I don’t know about you, but I feel like 2020 is going to be remembered as the year that wasn’t. So many things were just ‘on hold’ for nearly the entire year, things like travel, neighborhood garage sales, social gatherings, dining in restaurants, and festivals of all kinds.
I think most of us will be happy to see 2020 in the rearview mirror. So long 2020, don’t let the door hit ya in the ass on your way out.
But then again, as I’m looking back over my blog posts for 2020, I see that it wasn’t all bad. Once again I managed to crank out a few projects here and there, so let’s review, shall we?
One thing that jumped out at me for 2020 was all of the things I painted white. Not only do I find that white pieces sell more quickly, but white pieces just really appeal to me. So I found myself reaching for the white paint quite a lot in 2020.
My current favorite white is Dixie Belle’s Drop Cloth (on the bench lower right and the serpentine cabinet with the gold transfers shown above upper left) followed closely by their Sawmill Gravy (on the other two pieces).
Another trend for me in 2020 was working on smaller items rather than larger furniture pieces. I tend to find the bulk of my furniture pieces on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, but I found myself avoiding interacting with too many strangers in 2020. To be honest, it doesn’t really make any sense. I probably encountered more strangers at garage sales than I would have buying furniture online.
None the less, that led to a lot of smalls. And again, with lots of white!
I didn’t entirely abandon my other favorite color to work with in 2020, black.
And I did also use some color in 2020.
I may have had to dig deep into the archives to find it though.
I also shared quite a few do-overs in 2020.
I was trying to work on things that I already had on hand, and that included a few pieces that hadn’t sold in their original look like the bench and the dresser). Both of those pieces sold quickly after a do-over. I also took advantage of the time and made over a couple of my own pieces like my Welsh cupboard and that little folding chair that is now hanging on the wall in my living room.
Then there was also the bench flip that I shared on Monday.
So over all, 2020 wasn’t all that bad. My storage areas are pretty well cleaned out now, so that means I have a clean slate for starting 2021.
Here’s what I know you’ll see a lot more of from me in 2021 …
Black and white. Because let’s face it, they are classic and never go out of style.
Signs made out of old cupboard doors. Now that I know how easy these are to find at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore, I’m pretty sure I’m going to keep making lots of them.
Stenciling on unpainted wood. This was an experiment for me recently, but I really love how it turned out. I think you’ll see more of this look from me in 2021.
Thrifted items given new life with paint, stencils and/or transfers. I just love taking a worn out item and giving it a fresh new life. It’s so satisfying!
And here’s what I dearly hope you’ll see more of from me in 2021 …
Great hauls from neighborhood garage sales. Because surely the awesome neighborhood sales will be back in business for 2021, right?
Travel posts. Please, please, please let there be travel in 2021.
Garden posts. Even if the world opens back up again, I still hope to keep up on my gardening.
Home tours. Because everybody enjoys an awesome home tour.
So, let’s all raise a glass and ring in 2021. It has to be an improvement over 2020, right?!
Happy New Year!
q is for quandie 
Happy New Year sis and here’s to a much better year. Can’t wait for the traveling to begin again.
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Fingers crossed!
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I love all of your pieces and I have enjoyed all of your posts!! Yes I hope that 2021 will be better for all of us!! I hope to be able to get a vaccine soon. AND like you, I am hoping that we will be able to travel again! Thank you for sharing with us this past year and I look forward to your new adventures this next year. Happy New Year Linda 🎉
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Happy New Year Monica!
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Happy New Year and thanks for a year of inspiration!
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You’re welcome Laura, Happy New Year!
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Happy New Year! This is my new year to begin a new shop and a website. I had a gift & coffee shop which I sold about 6 years ago and have always wanted to try a website and selling out of my home I like to thrift and see what kind of bargains I can find and my specialty in hand crafted items is wreaths, but have learned alot about painting thru you and plan on getting into that more this year too!
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Best of luck to you in your endeavors Candee!
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Happy new year to you and mike
You are an amazing talent artist ♡
I love reading your blog daily ♡
Stay warm, cozy and healthy in the new year to come
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Thanks so much Paris! You stay warm and cozy too 🙂
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You were truly a bright spot in a dark, dark year. My spirits were raised every time I saw q is for quandie in my in-box. Thank you, thank you, for the inspiration and beauty you shared with us this year!
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I’m glad I could help brighten up 2020 for you Netti! And I really enjoyed meeting you on the garden tour, we’ll have to do that again in 2021 🙂
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Love all the pictures, great reminder of all your incredible work this year! Fun fact, from the 1st set of 4 photos I bought both the Kroger Box and the Meadowbrook farms tin at Reclaiming Beautiful!
