2013 Recap- We Had a Great Year!

Today I have put together a review for you of some of the things that I accomplished around my house, and blogged about, in 2013. I was actually surprised at everything I got done! This post is a lengthy one, so I am not going to bore you too much with words, I will just get right to it. This is my 2013 year in review. I hope you find something you haven’t see before!

I kicked off 2013 by making my very first DIY No sew café curtains.

I transformed a Goodwill jar with some jute and made it into soap storage in my master bath.

I updated some wall art and made it much more stylish.

I copied a favorite pinterest pin and made up this Yankee Candleholder.

I transformed a Goodwill mirror with some sassy red paint.

I received my grandparents’ grandfather clock, and I hung the keys to it in an artful way on my hallway gallery wall.

I updated a bookshelf with wrapping paper.

I repurposed some soup cans with jute.

I made a cute little sweater pillow – that I have yet to find after packing it away for the spring and summer.

I transformed some Goodwill canisters, and am still loving them today.

I hung a small gallery wall in my dining room/office.

I tried my hand at stenciling a lampshade for my kitchen.

I gave a Goodwill tissue box a hot pink new life.

I painted a mason jar for spring.

I repurposed a bamboo tray and made an earring organizer.

Miss 17 Year Old painted her vanity table over spring break.

I gave an old wooden carousel horse a new life with paint and jute.

I painted my kitchen door black, and the door knob brushed nickel.

I painted a subway tile backsplash in my kitchen. This was one of my proudest moments, and it was featured on Remodelaholic!

I repurposed some more soup cans to house my son’s growing rock collection.

I made some wall art for my downstairs hallway using a top from a shoe box and some wrapping paper.

I painted my back deck. Another very proud moment for me.

I made a little art gallery for Mr. 6 Year old to display his many pieces of art in his room.

I gave a mirror in my kitchen new life with some white paint.

I also gave a piece of artwork a new life with some more white paint.

I scored a pair of cane back barrel chairs from Goodwill and am using them in my dining room/office.

I used a body pillow as a bench cushion.

I used a couple of curtain tie backs as scarf storage for Miss 17 Year Old.

I spring-i-fied my front stoop.

We got a new kitchen faucet after our old one went to the big broken faucet place in the sky.

I laid brown paper floors in my downstairs hallway. Another very proud accomplishment!

I also painted and trimmed out my downstairs hallway.

I painted my front door black.

I gave a bamboo stand new life for Miss 17 Year Old’s bathroom.

We welcomed a foreign exchange student from Sweden into our home. Now, that was a big deal! And we slowed down our projects around the home to host her for the school year. I also cut my blogging down a little to, to three days a week. Something had to give.

I bought a cute little rug for my downstairs hallway.

I painted a bushel basket for my laundry closet.

I found some new art for my entryway.

I picked up this vintage slide projector for free!

I transformed a shelf for my downstairs hallway with some yellow paint. I have yet to put pictures in that frame, bad bad blogger.

I made a sunflower arrangement for fall.

I hung a shelf I found at Goodwill to add some extra storage in my master bath.

I made some DIY Wall art for my stairwell gallery wall.

I made a fall centerpiece with fresh mums.

I became a contributor at JOYful Home and Life and shared my burlap wreath over there.

I made some bats to hang for fall.

I shared my solution to hide my boob light in my hallway.

I bought a shoe cabinet for my entryway.

The shoe cabinet inspired me to get to work on my entryway. Next, I painted my hand rails black.

I made an autumn garland.

I left the handrails on my stairs black for a few weeks while I debated about whether to leave the newel posts white or paint them black too. I eventually decided to paint them black.

I made a brown paper Christmas tree.

And in the midst of making the tree, I tackled one of the biggest projects we have done since we moved here, and that was to paint the stairwell/entryway. Reason being that the ceilings are very high and it was very scary! But we got it done!

Next, it was time for Christmas! We started by putting up the tree.

And then the rest of the Christmas décor went up, and I did my first Christmas home tour.

And the last project of 2013 was to paint the handrail going to the downstairs.

Wow, when I look at it in this perspective, I feel pretty darn accomplished! I feel like I really did a lot in 2013. Not all of these projects were major changes to the actual house, but they all contributed to making our house feel like our home and a reflection of us as a family. I did a post back in the beginning of 2013 about what I wanted to accomplish this year. I plan to do a review of my 2013 goals and make new goals for 2014, but I think this post is plenty long enough, so I will save that for another post.

Did you make it way down here to the bottom? If so, give me a high five! That was one Long. Arse. Post. But it was very good for me to look back on the year with this perspective and feel like all of my work was worth it. That is one very good thing about blogging. You have a record of everything you do! Lovely! Have a great week, and Happy New Year!

Link Parties:

Monday:
The Dedicated House
Rain on a Tin Roof
Between Naps on the Porch
Home Coming
Southern Hospitality
Yellow Bliss Road
A Stroll Through Life
Cupcakes and Crinoline
Savvy Southern Style
Uncommon Designs
Home Stories A to Z
Tuesday:
The View from 510
Coastal Charm
Homework
Cozy Little House
Cedar Hill Farmhouse