how did i do - 2013 review

So we can't get started on the new year without seeing how I did last year, right? It's always fun to see if your December 2013 self was in tune with your January 2013 self - did I get anything done or not? So with that said, may I have the envelope please.<br /><br />My <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-goals.html" target="_blank">2013 goals</a> were:<br /><br />1. <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/10/freshening-foyer-finale.html" target="_blank"><b>Entry Refresh</b></a> - Wahoo! We are off to a good start. It may have taken me a while (I started in June and finished in...October) and I did have to <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/06/freshening-foyer-part-2.html" target="_blank">redo the entire stencil</a>, (sometimes I guess it pays to read the directions) but it <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/10/freshening-foyer-finale.html" target="_blank">turned out even better</a> than I had envisioned and now it's fresh and bright and a jolly little welcome to our little home.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXGtx8xWJdUnjeM27BScLDuL9_hnQjyx8z5kD16gbdktwpZJRLTivpC52uvsA1JufdJjXUv9zHBl93QtYduH0W9SqE_RVnEt_UwPLWrNwX8ssPoBpjGShlIikkuT6r98qOf_htii_E3dN/s1600/GreenStenciledEntryStarPendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXGtx8xWJdUnjeM27BScLDuL9_hnQjyx8z5kD16gbdktwpZJRLTivpC52uvsA1JufdJjXUv9zHBl93QtYduH0W9SqE_RVnEt_UwPLWrNwX8ssPoBpjGShlIikkuT6r98qOf_htii_E3dN/s1600/GreenStenciledEntryStarPendant.jpg" width="321" /></a></div><br />2. <b>Sew something. Anything.</b> - Bam! I rocked this one like a hurricane for the <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/11/one-room-challenge-week-6-aka-reveal.html" target="_blank">One Room Challenge</a> in November. It is amazing what confidence a looming deadline will give you. I had just days to go before the big reveal and I was staring at a pile of fabric and no pillows, so I bit my lip and gave it a go. I will say that the intimidation factor is squarely on that damn machine. Actually sewing a pillow is pretty simple, its that blasted bobbin that gets me. Every. Time.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO9M4Edjomp3yVGcTZY0PdLEsiIe2_0ummRWGnGm2s9nEscf5RNdrbAawQqah3ux0QULYHiTJ0lMBbwL5pOP-2rbqZ_z537D9eIG0_3MfQSph7DEOohNEEp-YGuAHE1yG7LvuSGwXPf4L/s1600/greensofafamilyroom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZO9M4Edjomp3yVGcTZY0PdLEsiIe2_0ummRWGnGm2s9nEscf5RNdrbAawQqah3ux0QULYHiTJ0lMBbwL5pOP-2rbqZ_z537D9eIG0_3MfQSph7DEOohNEEp-YGuAHE1yG7LvuSGwXPf4L/s1600/greensofafamilyroom.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />I even went ahead and made myself some pillows for my <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2012/05/now-i-can-lay-down-bedroom-reveal.html" target="_blank">bedroom</a> while I was at it. Overachiever.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_uknUaUPGaKjesJPkaG9CjgTuzmdiqdKIxqeLoAirLnF0yBGrjWSbLT37Fc86RdhTu-vxdSo9XEeaoCrxSBx_5pQpvh5GrPX0N6pCCMP6kHH3P0CDmNydhMzTbLOIGFZk1o6FnuNPMhl/s1600/sarahandtommypillows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="317" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd_uknUaUPGaKjesJPkaG9CjgTuzmdiqdKIxqeLoAirLnF0yBGrjWSbLT37Fc86RdhTu-vxdSo9XEeaoCrxSBx_5pQpvh5GrPX0N6pCCMP6kHH3P0CDmNydhMzTbLOIGFZk1o6FnuNPMhl/s1600/sarahandtommypillows.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />3. <b>The girls' room.</b> This already feels like a million years ago, but I knocked this one off the list in February/March thanks again to the <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/03/one-room-challenge-reveal.html" target="_blank">One Room Challenge</a>. This was one of my favorite projects of the year and I'm happy to say the room still looks largely the same - just with the addition of a thick layer of clothes, toys and naked barbies strewn on the floor.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizGB_rDSgM_dqtsCO2C5pJ9ABtkQzdPsxq_mVyKe-EZiK3nyckYhOq7R25ggtkkbW88MWJkm771OeBoTQEinGHIaBaoexKXqv5us-9FUb5Nw82-zqFVtQijZchhfi56icl-NgnZZiIOeq/s1600/GirlsRoomWideShot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizGB_rDSgM_dqtsCO2C5pJ9ABtkQzdPsxq_mVyKe-EZiK3nyckYhOq7R25ggtkkbW88MWJkm771OeBoTQEinGHIaBaoexKXqv5us-9FUb5Nw82-zqFVtQijZchhfi56icl-NgnZZiIOeq/s1600/GirlsRoomWideShot.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />4. <b>Bathroom Redo.</b> This one is a mixed bag. Yes, I have updated the bathroom. Good homeowner. But I have yet to share the updates. Bad blogger. I did share a very small sneak peak a while back on <a href="http://instagram.com/littleblackdoor" target="_blank">Instagram</a> but that is it. For shame! I promise a full reveal before we hand out Valentine's.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9HLYRwWgfgMbcq0WHZHcV0vSL1_dTWCu-evsay_irAQ2hcMU4VbTdBuMIZVMhCv153QJr5ZhptHQh_Vb23sRJxUmXWb1-_FDwVPqNJQTO6bfLCP4so_72AtpEUck8S7jGmdiIrKsJoa4/s1600/bathroomrefresh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk9HLYRwWgfgMbcq0WHZHcV0vSL1_dTWCu-evsay_irAQ2hcMU4VbTdBuMIZVMhCv153QJr5ZhptHQh_Vb23sRJxUmXWb1-_FDwVPqNJQTO6bfLCP4so_72AtpEUck8S7jGmdiIrKsJoa4/s1600/bathroomrefresh.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />5. <b>Open my little black door a little more.</b> I just realized how...interesting that line sounds. But anyway, it was about sharing more about other aspects of my work, my life, and just putting myself out there more. And I did work on this. I shared some client projects <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/04/before-and-after-farmhouse-kitchen.html" target="_blank">here</a>, <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/05/blue-and-orange-library-before-and-after.html" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/12/family-room-design-board.html" target="_blank">here</a>. I started a new series, <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/09/fess-up-friday-animal-prints.html" target="_blank">Fess Up Friday</a> and shared more of my crazy life on <a href="http://instagram.com/littleblackdoor" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, which I consider like a mini-blog of sorts. I have more plans and more work to do this year, so we will call this one 'under progress'.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-H9b_u06NAsWE_9Dq8EK5vHHjm_Ig1nACG2g6O4Kqr8M5TSAKUh3tNdDLfhlsEh-wrC_sXOQGWoRwxpJiesAHZpZ1rFh2Ub9qv6T7TnTqMWfomvPnaLq-GPkkztMYCWFYjjN-YZ3J-VX/s1600/ClientWork.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP-H9b_u06NAsWE_9Dq8EK5vHHjm_Ig1nACG2g6O4Kqr8M5TSAKUh3tNdDLfhlsEh-wrC_sXOQGWoRwxpJiesAHZpZ1rFh2Ub9qv6T7TnTqMWfomvPnaLq-GPkkztMYCWFYjjN-YZ3J-VX/s1600/ClientWork.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />So all in all, not so bad for old Elizabeth. And I'll tell you, this has gotten me motivated for 2014. I'm ready to get working! And I'll share those plans tomorrow.<br /><br />So how about you? How did you do with last years goals? Do you make any years goals for yourself, your business, your home?

