Year in Review // My Favorite Posts in 2013

Yesterday I pulled together the most read, most liked, most popular posts in 2013 by you, the reader. Today, er... Tonight, I'm sharing MY favorite posts of 2013.

instagram photo heart

After 9 months of deciding where to hang this, I finally figured it out. It was almost like giving birth... Er, nev'r mind.  It's nice to look at from afar and when I get close, the photos, and the memories that go with them, just suck me in. Slooop!

faux glass glitter & translucent glitter eggs

So pretty and ethereal... Not to mention economical (epson salts & colored chalk). And you should see the eggs when they light up! hint: click the link!

heart-in-hands gloves

This was a Pin It / Make It project that I put together on the cheap-- $1 gloves and a $.25 sheet of craft felt. So much for my Pin It / Make It "series" though... this is the one and only.  :)

cork letter tack board

I still have this hanging in my office (aka that little desk-thing in the kitchen) and it's very good at keeping track of all the little notes that I leave for myself. 'Cause, you know, if I don't write it down... (sigh)

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Year in Review // 2013 Most Popular Posts

Why hello there! How was your week? I feel like I was in some sort of time warp and can't account for the last several days. It was Christmas, I blinked, and now we're 2 days into 2014. Whooosh! Crazy how that happens.

Whether you're working or taking time off, I hope that the past week has been a good one. We enjoyed some much needed down time at our place in San Diego. It was nice to unplug for a bit and reflect upon the year gone by.

I always like reading "year in review" posts, so here's ours.

bliss bloom blog's top posts of 2013

#1 milk jug votives

I guess you guys like upcycle/recycle projects? This was a fun one and I'm now dreaming up earth day projects for 2014.

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[Year in Review] My Favorite Projects in 2012

Yesterday I shared the Top 12 most Popular bb{b} Posts in 2012.  Now I'm sharing MY favorite posts. Sometimes overlooked but these projects hold a special place in my heart. Mmm hmm... Eh.  I just like 'em, kay?

Moss Vases

best project for those with a brown black thumb

LOVE Valentine's Mantel

maps, globes, glitter... what's not to love?

Chalkboard Pumpkins

i still adore chalkboard anything.

Painted "Stained Glass"

i'm a sucker for anything translucent... even if it's just paint on a jar.

Polka Dot Pumpkin Vase

gold + polka dots = happy face

How to Disguise an Eyesore

concealer for the walls... best cover-up ever!

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[Year in Review] Top 12 Projects of 2012

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas!  We're still in recovery mode (our house is a disaster!) but are pretty much enjoying our unstructured schedule.

At the end of each year I like to reflect upon the year gone by. It really puts time into perspective and, when I look at these projects, it also reminds me of my family and their many activities and milestones throughout the year.

In descending order, here are bb{b}'s  Top 12 Projects in 2012...

12. Yarn Hearts

11. Rhinestone Monogram

10. Stenciled Lyrics Pillow

9. Heart Wreaths

8. Space Party

7. Twig Letters

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[Year in Review] Favorite 2011 Memories

When the year draws to an end, I alway find myself reflecting upon the year gone by. Here's a run down of my favorite memories in 2011.

Visiting our BFF's in Portland, Oregon & our road trip to Victoria & Vancouver, B.C.

1st row : fishin' adventures in oregon 2nd row: pretty peacock, yummy burgers in helvetia, oregon; drive from portland to port angeles, washington; flower baskets in victoria, b.c. 3rd row: victoria, b.c.; candy shop; empress hotel (great place to stay); ferry to vancouver, b.c. 4th row: the four seasons, vancouver; yummy treats in our room; chef's kitchen tour, smarty pants spraying chocolate on the desserts; the four seasons

 just to keep it real, this trip also involved some bad memories-- namely sick kids with 105+ temps and an evil harley dude with road rage in BFE rural Washington.. pffft on him!  :)

"A Padawan you will be" -- spoken with Yoda's accent

smarty pants kicked up the courage to do "jedi training"... twice this year.  this is my quiet guy, so his courage (and intensity) took me by surprise.  he was the first to run to the stage when a "dark presence" was felt... what a neat experience.

Smarty Pants starting Kindergarten & Happy Vee starting Preschool

they both love school and have learned & matured a lot in the past few months.

Getting my craft on...

