While checking out all the year-end, year-in-review posts over the past few days, I've been hesitant to do my own, because in all honestly, I haven't felt all that productive. I mean sure, I know we've accomplished a few major things, like the kitchen and bathroom, but haven't I beat that dead horse to a pulp already?
Just for fun I decided to take a leisurely stroll down the digital memory lane of my photo files and low and behold, I did more than my 41-year old, addled little brain remembered.
In January I was in a bit of a funk with my youngest off being made into a Marine. Not very much was accomplished creatively, but instead my time was spent praying and reading and writing letters. I also spent a fair amount of time commiserating with other worried parents on Marine Recruit message boards.
Then in February, I got my first ever hug from a Marine.

Participating in two different virtual quilting bees provided a wonderful outlet for creativity on a small scale.
quilt bee blocks (and I still have some IOUs)
I took back my dining room by moving my sewing room. What an undertaking!
This is the dining room, mid process. At this point I began to panic at the thought of finding someplace to put everything.
But eventually, things began to take shape.
All the bits and pieces found new homes.
A place for everything,
everything in its place.
I even printed and framed some soothing art for the wall (my happy thoughts)
So nice.
Don't be so quick to hate. That soothing, relaxing room all too quickly went to hell in the proverbial hand-basket. Updated pictures won't be making this post. They fit more in the category of when a perfectly good room goes bad post. No, this is a happy walk down memory lane, so lets move along. Shall we?
Pillows. I made quite a few pillows.
Pillows for the couch (that have since been moved to the back porch).
Pillows for the front porch.
Pillows out of burlap adorned with bossy little monograms and ric-rac.
Pillows with birds,
and more birds.
Painted pillows and pillows with buttons.
And finally, holiday pillows.
I spruced up the back porch a bit (besides the throwing about of pillows)
I did some spray painting and added blinds and sheers to the screens.
We hosted Bayleigh's first birthday. I had fun with the decorations and favor bags.
She had fun with the ball pit.
Wearing her birthday shirt and crown made by Nana.
I made a coat/hat rack ala SusieHarris by cutting up some yard sticks and nailing them to an old board. I painted silver hooks making them look old and rusty. A perfect spot to display my great-grandma's gardening hat.
In the summer, I was into thrift store re-dos, full swing. Warm weather=spray paint season. I had a blast seeing how much bang I could get for my pennies. I love nothing better than to receive a compliment for something in my house, only to respond, I got that at a thrift store and paid pennies for it. Honestly, some folks like to flash around expensive labels and flaunt how much they paid for something, I'm polar opposite, the better bargain the happier it makes me to sing about it.
My new kitchen chairs make me sing. They were five bucks a piece.
Not that exciting... Yet.
A little elbow grease and some paint. Newly covered seat cushions and I'd say they look to be worth at least seven bucks a piece.
I was in desperate need of a new purse, and didn't want to take the time to make one, so I picked up this sassy little number for around a dollar (along with a few other little trinkets). Don't you love the groovy underwater scene? Perfect for summer. What? You're thinking I got ripped off?
How about now?
Some black burlap, a little trim and a fraying linen flower. Not too shabby. I didn't mind toting it around town.
A little white spray paint and that bunny up there became a sweet planter for my hens n' chicks.
And that bird and nest on a branch- yea, it got the white spray paint magic as well.
Remember I mentioned something about taking back my dining room? For a few years I used that room for my sewing room, and it was great. I loved being able to do my sewing in the center of the house, able to see my loved ones in the kitchen or living room. It was cool. Except when it looked like this.
Which was way too often.
After I completed the gargantuan task of moving all that junk to Casey's old room. Hey, the US government provides him room and board now, why let a perfectly good room sit empty? He still has a place to sleep when he's home, and I even replace the pink flowery quilt with a blue one.
Anyway, where was I before I got all defensive about taking over my baby bird's bedroom before the feathers had a chance to settle? Oh yea, the dining room. It's a dining room again.
See, the Marine still comes back home. And I feed him.
on my beautiful new to me family heirloom table. You can read about it here.
The photo above must have been taken before I refinished the bench.
Mitch and I made this bench from a thrift store head and foot board.
I made some covers for some chairs. One was quick and easy
One was not quite as quick or easy.
I covered some lampshades in rope and burlap
I covered lots of things in burlap, as a matter of fact.
Burlap was also painted to look like coffee-sacks.
Wanna know a secret? I never really liked this and it's gone now. I replaced the faux coffee sacks with some beige and white ticking. Much less jarring to the eye.
I made a very special quilt.
I attempted a solo bathroom reno, but soon gave in to the fact that the real magic-maker around here is the Mitch man.
I did all the painting. He did everything else.
I take that back, I did do the"fluffing" and put up the light fixtures.
It's all about team work. My niece Jessica told me this room looks much better in person. A small bathroom is extremely difficult to photograph. A small, windowless bathroom, even worse.
Mitch worked his magic on some electrical conduit turning it into a curtain rod for my kitchen window.

Since I'm in the kitchen anyway, lets revisit the previously mentioned, beaten-to-death horse that is my kitchen redo. (I'm sorry, I couldn't leave it out) My lovely, lovely kitchen redo. Talk about making some magic. Mitch outdid himself this time.
New butcher block counters. Thanks to my cousin Ronald for lending a hand, with this one- butcherblock is heavy! Open shelving. Crown molding added to the cabinets.
Custom built range hood cover. Or should I say range slipcover. The old range hood is still under there.
I helped too. I painted the lower cabinets black.
Put up subway tile
and beadboard wallpaper backsplash.
Then for Christmas we had the bar covered with galvanized steel. The only project of the year we didn't do ourselves.
Man this has turned into a long post. I, or I should say we, did so much more this year than I thought.
I haven't even mentioned some of the little seasonal touches.
But wait! There's more! If I don't end this post somewhere though, I won't have any 2010 projects to share. If you stayed with me till the end, bless your little heart. I love you to pieces!
Let me share just one more. The best of part of 2009 as far as I'm concerned, was the blessing of having this little gift in our lives.
I can't wait to see what 2010 holds!
I'm not the only one who's been busy in 2009. Check out Rhoda's Top Projects of 2009 Party.