My Favorite Projects of 2014

How is the year coming to an end already? Doesn’t it feel like we just celebrated a new year? Tomorrow I’m going to share the top 25 posts that YOU all loved in 2014 {based on pageviews} but today I wanted to share a handful of my favorites!

It was a great year at Dukes and Duchesses. I’ve loved the conversations I’ve had with so many of you on facebook and other social media, I had the chance to meet some of my favorite bloggers this year, this blog brought some fun moments with my kids and equally fun moments for me, and I made piles of projects and learned a pile of new skills this year. A win-win!

So let’s look at some of my favorites.

I love the DIY console I built with my Dad. The project was a huge learning curve for me but building it with my Dad left me with such a great memory and taught me so much. And I love having a beautiful piece of furniture in that space in place of the old flimsy TV stand I’d had for twenty years.

The color block umbrella table I built for my backyard is also on my list of favorites. I designed it, worked through the design flaws {ha!}, and ended up with a table that adds so much to the sitting area by our pool.

A bathroom makeover for my younger kids’ bathroom was long overdue and I’m so happy with the final outcome. From the paint color to the framed mirror to the upcycled cabinet, the bathroom turned out just as I had hoped it would.

I love a good seasonal project and the hexagon pumpkin I built this fall definitely made it on my list of favorites. The shape of the pumpkin and the copper stem gave it a fun and unexpected spin.

Another seasonal favorite was the cross-stitch sign I made for Christmas. The mix of soft yarn with rough wood combined to make a really fun sign that sat on my mantel all month long. I’ll be stitching on wood again soon!

As far as inspiration goes, I loved the grocery store centerpiece I shared with you. This tip came straight from Nancy Hopkins, an editor at Better Homes and Gardens. A quick trip to the grocery store and a little creative flair can get you a really fabulous centerpiece!

Monogrammed mugs {an Anthropologie knock-off} were really fun to make and were such a great party favor. I’d like to make a few more for my own kitchen.

The rolling storage cart I built for The Home Depot’s DIH Workshop is a well-used piece around here. And I absolutely loved hosting the workshop, getting hands-on with the tools, and meeting some of my local blog readers!

I love parties so I loved the three big birthday parties I hosted this year: Tate’s gardening party, Luke’s shooting range party, and Lila’s American Girl party.

And finally, one of my most whimsical projects this year is also one of my favorites: a night light made from an old exit sign. It’s such a fun touch in my little guy’s room!