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The Frugal Homemaker

Your guide to turning your house into a home... one DIY project and yard sale find at a time

Happy one year blogiversary!!

September 28, 2012

September 28th… do you know what I was doing last year on September 28th?  Publishing my VERY FIRST post on The Frugal Homemaker!  (Wanna read it?  Here it is.)  Which means today is The Frugal Homemaker’s ONE YEAR Blogiversary! 

one year blogiversary

I wasn’t new to the world of blogging a year ago, as I had written a coupon blog for several years, but I was new to WordPress (oh, I lost count how many times I crashed my site in the beginning) and to the world of Home/DIY/Décor blogging.  A coupon blog and a home/décor blog, I would learn, were TOTALLY different!

The day after my first post, I posted my fall mantel

Fall mantel

and then jumped right in and wrote for 31 days straight for my first 31 days series – 31 days to decorate your home on a budget.  That series is still my number one viewed post or posts on my blog a year later.

31 days button

During my first year of blogging I also attended my first blogging conference – Bloggy Boot Camp here in Atlanta.   And then my second conference, Haven, this summer!   Haven was amazing and I think the things I learned, the friendships I made, and many other things I learned and applied have been a huge turning point in my blog.    I found a community in Home Décor blogging that has been amazing!  I not only have friends that are bloggers, but also have bloggers that have become FRIENDS! Smile  And I love that.  I love that the Home blogging community isn’t competive, but rather inspiring and encouraging to each other.

Some of my favorite and most viewed posts have been:

  1. My 31 days series – 31 days to decorate your home on a budget  And 3 posts in that series are among the most viewed posts as well.
  2. 10 tips to a beautiful home10 tips to a beautiful home
  3. Using free printable as art
  4. Decorating for free with nature
  5. Of course my coffee filter wreath.  I still have it hanging in my dining room and love it!
  6. Updating your vent covers with spray paintHow to update your vents for cheap with spray paint
  7. Hanging plates on the wall with paperclipsplate hangar from paperclip
  8. My dining room before/after revealDining room reveal
  9. My spring green wreathSpring wreath
  10. Pinterest-inspired Clothespin wreathClothespin wreath

Of course I started out with no followers on my first post, one year ago today.  By November 1st, after my 31 days series, I had 107 email subscribers, and 110 people following me on facebook, and had 11,000 pageviews for the last 30 days.    Those numbers grew slowly, very slowly, over the next few months and then in March I published this post of my Coffee Filter Wreath

DSC_1356

(something that has been done again and again in blogland) and it went crazy a few days later!!   One day, it seemed it was getting 1,000 pins an hour on Pinterest and it has gradually continued to get pins since then.  It now has over 29,000 in pins on Pinterest to date.

No, I didn’t gain 29k in subscribers (I wish!), but my pageviews that month tripled and I gained almost 100 facebook fans in a month.

Then after Haven, my pageviews, and facebook likes have been very steadily increasing each and every month.  So where am I at one year later?  I have written 222 posts (wow!), have 1400 fans on facebook, 560 email subscribers, 200 RSS subscribers, and in the last 30 days  – 39,000 people visited my blog, and I almost crossed the 90,000 mark in pageviews.  Wow!  Still amazes me that there are that many people that are coming and checking out my blog every day.

Thank you

And that brings me to the thank you part of this post.  THANK YOU for checking in on my blog several times a week to see what new project or yardsale find I have posted.  Thank you for commenting on posts, on facebook, in emails and for being encouraging, inspiring readers.  I appreciate each and everyone of you!

I love decorating my home and would do many of the things that I do whether I had a blog or not.  ( I have always decorated my mantel for each season, made seasonal wreaths, and found frugal ways to add décor to my home.)  But I often did it all and then was disappointed because only my husband and I would see it.  I had no one to show it too and have someone else share in my excitement, give me feedback, share inspiration, and more.  Now I get share my home, décor, and frugal projects with thousands of you several times a week and that is one of the best parts of blogging!  You all are my virtual house guests each week and I love that!  Blogging would be no fun at all if I didn’t have anyone reading what I wrote.  And YOU make that possible!  The simple words, “Thank You”, can’t express how I really feel.

