'Cuz I'm Not Busy Enough

I've been reading many peoples' posts where they show their beautifully decorated homes, ready for Christmas. I love seeing how they put colours and themes together. There are some incredibly creative and artistic people out there.

This year I am hosting Christmas for my side of the family. I also work almost right up until Christmas, leaving me with little time to get things ready, including shopping, baking, and decorating. As well, we are attending an out of town wedding on the 17th of this month, negating a full day to accomplish many tasks.

So, what should I NOT be doing right now? That would be repainting the den. Which is exactly what I am doing. The cans of paint have been sitting out in the mudroom, and I pass them every day, and have passed them every day for months now. I think it was the fact that I was hosting Christmas that I thought, now is the time to get my act together and paint the den.

I am doing this the lazy girl way. I did not clear out the whole room which would mean moving two couches, one big coffee table, one matching craftsman style cupboard, and a leather recliner to different rooms. Instead, I shove everything to one side of the room, throw sheets and other covers over surfaces I want to protect, and paint one wall at a time, moving furniture as I work around the room.

The den has been this sage green colour for  a long time. I have already taken down pictures and started dismantling in this picture.

The walls were getting pretty dinged up and I was tired of the colour. I wanted something more neutral.

So, the pictures came off the walls, husband filled and sanded, and I cut in and painted every night, wall by wall.

I wrapped garbage bags around the wood stove. It was very finicky painting around behind it. I really had to contort and squat and squeeze myself into tight spaces, but that part is done. You can see the wall colour. It is called "sponge cake". The sixteen year old son said to me, "Mom, did you  mean for it to be the same colour as the kitchen?" The answer would be no, I did not try to choose the same colour as the kitchen, in fact I thought I chose something a bit more beige / tan / neutral, but apparently I chose almost the same colour as the kitchen. Oh well, I must like it.

In this picture you can see the old sage green compared to the new tan (i.e. kitchen colour). I will paint out the door the same as the wall colour.

I think I will definitely be done everything by the end of the weekend. I am really hoping the weather behaves itself this weekend so I can run around and get shopping and other things done. However, currently it is SNOWING out there!! Have a look.

I always look out to the front of the property where there is one lonely street light. You can really tell what's happening out there when you look at the snow flying either diagonally or horizontally past the street light. It is thick out there and we have what is called a "red screen" on the weather channel. That means snow squalls.

If you don't have to drive in it, it is actually quite pretty.