We can’t believe we’re already halfway through February—January felt like a blur. To pause and celebrate the small wins that keep our momentum going (and quiet that nagging feeling that we didn’t get anything done), here’s our yearbook-style roundup of January. If you’d like to look farther back, we’ve summarized every month from the past two years in 24 posts instead of 840.
First up: something we haven’t blogged about yet, plus a completely off-the-wall theory involving bacon and mustaches.
Most Likely To Sport A Mustache: Everyone who stopped by the FLOR store in SoHo for our signing, where homemade mustache photobooth props made an appearance. It was there that I coined a profound theory: “The mustache is the bacon of the face.” Both mustaches and bacon are trendy, show up on mugs and novelty items, and are featured everywhere—so there must be a connection. And conversely, “Bacon is the mustache of breakfast.”
Most Intrigued: Clara, when she opened the homemade latch board we made for her for Christmas. Her first reaction—“oh wow man!”—made us laugh, and she’s been fascinated with it ever since, especially the colorful carabiners we added.
Biggest Relief: Finally revealing our new lighting collection at Shades of Light felt amazing—especially after keeping the project a secret for over a year. We aimed for a colorful, fun line that felt like us and remained budget-friendly (nothing over $99).
Worst Speller: I’m the typo-prone one in the marriage, so big thanks to Sherry for spotting a typo—“resoltions”—in every graphic for our 2013 blogging resolutions, just before we posted them. A little Photoshop fixed it fast, and no one was the wiser.
Most Handsome: Burger gets this one—for obvious reasons. He looks so dapper next to the pillow I gifted Sherry for Christmas. We also shared a round-up of the gifts we gave each other, including a few silly surprises.
Most Text-y: Probably both of us, but Sherry wins for lengthy text conversations with out-of-town friends. She introduced me to our thrift-store media console via text after spotting it—and then proceeded to text about it at length.
Biggest Nerd: Sherry this month, for devising a surprisingly scientific formula to clean our thrift-store media console. I usually claim the nerd crown, but she earned it with that one. If she starts inventing a DIY periodic table, I’ll know who to blame (and expect about 118 new pillows).
Most Talked About: Sherry’s bangs. She cut them herself on a whim, and they’ve become a recurring conversation topic—on Instagram, at book tour stops, and among friends who constantly ask where they went or beg her to bring them back.
Most Compact: Our system for storing Christmas decorations, which we designed to keep holiday decor out of sight for the other 11 months of the year. It’s efficient, straightforward, and worth sharing for anyone who needs storage inspiration.
Most Quotable: Clara, hands down. Her funny remarks inspired the DIY calendar we made, featuring her quotes and Instagram snapshots. Burger made a cameo too. We even made a free calendar template for anyone who wants to create one.
Most Trendy: The art above the sunroom daybed. Not because the pieces scream “trend,” but because I experimented with an animated GIF to show the art wall’s progress. Clearly I’ve joined the GIF club.
Most Adulterous: My guilty love for the oversized bike prints in the sunroom and the simple DIY frames I made for them. I’ll own it—those prints are my favorite right now.
Most Colorful: Our whole-house color palette post. While the palette itself isn’t neon, the post steps back to look at the range of hues across fabrics, rugs, and accessories—together they create a vibrant, lived-in rainbow.
Most Helpful: My new little DIY assistant, who helped hold the power drill while we assembled the Expedit for the sunroom. Yes, we used a power tool for Ikea—too lazy for allen-wrench-only assembly!
Most Revealing: The glass-doored bathroom at our Miami hotel during our tour stops. It was one of many memorable moments on that trip, which also included some hilarious Home Depot apron shenanigans and a few memorable impressions.
The “Clean Slate” Award: Our playroom/junk room, which we finally cleared out and repainted after using it for book photography. It’s now a space we actually enjoy instead of closing the door on.
Most Honest: We pulled back the curtain on the book business and shared how publishing worked for us. Spoiler: it didn’t make us millionaires. We did it for the love of the project, not for riches.
Most Excited: Clara, about her new “big girl” room. Adding a daybed, bright bedding in her favorite colors, and a play table cut down to her size finally made the room feel complete.
Most Likely To Be Pregnant: Our friend Lori—she happened to be expecting both times we visited her home. Her new house grabbed readers’ attention for the charming built-ins in the family room. And no, Sherry isn’t expecting (unless you count carrying around Burger and Clara, which obviously doesn’t count).
Most Likely To Keep Instagram In Business: Us—especially after ordering prints for our living room frame collage and magnets for Clara’s play kitchen. We love turning photos into lasting pieces for the home.
Most Fudge-ing Awesome: Your response to our Unofficial Macklemore Thrift Shop Challenge was incredible. We were nervous no one else would get the joke, so your enthusiasm was the best part—faux fur and all.
Most Debated: The dresser we found on Craigslist for Clara’s room. We’re still deciding whether to refinish it or give it a pretty paint job—thankfully readers weighed in with plenty of suggestions.
Most Organized: The basement pegboard, now complete and filled with both decorative and functional items. It’s satisfying to see everything in its place.
Most Likely To Get Lots Of Action: The new pink polka-dot ombre rug in Clara’s room—it’s destined for playtime, jumping, tea parties, and stuffed-animal mosh pits.
Most Likely To Miss The Memo That Christmas Is Over: The white ceramic houses Sherry received as a Christmas gift. Though they were a holiday item, they’ve earned a permanent place on our mantle—no utilities required.
How was your January? Did you travel for work or play, finish any big projects, or simply hunker down and try to keep your DIY-loving hands from freezing?
P.S. We’re sharing some of the funniest kid quotes about houses over on Young House Life—those kids are hilarious and surprisingly insightful.