I am super excited about what this next year of blogging on The Frugal Homemaker is going to bring!  Starting with my 31 Pinterest projects in 31 days starting on MONDAY!

So Happy One Year blogiversary to The Frugal Homemaker and here’s hoping for MANY more!

(Just for fun, if you have read my blog since the very FIRST post or maybe you found my blog during the month of October, my first full month of blogging, or you found my blog through Pinterest, I would love for you to leave a comment!)  And if you just found my blog in the last few months, welcome, I am so glad to have you here!

Christina

15 Comments LABELS ~ Uncategorized

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Comments

  1. cece turney says

    September 28, 2012 at 9:05 PM

    I just found you in the past 2 wks….love your stuff.

    Reply
  2. Stefani says

    September 28, 2012 at 9:06 PM

    Happy blog anniversary! I found you blog last year while participating in 31 days. It doesn’t seem like it has already been a year since that project. Time sure flies! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Christa @ BrownSugarToast says

    September 28, 2012 at 9:07 PM

    I have read your blog from the very beginning!!! And knew about it before she was even born!! I feel special. 🙂 love you, love your blog. congrats!!!!

    Reply
  4. Heather B. says

    September 28, 2012 at 9:44 PM

    Hi Christina,
    I found you through your invisible plate hangers from a paper clip on pinterest – and I have been a faithful fan since. I feel you are a kindred spirit as I admire your approach and style to decorating your home in a pretty yet frugal way . Congratulations and I’m looking forward to your next 31 days series!

    Hugs,
    Heather B.

    Reply
  5. Jae says

    September 28, 2012 at 10:47 PM

    Happy Blogiversary!

    Reply
  6. Heather@ Thrifty Stories says

    September 29, 2012 at 7:52 AM

    Congrats, Christina. I have been a faithful follower since the first day and love your blog. Happy one year to FH. 😉

    Reply
  7. Kelly says

    September 29, 2012 at 12:20 PM

    Happy Blogiversary, Christina! Here’s to many more!
    Kelly

    Reply
  8. Erin says

    September 29, 2012 at 12:43 PM

    Congratulations! You’ve done a great job! Proud to say I’ve been a faithful reader since the beginning (and thanks for reposting that clothespin wreath pic – I forgot I was planning to make it!)

    Reply
  9. stacy says

    September 29, 2012 at 1:09 PM

    Did you realize that you are referencing August 28th and this is September? Or am I misunderstanding something? lol Congrats by the way, what a big accomplishment.

    Reply
  10. Renee@ Living Laughing & Loving says

    September 29, 2012 at 1:40 PM

    Happy Blogiversary!! Can’t believe it’s been a year! You were very brave to start the 31 days thing so soon, but it turned out to be great for you! Here’s to many more years!

    Reply
  11. Viola says

    September 29, 2012 at 1:53 PM

    Congratulations, Christina! I didn’t realize you have only been doing this blog for a year. I found you through facebook when you posted what I now know was your second post. Love your work!

    Reply
  12. monica says

    September 29, 2012 at 2:14 PM

    I have been reading since the last 31 Days.That is how I found your blog and I’m so glad I did! Happy Blogiversary!!!!
    monk5 at charter dot net

    Reply
  13. Rachel says

    September 29, 2012 at 2:27 PM

    HAPPY BLOGIVERSARY! =) I’ve been reading yours since you launched it…and STILL loving it! Congrats on all that you’ve been able to accomplish and wishing your many more years of blogging bliss! 😉

    Reply
  14. Jan says

    September 29, 2012 at 3:39 PM

    Happy Anniversary, Christina!

    I found your blog when I came across your post on how to hang plates by using paperclips! I knew there had to be an easier and less expensive way to do it than buying those clunky plate hangers that never hang right anyway 🙂 I’ve visited you ever since and love your decorating style and approach. You truly are for those of us with limited budgets but champagne tastes 🙂 I hope you will continue to be inspired by us and keep up your excellent blog. Thanks for so much inspiration!

    Jan N.

    Reply
  15. Tonya @ Love of Family & Home says

    September 29, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    Looks like you had a great first year!! Congrats!!

    Reply

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Hi!  My name is Christina . . .

I love doing simple, frugal things to make our house feel like HOME! Come learn along with me how to have a beautiful home on a budget.

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