Shabby Apple Jewelry Winner + The Best of 2011

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

If you’re on the 5D5W Facebook page, then you probably saw that Shaun and I welcomed 2012 in high style.

Okay, so if you’re really on our Facebook page, then you know the truth: we didn’t ring in the New Year at all.

In fact, not only was there no ringing, but there was also zero whooping, hollering, toasting, or even kissing involved.

Zilch.

And it wasn’t because we were asleep either.

Nope.

We were both wide awake (well, I don’t know about the wide part, but we were awake…haven’t put #2 of my resolutions into effect yet), and we were both so engrossed in our separate pursuits (me: blogging, him: playing Wii fishing) that we didn’t notice a new year had started until I glanced up at the clock to make sure we hadn’t missed it and discovered that we had. Indeed. Missed it.

Lame to the max, I know.

So, today, in honor of the advent of the New Year that went entirely unnoticed around here, I thought I’d do a round-up of my 10 favorite/most popular posts (or themes) from 2011.

Besides, if I don’t do it, I’m pretty sure I’ll be disowned by the blogging community.

Apparently, I’m much more of a lemming than I thought.

#1

I’ve only been blogging since June, but one of my first ever Try-It Tuesdays—in which I showed you how I turned an old Craigslist coffee table into a tufted ottoman—was hands, feet, and elbows-down the.most.popular.project I’ve done to date.

Of course, my ottoman was almost upstaged by that orange Pottery Barn Moorish Tile Rug, which readers loved sooooo much that I got a flurry of emails begging me to reveal my source…followed by many groans of disappointment when I informed folks that it was sold-out everywhere.

(If you feel like you truly can’t live without it, here’s an alternative that, while different, might be close enough to soothe your broken heart).

#2

You squealed right along with me when I transformed my master closet from a sad, sad place full of underutilized potential:

…into my dream closet full of personalized touches and fun, happy colors:

#3

One of my personal favorites were these simple egg carton sparkle flowers.

The glitter versions are still on display in my guest bathroom:

#4

Then came Thrifted or Grifted…

…the fashion guessing game where you scour two similar outfits for signs of thriftedness and decide which one is:

A) 100% Thrifted: (adj.)—previously loved and therefore ridiculously cheap…aka Secondhand

OR

B) 100% Grifted: (adj.)—swindled or cheated…aka Retail

I can’t even adequately express how much fun I’ve had reading all of your overly analytical, spot-on, waffling, completely confident, so-wrong-you’re-right guesses.

Makes my day every time we do it!

#5

All of my blogger-friends were super-excited when my brilliant programmer husband figured out how to keep the GFC follower’s box from disappearing with one super-simple line of code.

#6

I had a blast making Princess Ladybug’s (AKA my daughter, Adelaide) invitations for her first birthday.

#7

Thanks to you guys, I finished up some projects and kept everything clean long enough to take pics and do some room reveals from our house, including my colorful kitchen (one of my favorite rooms and surprisingly affordable, thanks to a great bartering deal on our cabinets):

#8

I had some fun sharing my take on “the art of retail haggling,” which scored me that gorgeous Pottery Barn capiz shell chandy for an incredible $35 (I also learned some pretty great tips from you thrifty geniuses too!).

#9

Most of you were as surprised as I was by my Shiny Redneck Christmas Wreath.

After all, who knew that duct tape could be…dare I say it…pretty?

#10

Last, but certainly not least, I introduced you to Collette, the Quite Coral dresser (make sure you click to see the grimy “before”). She’s easily my favorite furniture revamp to date.

It’s been an amazing year, and I feel so blessed that I’ve gotten the chance to share so much of it with you all.

Thanks for reading, commenting, encouraging, and laughing with me!

I can’t wait to see what 2012 holds in store!

P.S. The winner of this lovely Shabby Apple Jewelry Key to My Heart Necklace:

is #6 (chosen by random.org)—Becca!

Congrats, girl!

Shoot me an email, and I’ll get you hooked up with your beautiful necklace!

Linking up with:

_{Monday ~ The DIY Showoff Project Parade ~ Made by You Mondays ~ Embellishing Life Everyday ~ Just Something I whipped up Monday  ~ The CSI project ~ Menu Plan Monday ~ C.R.A.F.T.  ~ The Southern Institute ~ Making the World Cuter ~ Thrify Décor Chick ~ Metamorphosis Monday ~ Sumo Sweet Stuff ~ Gunny Sack ~ Singing Three Little Birds ~DIY Homes Sweet Home ~ Dittle Dattle ~ 1929 Charmer ~ Everything Under the Moon  ~ ModMix Monday ~ Sew Stylish ~ Coastal Charm ~ Under the Table and Dreaming}

_{Tuesday ~ Sew Crafty Tuesday Get Your Craft ~ Tip Junkie ~ Blackberry Vine ~ Crafty Confessions ~ Me & my Boys ~ A Bowl Full of Lemons ~ Home Stories A-Z ~ My Uncojmmon Slice of Suberbia  ~ Carolyn’s Homework ~ Sugar Bee Crafts ~ House of Grace ~ Passionately Artisitc ~ My World Made by Hand ~ Uncommon Designs ~ Trendy Treehouse}

_{Wednesday ~ It’s Overflowing Blue Cricket Design ~ Somedays Crafts ~ Sew Much Ado ~ Sew Woodsy ~ Handy Man, Crafty Woman ~ Savvy Southern Style ~ {Primp} ~ Midweek Fiesta ~ Rae Gun Ramblings ~ Polkadots On Parade ~ Lollipop Cards ~ JAQS Studio ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ Let Birdz Fly ~ My Girlish Whims}

_{Thursday ~ Transformation Thursdays ~ Somewhat simple ~ Show off your stuff ~ House of Hepworths ~ Delightful Order ~ My Simple Home Life ~ The Frugal Girls ~ Thrifty Thursday ~ DIY Diva Thursday ~ Tablescape Thursday ~ No Minimalists Here ~ Crafty, Scrappy, Happy ~ Thrifty Decorating ~ Between U and Me ~ 36th Avenue}

_{Friday ~ The Shabby nest  ~ Show and Tell Friday ~ Finding Fabulous ~ I’m Loving it ~ Simply Sweet Home ~ Whipper Berry ~ Chic on a Shoestring decorating ~ Spunky Junky ~ Delicate Construction ~ Homemaker in Heels ~ Family Ever After~ French Country Cottage ~ Common Ground ~ Young And Crafty ~ At the Picket Fence ~ Fingerprints on the Fridge ~ Miss Mustard Seed ~ Addicted to Decorating ~Bacon Time with The Hungry Hypo ~ Making Lemonade ~ I Can't Stop Crafting ~ Over the Big Moon ~ Shabby Art ~ Answer is Chocolate}

_{Saturday ~ I heart nap time- Sundae Scoop ~ Tatertots and Jello ~ Be different Act Normal ~ Funky Junk ~ 2805 ~ Making Lemonade Blog ~I am Along for the Ride  ~ Lolly Jane}

 

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