2012 Blog Review!

I hope everyone had the most Merry Christmas and that you all are looking forward with great anticipation to 2013!

 I have been most blessed this year. Looking through my blog has brought back happy memories of junking adventures with my family and of times spent enjoying the comfort and beauty of a home that we have truly made our own. This year we finally "finished" a four year long (interior) renovation which has been daunting to say the least, so we will spend the winter months resting planning and pinning ideas and inspiration for the exterior and landscape changes that will begin in late spring.

Today's post is an overview of my favorite projects and decorating highlights of the past year. I have put the links to each post so you can quickly scan the old posts if it peaks your interest and you want to see more. Here we go!

January: Embracing Winter's beauty

After Christmas I began removing the reds and greens from my decor, but I wanted to keep the beauty of winter throughout the house. I left any natural objects such as pine cones, fire wood, and  fresh cut pine branches in place, and I simply replaced my colorful bulbs with snowflakes and white and silver bulbs in all my garlands. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/01/christmas-to-winter-transition.html

The fireplace had a rustic charm.  I loved how the old mirror reflected the lights and added interest to the space, so I decided to keep it there all year. 

 

If we must have winter, then please, LET IT SNOW!

February: Antiques Booth Grand Opening!

What a joy it was to finally fulfill a life-long dream of opening a booth of my own last February. It has been financially rewarding, but the whole experience has been worth so much more than money. My family has had so much fun searching for treasures to sell throughout the year and we have made so many new friends. My knowledge and appreciation for antiques has grown and I have received so many intrinsic rewards as a result of having an antiques business. Getting started in February made it easy to create eye-catching displays using a romantic theme throughout the booth. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/02/grand-opening.html





I spent so much time at the booth I wasn't able to do much at home, but I did create a Valentine's Day tablescape. For a centerpiece I chose to use my feather tree decorated with vintage Valentines and displayed in a tarished silverplate urn. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/02/valentines-day.html

I also decorated my mantel super-shabby-romantic using Victorian-style Valentine ornaments, old lace, and red beads woven in a winter snow and red berries garland.

 March Madness!

A fellow vendor was putting this dress form in the trash! I had the luck o' the Irish that day!!!! I brought her home and decorated her with antique collars and pearls, and I also decorated her for holidays as the year progressed. Her tarnished bronze patina matches perfectly in our home. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/free-antique-dress-form-find.html


Late March also saw the emergence of spring beauty in the garden. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/spring-in-garden-part-1.html

April: Easter In The Cottage

 Cottage style and soft Easter hues just go together, wouldn't you agree?
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/03/easter-time.html

It was during Easter that I started to experiement with adding seasonal elements to existing displays instead of changing everything out and packing away my day-to-day decorations. It takes some creativity to make  this decorating technique work, but its perfect for those of us who love our junk too much to see it go.

In this picture, the tan rim of the little egg holder mimics the tan colors of the antique photograph book, the ironstone, and the muted buttons and marbles. The vintage easter eggs all have muted tones which ties everything together. The effect wouldn't be the same bright plastic eggs just stuck up on the mantel here and there.

I also stopped buying new Easter decorations, and I got rid of many of my mass produced Easter decor other than some plastic eggs that go in the kids' baskets. I began searching for antiques and vintage items that could be used all year but double as spring decorations, such as this beautiful old picture with spring colors and tulips.

In April we also hit all the spring estate sales and caught the first flea markets vendors opening for the season and the result was pure eye candy at the booth!
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/antiques-booth-favorites.html

I sold almost everything in this photo, except the bust of David...I had a few months of delusions and actually had him for sale! Now he is safely home, in our bedroom, right beside my bed where he belongs. My husband just laughs at me.



Here is another example of "What in the world was I thinking trying to sell that???" I created this display for the booth and almost sold this sweet little doll. I loved that birdcage too and it didn't last a day in the booth, but luckily the doll didn't sell. She also is in my bedroom now right where she belongs, with David. Decorating is so much fun and I love "playing" with my toys!


I also began experimenting more with my displays at home as the year went and incorporated new styles.
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/white-wednesday-april-24th.html

April ended with some fantastic flea market finds too! http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/04/flea-market-finds.html







May: More Flea Market Junk Finds And Antiques Booth Success

Another great find was this fabulous Art Deco Mirror! It was hard to part with her but once again I found that being able to "keep" her here on my blog helped a lot. The lady that bought her was absolutely thrilled and I love to make people happy with my finds. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/mirror-mirror-on-wall-whos-fairest.html

 

Fleaing in May also led me to discover these vintage lovely ladies by the artist Huldah. I got lost in each picture and told a little story about each of here : http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/lovely-ladies.html


I sold this set on the very first day to one of my favorte customers, Roberta Messner. Roberta  is a contributor to many of our favorite decorating magazines, and you may be familiar with her latest article in the debut issue of Romantic Prarie Style Magazine: "Nesting Instincts." Roberta recently visited my home and I will posting about that soon!

