Top Projects of 2011

Updated on September 15, 2020

I have seen so many year end top project posts popping up all over blogland, I figured I would join in on the fun.

I am sharing this post over at Southern Hospitality. She is having a fun linky party for you to share your top projects. It is a great way to discover some new blogs and catch up on anything you may have missed at your favorites. You can’t go wrong with everyone’s best of the best for the year. :)

Top Projects of 2011 Party

Without further ado, here are my favorite projects I did throughout 2011. (You can see what the top 10 reader favorite projects are at the sidebar on the right.)

10. Father’s Day Picture Gift

I made this gift for my husband for Father’s Day this year. It took a lot of out takes to get the picture I wanted just right, but I thought this would be so cute for him, especially since my kid’s are still so little and his shoes were so big!

 

 

9. Fabric Covered Lampshade

 

I sort of just had to wing it for this project to get the ribbon to work, but it turned out so much better than I would have anticipated. I used a Goodwill lamp find and a shade I had on hand.

 

 

8. Tiered Serving Stand

 

This was made from melamine trays I found at Walmart and some Dollar Tree glass candlesticks. It turned out so cute and was such a simple, inexpensive project! My absolute favorite part about this project is the top tray. I love that floral plate!

 

 

 

7. Baby Shower Advice Book

 

This turned out so much better than I could have ever expected. I was so happy to be able to make a keepsake for one of my very good friends. It was my hope for her to be able to look at it during times of stress or just having a bad mommy day to lift her spirits up!

 

 

 

 

6. Important Dates Sign

 

I got this idea from another blog and altered it to make it digital with the My Memories software. I love that it is so personal, yet not overly obvious what it is all about. I was able to add it to my gallery wall that came together so nicely for me with a lot of handmade touches. I even was able to sell some of these custom signs in my Etsy Shop!

 

 

5. Handmade Gift Exchange

 

I participated in the Handmade Gift Exchange at Craftaholics Anonymous. This was so much fun. It took me a while to decide what to make for my partner, Donna, but eventually I came up with three fun gifts that I was so proud of. I made her a journal/notebook, a pair of glass bead earrings, and an apron from a pillowcase.

 

 

 

 

 

4. Lego Batman Baby Food Jars

 

These jars were part of the decorations I made for my son’s 5th birthday party. It was a Lego Batman party. This party was a challenge to put together because I could not find Lego Batman party supplies anywhere! These jars were time-consuming, but they were a fun addition to the party decor.

 

 

3. Refinished Patio Table

 

We had a patio table in our backyard that came with our house. It was a mis-matched top and bottom, and we had these plastic chairs with it that the kids were always falling out of! I spray painted the metal edge around the glass and the entire bottom of the table and added some new metal chairs. It was a huge transformation for not a lot of money.

 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER: 

 

2. Refinished Ceiling Fan

 

This is another project where a little paint goes a long way to make a big impact. We did not have it in our budget for a new adjustable speed/dimmer ceiling fan. But a bottle of $5 paint and a little patience did the trick!

 

BEFORE:

 

AFTER:

 

 

1. Kitchen Makeover

 

Okay. So, after looking through all my projects from 2011, this is the one that made the most impact on our family. We spend so much time in our kitchen and it was hideous before. It still is not finished, but just getting the seams filled in, joint taped and spackled, new paint and changing out all the hardware on the cabinets – it is like a new space. 

 

I guess I was so burnt out from it all I never did really good after pictures. That will definitely be on the list for a blog post for the new year. We still need to re-do the countertops and the backsplash, but it is already so much better!  You can read about the transformation here: before, stage 1, stage 2 and stage 3.

 

BEFORE:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AFTER:

 

 

To see a list of all the craft projects I have blogged about you can go to my Crafts Page.

 

It was fun to look back at all I accomplished this last year. Even though I said I was taking a blog break until the new year, you can expect at least one new post from me in December – a goals/resolutions post of what is to come for the new year! What is your favorite project you did this last year? I would love to see it!