2nd Blogiversary Celebration and GIVEAWAY!

Celebrate my 2nd blogiversary with some fun facts, a video message from my heart to your home, and a fabulous GIVEAWAY!!

Good morning!!

If you are visiting here from What’s Up Wednesday with Sheaffer and Shay, then welcome! Today is all about #4. What We’ve Been Up To. We have been partying all week long as we celebrate my 2nd blogiversary!

Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end!!!!

2 years ago on October 19th I published my very first blog post.

Can you guess what it was about?

A recipe? My kids? Home design? A before and after? A DIY?

Click HERE to see if you were right!

A little over 2 years ago I didn’t even know what a blog was.

I had no social media (like ZILCH). Not even Pinterest.

If you had told me then that I would be celebrating a “blogiversary” 2 years later with hundreds of blog subscribers and nearly 2 million combined social media followers I would have raised my eyebrows and told you that first of all I don’t do social media, and secondly, a “blogiversary” is totally not a thing.

**I mean is a blogiversary really a thing? It still sounds hilarious to me. Who knows, but we are going to roll with it. Any excuse to have some fun!**

Seriously though this virtual adventure has turned into an opportunity I could have NEVER imagined, and the video below is a quick look behind the scenes – the reason I started blogging 2 years ago, a peak at my day job, how my best friends death changed my life, and my heart moving forward in this crazy virtual adventure.

But first let’s take a page out of our high school yearbooks and check out some fun superlatives from the last year here at Hammers N Hugs!

#1. the most popular blog post

.

. I’m adding these blank lines for dramatic effect.

.

. Is it working?

.

. Drum roll please!!!

.

.

https://hammersnhugs.com/2019/03/12/choosing-the-best-farmhouse-style-floor-stain/

A lot of people have a floor that needs refinishing it would seem. Nearly 70,000 people in fact!

Without a doubt the most frequently asked DIY related question that I get through DMs, emails and comments is about staining wood.

#2. The Most Popular Recipe

.

.

.

.

https://hammersnhugs.com/2019/09/11/joanna-gaines-best-pancake-recipe/

I have to tell you a story.

Sundays are consistently the busiest day on my blog each week, and this recipe is one of the main reasons for that.

A massive smile hits my face every Sunday when I see the amount of traffic on this post because I imagine people all over the world making this amazing breakfast together and creating delicious memories around the table.

Just like we are.

**Insert all of us singing Kum Ba Yah here**

I know it makes Joanna Gaines happy as well because the home queen herself actually gave us a shout out on Instagram when I posted this over a year ago.

#3. The most popular decor post

.

.

.

.

https://hammersnhugs.com/2019/04/23/8-ways-to-decorate-with-antique-dough-bowls/

Who knew so many people wanted ideas to decorate with dough bowls just like I did a year and a half ago after I found this beauty in some random dude’s basement? #truestory

A fun fact – this post has become such a hit that it actually ranks in Google.

As I am writing this if you google “how to decorate with dough bowls” guess whose post is #1 after Pinterest?

How fun is that?!

As a side note my friend Karen from Sanctuary Home Decor, who is right below me on that list, has one of my favorite home decor accounts on the world wide web. If you are curious what the overall style of our future home build will be like, then you should check out Karen’s California home. #designgoals

Also can we note how many tabs I keep open on a daily basis? It drives Zach insane!

#4.  MOST popular DIY post

.

.

.

.

https://hammersnhugs.com/2019/01/26/how-to-restore-leather-in-4-easy-steps/

This DIY blows every other DIY post out of the water and was the same as last year.

BORING.

That would be like the same girl winning “most beautiful hair” two years in a row (I can tell you I did NOT win that superlative in high school).

Let’s share the love.

2nd most popular DIY post

.

.

.

.

https://hammersnhugs.com/2019/09/21/how-to-build-easy-breakfast-nook-benches/

We have built a breakfast nook in two of our fixer uppers now, and they are just so cozy (and easy)!!

#5.  MOST CLICKED ON LINK

.

.

.

.

Farmhouse 4010

This picture right here from Allie at Farmhouse 4010 (her home is amazing)! This floor is absolutely stunning and apparently many others think so too.  This pic and link was part of my post on How to Design a Mortar Washed Brick Floor.

Ok let’s look at one more!

#6. Most popular affiliate link

.

.

.

.

Cafe Dual Electric Oven in Matte White

It is not shocking that this was the most clicked on affiliate link. I mean they are just so pretty.

We LOVE these appliances, and you can check them out in this post all about the Before and After French Country Cottage Kitchen Renovation.

That was fun!

A lot has happened since I started blogging 2 years ago, and I want to say hi and take you on a quick behind the scenes of Hammers N Hugs. Click on the video below.

A Blogiversary Message!

I am grateful for the year that has gone by, and I look forward with anticipation to what’s ahead.

I will start prepping for the adoption gala in June, and I will need your help with all kinds of decisions (eeeks I am SOOO excited for this event)!!

**Speaking of adoption we will likely be matched with our son next year at this time (I could not possibly insert enough heart emojis here).**

Next summer we will officially be in the market to buy land and start the much anticipated process of building our forever home.

We will finish our little French Country cottage basement with all kinds of before and afters and amazing ideas for a small space.

You will see lots more recipes! Have you noticed the recipe cards now? I am slowly adding them to all my old recipes as well. We are getting super fancy over here 😉

And of course, you will see my favorite before and afters in the world – my amazing FASTer Way to Fat Loss clients.

(Don’t miss the Facebook Live at 8p EST this Thurs Oct 29 where we will be chatting FREE fitness and nutrition tips, and I will be answering any questions you have about the FASTer Way! Click HERE if you are interested and sign up for an event reminder!)

Again, from my heart to your home – THANK YOU. Thank you for dropping by day after day.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway below! Winner be announced here on November 3rd!

Please say hi in the comments below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway