I've been working on cutting channels to hide the ceiling wires in the second floor board so I can permanently attach it to the first floor.   I hope to be ready to start the second floor rooms in the next week or so, then I will be updating with more design photos.

Here's the main wire mess...

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And, here's the start of the channels...the four main holes lead behind the chimney breast on the first floor.  The wires from the upper floors will lead through these as well.  I cut the channels with a utility knife since the 3/8" mdf is hard to cut otherwise, and I don't want to kick up a bunch of toxic dust with the rotary tool.  Bleh!

In the meantime, I'm still plugging away at the cross-stitch rug.  Now at roughly 33 hours of work...  I'll be finishing the second half of the design before filling in the background and border.  I'm still undecided on those colors, though I have some ideas.   I just love the design itself so much, I don't want to detract from it.

click image to enlarge