hugs, Karen

And that mantle...OMG!! Since our house is on the market, I've kept my mantle simple for Christmas, but seeing this one is causing some unsettled thoughts. Just have to remind myself that would cost WAYYY too much to do. Yeah, just too costly : ) . Going to have to be ok that the tree, mantle and wreath are finished and my husband will kill me if I start changing them.

Thanks so much for posting this!! I really needed some inspiration this morning ...for the side table only : ) .

I ended up having a coworkers son-in-law doing the actual build (the price was very right). He is doing a good job, but this is "side-work" to his real construction job, so it is going slowly. Unfortunately I don't think he will be finished with the mudding in the new LR before Thanksgiving, so I can prime and paint. Normally I put my christmas decor up the day after Thanksgiving...so since it doesn't see to be going that way I will be much delayed with my Christmas decorating :( Drywall dust over everything would be a very bad thing LOL.

bleigh, thankyou too for your kind thoughts. I guess I am lucky?, I have no husband to have to "confir" with LOL

This is a shot of my "old" living room.

It is now going to be my dining room, and the third TINY bedroom becomes my new living room. Since the closets are now removed the room becomes a much better size 11'x 11'. Just right for me.

If you look into the reflection of the mirror on the wall, you will see the old TV wall that was the wall backing to the old bedroom. The wall is gone now, and I have 2 pony-walls with columns, I am quite pleased with it so far.

This is the on-going remodel of the living room side. Forgive the mess, but I still have to "live" there LOL

I will be keeping the couch where you see it, but the tv will go on the other wall surrounded by bookcases. I will be putting molding on the columns and crown molding on the upper walls, and chair molding on the walls. I still have a long ways to go (not to mention new floors)

(I am standing taking the photo where the new dining room will be)

I look forward to seeing pics of your renovated home. I can't even imagine how much work this has been for you but glad it will meet your needs better and I know the pics will be very inspiring.

Yep, I will be posting more pics as it continues.

Luckygal, thankyou, I am glad you enjoy them, it is just something I am passionate about.
It has been alot of work, and unsettling living in a constant "wreck" while it is getting done, but the price I pay now will be worth it (to me anyway).

And, Judith, you are certainly making lots & lots of progress...this is going to be so very beautiful & functional in the realm of your comfort zone. I am loving the changes! Some mos. back I read all that you were doing on the Home forum or something & it is amazing how far you've come. Fortitude...a good word to describe what one must possess when remodeling! You've got that down to a science, I am sure! TFS & lookin' forward to the finished product(s) in the future! Jeanne S.

I don't post much since I don't have internet at home anymore, I have to rely on getting a free signal which sometimes is very unreliable. Todays first post took me over 4 hours to complete, the signal keep going in and out.

Right now I am at Barnes and Noble using their free WiFi, thank goodness.

My home is very small, only about 940 sq ft., so even though the 11'x11' is a tiny LR for most people, it will work perfectly for me. Since I took the walls down from the kitchen it has really made a difference for enlarging my present kitchen, I will actually be able to have an island..a dream come true for me. Right now I have a "pretend" island up so I am being able to utilize the new space right now until I can afford new cabinets to make a permenant island.
I am still playing around with ideas on "slightly" dividing the DR from the kitchen visually so that it is not all "in my face". Lots of ideas on the drawing board, I just have to pick the best one. That is the good thing with living with a situation for awhile, it really opens your eyes for different designs that might work better.

Gals, did you know if you click on one of Judith's photos, it takes you to her Flicker album where she has her beautiful decorations to see? I've had her bookmarked for a long time. LOL. I'm a very big "Judith fan" as most here know. She is the one responsible for me discovering stacked plates and finding this Forum!! I am forever in her debt over this!

hugs, Karen

Karen, thanks again for your support, I do appreciate it.
I canceled my internet quite a while ago, and lowered my tv cable cost to the lowest level, it gave me a great savings to help remodel my house...every little bit helps. I can live without the tv pretty well, but not having internet is a pain, I really don't like to post from work much. Barnes and Nobles' free wifi connection is slow too, but better than nothing..it is the least they can do, I have spent a fortune in their book store for years on books and magazines LOL.

I will try to at least decorate my little den in the back like last year, but it just won't be the same not having my big tree up (if he can't get the mudding and sanding finished on time). :( I still have to do Thanksgiving with my DD, I hate to do it at my house because of the mess, so I will be taking all my tablesettings and such to her apt. this year. Hopefully I will get a few shots of the table then.