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The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

by | Dec 28, 2009 | Decorating Inspiration, DIY

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The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

So let me just say this was a very very long but eventful and busy year. As the clock ticks down toward the end of 2009, I thought I’d recap the year for people new to The Inspired Room or for those of us who have short memories like myself, shall we? Come on, humor me people. We’ll start with a few personal highlights and move on to remember some random projects of the year.

As most of you probably know, our family moved over the holidays last year during a freak snow storm. Our kids all started new schools and we tried to get life settled in a new state.

I spoke on the topic off Blogging at the Blissdom conference last February with my buddies Nester and Simplemom (and yes, Blissdom was crazy enough to ask us to speak again this February!). I’ll share more about Blissdom soon, I hope some of you are planning on being there?

I shared my heart and story at A Woman Inspired Conference with Alli from Blissfully Domestic.

We waited nine agonizing months for our house to sell before we could buy a new house.

In July, I had to have a life threatening emergency surgery. Just to spice up the summer a bit.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

In the fall, I was honored to be invited to join the writing team at (in)courage. (in)courage is an amazing site by DaySpring, a division of Hallmark. Not only do they share encouragement for women, they have cool products too, look what I made (above!). You can make your own here.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

We started a church from scratch in September called Voyage (i.e. we didn’t know anyone when we moved here in January so we had to meet people first and make the whole thing up ourselves, here is the result, VOYAGE). I keep up the website, do e-newsletters, facebook pages, host events and meetings and help oversee a lot of the ministries for the church.

I started two new fancy specialty channels on The Inspired Room, which I promptly ran out of time to keep up. One was the DIY channel, and the other one I was going to use for random posts. Meh. Blog fail. Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten about all the new DIY posts for the DIY channel!! Life has just been, well, a little crazy!

And somehow by the grace of God and a 100 gallons of coffee and a few too many scones, I managed to find a bit of time do just a few minor DIY projects around my new house. Nothing fancy mind you, but the fact I got anything done around the house at all is somewhat of a miracle to me. So, while they are not anything to write home about, here is a round up of my projects! Not all of them were documented, but these were some of the highlights.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

I made my first ever moss ball topiary.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The birdcage got a fresh new outlook on life.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The Pottery Barn chairs got springy with a paint makeover in our first every Procrastinator Party.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The front door got a wintery new decor.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The oak dresser and hutch got a makeover during our second Procrastinator’s Party.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

A quick and easy makeover…the kitchen cabinet doors came off the cabinets.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The cabinet doors morphed into shutters above the fireplace, first they were blue now they are green.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

The antique stained glass church windows got primed and hung in the dining room. I don’t think I ever did a post on these since they were painted, but it got done nevertheless!

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

I made some felt garland.
The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

And put together a spur of the moment, easy, use-what-you-have centerpiece using nesting pedestal dishes, leftover moss and a random bird. No “DIY post” instructions required for that one.

The Year in Review: 2009 DIY

And of course, we took time out from the craziness to wrestle a few more giraffes (we have a long history of dead giraffes around our house) and get chased by giant swans.

PHEW. I’m kind of tired now. I think I’ll take a nap before the New Year.

Do I have any thing exciting planned for next year? Hmmm….I’ll let you know after my nap! I can tell you for sure that I have a fun bedroom makeover to show you from by one of the winners of the  $200 HomeGoods cards on The Inspired Room awhile back! This January you’ll get to see what she did with her winning card! yay!

What were your best projects this past year?

If you do a 2009 project round up, you can link them up on Friday!!
We’ll do a Year in Review Round Up this Friday!

shared with Kimba for DIY day

39 Comments

  1. Kari

    LOVED your review…I’m tired too after reading ALL of your adventures!! Hope you are settling in nicely to your new homey home!! :) Hope y’all had a very Merry Christmas and I wish you a wonderful and joyful New Year!! :)
    .-= Kari´s last blog ..Christmas Letter 2009 =-.

    Reply
  2. Gina

    What a year! Sounds like a full life, in a good way. Thanks for keeping us inspired throughout the year! Looking forward to more in 2010.
    .-= Gina´s last blog ..The Christmas Rundown =-.

    Reply
  3. a-m

    What an amazing year you had Melissa and you lived it with such grace and optimism. Next year I hope you get time to breathe a bit! Just reading over your year, I feel weary too! You are an inspiration to us all. Looking forward to sharing 2010 with you. A-M xx
    .-= a-m´s last blog ..Quick Summary =-.