I was sad to part with these pictures so quickly, but not long afterward I found another set of  3 smaller Huldah prints that I brought home and placed on the desk beside my bed. It helped my junk appetite to be satisfied tied over for a while.


By the end of May, roses were blooming outside in my garden and showing up all over the house in late spring shabby vignettes. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/05/everythings-coming-up-roses.html

 
 June: Projects, Junk, and Idea Overload!

As the old Rogers and Hammerstien tune states, "June is busting out all over!"  It most certainly was, and so were my ideas, and so was my basement full of junk! I had so many craft ideas and junk projects to upcycle that I was about to go crazy and loving every minute of it. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/busy-embellishing-bottles.html

I was so busy in fact, that I didn't even get a post up, but here are some of the bottles I embellished and posted about later in July. 

I absolutely fell in love with embellishing vintage bottles. I created these to sell at a craft show, but I decided to keep them because I put so much heart into making them and they fit so well with my bedroom decor.

Can't get your old bottles clean? Spray paint to the rescue!
 I gave this bottle the "royal treatment" using all kinds of vintage junk and its my favorite. It sits beside my bed. With David. And the little blonde doll. And the three little Huldah pictures.

 I must admit, my side of my bedroom looks like a booth display. At least I can say the bedroom is full of thrills and excitement! (Sorry, I just couldn't resist!)

July: Feeling hot, hot, hot!

It was actually too hot for me to tolerate much junking, so I used the time to work on some more projects in my craft room or I painted outside in the evening under some shade trees.

In July I finally got on the chalk paint wagon and I am still hanging on! Love, love, love, the beautiful patina and ease of using chalk paint. I make my own so the cost is great too. I started painting everything with chalkpaint and my customers loved it. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/celebrating-4th-of-july-white-wednesday.html

Notice the square frame with the oval opening? I used it for a Christmas chalkboard that you will see at the end of this post.

I even discovered that I could paint fabric with chalkpaint and sand it down so that its actually smooth enough to sit on. No more passing up furniture because of the daunting task of reupholstering!

Frenchy Chair makeover---SOLD!

In July we also opened a second "MANTIQUES" booth so my husband could play around with his vintage toys. With his artistic talents he needed no help from me to fill his booth with creative displays.http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/07/come-browse-our-romantiques-and.html

I love those large signs he painted on wood salvaged from our attic reno!


I'm not the only one who decides not to sell things after a day or two.  My husband couldn't part with this collection of vintage luggage either. Now it is stacked at home on his side of the bed  repurposed as a bedside table. Before long our whole bedroom will look like an antiques store if we keep hoarding things!


Further up the aisle at the antiques mall,  my booth was filled to overflowing with the theme of summer romance and weddings.



Meet Grace, (I named her in honor of Grace Kelly) the antique jewelry bust that I bought for use in the booth. I brought her home after a few weeks just because she is simply amazing, and I missed her. Yes, I missed her. I know you junkers know exactly what I mean! You'll be seeing her many times in the future on my blog, and later in this post during the Halloween review.


August: Back To School And The Balancing Act http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/08/pretty-little-post.html
In August it was back to school and I didn't have much time to post. Getting back into the swing of things, keeping the booth stocked, and decorating at home took some creative management of time. My blog was something that had to be put on hold,  but I did find time for one post which featured some more of my favorite little pretties in the house. I had been experimenting more with embellishing bottles and making coffee filter roses. I hope to have some snow days this winter so I'll have time to  make more before Valentine's Day.


More bedside table loot... If I ever get desperate for money I guess I could have a bedroom sale!


 In July I also posted my "Apple Basket Makeover," which turned out to be one of my most popular posts to date. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/08/apple-basket-makeover.html


September: HAPPY BLOGGERVERSARY TO ME! http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/09/one-year-blogger-versary-great-junkin.html

It was my one year bloggerversary, and I really think the post showed the evolution of my style from strictly shabby- French Cottage/Flea Market, to using junk in more creative ways and incorporating elements of Romantic Prarie/Farmhouse. The unifying element that has allowed the evolution to take place without me having to abandon any of the things I previously loved and used rests entirely in one word---VINTAGE.

