So, 2011 is coming to a close.
Since it is tradition to recap the year, I’ll share a few of the highlights and projects of the past 12 months!
January
In January, I took you on a little tour of my SWINE colored walls around the house. As I look at the before pictures, I wish they captured better how PINK they were! {Let me clarify: I’m not against pink. I’m against flesh colored mauve-swine colored walls at MY HOUSE. If you have them and love them, that is awesome!}.
This was our year to make some progress on paint, but of course it involved a really embarrassing PAINT MISHAP right off the bat. Yeah. I updated some of the paint colors on this post. More will be added next month when I show off more paint!
A sneak peek of the bathroom.
And there there was the bathroom we painted so bright I was worried people might need sunglasses. We went on to put up faux Board & Batten. The after of that bathroom project will be featured in January (see the sneak peek above), FINALLY. Gah, I’m slow. But I like how it turned out.
I also made my annual trip to Nashville for Blissdom in January! You can check out a lot of the awesome homebloggers I met in my 2011 Blissdom recap post. I am not going to Blissdom this year, because, while it is a valuable experience in many regards, I’ve decided as a part of my desire to be very intentional, I need a few months at home this year before I venture out again! I traveled across the country so many times last year I’m ready to just stay home for awhile!
Old light fixture
February
In February I got my new dining room lantern and that has been one of my favorite improvements. I look at it every day and still LOVE IT!
March
In March I showed you the evolution of my dining room with before and so far pictures, and in June I updated the dining room again with new recycled curtains! The curtains are still hanging in the dining room and I am SO happy with how they look!
I also got a new dishwasher in March! Oh happy day for me.
April
In April talked about how I organize my kitchen and everyday papers.
Then I shared a bit of the behind the scenes in my OTHER life — how we were moving our little start up church to a new building to have a coffee-shop style design and the project that was ahead of us! You can find the update of our progress on the building in this post.
Also in April I launched a new blogging project, my Room Tours and DIY pages! I’ll be adding lots of new projects in the coming weeks, but these pages have been a real success and I’m thrilled that I can feature so many awesome bloggers’ rooms and projects.
I ordered some new funky chairs (and affordable and versatile!) for my dining room. While I may eventually get new dining room chairs, they are working out great and I love them still!
May
In May I traveled across the country again for a great opportunity in New York! Not only did I have a fabulous time with my mom, daughter and sister, but I got to hang out with Nate Berkus and Kate in a loft in Soho. So, yeah, that doesn’t happen every day.
At the end of May, I bought a new pillow because I’m easily inspired by things like file boxes.
June-July
I showed off our little backyard makeover with a new backyard fire pit... while it was not a huge or time consuming project at all WE LOVED IT!
I traveled to Utah for the EVO conference, it was a blast and even a little R&R for me!
Then I painted a pallet yellow and turned it into a little outdoor privacy screen and planter. LOVE it still.
Because I’m crazy, we got a puppy named Jack. And that puppy has been into mischief (and gaining his own loyal fan club) ever since.
And then there was THIS unexpected incident. A life-threatening emergency. So grateful my daughter is OK now but wow, that was so scary!
August
In August, I showed you my backyard potting table garden and my Fairy Garden.
My husband and I got away to the San Juan Islands and I shared a Drive By of fun houses.
September
In September I showed off the progress pictures of my outdoor room makeovers! It was so fun to freshen up those spaces in simple and affordable ways.
October
October brought my annual 31 Day series full of fall and holiday goodness, plus I somehow managed to put together an ebook over the summer and launch NOT a DIY Diva in October! Good grief. I think I need a nap just thinking about it all. Good thing I traveled across the country again for a little R&R on Hilton Head Island with my fellow (in)courage girls. Oh, and then I went again across the country AGAIN a few weeks later to go to Relevant. {Faints! How did I have time for all that?}
November
In November we talked about perfectionism and finding peace in the home and life you have.
I shared my excitement that my spur of the moment use-what-you-have Christmas mantel was featured in Cottages & Bungalows magazine.
My girls started their own blogs and I couldn’t be more happy for them! I hope you’ll follow their blogs in the new year, they are both well worth keeping up with. You can find Kylee’s here and Courtney’s blog here. And I’m not just saying to follow them because they are my daughters, but that does make it kind of fun. I actually really like their blogs and learn a lot from both of them!
December
There were lots of posts about decorating in November and December for Christmas including My Christmas House Tour which you can see some of my updates to the entry as well as a new striped wall (that is another before and after I’ll share in January) and then the crazy unraveling that happened. Oh, and the little episode where Jack used our Christmas tree as indoor plumbing. Yeah.
The updates to the entry, including the stripes,
a mantel and new light fixtures, will be featured in the coming weeks!
So, those are the highlights of 2011! In spite of how the business of blogging is growing and evolving, I have found my element and purpose in what I do every day… I feel very blessed. I love blogging, yet I still fit in a lot of living outside of blogging! It is great doing what I love. I’m so looking forward to 2012!
Thank you, each and every one of you, for reading The Inspired Room this year and encouraging me through 2011. Without you, I’d be talking to a blank screen. You make this way more fun.
What is up for 2012? I’ve got LOTS of home projects that are in the planning stages, already in progress right now, or ready to be featured.
I’d say 2012 will be the year of many before & afters and home decorating progress reports and updates to My Home! I can’t wait for January to begin!
But for now, a nappy by the fire.
