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We are:
Amy & Christy
We like good food, DIY’ing, fun parties, and things that sparkle!
Here is the story of 11 Magnolia Lane.
Our little blog started with three friends who joined creative forces to start a website…You can see part of our original gang–Terry, the brunette, pictured with us below. Terry has returned to event planning and isn’t blogging currently but you’ll still find her posts in our archives.
So here is how it all began….
I, Amy, started a {different} blog as part of my event graphic design business in 2009. Whenever I did a project for a wedding or event, I posted it on my little blogspot blog. Most of my followers were my supportive friends. I met Terry during that time, as our sons were in preschool together, and since she is an event planner there was an instant connection. We started working on weddings and events with our respective businesses, quickly becoming close friends as well. We soon needed to create a website/blog to promote the wedding and charitable event work we were doing together. As we tried to think of a name for the site, we both decided we liked the southern motif and were kicking around using “Magnolia” in the name of the event business.
At the same time, I was reading “party/event” blogs for my business, which quickly led to reading home blogs {there were fewer at that time} and I was instantly hooked! After all, I love to work on my house as much as I love to entertain. It occurred to me at the time how segmented the blogs were—there wasn’t much crossover at the time between the party/event blogs and home décor/DIY blogs– and the idea hit me to recruit some talented friends to create a magazine-type blog covering all those things like-minded people want to read about.
Enter Christy…I have known Christy since my first day of college when– thankfully –the computer assigned us a roommates. We couldn’t be better matched as far as our tastes {y’all probably notice similarities in our decorating, and we tend to reconvene after separating while shopping to find the exact same items in our baskets!} and have stayed close friends in the years since our college days though we haven’t lived near each other since that time. My visits to see her were always the highlight of my summer and it was easy to see how talented she was at decorating her home and entertaining her house guests.
{Christy}
As luck would have it, about the time this type of magazine-type blog idea was kicking around in my head, Christy and family had just moved into this stunning home in North Carolina. Each time I visited her I felt like the world needed to see how lovely not just the home was, but the creative ideas she used to decorate and keep her family organized. Before too long, I roped her into joining up with Terry and me to start this little blog. Her pretty house became our initial “brand” and we used a {made up} address of 11 Magnolia Lane, liking the concept of the house and our readers being our welcomed guests.
We were pretty haphazard when we started! We posted whatever we were up to, and the holidays were upon us so we had plenty of stuff to write about. WordPress picked up Christy’s chalkboard post for “Freshly Pressed” and we suddenly started getting tons of comments on it and before we knew it we were off and running. We sort of played at blogging our first few months, just posting when we felt like it, making a few connections in the blog world and having fun with it. Most of our friends and families probably didn’t even know we were doing it, but it was fun for us.
Things suddenly changed for me when my husband was unexpectedly transferred across the state shortly after we got the blog rolling. This admittedly threw my life into chaos–I had to close my design business, halt the event work Terry and I were doing, unexpectedly sell our house, find a new house, and start completely over in a new area. Terry was working on a major event about the same time and Christy was also moving, {since she is military she rolls with it better then I did!} so we all pulled away from the blog in the summer of 2011, not really thinking or knowing if we’d continue working on it. {Note: that summer was the time Christy remade her new kitchen which eventually got published in Better Homes & Gardens Kitchen & Bath Makeovers, lest you think grass grows under her feet!}.
photo courtesy Kitchen + Bath Makeovers
I suppose after awhile we all missed blogging; after all, we’re pretty Type A girls so we constantly have projects going, and a blog provides great motivation to keep going, going, going! By fall of 2011, we got back to posting again. I had plenty to share about the house we’d just finished having built, Christy was quickly completing makeovers on her new home and Terry started the work on her “In the Kitchen series” of cooking/healthy meal plans, and pretty soon we were back in the swing of it all.
In the spring of 2012 we planned a weekend to meet up in person to get better organized and get some photography of the three of us done. We had a great time that weekend, came back with renewed energy, and suddenly 11 Magnolia Lane became not just a hobby, but a business.
While we’re on that slightly touchy subject, please know that we understand that we all just want to read blogs and see beautiful room makeovers and mouth-watering recipes, and not be overwhelmed with advertisements. We are very, very careful about which opportunities we participate in, trying only to take ones that match our subject/content areas and things we actually endorse, and we appreciate our readers’ understanding about them.
