Hello amazing friends!! Can I tell y’all how much I love and appreciate each and every single one of you for showing up here to support my blog?
This month, I’m celebrating TEN YEARS of blogging!!
When I started, many people didn’t even understand what a blog was.
To celebrate, I’m giving away $500 in gift certificates to my Etsy shop!!
My best blogging buddy, Nancy from Artsy Chicks Rule is also celebrating 10 years this month, so she too is giving away $500 in prizes. I’ll link to her giveaway at the bottom.
Before I get to the giveaway, I thought I would share how I got started blogging. It’s a short story, I promise, but I do get asked that and what better time to share!
How I got Started Blogging
I’ve always been handy around the house. I watched my mom do the same growing up since my dad was in the military and was deployed much of my childhood. She did it all! You could say I learned from the best!
When we purchased our first home, it needed some serious updating. I painted our kitchen and bathroom cabinets, built a window seat with storage in our bay window in the kitchen, installed hardwood floors throughout, installed tile in our bathroom, and the list goes on.
I also painted most of our furniture to achieve a look I wanted that worked with our practically nonexistent budget.
In short, I wasn’t afraid to try anything and to put in the hard work to save money and give us a home we could be proud of.
Before blogging, I was a registered nurse, and I worked on a surgery stepdown unit at a local hospital. When I became pregnant with Brennan, I decided I would stay home with him until he started school.
I wasn’t able to stay home with Jack, so I felt very fortunate to have this opportunity the second time around.
It was a difficult decision though as I like to stay busy, and I loved being a nurse. I worked until about two weeks before I delivered.
Here’s a very pregnant flashback with my buddy, Chris!
Life was good, and I really enjoyed my new role as a stay-at-home mom.
Around the two year mark, I discovered a few blogs I had found while searching for different ideas for our home, and I started following them. I really enjoyed getting those updates in my inbox.
About a month or so later, I started considering starting a blog of my own. I figured I could do what they were doing. Why not?
That was in the fall of 2012.
I honesty, didn’t even know that you could make money blogging, and the ad networks that handle all that for us were not even a thing yet.
I just thought it would be fun to share my makeovers and home projects!
I googled how to start a blog and that was that. I set it up myself with guidance from the internet experts and started sharing.
We had just completed a huge overhaul of our main bath and still had many more projects that we wanted to tackle, so I figured I could start there.
Our main bath makeover was one of my first posts, and you can see that super oldie HERE if you like.
Although I have joined home tours with other bloggers over the years, and shared many home DIY projects, my favorite is a good old fashioned trash-to-treasure makeover!
Ten years and over a thousand thrifty makeovers later, here I am!
I feel so blessed to get to do what I truly love every day AND I get to share it with the BEST blog family a girl could ask for!
I never made it back to work when Brennan started school. I still keep my nursing license active, but I hope they don’t expect me to show back up anytime soon!
On with the GIVEAWAY!!
I’m giving FIVE winners each a $100 gift certificate to spend in my Etsy Shop any way YOU choose!
That’s right, there will be FIVE winners this time, each winning $100 in credit in my Etsy shop, so you can choose the Dixie Belle or Redesign with Prima products YOU want to try!! (**This giveaway is not sponsored by Dixie Belle or Redesign in any way. I am providing this giveaway from own pocket.**)
To enter to win, simply fill out the Rafflecopter below.
This will allow me to pick the winners randomly after the contest is over. There are two free entries just for visiting and then a few simple follow-me tasks if you want to earn even more entries! (Available to U.S. and CANADA!! residents only.)
If you have any trouble accessing the Rafflecopter, you can enter to win HERE also!
You can enter once a day until the giveaway ends next Tuesday, November 8th at 12:00 am EST!
Then FIVE winners will be chosen randomly and notified via email. They will have 48 hours to respond before a new winner will be chosen. You must be 18 years or older to participate. Void where prohibited. Good luck!! 😀
If you visit my Etsy shop as one of the Rafflecopter tasks and decide to make a purchase while there, don’t forget you get FREE SHIPPING on any order over $50, NO CODE necessary! All orders under $50 still get $8 flat rate shipping!
Orders ship USPS Priority Mail same or next day!
There are so many products to choose from, and my Dixie Belle Product reference guide will tell you everything you need to know about each one!
Don’t forget my BFF has a giveaway for you too!!
This is from our most recent lunch date…
You may have seen one of our Thriftshop Shakedown videos!
We didn’t even know each other when we started our blogs but started them the exact same month and year, and we are only 45 minutes away from each other!
We met about a year into it and became fast friends!
Visit HERE to enter to win her giveaway!
Good luck, and I’ll see y’all back here on Thursday with this basket:
It was almost a big fat FAIL!
UPDATE: See how I saved it HERE now!
See ya then!
