The Top Ten Posts of 2018

Today, we’re sharing our Top Ten Posts of 2018 which is always a fascinating look back at the posts you loved most!

We can hardly believe today is the last day of 2018, can you?

We hope you had a chance to slow down a bit and enjoy all the good things the holiday season has to offer. We know sometimes the last few weeks of December can feel like a whirlwind, so be sure to give yourself lots of grace and plenty of time to consider what you really want out of 2019, ok?

Even though 2018 was filled with so many ups and downs, we’re still thankful for all the adventures the year brought us. From creating goal setting videos in January to finishing a 15K with my Mom in March to breathing new life back into my childhood home, Loblolly Manor, alongside my parents throughout the year to DIYing our way through 2 One Room Challenges and learning how to be a caregiver for the past 6 months, each day has been a gift.

We hope you never tire of hearing us say how much we truly appreciate your support through it all. You guys are absolutely amazing!

Like a lot of you, we’ve taken the last few weeks of 2018 to look back on what worked well for us and what didn’t work well at all, so we can set ourselves up for success in 2019 both in our personal lives and for all things Crowned Goat too!

We sit with our planners and spreadsheets and comb through all the data and analytics to see which posts resonated the most with you guys. This helps us to plan better for the upcoming year, so we can continue giving you content you love.

Although we try very hard not to pick any favorites, especially since some of these posts are true labors of love, we’re always excited to find a few unexpected surprises that make the Top Ten Posts List each year and 2018 was no exception.

Here’s a look at our Top Ten Posts of 2018…

#10 – DIY Skate Wreath – I have to say I was shocked this made the top 10 list for the entire year. One, because it didn’t have as much time to gain traction as some of the other posts, but you guys loved this simple DIY immediately. Two, because it was such a simple DIY, I almost didn’t share it. I know!

#9 – Christmas Inspired Dining Room – This was another surprise on the list for the same reasons I shared above. That being said, I probably read the post to my bestie and TCG partner, S, 100 times because I didn’t want it to come across as too sad. Thankfully, you guys know my heart and you completely related to feeling overwhelmed at the holidays sometimes too.

#8 – Easy Vintage Gift Wrap Station – This post had a special place in my heart because this dresser actually belonged to my Granny who passed away very unexpectedly last year. I put off repainting it for a while because I was deep in grief but when I finally gave it a makeover, it felt like the best combination of the two of us. I’m also grateful you guys continue to appreciate how easy it is to give new life and purpose to old pieces of furniture.

#7 – How to Paint a Piece of Furniture Using Chalk Paint – I’m still amazed at how many page views our painted furniture posts receive despite the fact that painted furniture doesn’t seem as popular as it once was and I’ll be honest some of those early photos are terrible! All that aside, I whole heartedly believe in the power of paint because it’s hands down one of the most budget friendly ways to change the look of a piece of furniture or a space in your home.

#6 – Christmas on the Front Porch – I don’t know what it is about our front porch that makes you guys go bananas but it’s so sweet you love our front porch as much as we do. Most of the time, we receive comments about how big the porch is, and I can honestly say, it’s one of my favorite features about this house.

While it doesn’t span the entire length of the house, it spans a good portion of the front and welcomes us home through good days and bad. It was not surprising to see a front porch post on the Top Ten Posts of 2018 list, but we thought it would be the Fall Front Porch Tour that made the list not the Christmas Front Porch Tour.

#5 – ORC: Pantry and Kitchen Makeover Reveal – Talk about a labor of love post! Had it not been for the encouragement and support of my generous parents, this kitchen makeover would /NOT have been completed on time. We were already behind when, S, fell and wound up with both legs in casts. There was only 10 days left to complete our contract obligations and 2 days after that the final reveal post was due.

To say I was STRESSED OUT is an understatement!

My parents basically lived over here for those 10 days and it was not uncommon to find all three of us on ladders in the kitchen at the same time. Of all the DIY projects, posts and makeovers we’ve completed in 2018, this experience changed me the most. I’ll share more on how it shaped our goals moving forward tomorrow.

#4 – 15 Ways to Decorate with Baskets for Fall – Can I just tell you guys how much it makes my heart melt to see you love baskets so much? I know I probably sound like a total weirdo, but baskets are my jam! We literally use them every single day and no lie, they have transformed the way this house functions.

I have to say, I was surprised to see this on the Top Ten Posts of 2018 only because it was related to seasonal decorating ideas as opposed to using baskets for organization. Now that I know you guys like this kind of post though, I’ll plan more for next year.

#3 – How to Make Book Pages Look Aged – This was probably the most surprising post on the list to us because it was one of the easiest posts of the year. Honestly, it was another idea I thought was too simple to share.   I’m happy to know you guys love quick and easy projects like this that are crazy inexpensive, so I can plan more for these type of posts as well.

#2 – How to Make a Simple Herb Topiary – I can still remember the day we made these for my childhood home, Loblolly Manor! It was such a pretty day and my Mom and I were outside talking about all our dreams and plans for the house. We wound up not having enough containers to finish the topiaries, so we raided my aunt’s inventory closet/workshop called, “The Castle” and had a blast.

#1 – Spring Inspired Dining Room Tablescape – Spring is one of our favorite seasons so it’s not surprising at all to see this tablescape make the Top Ten Posts of 2018 list. I borrowed the DIY Dutch Tulip Crate from my mom to create a flower shop inspired look for the dining room. I still haven’t made my own tulip crate but it’s on my project list for next year. They are seriously so versatile and can be used in any season throughout the year.

Also worth noting, the Top Video Post of 2018 was 7 Strategies for Staying Motivated, February Goals Update & a Video which doesn’t surprise me either. I read a post just a few days ago that said, “80 Percent of New Year’s Resolutions Will Fail by February,” and so many of you could relate to feeling discouraged about not being able to keep your resolutions.

I used to struggle with New Year’s resolutions too until I started claiming a Word of the Year and it really help to keep me on track with my goals all year. The other tool I started using was PowerSheets from the Cultivate What Matters team and they were a total game changer. I’ll share more about my experience with PowerSheets next week.

The Top Heart to Heart Post of 2018, When Love Shows Up After a Major Fall will also not be a surprise to all of you that have been following our adventures this year. My bestie S does not like to be in front of the camera at all, but she works hard behind the scenes to keep this blog running smoothly each day as our website administrator and Chief Technology Officer.

She has also been my project and design assistant, DIY buddy, think tank advisor, Lowe’s runner and furniture mover for years. It’s definitely been tough without S’s help these past few months and because she has such a long road ahead of her, we’re currently praying we’ll be able to add another fresh face to Team Crowned Goat soon. In the meantime, we’re glad she’s is making progress and look forward to the day we’re celebrating a complete recovery in 2019!

Did your favorite projects make the Top Ten Posts of 20018 list? We’d love to hear which posts you loved most this year!

As always, we’re open to your suggestions about what topics you want to see more of in 2019. You can leave your ideas in the comment section below, send us a direct message via our social media links or send us an email.

I hope you guys all have a safe and Happy New Year. I’ll see you back here tomorrow with our 2019 Word of the Year which was inspired by one of the posts on this top ten list. Can you guess which one? Until next time, I’ll see you on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest.

Many blessings,

CoCo