A Look Back at 2018 and What’s New for 2019!!

This post should have gone out last week. Maybe even earlier than that.

I know. But it didn’t.

Instead, it sat in my draft file.

It sat there because I didn’t know how to finish the second half of it.

The first half was easy. All I had to do was talk about what happened here on the blog last year.

Like the fact that after almost a two-year hiatus away from blogging I decided to come back in February.  I did because I missed you all and I realized I truly love blogging.

There is just something so amazing about sharing a project like refacing our kitchen cabinets and folks email us saying we inspired them to DIY their own outdated cabinets!!

That just makes me OVER THE MOON happy!

And even though Michael likes to remain ‘behind’ the scenes, he feels pretty darn happy about this blog too. Especially after we received an email asking if he could share the plans he drew up for our mudroom. Except he didn’t use any plan.

He’s doesn’t need one. He’s weird that way. How and what to do to make a project turn out just comes to him somehow.

This project was definitely one of my favorites of last year!

Another of your favorites was my post on tips for setting the perfect tablescape. I don’t set a pretty table often, but when I do I like to use simple and natural elements with just a touch of bling. You all seemed to agree!

 

But the most popular DIY project we did was hand down our ‘man cave’, or as I like to call it, our family room!

The wood we used for our feature wall was truly so special to me, and it was for our readers too! I couldn’t have been more pleased to learn I wasn’t the only one who decorates with her heart!

Speaking of heart-you all know how much I LOVE cooking and baking!

This past year I shared quite a few of our favorite sweet and savory treats!

I must say I was a bit surprised to see that my Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup was the most popular(and pinnable) food post of 2018.

But not at all that my post on Apple desserts came in a close second! My stomach is growling just looking at that turnover!

Of course, there were a few recipes and even projects that didn’t get shared here on the blog in 2018 which was because I chose to only post once a week.

That’s something I’m hoping to change for 2019.

Ah yes, 2019. A new year.

A fresh start. A chance to put aside any regrets from last year and start anew.

A new year is full of hope and excitement and yes….expectations.

But for many- those self-made expectations can be the cause of much anxiety and can often sabotage any well-laid plans you had in mind for the new year.

Which is exactly what happened to me when I first sat down to write this post last week.

Prior to doing so my mind was just spinning with ideas for the blog in the new year.  In fact, I had notes all over my desk and spilling out of my crisp- brand spanking new 2019 folder.

And then it hit me.

Negativity.

The enemy of creativity.

It was there as I began to type up my post and it was forcing me to ask myself all those ‘what if’ questions.

Those questions that fill me with self-doubt and even more anxiety.

Those same doubts I had two years ago when I decided to stop blogging. Those doubts that made me feel like I just couldn’t compete with all the blogs out there. That somehow I wouldn’t be able to meet the goals I had made and I’d let my readers down. That no one would want to read whatever I had to say.

It’s a struggle I know that every blogger has had one time or another.

But this time I wasn’t about to let those doubts take away something that I truly loved doing. This time I was going to push those doubts aside and jump in with both feet!

So here is what I have planned for the blog in 2019!

I  plan on doing a few ‘special’ monthly posts. I’ll be sharing more on this in another post, but the posts will consist of mostly reviews, free printables, trash to treasure, giveaways, and a new one- Bread of the Month.

My daughter gave me a book on how to bake all kinds of breads (both rustic and fancy) with tips and trick and techniques I haven’t even heard of! (The photo above is a loaf she made Christmas Eve for us)  I’m looking forward to putting all I’ve learned into action and if you’ve never made homemade bread(or even if you have) maybe you can learn something new with me!

While we are on the subject of cooking/baking I’ll be sharing many YUMMY recipes this year all tried and tested from my kitchen.

And that kitchen? Well, it’s getting a makeover and I can’t wait to share all the details and step by step tutorials of our DIY’s with you!

We also plan to makeover a new office for me, our master bedroom and both bathrooms this year! There will be plenty of DIY projects and re-purposing to go with each room reno because as usual, we are on a budget!

I also have a LOT of work to do in the gardens, and our back deck needs a refresh!

I know it’s a HUGE list of projects but our hope is to get this house ready to sell so we can FINALLY move on to our dream home! Crossing fingers that it happens yet this year! (That may be wishful thinking!)

Last but not least I’ll be sitting down here to have a personal chat with you from time to time.

Just you and me and a beverage of our choice having a visit about…well, anything and everything.

And of course, we welcome any feedback from you all! What would you like to see here on CD’s Country Living?

Oh yes, about that name. I’m thinking of changing it.  Thoughts?

Have a FABULOUS weekend!

Blessings and hugs,