Top Posts of 2019

The very top posts of 2019 according to readers! From room reveals, home decor DIY, crafts, and free printables!

This is one of my favourite posts to write every year. But usually I leave it a little bit later in January because I can’t get my butt in gear after the holidays… so I signed myself up for a blog hop where 15 other amazing bloggers are also sharing their top posts from the year today! Which means that yeah, last night I hustled to get this done in time because I was busy holidaying before then ;)

So the hop is built so that everyone can share their 10 top posts of 2019 published this year according to traffic (which ones were visited the most!). I’ve always added in a couple other ones too… and I didn’t want to leave them out SO I’ve also squeezed my most popular posts this year that were written any time AND my underdogs that I love too much to let go without hitting a list.

2019 was a freaking big year, you guys. I published 114 new posts this year including 7 room reveals. I didn’t teach a single workshop for the first time in years and I didn’t speak at any conferences- just head down renovating and writing these posts and it felt good to tackle some of these big spaces and pump out the content (my favourite thing to do!). For 2020… I’ve got just as many room reveals in the plans- and probably as many DIYs!

OK- let’s get to it!

Psst! I put a YouTube video up with just the top 5s PLUS my top 10 videos if you’d rather watch over read!

TOP POSTS PUBLISHED IN 2019

10. DIY HAND LETTERED MATS

I have made hand lettered mats a few times now and wasn’t impressed with the durability. But then THIS technique changed everything. It lasts SO well and is so much easier than the other ones I’ve tried. I even made more of these for Christmas gifts! Check it out here.

9. TIPS FOR CHOOSING A SOFA

I shared this living room update including the sectional we chose because… Choosing a sofa or sectional is HARD! Leather or fabric? Cushions or built in? I’m sharing all my tops for choosing and walking through why we chose the one we did! Check it out here.

8. LAST 90 DAYS PRINTABLE

I participated in the #Last90Days challenge for the second time this year but needed a tracker to keep myself organized and am picky and wanted to design my own. I shared it after the challenge started in October and this still racked up SO many hits that it broke the top 10! Also, there’s a spelling error. I’ll fix it one of these days ;) Check it out here.

7. MASTER BEDROOM MOULDING WALL

We loved having a dark and moody bedroom at our last house and the added dimension of the moulding wall in that room was something we wanted to do again… but different. And this? It’s everything I hoped it would be! It’s also one of my most liked IG photos of 2019 too. Check out the tutorial here.

6. BOTANICAL WATERCOLOUR ART

This simple watercolor botanical art is perfect for a beginner- using just one paint and one brush. It’s an easy way to add a modern pop of colour to your home decor! Check it out here.

5. DIY PLYWOOD DOUBLE DESK

When we made over our boys bedroom this past spring- one of their wishes was a desk. This plywood DIY double desk is the perfect solution for a shared kids space- plus it’s an IKEA hack! Using scandi inspired maple plywood with a waterfall edge and vertical shiplap under the desk top, this desk isn’t just practical but a modern design element. Check it out here.

4. 40 MODERN DIYS FOR THE HOME

I rarely publish round ups because I have more ideas (and half finished projects) than time but maybe I should do more! This round up of 40 modern DIYs (including these entryway drawers from our last house!) made it to number four on my list. Pretty rad! Check it out here.

3. ALL ABOUT CRICUT SNAPMAT

 Cricut SnapMat is the feature that lets you take a picture of your mat and place your designs exactly where you want to (you know, for scraps of materials or cutting out photos!). I wrote a whole post testing out different projects with it and you guys had just as many questions about it as I did! Check it out here.

2. 5 CALENDARS FOR 2020

My annual calendar post is *almost* topping the list! With minimalistic style, hand lettered details and five different formats to choose from- they’re probably my most used project every single year. Grab them for free before I move them to my shop! Check it out here.

1. 4 BASIC MACRAME KNOTS

I wanted to share more macrame tutorials, but they got confusing without a solid foundation- so I created that first! And it’s the most popular post I published this year! Sounds like it’s time for some more macrame tutorials in 2020 ;) Check it out here.

TOP POSTS IN 2019 (OF ALL TIME!)

10. HOW TO IRON ON VINYL ON WOOD

This is one of my favourite things to do using my Cricut- ironing vinyl on to wood! I put together a video showing aaaall sorts of projects and variations for this technique- again… you guys had lots of questions about it! Check it out.

9. 4 BASIC MACRAME KNOTS

If you’re a blogger that’s been blogging for more than a couple years… you’ll know how exciting it is to have a NEW post do better than your popular old posts. I’m so excited to see this one break the top 10 of all time! Check it out here.

8. DIY LIVE EDGE TABLE WITH STEEL BASE

I LOVE my dining table, you guys. We made it years ago now and it’s still one of my favourite pieces of furniture in our home. It’s due to be refinished (babes with forks are tough on a table) but it’s still just as beautiful in our home. Check out the tutorial here.

7. OUR GREEN KITCHEN REVEAL!

I’m also obsessed with our kitchen. It is my proudest before and after of all time, for sure. I’m beyond happy that you guys like it as much as I do! You can check out the full tour and before/after here!

6. 2019 PRINTABLE CALENDARS

I told ya these calendars are one of the most popular things I create each year! The 2020 ones were published at the end of the year so didn’t have the chance to climb- but I expect to see them in the top 10 next year! Find the 2020 calendars here.

