thanks for a great year!

Thanks for making 2011 a wonderful year!  I was able to accomplish a lot more than I thought after putting together my end of year post.

Thank you for reading my blog, and leaving such sweet, encouraging comments--they make my day!

Thanks to these top referring blogs:

Common Ground

French Country Cottage

Kate's Place

Funky Junk Interiors

Confessions of a Plate Addict

And a special thanks to my lovely sponsors:

Coffee & Cabernet

Rhett Didn't Give A Damn

Maple & Magnolia

Christine Marie Studio

If you would like to advertise here on Primp beginning in January,  I'm offering sponsorship space for $10 a month.  Just email me at maraven {at}sfcn{dot}org.

And because no post is complete without some pictures, here are some that are currently inspiring my 2012 project ideas.

{all images via Pinterest}

I'm excited for the new year and have lots of projects and ideas planned. Now I'm off to work on my to-do list. 

 

keep primping,

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party #28 {end of year special edition}

Happy Wednesday, and welcome to a special end of year Primp Your Stuff Linky Party!

It's time to link up all your fabulously primped projects, including anything you have made, or made to look better, or anything you have found to {primp} your space.

Here are my favorites from last week's party:

The Old White House showed off her beautiful Christmas mantel.

Elizabeth & Co. shared a tutorial on making an ornament wreath.

Primitive and Proper primped a beautiful blue sideboard.

Creatively Living made this simple pretty banner.

Thanks for all your inspiration every week!

Now it's time to be inspired again:

Please become a follower if you are not already, and grab my button to post somewhere on your blog so others can join in on the fun!

<div align="center"><a 
href="http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/" title="{Primp}" 
target="_blank"><img 
src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/amycarver3/primpbutton2.jpg" 
alt="{Primp}" style="border:none;" 
/></a></div>

Feel free to link up a recent project or up to 3 of your favorites from 2011.

keep primping and link up!

my favorite projects of 2011

This year included lots of primping--isn't that what this blog is about? 

One of my favorites was a simple winter whites vignette, complete with my favorite chalkboard, and deconstructed books stacked in the shape of a tree.

The year also included lots of painting, including this 'All you need is love' sign,

this farmchic buffet,

 

my new farmhouse table,

a Farmhouse dresser,

this grainsack chair,

another dresser {this time a tall one},

and our chalkboard door pantry.

I did some sewing too:

a Faux grain sack pillow and runner,

 and ruffled seat cover.

 And lastly, I changed out some light fixtures to add more farmhouse character. A basket light fixture for the kitchen,

and this barn light for the boys' room.

Here's hoping 2012 brings you lots of love, happiness, and projects to primp.

 

Keep primping, and Happy New Year!

{P.S. Come back tonight for a special end of year Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party.}

linking to these fun end of year parties:

A-Z, Southern Hospitality, Primitive and Proper, CSI

MeRrY ChRisTmaS!

From my family to yours,

Merry Christmas!

The table is set,

with lots of red and turquoise.

I used my faux grain sack runner as the main backdrop,

and added vintage looking placecards from these old index cards found at the thrift store.

 

The red striped napkins were found at the dollar store.

The buffet behind the table holds faux snow globes we made using items found around the house.

 

Now that the table is set, were having fun baking and preparing some super easy but yummy food.

This rocky road fudge recipe is for the neighbors.

On Christmas morning, we always have hot chocolate and monkey bread, except I cheat and use frozen roll dough instead of making it from scratch.  I put the frozen dough in a bundt pan with all the cinnamon/sugar and cover and place in the oven overnight.  In the morning, just bake, invert, and drizzle with the topping.

Then we have super easy and yummy, german pancakes to tide us over until our traditional Christmas dinner of ham, potatoes, rolls, etc.

Hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

{all food images found via Pinterest}

new pleated burlap stockings

I added some new burlap stockings above the fireplace, just in time for Christmas.

I wasn't liking my mismatched ones, then spotted these cuties on etsy from

That Little Farmhouse.

I love the cute white pleats. 

I like how it makes the mantel look a little more finished, and my kids like that their stockings are all the same, so Santa is sure to be fair! 

 

keep primping,

Primp Your Stuff Wednesday Linky Party #27

Happy Wednesday! It's time to link up all your fabulously primped projects, including anything you have made, or made to look better, or anything you have found to {primp} your space.

Here are my favorites from last week's party:

Antiquechase showed off her gorgeous french armoire.

The Homeless Finch made a beautiful wreath out of dollar store ornaments.

French Country Cottage made this super cool {and huge} chalkboard to put in her dining room.

vixenMade showed how to make this cute bow pillow out of an old sweater.

Thanks for all your inspiration every week!

Now it's time to be inspired again:


Please become a follower if you are not already, and grab my button to post somewhere on your blog so others can join in on the fun!

<div align="center"><a 
href="http://micheleravendesigns.blogspot.com/" title="{Primp}" 
target="_blank"><img 
src="http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y103/amycarver3/primpbutton2.jpg" 
alt="{Primp}" style="border:none;" 
/></a></div>

keep primping and link up!