XOXO,
P.S. To those who wanted to see my costume last night…here ya go:
I didn’t get a picture of the bottom of my dress, but it was all fringe. I was going for a 20’s vibe or flapper look…I think I made it somewhere in there ha ha! Of course to match the house, I had to add a little spook.
Not too shabby for a thrift store dress and Walmart pearls. 😀
Don’t Miss a Thing!
If you like what you see, there are several ways to follow along!
EMAIL * INSTAGRAM * FACEBOOK * PINTEREST
Get FREE SHIPPING on all orders over $50. No code needed at checkout! Orders under $50 always enjoy $8 flat rate shipping! Most orders ship same or next business day!
Mary Kaiser says
Wow, so fun! 10 years, I think I have been following you since almost the beginning! You and your blog are amazing, and I will always be following because you make every thing so fun and beautiful and I just love coming back to see what you have made beautiful! Yay for mom’s teaching daughters how to take care of them selves, good job to mom! You are not only beautiful, but full of talent! I have entered the contest, I hope I win, but even if I don’t win the $100.00 gift to your Etsy shop, I will always come back and receive the gift you give us every Tuesday and Thursday. Congratulations on 10 years, you go girl!!!
Christy says
I think you have too, Mary, and I truly appreciate all the encouragement and love you have shown over the years!! Yes, I give my mom so much credit as she really set me and my sisters up well. Again, thank you so much…I am really rooting for you to win!!! XOXO
Janette says
Oh I just had to pop on here and wish you a happy anniversary, ten years, thats amazing and you have done so many wonderful make-overs.
You look fabulous in your halloween dress, hope you had a great night.
Thanks for sharing all your talents. Obviously I can’t enter the give-away but good luck to those who do.xx
Christy says
Thank you so much, Janette!! Halloween was so much fun! I wish you could enter!! XOXO
Meredith Gesterkamp says
Hi hi. I have to say I love you and your BFF very much. You inspired me in so many ways with your work. We are building our new home and we could restore so many of our old furniture and sell them for a good price. I love seeing how you manage to give an old piece a new look. Beautiful. Ones again thank you and wish you a lot of success. I’m not a US citizen so I can not participate in your give away but I wish all of your fans allot of fun participating and success. Keep on the good job!!!!
Christy says
Hi Meredith! Thank you so much! How exciting to get you build your own house…it will be so fun to make it a home! I wish you could enter the giveaway! XOXO
Carol says
Love your trash to treasure blogs!!!
Christy says
Thank you, Carol! XOXO
Jackie C says
OMG your SMILE! It’s gorgeous and so are you! You look like a movie star! ⭐️
Thank you for a GREAT giveaway and congratulations 🎈🎉🍾 on 10 years of blogging. You’re still the only one I subscribe to. The detailed instructions, links, and quality of your blog are a few reasons that set you apart from all others. Here’s to many more successful years! Cheers 🥂
xoxoxo
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Jackie!! Yes…no more brace face ha ha! I am so appreciative to have you in my blog family, my friend!! XOXO
Bohuslava says
Gratuluji Dono, k výročí blogu.
U nás se říká:,, Všechno zlé , je k něčemu dobré “-to k nedostatku peněz v začátcích. Nutí to člověka k experimentování- a pak může být mistrem.
Miluji všechny proměny- ty z posledních období jsou ale nejzdařilejší.
Přeji hodně inspirativních nápadů a spoustu času je uskutečnit. Bí
Christy says
Děkuji mnohokrát! Oceňuji, že!
Cathy Bizri says
Your costume looks great.. Hope you had a great Halloween.
Christy says
Thank you, Cathy! It was super fun! XOXO
Fran Blunt says
Happy Anniversary! I’m feeling a little Phantomess of the Opera vibe with your costume too. I had a great aunt that was most likely a flapper. I have her ostrich feather fan and a gorgeous fringed embroidered shawl.
Christy says
Thank you, Fran! Yes…that is probably more like it! I had the kiddos ringing the doorbell at 5:30 as I was finishing up my makeup, so I just had to go with what I had gotten done ha ha! How cool that you have those amazing family treasures! XOXO
Cecilia says
Love your costume! Oh my goodness! Ten years! I started a blog in 2012 too but stopped about four years ago to concentrate on art. So quite the accomplishment to still be at it – congratulations! Yours is one of the few I still follow. I love seeing how you transform things. Thanks for the chances to win. I’d have a hard time decide what to get as there’s so much I’d love to try.