    Reply
  4. Lacey G

    I just stumbled upon your page and can’t wait to read more!!! But I was wondering where you got the aqua bird cage? I found one at a thrift store about 4 years ago for 5 bucks, and it needs a friend. the one i have is identical to yours except its white? did you get it at someplace special or just a thrift shop like me? And now thanks to you I need to buy some aqua spray paint to paint it because my birdcage is so jealous of yours.
    -Lacey
    .-= Lacey G´s last blog ..Christmas Thoughts =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      The bird cage was ugly and brown and it was left in my old house by the previous owners. I hated it. But now, I lurve it!

      Reply
  5. teresa

    Love that idea- I’m going to try and get to that. You sure have had a full year. You are amazing.!
    Happy 2010!
    .-= teresa´s last blog ..a season of giving- =-.

    Reply
  6. gina

    I can’t wait to see what she did with her card!! Maybe you could do a best of DIY 2009 mister linky- one of my goals for 2010 is to make 3 things for our home and another is to spary paint something- I wouldn’t mind having one catolog of inspiration to look through!!
    .-= gina´s last blog ..10 things in 2010 =-.

    Reply
  7. gina

    Oops- just realized I skipped the last line in the post- you are having a best of link up. ;) Can’t wait!!
    .-= gina´s last blog ..white lotus bowls. =-.

    Reply
  8. Julia

    Wow, Melissa, you had quite a year! I think you definitely deserve a nap or two before the next one starts. Ha.

    Can’t wait to see you at Blissdom. I’ll have to sign up for your session!

    Hope your new year is a happy and healthy one. :-)
    .-= Julia @ Hooked on Houses´s last blog ..A Cottage That Mixes Modern With Vintage =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Can’t wait to see you too, Julia! Let’s try to sit together sometime so we can chat more!!

      Reply
  9. Violet

    How wonderful to review your accomplishments this year! I should do that, as so often I think I haven’t accomplished anything… (my friends would roll their eyes at that comment, but you know how hard we can be on ourselves…) Bless you dear Melissa ~ Violet

    Reply
  10. Laura Ingalls Gunn

    Just reading your post made me feel like taking a nap. :)

    My prayer for you is a happy and HEALTHY new year.

    Reply
  11. Beverly

    Melissa, you are always so busy. I don’t know how you do it all.

    I’ve visited your church site, and it looks wonderful. Even though I realize it must be difficult at times, the fellowship must be wonderful.

    Happy Holidays to you and your family.
    .-= Beverly´s last blog ..So This Is Christmas =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Thanks Beverly!!

      Reply
  12. Genevieve Ferraro

    You have done so much this year Melissa! And I just love your words about ‘blog failure’! That happens to me all the time and is the reason Amber is now helping me with Jewel Box Home. Thank you, thank you, thank you Melissa for the Inspired Room and for sharing your life with us. May all good things come to you and your family in the New Year.

    God Bless!
    .-= Genevieve Ferraro´s last blog ..New Year’s Resolutions =-.

    Reply
  13. Angie

    Thanks for the recap- I wasn’t here for the entire year. Just checked out the Voyage website. LOVE IT! Wish I lived closer to attend.

    Reply
  14. Gayle

    Wow, what wonderful projects you have done and what an incredible year! It was a blessed year despite the struggles.
    .-= Gayle´s last blog ..Little White Church =-.

    Reply
  15. Rhoda

    Hi, Melissa, Happy New Year to you! I’m doing a linky party next week (on the 6th) for a recap of Top 2009 Projects, so you can link up if you’d like. You did have a busy year, my friend. Looking forward to Blissdom again too. I’m also speaking at the Jan. Inspired Woman conference & looking forward to that.
    .-= Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality´s last blog ..A DIY Shower Curtain =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Good to know, that will be fun Rhoda!

      Reply
  16. Vee

    Reading about your year helped put mine in perspective. I don’t know when your home sold, but I am so happy that it did. We are still wrestling two mortgages and I can well appreciate what fretting over two homes does to folks in these economic times. I didn’t get as much done as you did; I didn’t have surgery; I didn’t start a new church. I think you and that hubby of yours are pretty amazing people. Richest blessings upon you and the new fellowship… Voyage…it sounds as if it will be a very special place.