1. golden beans 2. shell & stone plant mat 3. book page rose 4. satin ribbon poinsettia wreath

5-7 three new trees 8. rhinestone ornaments 9. silica gel ornaments 10. feather ornament

11. felt poinsettias 12. salt dough tags 13. beaded ornaments 14. felt pinecone ornament

15. modern nutcrackers 16. pearl ornament 17-20. four versions of snow globe ornaments 21. gift card pouch

seriously, i don't know where all that energy came from in november & december-- 21 projects in 1.5 months.  now i need to refocus that energy into putting the finishing touches in our master & the boys' rooms... not to mention the office, craft room & garage (gah!)

Smarty Pants playing basketball

i may complain about our weekends being taken over by practice & games, but boy is it fun to watch a bunch of 5 year olds play ball! love his "game" face. 

Happy Vee and his antics...

this little guy is full of character & has the greatest delivery... our little comedian. he convincingly told the skateboard's much older owner to "go get food... it's really good", then, when the boy was out of sight, snuck in some skateboard playing time.  future politician? (eek)

Solvang and our Friends' Rustic Wedding

the kids refer to it as "remember when we danced in the barn?"  it was an amazing wedding, with a lot of personal & creative touches, in a beautiful local.  and the best part was the couple--  one of our longtime, childhood friends (i've known him since 2nd grade) and his awesome, creative & beautiful bride.  the wedding made a great impression on the boys... the precedence has been set!

Lots of reading... for the 2nd year in a row thanks to my Kindle & my new Kindle Fire

when you have to sit with children as they go to sleep, you tend to have a lot of quiet time!

Thanks so much for following along with me this year. I have a lot of new ideas in store for next year.  May 2012 be full of good health, lots of creativity and great times with family and friends.

xoxo,

[Year in Review] Favorite Blogs & Inspirations

a lot of things.  

but these are some of my favorites, pulled from my [weekly inspiration] posts--

dans le townhouse's felted craspedia (aka billy buttons)

i've had the felt roving for a while... this project will be happening soon.

dirtsa studio's chalkboard wall art

i need something cool & fun in my kitchen... a map drawn on chalkboard material... definitely a candidate.

under the sycamore's dot painted ceramics

i've been admiring these for a couple of years now... maybe this is the year.

ombre, found just about everywhere...

i'm not sure why, but i'm drawn to this...

craftberry bush's succulent pot

another on the to-do list!

okay art's gold leaf chair

will i ever tire of shiny stuff? nah.

cocoa & heart's contemporary art

looks easy, but i know it's not.  love the colors.

union jack love... also just about everywhere this year

2011 = will + kate = ♥ = union jack = we americans eat this stuff up = i still love it.

organic style magazine's costume jewelry wreath

one day i will have 200 pieces of costume jewelry to assemble a wreath like this... ;)

~♥♥♥~

And a big "THANK YOU" to these sites for directing so many visitors to this lil' blog.  I seek them out on a daily basis for my creativity fix.  If you haven't already done so, be sure to check them out!

     

[Year in Review] My Favorite Projects in 2011

So yesterday I shared my top visited posts in 2011.  Now here are MY favorite projects from this year. Some were very easy, and some a bit more complex (ahem... birthday party!), but they each remind me of special moments throughout the year.

Fall Mantel

the mister liked the bottle & wheat display and even voiced disappointment when i took it down to put up the christmas decorations... i took a mental note because i don't think he's ever noticed anything on our mantel before!  :) 

 Policeman Party

smarty pant's 5th birthday... my little guy is growing up (sniff!)

Zzzz's wall art

the zzzz's sorta worked... he sleeps half of the night in this bed, and the rest camping out in a sleeping bag at the base of our bed.  as long as i'm not being woken up, i'll take it!

Painted Leaves

i love how this turned out.  it made a great runner for our thanksgiving table.

Felt Fortune Cookies

these were a fun memento for Chinese New Year. everyone really enjoyed the personal fortune... and the chocolate that i stuffed in there.

Stone Mat

this now sits on our kitchen table.  it adds just the right natural/contemporary vibe... and the kids have yet to pick it apart.

Moss Eggs

i don't know why i like these.  they're kinda strange, yet interesting in a green, earthy way... nuff said.

Crane Ceiling Art

this hangs in happy vee's room.  although he now refuses to sleep in his bedroom, he does like to swing the door back and forth to make the birds fly.  i think it's the perfect touch for his "around the world" themed room.  now we just need to get him back in there!

Felt Tissue Box Covers

 

these guys have fared well... and with two boys, that's saying a lot.   much, much better than the floral boxes that formerly graced their rooms.

Snow Globe Ornaments

these are a great addition to the tree.  sadly, they will be put away soon... very soon.  :)