Sunday, January 5, 2014

2013 Favorites

Happy New Year!  I decided to take December off with it being so busy and also, my furniture makeovers don't have holiday themes, so I thought it would be best to come back in January.

I was going to put together a "top 10 posts" of the year, but since 2013 was my first full year of blogging, my top posts show up on my sidebar under popular posts.

Instead I decided to put together my personal top favorite posts for the year. I think many bloggers can agree that what was their personal favorite isn't always a favorite on the blog.


Rustic Grey Dresser is my top favorite piece I have painted.  Besides the fact that I got it for free, I absolutely loved the way every detail turned out.


Girly Vanity came together like a dream. The day after I decided to paint the vanity I found a bench to match at a garage sale. I used a beautiful purple oops paint and I topped it off with Disney's glitter glaze. The photos don't do it justice!


Cream Dresser with Fun Plaid was one of the first few pieces that I was able to sand down the top to stain. I also took the extra time to add the plaid on the side.  I know it may seem like a small detail, but it was very time consuming and I questioned myself a lot while I was doing it. Turns out I had nothing to worry about because I loved it!


Beachy Desk & Chair makeover made me so happy. I loved the way the top came out like reclaimed wood and I thought the way I fixed the broken cane chair with jute was really cool. This one wasn't a big viewed post and also was a hard sell at the consignment store. It sat long enough for me to have to lower the price before it finally sold.


Burlap Sack Table Tops I thought was totally genius! I guess maybe it is a little too different, but the Mod Podge made the tops hard as a rock and I know they are durable. The red one sold pretty quickly, but the black one still has not sold. I have marked it down twice already and I think I will have to again to get it to move. 


Buttermilk Waterfall Dresser was a big surprise to me that it didn't get as many views as I expected. It also just sold at the consignment store after many months. Dressers are always an easy sell, but this one didn't move. I really have no idea why--I thought it came out amazing.


Mod Podge Graphic Transfer is a technique that I just started to do. It had a great response at the consignment store, but I think since this is not a new technique in the blog world, didn't get many views.


After over a year of painting and selling furniture and a whole year of blogging I have learned one big lesson...

You never know what is going to be a hit or not!

Some pieces I painted got the most views on the blog, but may have taken forever to sell at the consignment store. Other pieces sold quick as lightening and got very few views on the blog.

In the end, the furniture that I paint are pieces that are in my budget and the colors I paint them are what I think works best with the piece. 

I try to take the best photos I can of them and create a post that showcases the piece and gives you the information on what products and techniques I used to hopefully inspire you to paint as I am inspired by others.

Linking to:
DIY Showoff | Silver Pennies | Craft-O-Maniac | I Should Be Mopping The Floor | Creative Home Expressions | Dwellings | Pink When | Rain On A Tin Roof | Homecoming | The Dedicated House | Coastal Charm | Cozy Little House | A Stroll Through Life | Love Grows Wild | Table For Seven | Kammy's Korner | VMG206 | Not Just A Housewife | The Winthrop Chronicles | Elizabeth & Co. | The DIY Dreamer | Art Is Beauty | Ella Claire | Savvy Southern Style | Fluster Buster | Polka Dots On Parade | The Real Housewives of Riverton | The Happy Housie | Lamberts Lately | Sweet Haute | Saving 4 Six | Start At Home | I Gotta Create | Domestic Superhero | Living Well Spending Less | One More Time Events | Redoux Interiors | The Thrifty Groove | Liz Marie | The Shabby Nest | Miss Mustard Seed | The Pin Junkie | Craft Dictator | Crafty Allie | Lovely Crafty Home | Remodelaholic | One Project Closer | Today's Creative Blog | DIY Vintage Chic | Funky Junk Interiors | Too Much Time On My Hands 

9 comments:

  1. Thanks for the link to the Mod Podge tutorial--I look forward to giving this a try. Your little turquoise table turned out so nicely!

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  2. Awesome projects, you were busy! thanks for sharing and giving me some inspiration :) http://www.handmadeintheheartland.com/

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  3. No wonder they're your 2013 favorites Susan, they all look awesome! My favorite is the buttermilk waterfall dresser♥

    Thanks for linking at The DIY'ers, huggies♥
    rea

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  4. I love your little blue vanity. Pinned! I refinished one this year too:) Happy New Year! Stop over:)

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  5. I really know what you mean about being surprised by what is popular, and what sells. I've just decided to do what I like and hopefully someone else will too.

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  6. I noticed your absence in my inbox and have been missing your posts! I'm glad you are back! I took a Christmas break, too, totally get it! I can't believe some of those pieces were kind of disappointing sales-wise. I LOVE those end tables covered with burlap graphics! But in the past, I have had more trouble selling black too. If I paint it white, it usually sells fast but, doing white all the time is so boring! I have a pair of end tables and a pair of chairs that I thought were super cool sitting in my garage after failing to sell for months. I know how frustrating that can be! Keep the creative juices flowing, though! I love it all!

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  7. So many great makeovers. I love the first one and the fun plaid. You are so creative and talented. Thanks for sharing at Silver Pennies Sundays! x

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  8. What a wonderful roundup of projects! Can't wait to see what 2014 brings!

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  9. Wow!! These pieces are Amazing!!
    I really love all of them, thanks for sharing.

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