Note: This is a retroactive post I put together in December 2011 to create a month-by-month recap for our first year in the new house. I’m a little type A, so here’s what we tackled in February — in high school yearbook style.
Coupon Lover: A post about how I try to save money by cutting coupons.
Sneakiest: Our tape trick for catching drywall dust while we worked on projects around the house.
Most Mischievous: Painting an old glass lampshade turquoise while John went for a run. It felt a little naughty, and it turned out great.
Best Photo: A silly snapshot after bringing home a resin ram from TJ Maxx — Burger photobombing by doing yoga behind it.
Most Surprising: Finding out we were named the winners of Apartment Therapy’s Best Home Design Blog of 2011. We were thrilled and definitely a little stunned.
Favorite $2.80 Project: Gray-washing the living room beam using a light dry-brush technique and a small test can of paint — big impact for very little cost.
Most Fowl: A quirky thrifted goose we found alongside a quatrefoil tray. Someday we’ll give it a shiny, colorful makeover.
Most Magpie-ish: Debating metallic paint colors for the living room ceiling — we were tempted by all the shiny options.
Longest Table Search: A lengthy rundown of our drawn-out hunt for the perfect table, which finally ended in success.
Most Alarming: Realizing my mom and stepdad were coming to stay at the end of the month and our guest room still needed a lot of work.
Most Delayed Post: A tutorial for upgrading a 40-cent platter from Goodwill with decorative paper — posted a couple of months late but still useful.
Best Score: Scoring two secondhand chairs for $35 each — a steal compared to similar retail options.
Most Likely To Look Small: Our console table from the first house looked petite in the new, larger entryway, so we moved it to the hallway and planned a large frame wall.
Most Well-Rounded: Our curvy, chunky dining table that easily seats a large family — a new favorite in the house.
Least Afraid Of Mothballs: My thrifting enthusiasm, which led to finds like a $4 mirror despite the spiderwebs and musty smells.
Most Thrifty: Picking up 23 items for $98 during a family beach vacation — a great haul and fun memory from Rehoboth, DE.
Most Burger-Centric: A post about Burger’s favorite spots around the new house and how he adjusted to the move.
Most Brown-Nosing: Going the extra mile during a quick guest-room spruce by deciding to paint the walls right away — we primed the whole room first.
Most Shocking: Painting the guest room a deep, moody teal. We loved the result — the post includes a video showing how to cut in clean lines without painter’s tape.
Most Likely To Put You To Sleep: Our new guest-room mattress, which we researched thoroughly to ensure visitors would sleep well.
Most Appreciated: Making the guest bathroom usable by replacing the shower head and toilet seat, and adding a shower curtain and bath mat to make visitors feel welcome.
Most In-Progress: The guest bedroom after we moved in bedding, curtains, an old rug, and extra chairs — a work in progress but getting there before our guests arrived.
Most Chipper: The bold and happy guest bedroom — not completely finished, but ready to host. We also made a luggage-rack side table as a quick DIY addition.
Most Shower-Ready: Our functional guest bathroom with a new shower curtain, bath mat, and a few welcoming touches so guests could comfortably shower and get ready.
Most Proud: Sharing a list of our favorite Richmond spots to eat, shop, thrift, and hang out — we really love our city.
Most Likely To Spark A Joke: Swapping two old side tables in as temporary nightstands — a quick fix that invited a few one-night-stand jokes.
