Note: This is a retroactive post I pieced together in December 2011 so I could create a full set of monthly recaps for our first year in the new house. I admit I’m a little type A, so here’s everything we tackled during May — presented like a high school yearbook.
Most Improved: We tackled the insanely cluttered “playroom” and transformed what felt like a disaster area into a functional, organized space. See our process and before-and-after progress in the post: Organizing The Insanely Cluttered “Playroom”.
Biggest Procrastinator: After living with paint swatches on the wall for five months, we finally painted the dining room. It took a long time to commit to a color, but once we did the room came together. Read about the late-but-worth-it makeover: Painting The Dining Room.
Most Repetitive: We mounted prints on canvases — not just once but twice — experimenting with methods and getting the look we wanted. If you’re curious how it turned out, check: Mounting Prints On Canvases.
Most Outdoorsy: We sketched an outdoor “floor plan” to help us think through how to use our yard. The sketch wasn’t to scale — our house is bigger and our nearly-acre lot is smaller than they appear on paper — but it gave us a starting point. Details here: Sketched Up An Outdoor “Floor Plan”.
Most Domestic (Runner Up): Using some weekly fabrics from Clara, I made a festive table runner that added a homemade touch to our dining table. If you like sewing projects, you might enjoy this: A Festive Table Runner.
Miss Congeniality: We continued Clara’s photo project on a monthly basis, tweaking things as we went so it’s easier to keep up and more meaningful for us. The updated approach is documented here: Clara’s Photo Project.
Most Artistic: I experimented with geometric, prism-inspired art using a few test pots of paint and a clearance canvas. It was a simple, low-cost experiment that yielded a fun piece for the wall. See the creation process: Some Geometric Prism-ish Art.
Most Shy: For privacy and to make our patio feel more enclosed, we installed a privacy fence. It made the outdoor space feel cozier and more usable. Read about the project: Installing A Privacy Fence.
Most Likely To Result In Goldfish Crackers Everywhere: In preparation for Clara’s first birthday, we made a pull-string piñata that turned out to be a playful and relatively tidy alternative to the traditional smashing approach. The tutorial and party details are here: Making A Pull Swing Piñata.
Most Shrinkage: We managed to shrink and re-fit slipcovers for our Craigslist dining chairs thanks to a lucky wash, which helped them look much cleaner and more tailored. See the slipcovering adventure: Slipcovering Our Craigslist Dining Chairs.
Biggest Party Girl: We threw a big house party for Clara’s first birthday, inviting friends and family to celebrate. The event was full of DIY details and personal touches. Recap and photos here: House Party.
Most Sentimental: To commemorate Clara’s first year, we put together a video montage that captured highlights and small moments from her early months. It felt like a special way to preserve memories — we included a short recap of the process in the party post: A Video.
Most Glamorous: We updated you on our cloth-diapering adventures, sharing what worked, what didn’t, and how we navigated that part of parenting. The honest, practical account is here: Our Cloth Diapering Adventures.
Most Type-A: Our admittedly obsessive whole-house to-do list kept growing, and we shared the list and how we manage it so we don’t lose track of small projects and long-term goals. See the list if you’re a fellow planner: Whole-House To-Do List.
Best Feeling Ever: We completed the cobblestone patio that we laid ourselves, which was a huge and satisfying milestone. The finished space felt like a real achievement after all the hard work: Completing The Cobblestone Patio.
Most Unexpected: I suddenly got the urge to sew and ended up making a birthday quilt for the baby. It was an intense, absorbing project but worth the effort for a handmade keepsake. Read about how the quilt came together: Sewing A Birthday Quilt.
Most Calculating: We dug out and laid the foundation for our new patio, carefully planning the base layers and drainage so the finished surface would be stable and long-lasting. The how-to and lessons learned are posted here: Digging Out And Laying The Foundation For Our New Patio.
Most Annoying: Fixing a pesky broken light turned into a more involved task than we expected, but the repair restored function and improved the room’s look. Read about troubleshooting and the fix: Fixing A Broken Light.
Most Sinister: A surprisingly involved patio demolition left a dramatic impression — including a lone blue glove in some of the photos — but removing the old structure was necessary to make way for the new patio. See the demo photos and story: Patio Demo.
Most Detail Oriented (Slash Neurotic): To match our Ikea white bed, we painted the add-on bed finials carefully so they blended seamlessly with the frame’s finish. It was a small detail that made a big visual difference: Painting Our Add-On Bed Finials.
Best Break Up: We completely broke the patio budget at one point, then learned to embrace the imperfections and make the most of what we had. The budget lessons and the final outcome are described here: Completely Breaking The Patio Budget.