year in review: favorite posts of 2014

Yesterday, I shared some of the most popular posts on Beyond the Aisle from 2014.  Today, I'm celebrating the end of a great year with a little hat-tip to my personal favorite posts.

My January in Entertainment - I really started the year strong with my media choices - I read Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling's books, my all-time favorite memoir about Christianity, and started a YA series that I loved.

Valentine's Day Party Ideas - Even though none of my party ideas were that innovative or fancy, I really had fun throwing a Valentine's Day party for my girlfriends.

If My Blog Was an Outfit - This was just fun.  I love ideas that circulate the blogosphere and help me be more creative.

Goal Setting: What Fires Me Up! - I come back to this list when I need a reminder.

On Wednesdays We Wear Pink - I love my weird posts, and my idea to create Polyvore outfits for each of the main characters in Mean Girls was definitely weird.

Photo an Hour - I think that when I've been teaching for 10, 15, or 20 years it will really be interesting to come back to this post to remember what a day of teaching eighth grade in 2014 was like.  Four 84-minute class periods of up to 30 kiddos each, interactive white boards, journals, and bulky metal laptop carts are all so normal to me now, but who knows what's to come in my teaching career.

My Early Summer in Entertainment - I can't believe I got to see Delta Rae, Willie Nelson, and Alison Krauss this summer.  Still not over it.

Our Williamsburg, Virginia Vacation Part 1 - A.K.A. the vacation I thought would be lame that ended up being totally fun.

My Late Summer in Instagram - Instagram round-up posts really remind me how special and beautiful my life really is.

Letting My Geek Flag Fly! [Geek Girl Tag] - Since no one chased me with a pitchfork after I posted this one, expect things to get even more geeky around here in the future.

My Fall in Instagram - In which I was a pony for Halloween.  NEVER FORGET.

DIY Cardinal Christmas Wreath - Probably my favorite craft project of the year; I really do love making wreaths.

Happy New Year's Eve!

year in review: most popular posts of 2014

We've come to the last few days of 2014, and it's time to reflect.  Google Analytics, Blogger, and Pinterest are handy tools to use to see what posts were popular this year and where visitors to Beyond the Aisle were coming from.

Here's a peek at my stats from 2014:
Visitors - 16,991 (up over 1,000 from last year!)
Unique Visitors - 15,351 (up over 3,000 from last year!)
Pageviews - 23,260 (up over 2,000 from last year!)

Visitors from these countries visited Beyond the Aisle in 2014:
1. United States
2. Canada
3. United Kingdom
4. Australia
5. Germany
6. France
7. South Africa 
8. Philippines
9. Brazil
10. Mexico

These cities are home to Beyond the Aisle readers:
1. Charlottesville
2. New York
3. Chicago (up from #7 last year!)
4. London
5. Washington
6. Baltimore
7. Hialeah
8. Toronto
9. Los Angeles
10. Houston

Most popular posts:

10. Sunday Social: Beauty Edition - I really miss the Sunday Social link-ups - the questions often got me thinking.  While beauty doesn't seem like a really in-depth topic, I think we all know that women are actually very interested in each other's routines.

9. Patriotic Washi Tape Decor for Independence Day - let's be honest, this was the easiest DIY ever!  I still wanted to share my little burst of creativity with the blog world for one of my favorite holidays, and I'm glad people liked it!  My candleholders and vases made a few appearances on Pinterest as well - easy crafts for the win.

8. My May Favorites - Another now-defunct link-up, but I'm still posting my favorites each month - and I still love everything I've posted in these!  A bit of sad news for 2015, though, is that my favorite jewelry company, Lia Sophia, is going out of business.

7. Light It Up Blue for Autism Awareness - We did a big Light It Up Blue week at school and I enjoyed bringing that over to the blog.

6. eShakti Dress Review - One of my favorite posts of the year because Mr. Q helped me with all of the photos and we had fun.  It also brought one of my real-life friends to the blog through eShakti!

5. Winter Style: Classy in Cranberry - You're going to be seeing a lot of burgundy and maroon shades this year since Marsala was chosen as Pantone's Color of the Year for 2015.

4. Inspiration for a Dreamy Mint and Baby's Breath Spring Wedding - Dream wedding round-ups are still one of my favorite things to do here on the blog.

3. Series: My Favorite 2014 Golden Globes Looks, My Favorite 2014 Golden Globes Hair and Makeup, Oscars Style: My Favorite Hair, Makeup, and Accessories - Clearly, you all are award show junkies just like I am!

2. The Boy Behind the Blog: Mr. Q's Turn to Post! - His answers were short, sweet, and to the point.  AND YOU OBVIOUSLY LOVED IT.

