Every January, I share the best blog posts from the previous year. This year I’m doing things a little differently: I got organized earlier, for one, lol, and I’m joining some blogging friends who are also sharing their best of 2021 blog posts! We’re organizing this as a “blog hop,” so if you’re joining me from The Happie Housie, welcome! Clean and Scentsible is next on your journey. But I invite you to keep reading until the end of the post to find links to all of the blogs participating. I hope you enjoy kicking back and reading all of theses “best of” blog posts – it’s a great way to discover new blogs to add to your reading list for 2022!
Without further ado, here are my top 21 posts of 2021 – based on blog views, but also social media views/shares.
DIY Beaded Snowflake Ornaments
I got SO many requests last year to share a tutorial for these DIY beaded snowflake ornaments – so I finally did! This year I got a lot of requests for a video tutorial as well. I’ll be putting that together soon, because these are cute for winter decor – they’re not Christmassy. I’m so glad you liked them! My Mom used to make these for sale and no two were ever alike (she’s so extra, lol).
DIY Felt Animal Ornaments
This was, hands down, my most popular tree ornament this year. I had SO many requests to make these for sale. I really wish I could but, even though they’re easy to make, with the time they take to make, I’d have to get a LOT faster for these to be a profitable venture. But I shared video and blog post tutorials, so I hope you feel empowered to make your own!
Turquoise & White Christmas Tree Theme
I shared a video on TikTok with my Mom’s tree and a little joke about hard I hustled to make my Mom a tree full of ornaments – and that video got 145,000 views, and just the sweetest comments and feedback. I absolutely love sharing my DIYs with you, no matter what, but the kind and thoughtful comments really make my day. You have no idea! I’m thrilled you loved the turquoise and white Christmas tree theme as much as I did.
DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments
This was a tutorial request – I had shared my alcohol ink ornaments with the ink applied on the outside of a cream glass ornament last year – and I was asked to show what it would look like with the ink applied inside a clear glass ornament. Honestly? Even BETTER! So glad you asked me to show you this, because I love how it turned out.
DIY Concrete Pumpkins
Dyeing concrete was a fun experiment and I’m disappointed it got so cold so quickly this fall, because I had to stop my experiments short. But you loved the DIY concrete pumpkins I made! I lost track of how many people shared the video tutorial to their Instagram stories.
DIY Knobs Made from Scrap Metal
These started out as a joke on Instagram stories – and evolved into a super cute furniture knob DIY!
DIY Nightstand with Drawers
The knobs, of course, go with the DIY nightstands with drawers we built. I also shared this tutorial, step by step, in Instagram stories – but you can find the blog post here.
DIY Euro Pleat Curtains
Alongside making new nightstands for my mini bedroom makeover, we also made new curtains! My Mom and I sewed these DIY Euro pleat curtains and shared a really detailed, step by step tutorial.
Seagull Wallpaper in the Bedroom
Early in 2021, I installed a mural, replaced two panels of said mural (the FACE), and then decided the mural wasn’t for me after all. I pivoted and choose this gorgeous, beachy wallpaper and – combined with the freshly painted white walls and the white linen drapes – I’m in love with my peaceful new bedroom design.
Hatching Eggs with my Broody Hen
So many of you were RIVETED by the story of hatching chicks with my broody hen – I shared daily updates, before and after they hatched, in Instagram stories and those stories had some of my highest views ever. I was riveted too, so I am so happy I could share this exciting experience with you!
Baby Chick Photos Vo. 3
Speaking of chicks, this year’s peep of chicks did their obligatory chick modelling for me, and these are the photos I shared. Chick photos are a perennial favorite with readers, and I love coming up with new little “sets”.
DIY Egg Shell Art
I get more obsessed with chickens every year, lol, and last year I turned their egg shells into ethereal art!
DIY Easter Egg Tree
So many of you tried this DIY Easter egg tree and showed me on Instagram! I LOVE when you try my DIY ideas – and it makes me so happy when you take the time to show me. I loved this project too, especially because hubby helped make some of these eggs.
DIY Alcohol Ink Easter Eggs
I found the supplies for this project at the landfill! Someone tried three of these DIY alcohol ink Easter eggs and said, “nope, not for me” and threw away at least $40 of supplies. I was excited to find the alcohol inks and try my hand at this project. I think they turned out beautifully – and I showed you how with a blog post and video tutorial.
DIY Feather Wreath
This project was two years in the making – that’s how long it took me to save enough feathers. Chickens naturally shed them, but sometimes the wind takes them, they get buried in poop, or scooped out when we clean the coop and run. So it was no easy feat to collect enough for this project! Here’s the tutorial and find a time lapse video here.
How to Strip Wood Cabinets
The video I shared for this project went viral on TikTok, with almost 1,000,000 views on one video and 200,000+ on another related video. It also got 266,000 views on Instagram. If I was smart, I’d start collecting painted furniture at the landfill and just share videos of me stripping the paint off, lol. Here’s the blog post with all of the details!
