so excited about it. I just mean that this enormous undertaking, this crazy plan of mine to completely redo our living room and hallways before November was, er, a little of an underestimation on my part. Ah, life with a fixer-upper! Now mind you, I thought if I started in September, I could do it. I had it all mapped out in my mind. But unfortunately, I did not figure in us all fighting a terrible cold or two, our son's homework growing so much, adding extra children's activities, and so forth. SO...I am wrapping it up to take a break for Christmas. I didn't get as far as I would have liked, but I am at a good resting place! So far I have: removed the popcorn from our living room and both hallways, primed the ceilings, we textured them, and then I primed and panted them again. I painted all the rooms, and we have put new moulding up in most of the living room. (With the fireplace project due to begin in January and new windows in the spring.) So for now it's about putting the room back together and...decorating! I am sewing some pretty things for the living room, and painting furniture. I wanted to show you more, but hopefully tomorrow...

I am so inspired by all the beautiful things you are all up to for Christmas; you are all so gifted! I hoping to start some of my Christmas ideas and decorating in the next few days here, and will be sure to show you as I finish them! My question for you is, do you mind seeing some room renovating? I know it's not exactly "Christmas-y", but I'd like to show you a little of what I've been up to, especially as I am in a decorating phase of it all. As soon as I pull the room up by its boot straps, so to speak- i.e., put all the furniture back, dust and clean the floors- I will be adding the Christmas decor! Would you like a peak into the process of putting some love into a room?

Oh, and speaking of Christmas, have you been over to The Nesting Place, and seen the Nester's tutorial on how to make a beautiful garland? I found out about this on Rae's blog, My Life on the East Coast, and went over to the Nester's to check it out! I can't wait to start, hopefully in the next few days, on my own garland! Anyway, if you have the notion to make yourself one too, you might want to head on over! :)

I hope you are all having a great week! I can't wait to spend some time tomorrow night visiting your blogs and saying hi! Add a cup of coffee to that, and it will be just about perfect! :)