October: It's the most wonderful time of the year!

October is my favorite month and autumn is my passion, so naturally I put a lot of creative energy into my decorating during that time and in my posts. My autumn garden was so special to me this year and I will always remember how much I enjoyed the morning that I got up early to photograph my fall garden displays. I think it would have to be my favorite post of 2012. The beauty was just unsurpassed and there was a bit of fall magic in the air and excitement for all the festivities that start with Halloween and last through New Year's.
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/10/an-autumn-morning-in-garden.html





Halloween...


All the family felt that this year's Halloween decorations were the very best, but due to a big renovation that was going on in October, I was late posting and I didn't really get to participate in any linky parties, so I didn't get many views of my posts. I will have link up my 2012 posts next year. If you missed it in October and you love Halloween like I do, you may want to check it out now. http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/10/its-halloween.html





Who's that girl???  It's Grace! I made her costume from scraps in my craft stash.


I found my first flower frogs in fall! Say that five time fast!


And here is that old dress form, proving once again that the best things in life are FREE!!!!
http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/11/halloween-favorites.html


November: Season of Thanksgiving

Thanks to my talented husband, I had a lovely new dining room to decorate for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays and although a lot of people skip through it these days, I think it really has a vintage feel about it and  the holiday lends itself to vintage decorating. Maybe its because people just don't celebrate it like they used to and most people already have the halls decked for Christmas but in my house it will always be a separate holiday which focuses on family and simpler times.

 This year it was all about the ironstone. When is it not all about the ironstone with me?






Okay so maybe it wasn't all about ironstone, but I loved how perfectly ironstone worked into the displays.


My absolute favorite Thanksgiving decoration  was this cloche display I created with vintage dolls and a celluolid deer.

Although I was excited for Christmas, I hated to say goodbye to autumn and Thanksgiving, but at least I always have my blog to visit for inspiration.

 http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-home-2012.html

December: It's ALSO The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!

Christmas in our house was delightful with the new spaces my husband created fpr us. Even though we gained more useable space and opened everything up, the house got even cozier. We have all enjoyed sitting around by the light of trees with warm snuggly blankets, listening to Christmas music while the scents of Christmas filled the air. I will definitely miss all the beauty of the holidays but I am resolved to embrace the majesty of winter and have been collecting ideas on my Winter Wonder's pinterest board like the hoarder that I am.
Here are some favorites from my three Christmas posts this year. The holiday was wonderful and in light of recent world events, the true meaning of Christmas and family meant more than all the Chrismtas treasures and trinkets I could ever hope to find. I hope you also had a blessed and beautiful Christmas season!

http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/use-what-you-have-christmas-decorating.html

http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-favorites-2012.html



http://junkaholicsunanimous.blogspot.com/2012/12/christmas-makeovers.html






Well here we are at the end of December! I hope you enjoyed this 2012 review as much as I have. Creating this post has me looking forward to the upcoming year with lots of decorating ideas. Hobby-based goals for 2013 including improving my blog posts with better pictures and presentation. Friends and family love my blog, but everyone agrees that our home looks much better in real life and I haven't quite figured out how to take pictures that are true to life. This could easily happen by learning to use the super nice camera I received as a gift last Christmas,  instead of relying on my phone and instagram. I still have a week and a half left of break so maybe I'll start practicing.

 In addition, I will be teaching myself to sew with my brand new Singer sewing machine! The one I got for Christmas! In 2007.

Also, I am considering a new blog which will focus more on home decorating, gardening, and styling. I will keep this blog for posts regarding junk adventures, project makeovers, and the antiques booth. I hope you all will follow along if I choose to create the new blog!

Have a great New Year everyone! Come back and visit me soon. I will be sharing a bit about my visit with Roberta Messner and I am looking forward to seeing all that we will create and share in 2013!

Blessings,
Amber

PARTIES!

http://www.commonground-do.com/

http://frenchcountrycottage.blogspot.com/2012/12/feathered-nest-friday_27.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed: blogspot/QoLtm (FRENCH COUNTRY COTTAGE)

http://www.homemakeronadime.com/2012/12/creative-bloggers-party-hop-92.html

http://thecharmofhome.blogspot.com/

http://knickoftimeinteriors.blogspot.com/

http://thebrambleberrycottage.blogspot.com/2013/01/time-travel-thursday-130-talented-time.html