😊 Cecilia
Christy says
Thank you, Cecilia! I had no idea where my blog would lead when I started, but I feel so blessed to still be at it, and I truly appreciate you following along! Good luck on the giveaway! XOXO
Roberta Menconi says
I love your blog. I tell everyone about it. And copy your color schemes! We have the same taste but you do it better! Your smile looks amazing!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Roberta, and thank you for sharing me!! I so appreciate that! Copy away ha ha! No more brace face lol! XOXO
Robyn Wright says
You and Nancy are my favorite bloggers! I’d be interested in knowing how many followers you have now. Anyway, you are both beautiful and Congratulations!!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Robyn! I have amassed quite a few and I am so grateful for each and every one! XOXO
Deanna says
LOL! Love your Halloween costume. You painted your face as beautifully as you do your gorgeous projects. I enjoy your and Nancy’s blogs so much. That is a great picture of the two of you. The DYNAMIC DUO! I really enjoy your thrift store shakedown videos too. Especially where you’re always doing a little dance with “panties”. I bet you were a wonderful and fun nurse!
Christy says
Thank you, Deanna! You are so sweet!! Nancy and I need to do another video…it’s been a while, and I’ll be sure to include more ugly dancing haha. I just cant help myself! I loved being a nurse. Had I not found my blog, I surely would be back at it! XOXO
Denise says
Thanks for sharing the picture of you as a flapper — you look beautiful! I hope you had a good Halloween. I’m sure everyone who stopped by loved your decorations. They were definitely gorgeous.
Christy says
You’re welcome, Denise! It was a fun costume and we really had a good time! Thank you so much!! XOXO
Michelle says
Love seeing all that you do! Sometimes I look at your before and think I know what I would do with that. And then, Voila!, yours is so different from what I thought! Love it though…love your “shopping trips” also❣️
Christy says
Thank you so much, Michelle! Sometimes my makeovers end up far from where I imagined them too ha ha! XOXO
susan says
Congratulations on ten years! I have learned so much from your blog and have gotten so much inspiration! My style is so similar to yours I would always ask “what would Christy do” when deciding on a new piece! 🤣🤣
I was so glad when you opened your shop…it is easy to order supples and they come so quickly! Unfortunately the place I had my booth for 8 years closed this year and I decided to take awhile off…still have a storage unit half full though so I’ll have to get back at it! ☺️ Enjoy watching the thrifting videos with you and Nancy.! Fun times!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Susan! I love that ha ha! What a bummer that your shop had to close…maybe you can find another venue in the near future. We don’t have too many options here. And Nancy and I need to make another video soon! XOXO
Niki says
Congratulations Christy!! Im so glad I found you and get to enjoy your wonderful creations! A friend of mine has encouraged me to start a blog- I don’t have the foggiest idea of how to do that or just what exactly I would blog about.
Christy says
Thank you, Niki!! I’m so glad you found me too! I googled everything when starting mine and it came together somehow lol! Good luck if you decide to start one! XOXO
CeCe Graphenteen says
Hey congrats on 10 years! I love being inspired by all your projects. It’s given me the confidence to do my own makeovers!
Christy says
Aww I love that, CeCe! Thank you so much! XOXO
Ellen Shook says
Well aren’t you just too cute! Nice giveaway. Thanks for a great Tuesday and Thursday inspiration post each week!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Ellen! I’m so glad to have you in my blog family! XOXO
Cheryl Atkinson says
Christy!!! 10 years!! I am so thankful you started this blog. It has been you that has taught me so much. How to upcycle, how to turn trash into treasure and how to run a booth. I so grateful. Congratulations!! Now if I could just win this and get stuff that I really need?? All will be good. Thank you for the chance to win. Your costume is amazing. That dress!!😯
Christy says
Thank you so much, my sweet friend!! I love that you find my blog encouraging…that is the best compliment! I will be crossing my fingers for you!! XOXO
MrsSW says
WooHoooooo – look at that costume! It’s terrific and you look great. Thanks for sharing.
Congratulations on your anniversary – you and Nancy have the best blogs.
Sheila
Christy says
Thank you so much, Sheila!! I almost forgot to get a picture lol…I was just about to take of my fancy jewels! I appreciate you following along with me!! XOXO
Susan Stevenson says
Happy 10 years Christy!! I am 11 this year and can’t believe where the time has gone! I entered your contest 🙂 Happy 10 more!
Susan
Christy says
Thank you so much, Susan! Congratulations on 11 years wow!! I’m so thrilled we are still standing after all these years ha ha! Good luck on the giveaway!! XOXO
Addie says
Happy 10 year!!!! I like you as a nurse…I bet you were really caring. Your teeth came out GORGEOUS!!!!! good luck and keep going for the next 30 years!!!!
Addie xoxo
Christy says
Thank you SO much, Addie!! I really loved being a nurse for sure. It was a difficult decision to leave it behind, but then I wouldn’t have “met” so many wonderful, encouraging people like you! And yay! No more brace face woohoo! XOXO
Sandra Klouda says
Christy and your BFF…congratulations to you both on your 10-year anniversaries! Love your blogs. Amazing results from your creative efforts. Thank you very much. Sandy
Christy says
Thank you so much, Sandra!! XOXO
Cyndel says
Good on you! You did what you wanted and you do it so well. Your posts are always a welcome read and I’ve learned lots from you. Congratulations on 10 good years and please keep going. P.S. Your costume was terrific and your stint with the braces really paid off. Dazzling smile, madam.