Fast forward a few more years later–a few new homes, a few Haven conferences, amazing sponsorships and growth opportunities. We never knew this fun creative outlet would turn into a business {you can read more on that HERE}.
Thanks to all of you who read us, and especially take time to interact with us via comments, email or on Facebook. As bloggers we all have many, many days where we think—“What am I doing posting my pantry on the internet??? This is totally nuts!” But we enjoy the relationships that we’ve built online and it’s been fun to be a part of this online community.
Did I answer anything you might be wondering? If not, please leave questions in the comments. As always, thanks for stopping by!
XO,
Please contact us at [email protected], or follow us on social media using these links:
Hey ladies!!
Are all of you in Warrenton??? I live here in Warrenton also!
Janet xox
http://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/
PS…if we have already discussed this fact…pardon my memory failure. I’ll blame it on age..Ha!
Oops, sorry, Janet, just saw this comment. Terry’s in Warrenton, Amy just moved from there to the beach, and I live in Nashville, TN (we moved from North Carolina this summer). We’re all scattered now!
Ladies, this is an amazing site, beauitfully done!
What a wonderful blog!!!! I found you from Thrifty Decor Chick, so glad she highlighted your kitchen and I came over to see it up close!! Love love love,……….
We loved having you link up to our “Strut Your Stuff Saturday.” Hope you’ll be back soon! -The Sisters
Love your style…and plan to incorporate many of your ideas in my new house build!
I just came across your blog. Regarding the textured walls under the “Master Bedroom Makeover”. Our house has the same textured walls. I hate it. We bought the house last year and there are spots all over that need repaired but I have no clue how to match it up. Do you know what the textured print is called? Or how do you match it up so when we paint it doesn’t look different than the rest of the wall? Any input would be helpful
Hi April! I know, I feel your pain :). What is in my house is called “knock out” (or “knock down”? something like that…) I saw it in a spray on can once at Home Depot near the spackle…You may or may not have the same thing, but that might be a way to repair your walls. We have used spackle before and just tried to make it look the same (by not doing too much sanding), but maybe the real thing would work better? I hope that helps! Good luck and let me know how it goes…Amy
Congrats on this amazing site, all you ladies are so talented and do beautiful work. Your blog and all the DYI’ing inspires me to do things myself and to start really decorating or remodeling areas of my house. Thank you & keep posting please. 🙂
Monica–Thank you for your kind words! We’re thrilled that you’re finding inspiration here. Keep stopping by! ~Christy, Amy, & Terry
What beautiful homes… I love to set a beautiful table and try new recipes. I want to completely redo our dining room and I am getting such inspiration from these blogs, maybe too much my husband is flinching! Have some obstacles though, tile floor, fireplace, walls all taupe shades and now I am into the new shades of grey. Want to find a very large dining room table, that’s the first decision… what type??? All of you get my creativity sparked, but overwhelmed. I am so happy to have found this blog, thank you.
Just saw Christy’s kitchen makeover in the magazine and decided to check out your blog. Love it. Definitely going to bookmark it on my Macbook at home. Got great ideas. I have two great friends that I call my Ya-Ya’s. That’s what you all remind me of, Ya Ya sister’s!!
Lovely presentations. I love to go in and look around and see all your doings. I have always loved the Mojito Recipe for a crowd! I am now famous where I live for those.
I use lots of your ideas in my home.
Thanks, Kathy
Thanks, Kathy. Those mojitos definitely will win you lots of popularity contests! So glad you stopped by (and keep stopping by)!
Plantation doggie door shutters ? I’m a hubby on a mission I’m looking to close a space between ,my living room and dinning room off at times to keep some space privacy between us and pets .Where did you find the shutters
if I may ask .Have a Merry Christmas .
Tony, they were a roadside rescue on trash day, but I’ve also seen people list them on Craigslist. Good luck, and Merry Christmas to you, too!