1. Rock and Roll 50th Birthday Party Ideas - My best work friend worked so hard on her husband's birthday party and Mr. Q and I were happy to help out by lending our photography and DIY skills.  I'm still really proud of my chalkboard project and it has become popular on Pinterest as well!

clicks of note: i believe you when you say we're never gonna fall...

get your week off to a colorful start...

• I hope that all of you had a lovely time celebrating the holidays and that you're looking forward to New Year's Eve, even though it falls awkwardly on a Wednesday this year. Instead of doing any wild and crazy partying, we will be dog-sitting our fave little Shih Tzu, and I will be finishing a course of antibiotics since I've been dealing with a sinus infection pretty much since the day school got out... lots of PJs, tea, and Audrey Hepburn movies around here this week.

LISTEN.

• Ingrid Michaelson can pretty much do no wrong in my book, and I'm currently loving "Parachute."  It's one of those before-you-know-it-it's-over songs, so be ready to hit the repeat button.  I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SMILE.

Connie Dai Photography via Style Me Pretty

• SMP features a blush pink wedding in the mountains.
• Ring in 2015 with Lia Griffith's printable party hats...
• ...or we can make disco-ball headbands this New Year!
• Inspiration for New Year's Eve hair, makeup, and nails.

LEARN.

• Google's Year in Search is an interesting look at 2014.
• 5 ways to feel better right now, from Nectar Collective.
• Going to try this breathing trick next time I can't sleep.
• WhoWhatWear offers up tips for looking good in photos.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I counted down my most popular posts of 2013 as well as my personal favorites, and shared my Midnight in Paris inspired New Year's Eve tablescape.
• Two years ago, I shared my favorite posts of 2012, rose gold inspiration for New Year's Eve, and my favorite movies and books of 2012.  I kicked off 2013 by listing my annual organization goals and rounding up cool and cozy gray wardrobe picks and home decor ideas.  Laura nominated me for the Liebster Blog Award.
• Three years ago I rounded up gold and champagne inspiration for New Year's Eve and listed my organization goals for 2012.

sunday simplicity: sparkle

Brooke Schultz Photography via Ruffled

Christmas Eve Holiday Home Tour

Last year I didn't share our Christmas decor until after Christmas, so I guess I'm doing a little bit better!  This year, I was inspired by our summer vacation to Colonial Williamsburg and decided to do a classic Virginia theme for our Christmas decorations.  I was especially inspired by our state bird, the Cardinal, bright Christmas poinsettias, and plaid and gingham fabrics and trim.

Come on in!  You can see more shots of my cardinal and plaid wreath here.  I was inspired by some of my favorite bloggers' home tours to add a little flair to our banisters this year - Dollar Tree garland looks pretty great paired with plaid ribbon and poinsettias!

Here's our tree!   In addition to cardinals and plaid, I tried to stick to a gold and red color scheme with a few bits of pewter.  The Santa blanket is a little cheesy, but it was a gift from Mr. Q's grandparents when we started dating so I bring it out every year.

I really love it when my gift wrap matches my theme - it's the Type A side of me coming out, I guess.  The plaid gift wrap was a Big Lots find, and the plaid tissue is from the Dollar Tree!  It doesn't take a lot of money to have a really pulled-together Christmas look, but you do have to be willing to shop at several stores for all of your pieces.

Here's my little tribute to the holiday decorations at Colonial Williamsburg, which use a lot of beautiful fruit - mandarin oranges, apples, and pomegranates make a cheerful centerpiece.  Did you notice that my table runner and throw pillows match?  That's because they're all made from the same Big Lots tablecloth!  I used The Happy Housie's envelope pillow tutorial.

I have a little snack station set up on the counter for today's guests.  I've got Christmas plates and napkins (thanks again to Big Lots!) along with Chex Mix, cocoa, and some other munchies.  I made the wee little votive holder by rolling a glass jar in a mixture of Epsom salts and white and gold glitter - I used the same "snowglobe mix" in some Mason jars filled with pinecones that I've scattered around the house for a little extra cheer that will last all winter.

Merry Christmas, friends!  May your holidays be full of peace and joy.

Linking Up:

Share It Link Party at The Winthrop Chronicles

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Wildly Original at I Gotta Create

Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage

Kojo Designs

clicks of note: swept completely off my feet...

get your week off to a colorful start...
LISTEN.

• I didn't pay much to attention to Kelly Clarkson's Christmas album, Wrapped in Red, when it was released last year, because I thought it was all covers!  Thanks to Pandora and YouTube I've discovered the original tracks like "Winter Dreams," a sweet and cheerful Christmas love song Kelly wrote for her now-husband Brandon.  I'll be linking up with Musical Mondays at My So-Called Chaos.

SWOON.

Jenna Sue Designs

• Love Jenna Sue's beautiful home and rustic holiday decor.
• SMP features a Downton Abbey inspired wedding shoot.
• At Elizabeth Anne Designs, a romantic jewel-tone wedding.
• This bright, cheerful wedding from SW makes me smile.

