Live The Home Life: 2011

Happy (almost) new year, y’all!

With so many posts popping up on Live the Home Life over the last 365 days, I thought it only fitting to take today to go back through and revisit a few favorites. Sure, I could have just picked a handful of the most widely read posts, but since I rule the roost around here, I decided to take my own little trip down memory lane and pull my favorite posts from each month of 2011.

(Hint, hint: to read the entire post for a particular month, just click on one of the pics included.)

Most of the time I keep a pretty tidy closet, but with the new year in full swing and an organizational resolution hanging over my head, it felt amazing to put the finishing touches on my closet by designating the wasted space high above the top shelf for purses.

There is nothing like a good furniture flip to get my heart racing, so when Christie sent a photo of her four poster bed my way, I had a blast putting together a game plan for her to tackle this simple rehab on her own…and with so much snow keeping me home-bound, I was itching for ways to keep from a serious case of cabin fever.

Not once have I ever claimed to be a green thumb and proof was in the pudding when I did a round up of the state of my yard last spring as compared to the previous year. Pitiful is the only word that comes to mind.

After picking up this dirty little arm chair for just a few bucks, it was fun sharing the entire reupholster process from start to finish. Now happily perched in my guest bedroom, this arm chair rehab was definitely one of my favorites.

Oh boy. May was a fun month—mainly because my friends at At Home in Arkansas magazine know how to flatter a girl senseless. Not only did I hop on board as a monthly guest blogger for At Home’s blog, but they also thought me presentable enough to feature in their May issue.

Nearly a year and a half after moving into my house, I decided it was time to take the pile of 35 keys the previous owner left behind and sort through which key went to which lock. Sure, I could have (and probably should have) just changed all of the locks but what fun would that have been?

Oh! This was the month of recreating the fabulous DIY light fixture that I stole from fellow blogger, Vintage Revivals! Such a fun project.

August kicked of the month of checking entire rooms of my house off of my to-do list with the completion of my den. With rehabbed furniture and DIY projects galore, this project was a wrap for around $200.

With so much rehabbing going on in the month of September it was mighty difficult to pick just one favorite…I’m lying to you. It was perfectly clear which furniture flip stole my heart this month.

The first post of the month took the cake with my master bath before & after reveal. Not only was this project a wrap but it turned out exactly how I had hoped.

Fresh off of a major bathroom overhaul, November brought with it another bathroom revamp. With just a few dollars and a bit of elbow grease, my 1960s pink beauty of a guest bath underwent a much needed facelift.

I’m no stranger to hauling otherss trash from the side of the road to take home and make into my own treasure, so when I found, not one, but two Christmas trees tossed to the curb by a neighbor over the summer, I loaded both of them up and shoved them into my attic for safe keeping until the holiday season arrived. However, when it came time to actually put the trees to good use, I quickly figured out why the fake firs were shivering by the curb in the first place.

Christmas 2011_1

That’s it, y’all! 2011 in a nutshell. So what’s in store for 2012? I have a few ideas tucked away in my tool belt, so check back in with me next year to see what’s next in line to be pulled apart and put back together again around this construction site of mine.

Happy New Year!

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…and a big thank you to all of the wonderful friends who’ve linked up to LTHL. Big snuggles and even bigger smooches!