how did i do - 2013 review

So we can't get started on the new year without seeing how I did last year, right? It's always fun to see if your December 2013 self...

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sharing the love

<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In an effort to <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/01/2013-goals.html" target="_blank">work on my sharing</a></span><span style="font-family: '.HelveticaNeueUI','serif'; font-size: 11.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); -webkit-text-size-adjust: none;"> , </span></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I've got some exciting news to pass along. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">I've been asked to be a contributor to the blog for my favorite local design magazine, <a href="http://www.stlmag.com/St-Louis-AT-HOME/" target="_blank">St Louis At Home</a></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">! And what's even better is that today is <a href="http://www.stlmag.com/Blogs/Secretary-of-the-Interior/" target="_blank">my first post</a>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ME6KINb75fnS0XMB_gDR5pyWZ53iIlmuEQto5wFKKlR8R0t9XxOTIX-O854F3LbYaZrJwM0h_C5w-30-TV1N1uilic1kgDvijqv2pXDcJZ-e3hTHsun5oKqBhCN0A7-FimkhNjcz70Ld/s1600/Secretary-of-the-Interior.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9ME6KINb75fnS0XMB_gDR5pyWZ53iIlmuEQto5wFKKlR8R0t9XxOTIX-O854F3LbYaZrJwM0h_C5w-30-TV1N1uilic1kgDvijqv2pXDcJZ-e3hTHsun5oKqBhCN0A7-FimkhNjcz70Ld/s200/Secretary-of-the-Interior.gif" width="200" /></a></div><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"></span><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><br />I'm sharing a bit of DIY art you may remember, so<a href="http://www.stlmag.com/Blogs/Secretary-of-the-Interior/February-2013/DIY-Polka-Dot-Art-Inspired-by-Damien-Hirst/" target="_blank"> check it out</a>. And make sure to check in next week when I share more exciting news! (You see, I crack the door open just a bit and now I'm sharing all over the place)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Happy Weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></div>

sharing the love

In an effort to work on my sharing ,  I've got some exciting news to pass along.  I've been asked to be a contributor to the blog f...

