[Update: 1/3/17] I’ve updated this post to join in with 31 other bloggers to share our top posts of 2016. So many amazing projects and ideas!
2016 has certainly been an interesting year and one full of some sad memories for us all with the passing of famous icons, tragedies and natural disasters. I usually share my top highlights at the end of the year but thought it would be fun to check out my blog analytics to see what your favorite posts were.
I actually was quite surprised that my home tours and my watercolor free printables ranked so high.
Here are the top posts in order of popularity:
Top Posts of 2016
(click title or picture to read the post)
5. How to Add Subway Tile in an Afternoon
6. Harvest Watercolor (Free Printables)
7. Kiss Me Under the Mistletoe Free Printable
8. Blue Jay Watercolor (Free Printable)
So fun looking back at the year! I also wanted to share a few personal highlights, ones that didn’t make into the top 10, but were life changing or life affirming for me and the blog.
My Personal Highlights from 2016
The first has to be the adoption of our little puppy, Max. He has most certainly captured our hearts and I can’t imagine our lives without him.
I still can’t believe someone abandoned him on the side of the road. He has brought us so much happiness, joy and love.
Writing a book was a dream of mine and it felt like the right time so share all I’ve learned about painting furniture over the years. My eBook is over 150 pages and is full of tutorials, tips and photographs on how to revive furniture and wood with paint and stains.
This book took me a long time to write and layout. It was a labor of love and I certainly could not have written it without the love and support of my husband who was my cheerleader, proof reader and everything else in between.
Teaching!
Publishing my book brought about many opportunities to teach this year and I really loved taking on this role. I taught at Haven Blog Conference, an advanced painted furniture workshop, where we looked at natural finishes.
I did paint demos at the Adams Farm Marketplace and travelled to Chicago for the General Finishes’ Flippin’ Furniture Expo.
It was so much fun and loved sharing some fun painting ideas and meeting so many interesting and talented people.
Visiting the HGTV Dream Home in Florida with GMC!
This was so much fun and was kind of a blogger reunion for everyone who worked on Habitat Homes with GMC as part of the Hidden Treasure Adventure along the World’s Longest Yard Sale. It was such a treat to visit the dream home in Florida and get to drive the brand new 2017 Acadia. This was my favorite room!
If you’ve been reading the blog for some time then you know having an old house requires some TLC and sometimes we have to spend money on things that aren’t always fun, like ceilings. Over time our ceilings had cracked. Doing them over last spring has made such a huge difference in our home!
One of my favorite room makeovers happened during the summer. I worked with my kids to do over their room. We talked about their ideas, their styles and really thought about how they’d use this space together. Their room has a dedicated workspace for homework but also has plenty of room for quiet reading and rest. There’s even room for building forts and playing up there. Now they have the biggest bedroom in the entire house 😉
Well, those were the most popular posts and my own highlights. Do you have any favorites from 2016?
Thank you all so much for reading and all your kind words.
Be sure to check out all my friends top posts below:
Instant DIY Pure Vanilla Extract by TIDBITS | Farmhouse Breakfast Nook Reveal by Nina Hendrick Design Co | Real World Organizing: How to Keep Your House Tidy by The Happy Housie | How To Clean Your Home In 30 Minutes A Day by StoneGable | Modern Farmhouse Paint Colors by A Burst of Beautiful | Summer Tour of my New House by So Much Better With Age
Before and After at our House by Zevy Joy | How to Build Industrial Shelves by Beneath My Heart | Is the Family Room Your Shining Star? by Decor Gold Designs | My Fresh New Blue Kitchen Reveal by The Wicker House | How to Frame a Bathroom Mirror by Cherished Bliss | Dramatic Kitchen Renovation without Removing Cabinets by Designthusiasm
Why Won’t My Hydrangeas Bloom by Kelly Elko | Sherwin Williams Poised Taupe – Color of the Year 2017 by Setting for Four | How To Make A Farmhouse Mason Jar Chandelier by Shabbyfufu | U-Pick Apples Free Printable by Paint Me Pink | Christmas Home Tour 2016 by Town and Country Living | How to Organize Every Space in Your House by Just a Girl and Her Blog
Paint Color Home Tour by Maison de Pax | My Home Tour by Nesting with Grace | DIY Sign for Fall by House by Hoff | Floral Printable Birthday Gift Tags by Live Laugh Rowe | How to Build a No Sew Teepee by Julie Blanner | How To Design A Room You Love by Life On Virginia Street
How To Get A Beautifully Organized Closet On A Budget by Fox Hollow Cottage | Entryway Essentials by Lindsay Hill Interiors | Summer Home Tour by Migonis Home | 13 things to do before you list your home by Style House Interiors
Decorated Office/Craft Room by Sunny Side Up | Summer Home Tour 2016 by Finding Silver Pennies | How to make a tufted headboard by Place of My Taste | Tips and Tricks for an Organized Pantry by Not Just a Housewife | Back To School In Style by She Leaves a Little Sparkle
A busy and beautiful year!! Merry Christmas friend!
Best wishes to you in the new year!
What a great list! Your kitchen paint and subway tile are gorgeous and that painting dresser is perfection! I used to own a decorative painting business and I love to see a well-done painted piece! I hope you have a wonderful 2017! PS: Max is adorable!!!
I just love your home and all that you have done, but that shed just captures my coastal heart!
No wonder why your home tours did so well… they are just beautiful! It’s especially fun to look at spring and summer right now, because I love the warm weather… 🙂 Wishing you only good things for 2017!!
Best,
Lory
Looks like you’ve had a wonderful year, Danielle. Happy New Year to you and your family! Cynthia