Christy says
Aww thank you so much, Cyndel! I had no idea where this blog would lead, but boy am I so grateful! I’m so glad you enjoy what I share. I’m still getting used to my new smile, since it isn’t the one I’ve had for so long, but it’s great for pictures ha ha! XOXO
Cheryl says
Love your costume!! Congrats on your 10 year blogiversary!!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Cheryl! XOXO
Kimmylouwho says
Your blog is one of my FAVORITES! You do the most beautiful and creative re-dos. Keep up the good work!
PS: Your braces are off! Your smile is perfect!
Christy says
Aww thank you so much!! I truly appreciate that! And yay…no more brace face lol! XOXO
CC says
Congrats!! you do a great job sharing all the details & that is awesome for some of us newbies to diy furniture.
Christy says
Thank you, CC! I am so thrilled that you find my posts helpful! Happy creating! XOXO
Michele M. says
WOW! So much to comment about! Firstly, GRATS on ten years bloggaversary. That is absolutely awesome. Second – your costume looked so great. Third, you and Nancy are just beautiful and I love how you two “found” one another and have remained good friends all this time.
And lastly – holy moly girlfriend, this is a GREAT giveaway and I am so appreciative of the opportunity to win. Thank you so much!!!!
Christy says
Thank you, my sweet friend! I don’t know what I would do without Nancy! And you are SO welcome…wishing you lots of luck!! XOXO
Mariana says
Dear Christy! A huge congrats to ten years of pure creativity! You are unstoppable! I love love love how you make the most sad items beautiful again! You are a true inspiration! Thank you. Your smile is radiant! I am a former dental assistant and noticed how gorgeous your teeth are! Worth all that extra flossing! You go gurrrl!
Wishing you the best! Cheers!
Christy says
Thank you, Mariana!! I appreciate that so much! And flossing IS so worth it…gotta protect our pearly whites! Thank you! Good luck on the giveaway!! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
Congratulations. I love your blog and your work. Great costume btw. Ok so I entered contest yesterday and it says can enter daily but having trouble entering again? Maybe I’m doing something wrong but nothing is clickable on the Rafflecopter box.
Christy says
Thank you so much, my friend! That is strange….maybe log out and log back in?
Debra Hubbs says
Thank you. I just tried again and it worked. Still can’t do Danielle’s a second time. Weird lol. Such great giveaways.
Christy says
Oh good! Good luck!! XOXO
Debra Hubbs says
Oops, meant Nancy’s.
Christy says
Ha ha…I knew what you meant! I’m sure autocorrect played a part in that! 🙂
Cara says
Wow, 10 years, give yourself a pat on the back because that is a whole lot of writing, and picture taking, and projects, and painting.. it goes on and on. Congratulations! I enjoy all of your projects, I keep thinking I will try a major project and I keep steering clear of them, ha!
Christy says
Thanks so much, Cara! Yes…it takes many hours to pull one post together! It’s fun to step out of your comfort zone to see what you can accomplish. You can do it! XOXO
Cecilia from Georgia says
Wow! A decade of DIY blogging! You’re the first blog I found when I was working, well, there was so much I wanted to do after seeing your work, I retired after a year of following you and a few others. I love seeing you and Nancy flip and sometimes flop (but you always pull it off!). Thanks for sharing how you got started blogging! I always wonder what motivates a blogger to jump in and go for it! Thanks for the giveaway!
Christy says
Oh I love that, Cecilia! I’m sure creating is way more fun than working lol! My start up story isn’t that mind-blowing lol, just a mama in search of something to keep her busy! Thank you and good luck on the giveaway, my friend! XOXO
Karen H says
Congratulations, Christy! What a milestone! I have enjoyed you and your blog so much! Thank you!
Christy says
Thank you so much, Karen! Good luck on the giveaway! XOXO
Patty says
Congratulations, Christy, I’ve learned so much from all your beautiful makeovers through the years. Thank you!
You looked absolutely Bootiful!! I hope you had loads of fun.
I have several painting projects that I’m getting ready to start on – besides painting walls and trim in whole house, so winning your wonderful giveaway would make all this work seem like fun!! What a treat for whoever wins! 🙂
Christy says
That means so much, Patty, thank you! Best of luck on the giveaway! XOXO
robin says
30 hours left to enter and the rafflecopter site (both of them) won’t accept my entries. 🙁
Christy says
Hi Robin! I manually entered you using this email address! Good luck!! XOXO