Don't worry, we haven't stopped

Now with the lack of house remodel/project posts that I have been putting up...you probably think that we've stopped.  Oh no, we haven't.  These are now just side projects that we squeeze in when we can and Roger helps out when he's available, and the long list keeps growing :)

Just to cover the current in progress ones:
- Backyard patio (currently on hold due to the frigid weather)

- Guest room re-do (I hated the Wal-Mart comforter (yes, because it's from Wal-Mart you would think I might have figured that out prior to the purchase but I didn't.  Pink stripes went awful with the "flow" of the colors in the house.  I found a great black and white flowered comforter with yellow accents...and guess what, that's the new theme of the room!  Since the walls are a beige/yellowish...I'm going with black curtains, stylish black curtain rod, black decor, and LOTS of black picture frames filled with black & white pictures only.  I'm not going to lie, I'm incredibly excited!)

- Family mantle...which is really the focus of this post!  I'm so excited about the mantle it's sick.  I'm just dying to get some stockings up for Christmas and hang my gorgeous circle mirror above it and trash the 1970s mirror.

***Quick update on man-cave decor that I do not think I ever shared with blog world.  Maybe it's because I struggled with this decision and am not afraid to admit "defeat" aka "compromise".  After my post begging to paint the man cave wood paneling and Jimmy & I had our first blog comment fight for everyone to see (seriously, it was real.  Check it out), Jimmy did finally agree to let me paint it.  I was thrilled.  But then I was left with the decision on what to paint it.  I did agree with him that the YHL redo of their den didn't give off the "man cavey" look we were going for.  This is a comfy room where we curl up to a fire & watch movies or Jimmy and  his dudebros watch games.  So the white-ish colors were out.  I wanted a beige, but our furniture is all beige and that would just blend in.  Cheryl, my aunts friend who came to our Thanksgiving is an interior designer, so I asked her to weigh in.  Her thoughts: "It's honestly a really nice wood paneling and if you tried to paint it I think you would regret it and you could never get the wood back.  If you do want to paint it, maybe a green?".  Ok, so based on her advice...I have now accepted that we can leave it as is. That is until we finish off the basement and that becomes the true man cave.

Anyways, so with no painting projects in the near future (oh darn....) I had to find something to spice up the room.  I wanted a mantle oh so badly, so I found one that was a perfect fit at a reasonable price at your neighborhood Lowes.  I was sold- went and picked it up in my Honda.  Then I became stain color obsessed.  Going to the hardware store daily to pick up samples and compare them.  I finally settled on one and was off to stain it.  First time I did it, I did it in the garage with the door closed.  I had a headache for 3 days because of the fumes.  The second coat I did with the garage opened :)  Fast learner I guess.....

Here is the result (still on the floor, after 2 coats of polyurathane):

Roger helped pry off the old trim that surrounded the fireplace. This was there instead of an actual mantle.

And the innocent little fireplace all ready to get a makeover.  Bricks will be painted off white and then the mantle and side panels will go up.  Cannot wait!!!

As it is the holidays, the weekends have been really busy and this weekend is no exception with holiday brunches, parties, and dinners- let alone some last minute shopping that will inevitably take place.  So who knows what we will get done this weekend....but I do have some vacation coming up so I think that will be the perfect time for that!!!