    Reply
  17. Cha Cha

    As you know I find everything you do inspiring. I had know idea just how crazy your year has been. I guess you have had a Godly growth spurt ( don’t you wish growth could be easy and convient). You bless many with your encouraging words. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY AND HAPPY NEW YEAR. GOOD LUCK AT BLISSDOM WISH I COULD JOIN YOU, BUT THE POCKETBOOK SAYS NO, MAYBE NEXT YEAR.
    .-= Cha Cha´s last blog ..LOVELY SNOWMAN =-.

    Reply
    • Melissa

      Oh, too bad you can’t come!
      Thanks for your sweet words! yes, I wish growth was easier but it isn’t… :-)

      Reply
  18. Emily

    You have done a year full of inspiring here at your blog and at your real life home. Thanks for all the real beauty, the inspiring honesty, and the authentic self you have shown us.

    Love you.
    .-= Emily@remodelingthislife´s last blog ..I Love… =-.

    Reply
  19. Denise

    You have had quite the year! Maybe I will join in on Friday. Would you consider doing a mantle post in the future…mine feels awfully bare and boring now that I have taken the Christmas stuff off!!
    Happy New Year~

    Reply
  20. Lisa

    Melissa,
    You have been a creative, patient, genious all year through. I so enjoy your blog and the glimpses into your world. May 2010 hold a bounty of joy, love and peace for you and your family. Happy New Year!
    .-= Lisa´s last blog ..Frugal ideas =-.

    Reply
  21. Pearl Maple

    Fantastic year in review, sometimes we forget how much has been accomplished and should take the time to reflect.

    Happy new year to you and the family

    Reply
  22. Melanie

    I didn’t have any projects per say but we did move 800 miles from Florida and that right there was my project. We have been up here almost 2 months and we are getting settled. I started a blog to document our adventures but I didn’t get to participate in any redos or partys. I am hoping to learn more about blogging and Mr. Linky so I can join in on all the fun.

    You were a busy girl and you deserve a nap.

    Happy New Year.
    .-= Melanie´s last blog ..Hanging Pictures. =-.

    Reply
  23. mary b

    Love the year in review! I am so glad I found your blog this year, it has helped me to jump-start some decorating projects.
    So I have plenty of projects to do this coming year. I will keep checking over here for ideas!
    .-= mary b´s last blog ..BJ’ s Wholesale Club-Free 60 day trial membership-hurry =-.

    Reply
  24. black eyed susans kitchen

    Melissa, That was some year! Wishes for a happy and healthy new year. May 2010 bring you peace.
    ♥, Susan
    .-= black eyed susans kitchen´s last blog ..NEW YEAR OPTIMISM =-.

    Reply
  25. Debbie

    Melissa, I just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy new year. I loved reading this post of highlights. Wow; so much has happened this year for you. I’m so glad you survived and even thrived despite the trials. I’ve visited your church website and will continue to check in. If I lived in your area, I’d attend. :)

    You’re an inspiration and such an encourager. It only makes sense that the (in)courage website would invite you. It didn’t surprise me at all.

    Sending you a blog hug,
    Debbie
    .-= Debbie´s last blog ..Thankful Thursday ~ Looking Back =-.

    Reply
  26. Rachel

    I just stumbled across your blog from Kimba’s DIY linky. I love your style and just bought my first house, so I am truly inspired to decorate my home now! Its funny because you lived in Portland OR, I just moved from Vancouver, WA to a small town in Eastern WA… I love it when I find bloggers who are actually from my neck of the woods! Love your blog and I will be back to visit!
    .-= Rachel´s last blog ..Please Pray… =-.

    Reply
  27. dolores

    Wow, 2009 was a such a productive year for you!

    Even though my family room isn’t quiet finished just yet, it was not only my inspiration to start blogging but the best (and most challenged) 2009 project in my home yet!

    Welcome to my humble ablog: Family Room: Before and After
    .-= dolores´s last blog ..Farewell Oh Nine =-.

    Reply
  28. Victoria

    I love your awesome recap post of the year. And your white dinnerware caught my eye and I can’t stop looking (drooling) at it. Would you mind sharing what pieces you have? I am especially drawn to the pieces on shelves 1 through 4. lol! Thanks for a wonderful and inspiring year reading your blog. You, along with some others have helped give me hope during a year and a half without a job and pining because my renovating/redecorating funds went out the door.

    Great blessings to you and your family for 2010 and more drool-worthy blog post!

    Reply

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