after halloween, it is pretty much christmas time. i know that sounds hasty to a few of you, but i mean it in a preparedness sort of way. if you are hosting guests, like i am, you know it is time to get the house in serious gear. so, i am trying to brush off this head cold for good and get started on some serious projects because i feel like i am already a day late, it is the second! as you may know, i am having thanksgiving guests, but i am also hosting a few christmas shindigs here in december. i love to have parties, but seriously, i get totally stressed out. i made a list this morning of things that have to get done. one of them is to fix up my powder room. powder rooms are very important. almost all of your guests will visit this tiny space and they will have a moment (or two??) to scrutinize your decor. my powder room is in no way ready for this. it was freshly painted when the painter was here, but that is really all it has going for it and i don't even think i like the color. i let my painter talk me into it - please don't ever do that. so, i am ready to make the small space something a little more special, a little more a reflection of my taste. the photo above is of my son's bedroom last year when i added some wood panels to give it a beadboard look. i was thinking of doing this to the powder room. the long vertical wood slats are available just like that at the home depot - no cutting (except for under windows and such). it was a pretty easy project, i just measured and glued. i am such an amateur so in one small section the chair rail is upside down! no one has noticed yet. my painter then caulked and painted with a durable trim paint to really give it a finished look. i don't know if i could make it look good enough for the tough inspection given to the powder room, so i was also thinking of polka-dotting the walls with painted wooden flowers. i can't decide, but something must be done. today, i am just going to paint the brass light fixture. you gotta start somewhere.