The clock is ticking down on 2014…  and what a year it was!

For the most part… I don’t share what’s going on in my personal life.  But, if you’re a faithful reader, you are aware that this year has been filled with challenges.  One thing I have been so grateful for, is this blog.  And considering my year, I pushed forward through it all.  The reward has been new relationships with other bloggers, considerable growth, the blessing of working with brands, and YOU.

Thank you so much for your faithfulness!  I love reading your comments, your emails, and chatting with you on Facebook.  You have been so kind and encouraging.  An Extraordinary Day readers are truly Extraordinary!!

Let’s  take a look at your favorite top 10 posts for 2014!

Pin it :: Antique Washstand with a FolkArt Home Decor Chalk Paint Makeover

It’s interesting that my top read posts for two years in a row are chalk paint furniture projects.   I really do enjoy painting and see myself doing more of that in the future.  In fact, this week I’ve been using the same paint and color as I used for the washstand to makeover a pair of white farmhouse end tables for a friend.

Pin it :: Birch Branch Winter Woodland Tablescape

I have Mother Nature to thank for this popular post.  After a horrendous windstorm that blew out our power, there was a lot of debris, including birch branches.  I had fun playing with power tools to create some whimsical table decor with the white birch.  This is probably one of my favorite tablescapes so I’m honored that it has been read and pinned thousands of times over.

Pin it :: Book Page Decorating | Snowflake Cutting Tutorial

You know how much I love creating with paper and especially book pages.  That makes it even more fun to have this post be so well received.  Last winter was the winter to top all for snow and cold.  I’m all about embracing the seasons, and using snowflakes and pine cones is a wonderful way to transition from Christmas with a bit of whimsy.  It was fun cutting out my own snowflakes.  So much so I even wrote a tutorial so you could make your own too.

Pin it :: Better than Pinterest Home Decor

This post began as a testament of a wonderful memory made with a dear friend.  As I was uploading all these wonderful vignettes from this lovely shop, I realized that everyone seems to be saying they saw “this” or “this” on Pinterest and want to replicate it.  Pinterest is great!  I love it!  But, ultimately, the goal of home decor should be to create a warm and comforting sanctuary for ourselves, our family members, and guests.

Pin it :: Pine Cones and Snowflakes ~ Winter Decor :: The Week at a Glance 1/4

Sometimes a post is popular simply because it has a good title.  I think this just might be the case as this post has a teaser to a post from the archives in addition to the weekly wrap up.  All that being said… I am still in love with my “homemade” cloche.

Pin it :: Home Tour :: Jewel Tones of Fall :: Dining Room

Finally, I got together again with the same friend whom I mentioned in the earlier post, Better than Pinterest…  She has a creative touch and uses color wonderfully in her home’s decor, so I was excited to quickly snap a few photos when I was with her to share with you.  And I’m thrilled that so many others enjoyed the post too.

Pin it :: A Box Disguised as a Stack of Letters ~ Filled with Words of Affirmation

This is one of my favorite projects.  Though, I’ll admit that creating this box was just a bit tedious.  Then again, maybe it was tedious because I had to stop and write down all the directions for the tutorial, as well as snap photos, as I was creating the box.  Fellow bloggers, you know how an easy project can take forever because you want to share it and get every detail.   I write a fair amount of tutorials… but I’m slow at getting them up on the blog.  This one is a prime example.  A reader pestered me to put up the tutorial so he could make a box for his girlfriend for her birthday… in the summer.  Yes… the tutorial did not get published until then.  Oh well… it’s done now and for those of you who love a little paper crafting… check here for it and have fun creating your own version.

Pin it :: Easy to Make Snow Ice Cream ~ Here’s How!

After having snow up to the roof tops last winter, finding creative things to do with snow was something everyone seemed to have an interest in.  I know we made a few “science” experiments.  For me, making snow ice cream for the first time was the best of all.

Pin it :: Creating Christmas Memories with Vignettes

If you’ve been following here for any length of time, you’ve probably noticed that I like creating vignettes… or “moments” as I often call them.  As I was looking through some old Christmas photos I realized that I created lots of vignettes that had special meaning to me because of the items with which they were created.  That led to the crazy idea this fall to invite some of my blogging friends to join me in sharing their Christmas memories with vignettes that they created.  If you missed it… be sure to check out the different vignettes and read their stories.

Pin it :: Farmhouse Christmas Vignette :: Creating Christmas Memories with Vignettes No. 6

What a treat it was to have six bloggers guest posting their Christmas memory vignettes on the blog this year!  Yvonne of Stone Gable is the queen of vignettes, so I was so blessed with she said “Yes!” to joining in on our little series.  And today, I’m thrilled that post made it in the top 10 most popular posts for 2014.  If you haven’t read it… take a minute and learn from the best!

Did you have a favorite post from the year that didn’t make it in the Top 10?   Let me know!

As I look back on the year… the success of An Extraordinary Day is in large part due to you.  Yes, YOU!

Thank you so much for subscribing (if you haven’t done it yet… please do so here), reading, and sharing posts with your friends and family.  Writing and publishing here is something I love and I love being able to share it with you, too.   Thanks… extraordinary YOU… for being a part of the An Extraordinary Day family!!

If there’s a favorite topic that I write on here that you love, let me know.

Actually… I’d love to hear which of these areas you like most or would like to see more of:

• Home Decor
• Joy Day!
• Papercrafting/Book Pages
• Nature Photos
• DIY Makeovers
• Recipes
• Inspirational
• Seasonal Decor
• Tablescapes
• Gardening
• Creating/Crafting

Thanks for stopping by today!

All the best for an Extraordinary New Year!
Diane

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