blog envy, bedroom before photos & Christmas decorations

I have been enjoying my Thanksgiving break!  The week has flown by though!  I have been working on grad school work, shopping, cooking and putting up some Christmas decorations in the new house (not to mention nursing a really, REALLY painful toothache & root canal!).

I wish I had more time to blog.... Lately I have really been spending a lot of time reading blogs.  I must admit that I have a bad case of blog-envy!! However, I know that at this point and time I do not have time to put into my blog.  One of these days I want to have a really nice personal blog (like this one but more focused on clean eating, recipes, and decorating) and a really nice art teacher blog, too!

I can't wait to be done with grad school!! I will be done with this semester next week!! YAY!  After that I have 12 hours left.  I plan on taking 9 hours next semester and then the last 3 in the Fall.

I realized the other day that I am completely overwhelmed when it comes to decorating this new house.  So, I have a new plan of attack.  I will complete one room at a time.  For some reason, I am beginning with my Master bedroom.  I guess because it it the closest to actually being done.

I'm getting really sick of looking at these blank walls!


Bedroom Before Photos
Here are some photos of my bedroom AS IS.  I should be getting my new bedroom furniture delivered sometime soon.  Notice the crappy curtain panels on the tension rods.  Those WILL NOT be around for the AFTER photos.

You will have to stay tuned for the AFTER photos.  (Be patient, It will probably take me awhile!)

Here is another room that I am working on now too.  (This one is easy so I can do 2 at a time! ha!)  This is my extra upstairs bathroom.  I had all of the green towels and accessories from our apartment so when I found this quatrefoil print green shower curtain at Walmart (Better Homes & Garden brand) I just had to have it!!

Here are some photos of my inside Christmas decorations this year.  I bought all new Christmas tree decorations this year (My old Christmas tree was really primitive and just wouldn't fit right in this house)  So, I went to the Hobby Lobby on a mission.  I came out with a bronze/copper tree skirt, two HUGE spools of damask print bronze ribbon and a massive package of copper bulbs.

 I found these tiny pre-lit entry way trees at Big Lots packaged with 2  pre-lit 9' long garlands, too (which I used outside around the door).  The trees were only 36" tall and were too small to use outside on my porch where I wanted.  :(   So I had to improvise! I put one on a plant stand covered with some (really cheap...I'm talking 1$ a yard) gold fabric that I bought on clearance at JoAnn a few months ago.   I decorated them to match my tree!!  and I love them!

 I bought this apothecary jar at HomeGoods for $9.99 and its a big one!!  Some smaller ones were $14.99 so I'm not really sure why this one was cheaper.  Anyway, I filled it with red bulbs that I bought at the DollarTree.  I also found some really large peppermint stick candy canes at the DollarTree and stuck those in there too.  I finished it off with a $.50 berry pick from Hobby Lobby.  I'm not happy with the overall look of this table, but its ok for now I guess. I'm having a hard time finding "homes" for all of my goodies since we gave a LOT of our old furniture to Goodwill.   I really love the little Japanese looking light (gift from my MIL) because it gives off a really cozy glow at night.  Some day I get it all situated the way I want it!!

I guess we'll be back to school on Monday.  :(   I'm looking forward to snow days already!