Operation Hallmark Christmas Inn Bedroom Part One

 What? Posting again already? Well, I decided if I didn't share something - it could be after Christmas and I never would get a chance. 

Before we begin. The stove. Well, the stove was delivered this morning. I am not thrilled with it. It cost a fortune and has so much "stuff" I will never use and didn't want. There were features I would have liked that it doesn't have. As a short person, I immediately noticed the cooktop is almost an inch higher. My husband was a little blown away by what difference this makes. It makes a difference. It has an "app" that I could possibly hook up with my phone. There is no point to that feature. It also has a "steam" setting and a "bread proofing" setting for the oven. I can't imagine why or what I would be steaming in the oven and I have been proofing bread for at least 5 decades and I don't know how you would do it in an oven. I should mention the only directions are for syncing the stove with your phone. None on operation. Oh, and the two front burners have rapid boil features on the large burner only so that I will be able to quickly boil water in a skillet. Also the timer and preheat feature play music instead of a buzzer. With young children and cartoons, I don't think I will hear it. And I find the sounds very strange. Have I done enough whining? No. The stove was delivered, but not the cord we purchased. So we had to reload the 2 year old and drive a city away, explain the whole wacky situation with the service desk and then drive all the way back home for my husband to spend 2 hours hooking up the stove.

So. I am blessed that I can afford to replace a stove. I am blessed that we were able to have a stove delivered so quickly. The fact that I spent $800 on a stove I am not thrilled about still has me steamed. Like the oven. 

So let's move on to happier subjects. 

DAY ONE- the tree. I shopped from my chair for a while, looking for the perfect tree. In my mind the perfect tree was a 7' pencil tree, flocked and pre-lit. After looking at prices, I kept revising the vision and suddenly I saw a 4' flocked and prelit tree on the Dollar General site for $20.00. Available in stores only. Then we began stalking Dollar General stores. I am now personally acquainted with at least six store managers and finally walked into one where they had my tree. I am thrilled with it. It is so overly flocked that the fact that it sheds like crazy doesn't bother me. It will stay flocked for years!! 

Day Two: We will go with bows on the lamps. I found these at Dollar General for $2.00 each. You will notice that the bows moved down from the shade to the base after a few days. I also found the red glittery placemats so we won't scratch the tabletops. 

Day Three: I don't know why, but last January I came across this quilt set on Amazon while searching for a quilt for my granddaughter. It was on clearance and I ordered it. It must have been a premonition. Here is before. 

And after. I love that it is "Christmasy" but is also snowflake enough to use through maybe February? 

Day Four: I am counting the throw pillows. The snowflake was an Amazon purchased pillow cover. The pink pillow was a stand alone pillow I picked up somewhere. 

Day Five:  I picked up this flocked garland at Jo Ann Fabrics as a "door buster". I had hoped to get more but they only hand two garlands left. Luckily I only have two windows. 

Day Six: (do you like how I am dragging this out?) I found these dark blue gingham pillow covers on Amazon. I borrowed two pillows from my sofa for the look. This brings us to eight decorative pillows on the bed (in addition to the two sleeping pillows on my husband's side and four on my side. In my defense, one is for my arm. 

Day Six: We spent two days stalking Dollar General Stores for "non-flocked" 4' tree pre-lit tree for $15.00 as requested by my daughter-in-law. We found this 4' pre-lit tree at Michaels for $19.99.  I probably should explain our shopping style. We pull up in the parking lot. I don my K95 mask (often the only one masked in the store), dash in leaving Mr. Merry in the car. Then I sanitize upon my return to the car. 

Day Seven: Last Spring I ordered two signs from my niece to put over the bed. There was something lost in the translation of my color choice so I ended up sanding this one, repainting it navy blue and my daughter cut the lettering out from white sticky paper on her cricut. Here it is on my old stove (sob) after I did some touch ups. 

And here it is over the bed. 

And here is what the bedroom really looks like with the pack n play for our guest. I don't remember pack n plays in the Hallmark movies . . . 

Now we will insert the stove adventure. 

While I was at Jo Ann's, I found fabrics that coordinate with the quilt that I am going to use to make a rag garland to go over the sign over the bed. I actually found fabric almost identical to the navy with the snowflake which I am very excited about. The dilemma is finding time to cut all the strips with my rotary cutter when we have had two and three year olds here every day since I purchased the fabric. I am hoping for some alone time on Saturday. I can work on it with them here, I just can't use the rotary cutter. 

I also have a big project in mind for the dresser across from the bed. I have supplies ready, but it first involves clearing the dresser top which will be a big project. AND since this room is used for napping, I can't do any part of the project when my buddies are here. 

So now I am only four days behind on Operation Hallmark Christmas Inn Bedroom (as long as I post before midnight!).  Hopefully by Monday I will have more to share!