I’m new to your blog and so glad I found it! All 3 of you are so talented and creative. I wish that at least one of you lived in Texas so you could help me. 🙂
I hope each of you have a very Happy New Year! I’ll be following along now….
xo
Pat
Thanks so much, Pat! We’ll let you know if we ever head your way. 🙂
I am so happy that I discovered your blog. I am currently trying to refresh the kid’s bathroom. The previous owners put 4×4 inch ceramic tile around the mirror and on the floor. The multi-colors of pink, yellow, and pale green aren’t very boy friendly. After 4 years of being annoyed, I am going to attempt to paint them. As of now, I want to paint over the pink tiles with a shade of aqua blue(maybe). Your (Christy’s kitchen?) kitchen backsplash looks lovely and seems durable. I will definitely look into quality oil based paint for the project. I also love the gray and yellow kids bath that was posted…fabulous. Thanks for the inspiration.
Ooh, Stacie, I would be painting over that tile, too! Sounds like a great project for the New Year. We’re so glad you found us!
Hi,
I would like to know where you purchased the white bunny on a stick for your topiary. Thank you!
Sandi, if it’s the one in this post, https://www.11magnolialane.com/2012/03/26/april-showers-brings-may-flowers-my-front-door-easter-makeover/, then Terry writes that she bought them at HomeGoods. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi I was trying to find a tutorial I saw on Pinterest from your site…. it is a drapery that is hung in front of a jacuzzi. I wanted to see how to do that:) Thanks I love your site!!!
Hey Nicole–we’re so glad you’re here! That picture is from this post: https://www.11magnolialane.com/2011/12/22/11-magnolia-lanes-best-holiday-home-tour-ever-part-2/. There’s not a tutorial–this is an old chenille bedspread that is hung on a tension rod in front of the bathtub. Hope that helps!
Christy, I recently updated my kitchen and used your Painter’s Drop Cloth idea (I used wide burlap ribbon instead of the twine) for my windows (still working on my sliding glass door) and it looks so great! Thanks for posting the DIY tutorial. One of my girlfriends couldn’t believe that I used drop cloths. She thought that the window treatments had been professionaly done ;). I love them! Thanks again for the awesome idea.
Angie, that’s wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. I’m so glad they turned out well for you. Be careful–it’s kind of addictive to use drop cloths, though!
I love all your beautiful ideas and wish I had the knack for decorating.. I am selling my large house and need to know how to give an old house, that wow factor? Can’t find beautiful throw pillows for beige couch where do you suggest?
Shirley–I’d try Home Goods/TJ Maxx/Marshall’s, Stein-Mart and Target. You can change so much when you change your pillows. Good luck with selling your house!
I just found your blog by accident. I love, love, love it. We are in the process of moving and I’m quite sure that I will adapt some of your decorating ideas into our house. I especially like the chalkboard white dinning room table makeover. We were also a military family whose furniture has taken quite a beating over the years. I think that I’m going to try to do the same. I’ll post a picture when I do it. Thanks!
Maria–I’d love to see what you come up with! I’m so glad you’ve found inspiration here–as you know, it can be fun AND tiring to have to decorate a new house every few years. Hope you come back often! -Christy
Good afternoon Ladies….I just wanted to say how very much I enjoy your web site. Each one of you seem just lovely and delightful. Your topics and pictures of projects and food are such fun and most certainly cheer up my day, thank you for sharing. Delightful, all, just delightful……..Enjoy the SONshine, Jayne McLeod (Canada)
Jayne, thank you so much for your kind words! We’re so glad that you found us and that you enjoy reading what we write! XOXO, Christy
Hi Amy, Terry and Christy – First, let me say that I am absolutely delighted to have stumbled across your website tonight. I’m already addicted and planning several projects! I do have one question (for now at least)… In the blog about the door paint, there is a black and white spotted rug in the front hallway that I love, love, love! Can you please tell me where that was purchased? Many thanks for sharing your wisdom and talents! Kind regards, Dee
Hi, Diane–
I know–I love that rug of Amy’s, too! It’s from Ballard Designs and it’s called the “Leopard Belgique.” She says that it seems like it’s only available seasonally since it’s an indoor/outdoor rug (maybe it would be on sale now at the end of the season!). Hope that helps–so glad you’ve found us!
This is actually one of my favourite blogs! As an aspiring interior designer, I loved using your idea of painting the old backsplash and the drop cloth window coverings, especially to new clients who aren’t looking to spend their retirement fund on designing their kitchen!
Just wanted to say thanks for all of the great advice! Keep on with the wonderful blogging ladies!