Is it only Wednesday?  This week has been insane and packed full of projects and deadlines that it feels like it could be a Saturday. I don’t have any finished photos to share with you of all these said projects we’re juggling, but I thought I would give you a run-down of what we’re working on over here as a little preview of what is to come in the next few days.

1. We are finishing up a pantry at our friend’s house as a part of our Ace Hardware neighbor project. Our good friends Preston and Corinne have renovated their whole kitchen and built it up from scratch. Preston made all of the cabinets and even the countertops.  It’s amazing.  Anyway, in the process, he framed out a closet for a pantry but it didn’t have any shelves or even a door.  The great thing about being on the Ace Hardware blogger panel is they are really big on helping your neighbor out.  So, they worked into the budget a “neighbor project” where we get to help a neighbor in need.  Preston (who sang at our wedding and now tours the country. total rockstar) and Corinne (lovely and 8 months pregnant) seemed like the perfect candidates. The pantry has been a couple weeks in the making and we are going over today to hopefully take final photos and share the before and afters with you.

2. I am working on an advent calendar.  I know what you’re thinking, “How long could that possibly take?!” It’s ridiculous. I’m ridiculous. This may come as a surprise, but I am not a crafter. I am an artist, but working in the confines of a small little tedious project makes me crazy. I don’t do a lot of crafts. That being said, I really wanted to make an advent calendar for us to have forever. I want to give us the best Christmas season and I’ve come up with a list of fun things we’re going to do, but starting a tradition of an advent calendar would make it even more special, I thought. After endlessly trying to find DIY options that fit our style and would last, I found this unfinished advent house at a local craft store on sale for $20. I’ve been working on that little house, making it ours–a craft I could get on board with easy!

3. Building a wall out in the library. I wish this project were as easy as putting up a couple boards for shelves, but we like to complicate things. Before we put up our shelves (which we finally picked out after a few trips to the lumberyard).  We are building a wall out near the ceiling so we can have three sconces overlooking the shelves. The frame is built and tonight we plan on drywalling it and running the electricity so we can hardwire the lights.

4. I am also in the midst of painting a really large (almost life-size) nativity for my parents. I actually painted it 8 years ago, but last Christmas, part of it was vandalized and stolen, so I painted a new cow and lamb and I also decided to add wise men this year. The cow and sheep are finished and I hope to finish the wise men this week.  Have to. My dad and Chris generally put the whole thing outside on Thanksgiving so I am up against a ticking clock.

5. Working on 3 other behind-the-scenes projects (one really big thing) that will hopefully see the light of day but now is requiring some time investment.  Isn’t that always the way?

Happy Wednesday to you and your list. We all have them. Is yours seemingly never-ending, too?