My 100th Post - A Look Back

Well, here it is, my 100th post. It's been a wonderful journey, one that I hope will not soon end. These past few months, I've shared quite a bit of my life with the blog-world. Let's take a look back:

My blog started as a gardening blog, hence the name: niagara novice. I had never been a gardener when I lived in Texas; climate, heat, and time proved it a burden. But when I decided I wanted to start gardening, I found comfort in the knowledge that blogging garden experts provided to me, and created the garden in the pictures above. Best part is, it grew! Into a beautiful garden, worthy of a party, which is just what we did. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

We worked through the mess of Karen's massive home together on the blog, and damned the pea soup conessuier who mocked my paint choices. We turned that monstrosity into a home, and turned a bedroom into a peaceful retreat, with enough style to stand alone, but enough space to make it her own. I was proud of what we accomplished, and I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

We discussed the idea of wallpapering my sunroom ceiling, and I began sharing photos of my humble home. We played with ideas, and toyed with thoughts, and I decided to love the room just as it is. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

I shared some of my more "interesting" designs with you, like the bedroom of a little girl in Texas. Your thoughts and comments boosted my self esteem. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

We shared a cyber dinner together, at the end of the season summer dinner party titled, "An Affair to Remember". It was, until the Christmas decoration post, the most discussed post of Color Outside the Lines history, and my confidence in my ability to present worthwhile and beautiful design rose to new heights. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

I got tired of looking at cheap, Sauder bookshelves stuffed with books, and decided to fix it - permanently. We built this from almost nothing, and it is the beauty of that room. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that.

I couldn't leave the room that the bookcases were in a mess, when such a beautiful piece lay opposite of the bed. So together, we re-decorated the guest room, and it received high praise from the first guest who slept there. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that!

Together, we copied a very expensive driftwood lamp - and it turned out beautifully. Though not finished, it will be my 100th blog give-away, because, you guessed it - I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for it.

We shopped together, for tables, picture frames, wooden candles sticks and napkin rings, apple cider presses and discount fabric. We shared our tag sale finds, and benefitted from each others creative processes. I have this blog, and all of you, to thank for that, too!

So as I sit here, thankful and cheered over the passion for decorating this blog has revived inside of me, I hope that the next 100 posts will help to revive or fuel that passion inside of all of you. Thank you to each and every one of you, who through your comments and your compliments, drove me to keep creating, keep writing, keep searching, and keep finding. This has been a success because of all of you, and I'm the person I am today, because I had a creative outlet that you all have made the most beautiful and special, of any I've ever had.

On this, my 100th post, I celebrate you all - my readers, my friends, my co-creators. Here's to you, and here's to 100 more!