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2013 goals

Ok, I know. I'm a little late to the party. And you are probably rolling your eyes to have to look at yet another New Year's list, but I've got to create some accountability here people. If I don't put this list out into the great big interwebs, it will become part of the long list of things that never get done. I need to be able to look you in the eye after all.<br /><br />After my success with my <a href="http://thelittleblackdoor.blogspot.com/2013/01/how-did-i-do-2012-goal-review.html" target="_blank">2012 goal list</a> I find it best to keep this suckers <strike>short</strike> manageable. So I'll keep this short and sweet.<br /><br />1. <b>Entry refresh.</b> It is really too small to be considered a foyer and "entry" is even pushing it, but whatever it is it needs a kick in the pants. The hubs and my dad hung the wallpaper the first summer we were in the house and it is pretty beat up. I also need more storage...somehow. A head scratcher.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dWFAoypXz0pWtNQ7GuOWyWzyra3jVSSdc0rbicTcYDbEqrBJExnzWl4sMNW4T_o-tklqCCaGNcrTE8zjTRB2AxAE-fdVASYySsXjTksvgX84yrZI_kjTl_Pt3a_Jow57PgPWjDe4tcXV/s1600/littleblackdoorentry.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dWFAoypXz0pWtNQ7GuOWyWzyra3jVSSdc0rbicTcYDbEqrBJExnzWl4sMNW4T_o-tklqCCaGNcrTE8zjTRB2AxAE-fdVASYySsXjTksvgX84yrZI_kjTl_Pt3a_Jow57PgPWjDe4tcXV/s640/littleblackdoorentry.JPG" width="426" /></a></div><br />2. <b>Sew something. Anything.</b> I've got the sewing machine, it's the whole using the sewing machine thing that is getting in my way. Just to figure out how to spool the thread is a challenge for me. Don't judge. I'm just not a patient person. So the goal is to sew myself a pillow at the very least. 12 months to sew a pillow. I'm pushing myself for greatness, aren't I?<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJWZGo4BPLqnpLOevN-Xgr4Hn5nthuLir0LkidPmWye6U8nD_KD7PT0NA8P_fRkeCfXaSzoWuoLM-UyUCwywZT692TT81FGLlVf08evfE4ieCOBuuQzfJ3akNDty6T2Hs3Ayk6cvUe5Ye/s1600/39.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWJWZGo4BPLqnpLOevN-Xgr4Hn5nthuLir0LkidPmWye6U8nD_KD7PT0NA8P_fRkeCfXaSzoWuoLM-UyUCwywZT692TT81FGLlVf08evfE4ieCOBuuQzfJ3akNDty6T2Hs3Ayk6cvUe5Ye/s320/39.jpeg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://vintagerosegarden.tumblr.com/post/2316013782" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table>3. <b>The girls' room.</b> It's almost time for Eve to move into her big girl bed, so it is the perfect time to start from scratch. Hopefully I can make these bossy clients happy.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPalROShVt5j94enygRYkCFhIfGvJQD3tudU2FIk8ZBwki5FaeDYqaWxN5dGgBBtsll8fB81z3aF8q6dFO5OSbCvU-RFEYDmhP-vs9IpMlPTF9U75P49nkftX4-EzHKgxIrpZogBLf47I/s1600/-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoPalROShVt5j94enygRYkCFhIfGvJQD3tudU2FIk8ZBwki5FaeDYqaWxN5dGgBBtsll8fB81z3aF8q6dFO5OSbCvU-RFEYDmhP-vs9IpMlPTF9U75P49nkftX4-EzHKgxIrpZogBLf47I/s400/-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />4. <b>Bathroom redo.</b> All cosmetics. Not the lipstick kind, but the paint kind. I'm over the color(s) in there and something needs to change. Pinterest and I have been consulting on this already. Now if I could just narrow it down to one idea...<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCiXUq0cJVb7-DF9LTtuIu_HOCqm8dfBdwiJA3ijM51YalxKkvajLznoEBh2IIdhcaz2n91_wUR-_XQbUO9-TQJ6NAbdE-HZktK98qasBklMoeZmIIH31nGrUiX4MAGvZ8IgestIue814/s1600/lonnybathroominspiration.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpCiXUq0cJVb7-DF9LTtuIu_HOCqm8dfBdwiJA3ijM51YalxKkvajLznoEBh2IIdhcaz2n91_wUR-_XQbUO9-TQJ6NAbdE-HZktK98qasBklMoeZmIIH31nGrUiX4MAGvZ8IgestIue814/s400/lonnybathroominspiration.jpeg" width="318" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.lonny.com/" target="_blank">source</a></td></tr></tbody></table>5. <b>Open my little black door a little more.</b> Did you know I have a growing design business? Of course you don't, how could you? I don't talk about it much. That will change, in a good way. More to come.<br /><br />So there is my top 5 for the year. Officially out there. And I already feel behind. No turning back now, you've read it after all. Have you planned for any big changes this year? Any new adventures?

2013 goals

Ok, I know. I'm a little late to the party. And you are probably rolling your eyes to have to look at yet another New Year's list, b...

Read more »