How to Paint Cabinets: Sherwin Williams Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel Review
After I stripped off layers of primer and paint from my kitchen cabinets, I painted them with a fresh and coastal color. See more here! I think this version of my DIY kitchen is my favorite version of all. I ask TikTok if I should renovate it, and the answer was a resounding NO – this version of the kitchen has gotten hundreds of thousands of views and hundreds of supportive comments. But, 2021 is the last year of the DIY kitchen, because we will be renovating the kitchen in 2022. I’m so excited for appliances that work and more storage (we’re widening the kitchen). Don’t get me wrong: I LOVE open shelving but I am also looking forward to a change!
How to Fix Tight Deck Boards
This year we finally fixed a big problem: the former owner installed this deck incorrectly and the boards were rammed together too tightly. The water never drained and I think that’s what messed up the deck stain anytime I tried to refinish it. We finally widened those gaps – see how here – and I refinished the deck black. This stirred up a LOT of comments and the video for this reached 800,000 views on TikTok and 200,000 views on Instagram!
Easy Sage Pesto Recipe
I shared more recipes last year, but this was my most popular! I also shared a rhubarb simple syrup recipe, lemon curd recipe, and meringue recipe. I struggle with sharing recipes because I don’t really use them! I am definitely a “let’s wing it” cook and baker. I always tell hubby, “don’t like this too much because it will never be the same,” haha. But he still asks for things (like my “kitchen sink cookies,” that were sort of like muffin tops, had no flour, were so delicious and I can never recreate haha).
DIY Cricut Garden Markers
Speaking of gardening, I made the cutest DIY garden markers – see the tutorial here. This was my second year gardening and I had so much more success – find a recap here (and also see the blue squash I grew on Instagram).
Why I Gave Up Eating Meat and Became a Vegetarian
I’m still a happy vegetarian! You can find out the surprising reason I gave up meat here.
Another year full of DIYs, design, vintage finds – and chickens! – is wrapped up.
2022 will be packed with big projects: a kitchen renovation, for one. I also plan to turn a section of my garage into a heated and finished studio space. I have other DIY plans, but some of them are just too wild and too up in the air that I don’t even want to get your hopes up – just in case. But 2022 will be a BIG year! Don’t forget to sign up for my newsletter, so you never miss a post! Follow me on Instagram for behind the scenes scoops (like thrifting trips, DIY flops, chick videos, and more), TikTok for funny, candid videos and longer DIY tutorials, and Pinterest for daily, curated inspiration.
The Top Posts of 2021
I promised you that my friends are sharing their Top Posts of 2021 as well! You can visit their articles and see the year’s most popular content by using the links below the images.
P.S. Don’t Forget to Pin for Later!
So many amazing projects, and overall awesome inspiration you shared throughout this year, my friend.
Thank you for it all!
I look forward to 2022!!
Grateful for you.
xoxo,
Brendt
Author
Thank you, you’re so sweet! Happy New Year!
What a great year; so many beautiful projects. Those cricut garden markers are the best I’ve ever seen. Makes me wish I could have a garden.
Author
Thank you! I’m so glad you like them – I made a wreath with the same concept of the cricut lettering on lexan. So there’s a non-garden way to get the same look 🙂
Thank you Tanya for all your posts during the year. I read your website almost every day and have actually made some of your tutorials and while not as perfect as yours they’re good enough to put on display and/or use. That’s quite an accomplishment on your part that you explained things well enough so that someone like me can actually follow along! . All the best for this new year.
Author
Thank you for your kind words – I always recognise your name when your comments pop up and it makes my day to hear from you. I’m so glad you’ve had successes with my DIY tutorials! Which ones did you try? I hope you have a wonderful 2022. Happy new year 🙂
Thank you so much! I made the macrame wall hanging – twice. The first was a test, I gave up because I couldn’t figure out how to do the knot, ripped it up and then went back finally figured it out and made a bigger one. I also did the painted mason jars and the scrap house village for Christmas and the cloche/tree/car idea with my own items. Looking forward to your Valentine Day ideas. thx. again.
Author
I’m so glad those worked out for you – I remember talking about the macrame one, I’m so thrilled your second one turned out! Thanks for letting me know which ones you tried – that’s such good info for future ideas 🙂
Such an amazing year you’ve had, Tanya! I’m in awe of your talent.
Happy New Year!
Hugs, Jamie
Author
Thank you, Jamie, you’re so sweet! Happy New Year to you as well!
You’ve made amazing projects this year Tanya! And I LOVE SO MUCH that your chickens are so much a part of what you do…it’s fantastic…the egg art, the wreath…love it all! Happy New Year!
Author
Thank you so much Jo-Anna! Happy new year to you as well!