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Meadowgrove I meant, and it’s the 1st set of pictures of your smaller things which inspires me to do more than furniture
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You have some great taste Shelley! I really loved how both of those items turned out (that might be obvious since I used them in my year end wrap up) 🙂 And in fact, that Meadowgrove tin inspired a container that I’ll be sharing next week that I’ve kept for myself.
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Happy New Year! And yes please let’s return to normalcy this year. With travel and dining out and shopping! Just left you a comment on the dining room cupboard redo post from November. And I love the change you made to the bed turned bench on your last post. Hate we are so far apart that I’m unable to purchase from you.☹️
Love anything you paint black. Last year I found a vintage swivel chair similar to those library chairs for my husband’s home office. l hope to get it painted this winter. I saw you used Dixie Belle’s Caviar. I would love to add a transfer/graphic that looks reminiscent of old time advertising on it where you stenciled the #.
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That would be very cool. Keep me posted if you come across just the right transfer or stencil (?) for the back of your chair!
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Happy New Year Miss Quandie (-: So many great pictures of good good projects in 2020! Congratulations are in order…..look how much you accomplished! And I DO look forward to your 2021. I just love your travel posts and how you savor all the little details of where you are. You are so appreciative of your experiences! A lesson for us all…….so, I’m betting on that for you guys for sure. You know, I’ve NEVER looked at a one of your projects and thought, UGH! that’s awful! Even if it’s not my favorite, it’s always so skillfully done…….One of my New Year’s resolutions is to use fewer exclamation points when I write so that I don’t present as seemingly OVERWROUGHT (-: But, I think I already blew it! Hahahahahaha
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LOL, your comments always make me chuckle Connie!! And I think I’m guilty of that exclamation point thing myself. But you don’t appear overwrought, just enthusiastic … which is almost always a good thing 😉 Let’s keep our fingers crossed that I have some amazing travel posts to share in 2021. Plans are underway, but first we have to make sure that pesky COVID thing is under control both here and abroad.
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Your posts throughout 2020 were part of the things that brought joy and beauty to my days. With all of our precautions I still managed to become infected with Covid-19 and on March31, 2020 I was hospitalized for 6 days. It was a very frightening experience to say the least…thank God I only required oxygen and iv meds; no ventilator, no ICU. I recovered quickly and perfectly and have had no lingering side effects.
I started working from home on March 15th and coupled with being in the hospital and having to quarantine once I got home, “shelter-in-place” was a bit tough for me. However, being able to create things, receiving your blogs and others like it has really helped make being at home much more than ever before quite easy.
Thank you for your posts, the pictures of all the beautiful items you refurbish, your cheerful stories and helpful tips. I pray that 2021 will be deliver us all out of this worldwide pandemic and continue to teach us all how to gracefully transition into our “New Normal” lives. I look forward to your posts throughout 2021!🙂💗
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I’m so glad you recovered so well and that I played a small role in making your time sheltering in place more cheerful 🙂 Best wishes to you for a much improved 2021!
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Thank you for being a bright spot in a very difficult year! Your blog has given me inspiration and instruction and some joy during a long year here in Tennessee. Happy New Year to you – can’t wait to see what you create next!
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Well fellow ‘Q’, I’m glad you’ve enjoyed my blog this year! Tennessee has definitely has had a long year, but a really awful ending to it. 2021 absolutely has to be a better year!
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Happy new year and thanks for the inspiration! I need your expert advice! 🙂
I searched your blog and found some very helpful blog posts about painting with milk paint. I am painting six kitchen table chairs with black milk paint but do not know what to use for a top coat. I initially thought I might spray them with a matte clear top coat but, I am undecided. I need durability. Thank you!
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I like using the Miss Mustard Seed Tough Coat over milk paint for durability. I have heard that streaky-ness can be a problem when using it over black though. I also find that the black milk paint looks deepest/richest in color with hemp oil over it, which isn’t terribly durable at all. You may like using the Fusion Stain & Finishing Oil for durability, but it is an oil based product (so a little smelly for winter application indoors) You know what, you should check out my post on milk paint topcoats for more detailed info on your options: https://qisforquandie.com/2018/04/03/milk-paint-topcoats/
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Happy New Year! I wanted to let you know that you are in my top 2 blog posts. The other being Christy with Confessions of a Serial DIYer. You both are so creative and i just love your painted pieces. I do love the way you stencil and use transfers to make pieces much more interesting. Like you i love words on pieces. Thank you for all your inspiration that helps me create for my booth. 2021 I am going to work harder on my business and posting more on social media. Its scary but its time. I am not getting any younger (56) ouch. Thank you thank you thank you.
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