5. 3 DIY GIANT YARD GAMES

This post is years old but people still love a good giant yard game! Like this Jenga! Simple DIYS to make your outdoor BBQs more fun. Check them out here.

4. HOW TO CUT YOUR OWN IMAGE WITH CRICUT

A nice basic but thorough tutorial on how to upload your own images to cut them out with Cricut! Including your own lettering (oh yeah!) or designs you’ve downloaded from blogs (like mine!). Check it out here.

3. HOW TO MAKE YEARLY PHOTO BOOKS

This post is crazy popular and funny enough, I’m writing this blog post while a friend sits at my desk with me working on her yearly photo book! Which reminds me that I didn’t make my 2018 photobook yet… let alone my 2019 one. Ha! But with this strategy I know that I can get it done without too much stress. Check it out here.

2. SPLIT LEVEL ENTRY MAKEOVER

This before and after gets more questions than any other space we’ve made over! We were faced with a cramped entry at our last house (a cathedral entry style) and I’m honestly so happy with how we made the most of that space! Check it out here.

1. HOW TO DISASSEMBLE A PALLET

YEP. This guy made number one. Ha! It’s the last of my super old blog posts that is still hanging on and pulling in traffic. Maybe my goal for 2020 should be to work on getting ANY blog post to outrank this one. But incase you’re looking for tips on taking a pallet apart? I’ve got you covered. Check it out here.

MY UNDERDOG POSTS

I genuinely love all of these posts. It was hard to narrow it down to just 10. These are 10 posts that I published this year that even though I think they’re top notch- the stats didn’t agree. Sometimes it takes a year or two for a post to pick up steam and sometimes tablescapes just aren’t as popular as kitchens. It’s the way it is, but I wanted to share them too! These are in NO order because choosing 10 was hard enough, I aint rankin’ them.

10. DIY FAUX BAMBOO BLINDS

I love the look of woven wood shades, but the price tag can get up there- so on these kitchen windows which we would NEVER close (we look over a little valley), I got crafty and made these faux blinds and they are so good, I’ve put them in 3 other spaces in my house since. You can put them over regular pull down blackout shades too if you just want the look when they’re open and pull them down just for sleeping. Check it out here.

9. YOUR POTENTIAL IS ENDLESS WALLPAPER

I always try to include one of my tech wallpapers in this round up because I do love making them each month! This quote in particular has been such a fave for me (it’s on my screen right now!). I’ve even talked to a friend who does tattoos about putting it on my arm. I really love the sentiment! Check it out here.

8. MODERN SUPERHERO BIRTHDAY PARTY

I also love to include a party in my underdogs. And apparently this year I didn’t actually post many. I have a bunch stockpiled for you this year that means! This modern superhero birthday party for our sons third birthday was such a fun theme to put a black and white twist to with comic book bubbles and dollar store affordability thanks to some simple party crafts! Check it out here.

7. ENTRYWAY MAKEOVER

I HAD to include our entry before and after because it’s dramatic and brings me so much joy. This was the area of our house that I was least excited about when we bought a year and a half ago. I didn’t know that we’d be able to rock it and I wanted to love every piece of this house. Now? So so happy. Check it out here.

6. HOW TO EMBROIDER ON WOOD

I wanted to sneak a craft project into here as well but as I’m writing this I’m realizing this craft involves power tools too… ha! I can’t help myself. This botanical embroidery on wood is just so darn pretty. It’s sitting in my office as I write this. Check it out here.

5. HOW TO STYLE KITCHEN OPEN SHELVES

If you love the trend of open shelves in the kitchen but don’t know how to make them look amazing while still being totally functional, this is for you! I’m talking through tips I use to style my open shelving (and my last kitchen open shelves) to be beautiful but also work really hard for our busy family of 6. Check it out here.

4. DIY CONCRETE WALL COVER

This is one of those DIYs that is pretty simple but totally transforms an outdoor space. It’s night and day, really. This DIY concrete wall cover brings a modern feel with some 1x2s and black paint to a patio space that was overshadowed by an old concrete retaining wall before. Check it out here.

3. AUTUMN GREENS TABLESCAPE

Tablescapes are one of my favourite things to design. But I’ve done so many less of them this year! The renovations have taken over my schedule. But best believe I made time for my favourite of them all- Autumn! Check it out here.

2. LADY LUCK PRINTABLE PRACTICE SHEET

Last year my top posts were overrun with practice sheets! I promised in that ‘best of 2018’ post that there were so many more to come in 2019. I did one for valentines day, then this one for saint patrick’s day... then NOTHING. This year sure got away from me. Ha! Check it out here.

1. MY STUDIO OFFICE REVEAL!

OF COURSE I had to put my studio office reveal in here! And if I were to rank them, yeah, this would be number one. It came in at the end of the year but was by far the most work out of any space we did this year and I’m beyond excited about how it turned out. I love getting to work in here and tonight I’ve got two friends in here with me because it’s big enough to handle us! I could probably even fit a few more. Also… that before is not even recognizable! Check it out here.

And today I’m joining some of my blogging friends who are also sharing their Top Posts of 2019 with you. Just click on the links below the pictures to be taken to see all of their most popular content!

The Happy Housie // Maison de Pax // Grace in My Space

Taryn Whiteaker // Lemon Thistle // Inspiration for Moms

Cherished Bliss // Cassie Bustamante // Sincerely, Marie Designs

The Tattered Pew // She Gave it a Go // Happy Happy Nester

The Turquoise Home // Two Twenty One // Modern Glam

Want to check them out later?! PIN IT!