As 2012 is coming to an end, I’ve been looking back at what an amazing year of growth this has been for my business and blog.  I’m already looking forward to 2013 and all it has to hold.  I’ll get to some of my plans and goals soon, but for now, let’s look back at the ten most popular posts on my blog from 2012 (according to Google Analytics.)  This was fun for me to see as well and a little surprising in some cases.  And number ten is… 10.) Home office reveal (aka – How we turned a former 1940’s kitchen into a functional home office.  This is probably the most dramatic makeover in our home.)   9.) Oil & Vinegar (I wrote this post in 2010 and it’s still one of my top posts!  This recipe does work like a champ to revive dried wood, though.)   8.)

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas.  It was an awesome day for me.  You can read the recap HERE if you missed it.  I love the rush of presents on Christmas, but it’s always a bit of a let-down when the day that you’ve been anticipating for weeks is finally over.  The Christmas music is banned until next November, the tree and decorations are about to come down and it’s back to eating salads for lunch.   Because of the post-Christmas blahs, I love getting a stray present that comes just a little late.  It’s a little remnant of one of the best days of the year.  (Although, I’ll say the slump  has been lessened this year because it’s been fun watching the boys play with their new toys and it’s snowing.) Anyway, I thought I would offer a late present to one lucky reader – a $100 gift card

We flew into Denver, Colorado yesterday and…my, oh my…the view from the plane was amazing.  Just field after field.  It looked like a patchwork quilt.   …and then you see the mountains.  Wow.  My husband and I made our way to this beautiful part of the country for a book signing and workshops at Shades of Amber in Monument, Colorado.   They have been amazing hosts.  Their shop was recently expanded to include this great workshop space.  (This is the husbands, Jeff and Brad, getting everything ready.)   I did a marathon of workshops today…three in a row!  Whew!  I had such a great time and it was so amazing to meet women who share my love of DIY.  I also enjoyed looking around Amber and Brad’s beautiful shop…     …with organic lavender…     …and Dash & Albert goodness…     …antique goodies…   …and a cozy place

I remember when HomeGoods showed up near my house when we lived in Virginia.  I drove by and saw the sign and thought, I think I’m going to love that store.  Sure enough, when I first walked through the doors, that thought was confirmed.  Linens, dishes, pots and pans, bedding, furniture, rugs, accessories…all under one roof.  It was like the home section of Marshall’s and TJMaxx, but huge.  So, I was very excited when I received an e-mail from HomeGoods about their new project, StyleScope.  StyleScope is a simple visual quiz you can take that will help you determine your style. The author of StyleScope is the lovely and very talented Taniya Nayak (designer for HGTV & The Food Network.)  I had the opportunity to ask her a few questions, in fact… My readers love to be inspired by success stories.  Can you share how you got to where you

For those of you who aren’t aware, I have never developed a product line before the whole milk paint thing took off.  I’m a total newbie, flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants through this adventure.  When it became clear that I was actually going to have my own line of milk paint, I started to daydream about what kind of packaging I wanted.  I pictured a box right from the start.  First of all, I don’t know of any other paint that is sold in a box, so it would be unique on the shelf.  Second, I wanted it to feel like a present.  I even initially wanted a pretty grosgrain ribbon on each box in the paint color…until I realized how totally impractical and expensive that would be.  After much trial and error and samples and mock-ups, we settled on this…   It’s a rigid “kraft” box with a custom sticker that shows the

 One of the cool things about the blog/DIY world is seeing things people make out of humble materials like burlap, cheese cloth and upholstery webbing.  If you like working with those materials, then burlapfabric.com is a perfect source for you.  If you need some convincing, here are some lovely things people have made… source source source  source  source source burlapfabric.com is giving away a $75 shop credit to one reader!  It’s the perfect timing, since burlap ribbon and upholstery webbing are great for trimming a Christmas tree. Here’s how to enter… For one entry, simply leave a comment. For a second entry, follow them on Pinterest and leave a comment letting me know you have. For one last entry, like them on Facebook and leave one more comment letting me know you did.  The giveaway will be open through Sunday, December 2, 2012, at midnight PST.  A winner will be