SMILE.

• Are you as well read as Lisa Simpson?  I got a 21/62.
• Lots of sparkle backstage at NYCB's The Nutcracker.
• Adore this simple, sparkly manicure idea for winter!
• Plenty of last-minute Christmas ideas on my Pinterest.

REFLECT.

• Design for Mankind reminds us to seek rest in December.
• This candlelight .gif from Anthropologie is so calming...
• as is this one featuring shooting stars, via Tumblr.
• 50 ?s to help you reflect on 2014 and get ready for 2015.

FLASHBACK.

• Last year I chose my favorite Biblical account of Christmas, wrote my letter to Santa, showed off my chalkboard Christmas ornaments and a holiday home tour.
• Two years ago, I shared a Sunday Social all about favorites, gave you a mini holiday home tour and ideas for displaying Christmas cards, and rounded up my December blog loves and my own most popular posts of 2012.  I also shared my December in Instagram.
• Three years ago, I shared my favorite things in our home. 

sunday simplicity: a piece of home...

Happy Wedd | Rebecca Hollis Photography via Ruffled

“Christmas… is not an external event at all, but a piece of 

one’s home that one carries in one’s heart.” – Freya Stark

current blog loves

Every now and again here at Beyond the Aisle, I feel inspired to round up my "blog-mances" - a variety of awesome blogs that cover all of my favorite subjects - art, lifestyle, home decor, cooking, DIY, reading - and that I think you should add to your reading list ASAP!  Here are five blogs I'm loving this December...

Oana Befort

Oana Befort - Oana is a talented illustrator whose blog includes design freebies like pretty desktop wallpapers and printable holiday gift tags, along with her ongoing project to take photos of her (adorable) children every week for a year, lovely photos of life in Bucharest, Romania, and the occasional inspiration post.

Yes and Yes

Yes and Yes - Sarah Von is a world traveler who lives life on purpose, and I think that she has one of the most unique voices on the web.  It's like she scours the four corners of the Internet for the most unusual, but interesting content aimed toward a primarily young female audience.  The "Mornings In" series shows how women around the world greet the day and Mini Travel Guides give readers the inside scoop on destinations that are off the beaten path.  Her True Story features (like this interview with a professional ballerina), which cover all sorts of controversial, interesting, and quirky choices and lifestyles, are probably my favorite, but I also love the Network of Nice and Web Time Wasters.  Sarah has an app coming out in January - I really hope it will be available for Android because it looks awesome!

House of Earnest

House of Earnest - Erin Souder's lifestyle blog encompasses home decor, DIY (how pretty is this pillow inspired by Moroccan wedding blankets?), recipes, and party inspiration.  She also shares behind-the-scenes peeks as she runs her own business, Grandiflora.  My favorite feature is her Friday Favorites series- the posts always include something modern and stylish that will catch my eye!

Trash is for Tossers

Trash is for Tossers - I discovered this blog one day when I saw that several of my Facebook friends had shared a link to an article called something like, "She hasn't made any trash in two years.  Here's what her life is like."  Total clickbait, but I was really intrigued.  I spent the rest of that evening reading every single post on Lauren Singer's blog.  Her goal is to live a sustainable, Zero Waste life, and she chronicles that journey on TIFT.  Her posts include zero-waste alternatives to everyday items, supplies and recipes for cleaning and skincare, spotlights on companies that take a waste-free approach to producing their goods, and strategies for traveling waste-free.  I am so inspired by how Lauren lives in a way that truly reflects her values, and her blog has made me more likely to stop and think before buying plastic.  She's even launching her own company!

The Perpetual Page-Turner

The Perpetual Page-Turner - a haven for YA and adult book nerds, I discovered Jamie's blog through her post on being married to a non-reader.  Her reviews have a conversational tone and she often reflects on how the books she's reading relate to her own life.  I really enjoy her monthly round-up posts, which go beyond books to include recent obsessions, favorite blog posts from around the web, and great music.

Previously featured blog loves I'm still freaking out over:  Corilynn, Southern Curls and Pearls, Nine-Thirty to Five, A Cup of Jo, Oh Joy!, Dandee, The Fresh Exchange, Sacramento Street, Geninne's Art Blog, The Everygirl, Fabulous K, Note to Self, My Life as a Teacup, Bright Bazaar, Clean and Scentsible, Everyday Occasions, City Farmhouse, A Thoughtful Place, {Ella Claire},The Lettered Cottage,  The Vintage Housewife, Tidy Mom, A Farmgirl's Dabbles, The Gracious Pantry, SkinnyTaste, How Sweet It Is, Shutterbean, The Recipe Critic, Dinner, A Love Story

Which blogs always put a smile on your face?  Do you have any recommendations this month?