Please excuse the smushed formatting of the blog. Something went wrong the other day and everything has been sort of wonky since then. I’m trying to figure this out! Anyone have suggestions?
This year last year and a half since moving into this home has been crazy. It’s been full and fun. We made a lot of progress around the house and made over some spaces to really be our style, we purchased two rentals and almost completed the adoption training process. Drew started kindergarten and Elle began pre-school.
Drum roll please… the best posts for 2016.
Best Purchase of 2016 (tie)
We adore the tufted chairs we added to the office, and I think you did too because it’s definitely been one of my biggest affiliate sale items.
I loved them so much that I moved them during Christmas into the living room and just ordered two more for the office. Full post here.
The other best purchase was our dining room table that we got from the Restoration Hardware Outlet. It has been amazing to comfortably have groups over!
pictured with these chairs
Most Popular Home Tour
My home tour this summer with Birch Lane and Country Living magazine was my most popular tour… I’m finding myself itching for warmer days like this now that Christmas is over!
Most Popular Printable
The free tulip printable that I used for my mother-in-law’s 60th invitation was the most popular printable this year. It’s great to use as favor tags too with some gorgeous pink ribbon!
Most Popular Gift
The other popular printable this year were the Valentine’s tags I made for paints or colored pencils. I may just reuse these same ones for Drew’s kindergarten class. If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? I just recently found that you can order the paint in bulk from Amazon which works out to be cheaper than what I spent at Target’s Dollar Spot. Score!
Most Popular Best and Afters (or before and in-progress)
You liked our home tour one year in… and so did I. It was so affirming to type that post and upload before photos knowing how far we’d come. I’m really excited to do another before and after tour shortly… I think you need more updated progress shots.
Best Hiding Job
The best hidden award goes to our TV in the playroom, which we have at the far end of the kitchen (our kitchen is in the shape of a T). I kept the TV under wraps thanks to a giant canvas I outfitted with shells from the beach within walking distance to our house. If I were to do this project over again I’d use the super thin luan plywood and liquid nails. Glue gun glue doesn’t hold the shells onto the canvas with any bumps. Just before Christmas I pulled off all the shells and will have a fun project to share with you using this same canvas sometime soon.
Favorite Christmas Post
My post about our Balsam Hill Christmas tree was definitely your favorite holiday post this year. I’m sitting next to the tree now and love it… I’m going to be really sad to take it down, the living room will feel so dark without the twinkling lights!
Most Meaningful
We announced a couple of months ago that we were at the mid-point of the adoption training process. We are now just waiting for our approval to come through, our social worker predicted it would most likely be this week because the state department is back at it after the Christmas break. It’s the strangest process because, with Drew and Elle, we knew generally when we would meet them (both were on their due dates)… with this process it could be this week or it could be in months. It could be an infant or a three year old. So many details are up in the air which is both good and crazy for someone like me who likes to know exactly what to expect.
Most popular post of 2016
The most popular post of 2016 was a collection of ideas for how we, and you, can update a tired or boring Colonial. Our home looks fine, it’s just lacking a little pizzazz. This collection of ideas will inspire you with some really great porticos, porches and beautiful add-ons.
As a bonus… my most popular Instagram post of the year
These amazing women are sharing their most popular posts of 2016 today as well.
Many thanks to Cami from TIDBITS for fulling this great group of insanely talented women together!
Instant DIY Pure Vanilla Extract by TIDBITS | Farmhouse Breakfast Nook Reveal by Nina Hendrick Design Co | Real World Organizing: How to Keep Your House Tidy by The Happy Housie | How To Clean Your Home In 30 Minutes A Day by StoneGable | Modern Farmhouse Paint Colors by A Burst of Beautiful | Summer Tour of my New House by So Much Better With Age
Before and After at our House by Zevy Joy | How to Build Industrial Shelves by Beneath My Heart | Is the Family Room Your Shining Star? by Decor Gold Designs | My Fresh New Blue Kitchen Reveal by The Wicker House | How to Frame a Bathroom Mirror by Cherished Bliss | Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets by Designthusiasm
Why Won’t My Hydrangeas Bloom by Kelly Elko | Sherwin Williams Poised Taupe – Color of the Year 2017 by Setting for Four | How To Make A Farmhouse Mason Jar Chandelier by Shabbyfufu | U-Pick Apples Free Printable by Paint Me Pink | Christmas Home Tour 2016 by Town and Country Living | How to Organize Every Space in Your House by Just a Girl and Her Blog
Paint Color Home Tour by Maison de Pax | My Home Tour by Nesting with Grace | DIY Sign for Fall by House by Hoff | Floral Printable Birthday Gift Tags by Live Laugh Rowe | How to Build a No Sew Teepee by Julie Blanner | How To Design A Room You Love by Life On Virginia Street
How To Get A Beautifully Organized Closet On A Budget by Fox Hollow Cottage | Entryway Essentials by Lindsay Hill Interiors | Summer Home Tour by Migonis Home | 13 things to do before you list your home by Style House Interiors
Decorated Office/Craft Room by Sunny Side Up | Summer Home Tour 2016 by Finding Silver Pennies | How to make a tufted headboard by Place of My Taste | Tips and Tricks for an Organized Pantry by Not Just a Housewife | Back To School In Style by She Leaves a Little Sparkle