Top 10 Favorite Posts of 2012 & Thank You!

'Tis the season now for a roundup of what was popular on Echoes of Laughter in 2012. These posts are chosen by you...the reader! Some posts were a total surprise to me and others were not a surprise at all. Number one was a total surprise to me....and if you had asked me when I wrote it, I would have guessed it to be a total dud of a post. The Accutane post...another surprise to me! That's the thing about these roundup posts...when you look at your posts...there are still surprises! Here we go!

 

Top 10 Favorite Posts of Readers for 2012

  

1. How I Stopped Killing Plants & Learned To Grow Something.
I would never have guessed this post would be so popular. I am sooo not a gardener!

2. Potato Boat Dinner.
The week of camping recipes that I shared in the summer was a huge hit...with this one being the most popular!

3. Vacation Memory Jar.
This post was not a surprise because I think we all love to display cherished memories in fun ways.

4. 10 Ways To Save Money On Groceries Without Couponing.
This post is a must read for household managers trying to feed a family on a budget. I am so glad that this post has been so popular.

5. Teens, Acne & Accutane.
This post was a total surprise to me. And so many readers shared their own stories of acne and accutane, and it was so wonderful to hear that many have had their acne cleared by this amazing drug.

6. Lumberjack Breakfast.

This post was another popular one from my week of camping recipes.

7. Strawberry Lemonade Mix.

The cute packaging on this gift helped to make this post popular.

8. Family Documents Binder.
One of my organizing posts from this year...I think every family should have one!

9. 12 Easy Organizing Projects for January.
Last January, I shared a roundup of easy organizing projects and I will be sharing another similar post later this week!

10. 11 Best Camping Tips & Recipes.
Apparently, lots of people love to read and find new ideas and recipes for summer camping trips!

So, which of these posts were your favourite, or did you have another post that was a fav?

***

I cannot believe that the last day of the year is already here. And another year of blogging comes to a close. I want to say a huge, mushy THANK YOU to all of you who come here and read and share and make this blogging journey so fun for me! I am so VERY GRATEFUL for YOU!  I would not be here without your continued support and wonderful comments !I want to thank each and every one of you for your kind KIND & THOUGHTFUL LOVELINESS and all the best for 2013!!

This post is linked to these parties:
Skip to My Lou, Someday Crafts, Gingersnap Crafts, Savy Southern Style, 36th Avenue, Tatertots and Jello, Six Sister's Stuff, Funky Junk Interiors, I Heart Naptime, It's Overflowing, Craft-O-Maniac, Under The Table & Dreaming, Somewhat Simple, The Frugal Girls,

New Year's Eve Party Favors...

Today I have been working on more pretty party favors for our New Year's Eve dinner party tomorrow evening, while watching my own little marathon of Downton Abbey to get ready for Season 3 starting on January 6th. I made 2 party favors~New Year's Treat Bags and New Year's Straws.

 

These things were totally inspired by my New Year's Ideas Pinterest Board and one of my very favourite blogs, Tatertots and Jello.  I have been reading and admiring this blog for years and I love all of the Jen's projects! I am happy to share the links so that you  may whip up your own as well!

 I took some festive paper straws  and added some darling flags for our drinks. I simply printed these flags onto white cardstock and cut them with a paper trimmer and scissors, gave them a swipe of adhesive on the back and pressed them  around the straws. You can find the flag template on this lovely blog here.

 

I also packaged up some Ferrero Rocher chocolates in lollipop bags and added this adorable bag topper from one of my very favourite blogs, Tatertots and Jello. This whole idea was completely inspired by Jen at Tatertots and Jello, and you can print your very own bag toppers and more by visiting her beautiful post on New Year's ideas here. I printed the bag toppers on white cardstock {they print 4 to a sheet}, cut them out and then stapled them to the lollipop bags filled with 2 chocolates. You could use any sweets treats you like!

Now our party will included pretty straws for drinks and a cute take home treat!

Be sure to visit my post on our New Year's Eve Party here.

And be sure to visit my New Year's Eve Ideas Board on Pinterest here.

 

And in case I don't get back here tomorrow, I wish you a wonderful New Year's Eve!

xo

This post is linked to these parties:
Aalderberry Hill, Under The Table & Dreaming, Craft-O-Maniac, Skip To My Lou, Someday Crafts, Gingersnap Crafts, Savy Southern Style, 36th Avenue, Six Sister's Stuff, Funky Junk Interiors,
Somewhat Simple,

New Year's Eve Dinner Party...

 

Hello friends! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and things are somewhat returning to normal at your house! I had a nice week long break from blogging and I filled my time with hanging out with my family, friends, taking naps and reading.  But boy...does my house now need a good top-to-bottom cleaning. I think tomorrow will be a day of cleaning & organizing before friends arrive for dinner and merriment at 5 pm.

We always like to spend New Year's Eve with our children, so we often plan a night of family fun. This year, we have invited another family over to share the celebration and  we are ordering Chinese food. We usually ring in the New Year around 7 o 8 pm so that the kids can join in the fun without staying up way past their bedtime. Our teenage daughter is planning to go out with her friends, but she will be eating  New Year's Eve dinner with us and hanging out for a bit before she heads out with her friends.

 I am hoping to inspire you with our simple New Year's Eve table which I quickly and easily put together with things from I  already had. I decided on a traditional colour scheme of white, gold, silver and black. I took a white ceramic tray and created this arrangement of candles and ornaments. I tied black ribbon around the candles for a festive touch and  to tie the colour scheme together. I'm sure if you checked around the house, you could probably gather up gold & silver items to create a pretty tablescape as well!

 I got out black & white straws for the martini glasses and added a gold paper doily underneath for a pop of colour. I also tied white napkins together with noise makers using white & black ribbon and added 2 gold-wrapped Ferrero Rochers chocolates to each plate for a treat. {I had the chocolates already in the house for  Christmas.}

Simple & festive, but it works. I love that I didn't spend any money since the noisemakers were left over from a previous year.

Sometimes it's the small touches that can take a celebration to a new level.

I love making guests and my family feel special!

 

What are your plans for New Year's Eve?

Staying in or going out?

This post is linked to these great parties: Tip Junkie,
Tatertots and Jello, Craftberry Bush, Six Sisters, It's Overflowing, Aalderberry Hill, Under The Table & Dreaming, Craft-O-Maniac, Skip To My Lou, Someday Crafts, Gingersnap Crafts, Savy Southern Style, 36th Avenue, Six Sister's Stuff, Funky Junk Interiors, Between Naps On the Porch,