Best of 2011 at Magnolia Lane

We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! Didn’t it go fast?

This is a great week across “Blogland”, as “Best Of” parties start popping up all over the place. As I read through some other favorite blogs, I started thinking of what I (we) might post here as the “Best of 2011” from Magnolia Lane.  I decided to run with this one by myself instead of collaborating for ideas from my co-blogging girls –I hope they will forgive me!

As our first full year of blogging wraps up, I wanted to take the chance to sing the praises of two of the most creative and inspiring women I know–Christy & Terry, of course!

Starting with Christy…I am going to talk about what she accomplished in her new kitchen, but I can’t NOT mention quickly her amazing, adorable AND inspiring PANTRY which has gone viral on Pinterest.

Isnt’ it cute? She sadly had to move from our Magnolia Lane “model” home this summer, but in her usual unstoppable fashion jumped right in transforming this kitchen…

into a new and Christy-improved version.

Then this fall she took it to the next level, which we showed you all yesterday here…

Now, I moved 3 months ago and still have boxes in places I shouldn’t mention, but in a summer’s time she knocked the cabinet painting out and still managed to entertain my gang for a week’s visit. And, if this isn’t enough, she re-vamped it even further this fall with a painted backsplash, new wall color, diy curtains and more. Its such a gorgeous room, and as you can tell, grass doesn’t grow under her feet! And, in case you missed just how amazing she is–she also homeschools, volunteers, is an supportive military wife and of course a dear friend.

I am not sure what Terry would pick for her best post, but I know what I consider her most under-recognized event on our blog. With summer starting and my impending move we didn’t get a chance to showcase this fabulous Baby Shower Terry hosted for our wonderful friend Trinity as much as (I think) it deserved.

She pulled out all her “event planner” stops to have the most beautiful, fun and genuinely sweet baby shower I have ever seen.  I doubt I will ever go such a nice a baby shower again in my life! This talented girl made all the food (it wasn’t catered), decorated (it was held in her backyard with two standard tents which she completely “gussied” up), and she calmly functioned as the hostess for 30 women on a sweltering HOT day!

But, finally here is what I consider our most important/significant event of the year.  It’s not a decorating or DIY post but I hope everyone will take a moment to read Terry’s 24 Days of Giving series wrap-up here to see all she accomplished.

When Terry suggested a series on 24 Random Acts of Kindness we all jumped on board. However, you can probably tell from my lack of posting about my “acts” that I didn’t quite make all 24–I admit it. Terry completely ran with this idea. And, as just ONE of many wonderful outcomes of this venture, she managed the purchasing, collection and delivery of gifts to 75 children in foster/social services care who otherwise wouldn’t have received anything. And that, right there, makes every moment we spend working on this blog so very worth it!

{And, can I just say a big “Woo-Hoo!” for her?}

Anyway, I don’t have a best of post that can compete with all that fabulousness! I can say that this blog and all the friends and supporters we have made this year from it have been significant to me as I made a challenging move to a new area. Its also been great fun, and an honor, to work with these 2 amazing girls who are seriously GOOD AT EVERYTHING–if you can’t tell?

So…what’s next for 2012? We’ll be working on our thoughts on that this week. We have some new ideas starting up, like a healthy recipe/meal planning series to motivate us all, some more home re-do’s to feature and we have some very fun giveaways coming up in January.

So, I hope you enjoyed our “Best Of”…Did I miss anything?

Thank you to everyone who has commented, subscribed, followed or dropped us a note this year. We read and appreciate each and every comment and thought.

XO,