Ack — it’s August. That means September is nearly here, summer is winding down, and the back-to-school feeling is in the air. I may be dramatizing, but honestly, August always sneaks up on me. To keep our momentum and avoid burning out, we like to press pause and look back at everything we did last month. It doesn’t stop the world from spinning, but it does help us appreciate the little wins and remember why we keep going. Here’s our July roundup: favorites, funny moments, and a few things you might have missed.
Most Likely to Go Mad: Me. Digging all those deck holes has driven me a little crazy — especially during the second round of digging after the county inspector failed our first attempt.
Best Lungs: Katie Bower. Her infectious scream in the Summer Pinterest Challenge video — shouting on a tractor, cheering down a waterslide — is pure summer energy, even if it’s funny how background music sometimes overpowers her.
Sexiest Accent: The bold black window sash we admired in Jae’s kitchen during our Atlanta house crash. That high-contrast detail was a small touch with a lot of style.
Most Shameless: Sherry and Katie Bower, who filmed a vlog inside a Goodwill with shoppers casually wandering through the aisles and occasionally stepping into frame. No shame, lots of laughs.
Modern Shakespeare Award: Sisqo’s “Thong Song” — referenced in our Goodwill crayon truck post. Once that earworm hits, it’s impossible to ignore.
Oldest Find: The Craigslist sideboard we snagged for $150, featured in that post. It’s a reminder that every room benefits from a well-loved piece.
Most Challenging: The Pinterest Challenge returned for its fourth round. Sherry tried abstract DIY art while readers submitted over 600 projects — inspiring and a bit intimidating.
Least Challenging: The simple wood frames I put together in an earlier post. Practical, straightforward, and perfect for showcasing challenge artwork.
The Math Geek Award: That clever arithmetic art we spotted during a Pottery Barn Outlet and Mary Jo’s fabric store window-shopping trip. Stylish and geek-approved.
The Zoology Award: To the readers who pointed out that the amphibians I rescued from the deck holes were toads, not frogs — thank you for the correction. I appreciate the taxonomy lesson and apologize to any offended toads.
Most Welcoming: Julie’s breezy, bright entryway, which we admired in another Atlanta house crash post. It drew a lot of well-deserved attention.
Grossest: Me again — after wrestling with attic heat to center a bathroom light fixture. I’ve never felt so sweaty and exhausted in my life.
Most Improved-ish: Our bathroom. We wrapped up a modest mini-makeover — new toilet, lighting, and accent tile — for about $230 total. It’s far from a full renovation, but it’s a meaningful upgrade until we’re ready for more.
Sneakiest: A quiet week at the beach we snuck in earlier this month — proof that you can blog from your phone and still recharge. (See that getaway post.)
Biggest Heart: A tie between Sherry’s Aunt Kay Kay and all of you who left kind, comforting comments on the post about her passing. Your compassion meant the world.
Most Angelic: Clara, who looks radiant in photos of our sideboard styling. Pure light and sweetness.
Most Decisive: Us, when choosing between two gray paint swatches for our bedroom. One won quickly — Moonshine was just a touch too light (see the swatch post).
Most High-Tech: Our made-do rig for a time-lapse while repainting the bedroom in Benjamin Moore’s Rockport Gray. Laptop balanced on furniture? Cinematic gold. Check the process in that post.
Thriftiest: Sherry, who scored great finds during our thrift-store tour in Bethany Beach, documented in the recap.
Messiest: My sister and I after running the Color Me Rad 5K in Richmond. We were covered head to toe in colored cornstarch while Sherry turned some of it into a canvas.
Most Unusual: The egg-chair–style papasan we discovered at Salvation Army for $30. It needed TLC, but for the price it was worth the rescue (read about it).
Most Secretive: Our exploration of design foreshadowing in the house — some readers called it the “law of attraction,” others suggested it’s just subliminal decorating. Either way, the conversation in that post was fascinating.
Best Moves: My celebratory little jig on the newly joist-filled deck — a small dance to mark big progress (see the post).
Most Animal-Friendly: The thrifted egg chair that Sherry painted white, which now regularly hosts a parade of stuffed animals and quirky props in its photos (the makeover post).
Most Tedious: The small but necessary deck prep tasks — like adding blocking for posts — that had to happen before we could lay decking boards.
Most Likely to Make You Crave Waffles: Our registry post about what to register for (and what to skip). We didn’t register for a waffle maker, but the comment thread sure made us hungry (read it here).
Most Stylish: Whoever wins Monday’s giveaway — no spoilers, but we hinted at something fun. Stay tuned.
How was your July? Any memorable highs or funny mishaps? Summer stories, project wins, or toad rescues — we’d love to hear them.