Today is the official 4th birthday of Vintage Revivals.
I am having a hard time coming up with the next sentence because that just seems so utterly insane to me.
I mean, HOW?
I have learned so many invaluable lessons from this little blog and had so many experiences that I never thought a possibility.
My personality is one to move on to the next thing, and reach higher after each experience. Sometimes I forget to look back and see just how far the climb has taken me.
So lets have a little flashback shall we?
This was my first project:
But it wasnt my first blog post. My first blog post was this little cane chair.
My first logo was designed exclusively in Picnik.
Over the years VR has had many faces (I would LOVE to know which ones you remember!)
Man how the projects have evolved too. Here are some of the most popular tutorials. You might want to cover your eyes…or swallow the liquid in your mouth before you scroll down to the first project…
The infamous Tin Foil Nightstand. (Sept 2010) this project was polarizing, people either loved it or hated it. Strangely I didnt feel too strongly either way.
Anthro Acid Mirrors (Nov. 2010)
How to make a rug (Feb. 2011)
![[DSCN4780[3].jpg]](https://lh5.ggpht.com/_schtd5RphwI/TV7loRPRfOI/AAAAAAAADHo/p90wmS_3R-Y/s1600/DSCN4780%5B3%5D.jpg)
How to build a simple sliding barn door (updated tutorial here)
Sharpie Wallpaper (updated tutorial here)
It is an extremely surreal feeling going back through old posts. Four years have gone by so fast, but at the same time, I feel like I have done so much more than what the blog shows. Must be all of the thought energy that goes into it.
Mostly I want to say thank you to each and every one of you. You guys have been with me through some of the craziest times of my life and I know it sounds so cliche, but, you really truly have made my life brighter.
Here is to 4 more years! I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to know what VR project brought you here or which one is the most memorable for you. Memory lane is a much funner road when travelled with besties!
Wow, time flies! I started reading VR back when you had the houndstooth header. I didn’t read every post, but when I saw your mirror-inlay credenza, I was hooked. Oh, and the ever-changing stencil wall. 😀 Congrats on 4 years, Mandi!
I’ve literally been following you from the beginning! I religiously followed all things thrifty and saw you comment about being bffs haha. I clicked over and have followed since. I remember the seizure wall, orange kitchen, and for sure all the living room projects. I also remember the tin foil night stand being made fun of on some random site.
Congrats on 4 years! That’s great! You’ve done so many inspiring projects.
Happy Blogger-versary! I found your blog sometime after year 1 and I have loved watching your style evolve. You are so inspiring and I love how you keep everything real. Thanks for all the fun times and great projects!
I first came to your blog through the “how to make a rug” post – I probably will never do it – but I was so impressed with how you did it. and I was hooked!! Not sure how I came across the post, probably Pinterest, maybe, but other blogs come and go on my list, but Vintage Revivals stands! Keep it up!
Congrats on your 4 years of success!! Here’s to many more years of amazing blog posts to come…
Jenna
https://pizzigatidesigns.tumblr.com/
Your mother in laws kitchen was what brought me to you blog. You’re the only one I stalk…I mean “follow”! Once I saw that I was hooked, and looked at everything that night! Being an interior designer, and you say you have no experience (so not true) made me love you even more! I love the way you just go with it, take risks…a lot of us just keep it “safe”! Thanks for you inspirations, making me get my creative juices flowing again and taking risks with my clients 😉 we all here LOVE YOUR GUTS!!!!
I think I’ve been reading for about a year… maybe a little longer. It was during my “I hate my job” phase and VR was definitely a highlight of my days!
Happy Blog Birthday!
I have been following along for a while and would like to tell you that I love your aesthetic and am inspired by your creativity. Keep up the good work!
Wow, I think I discovered your blog through a pin of the anthro acid mirrors! I totally forgot. Happy birthday VR!
I was at my absolute lowest and trying to escape through pinterest when I saw your Himmeli wreath and was hooked. This was about six months ago and I’ve been reading your blog religiously ever since and combing through the archives. I really appreciate your candor (sp?) when it comes to the creative spark and trying to follow that spark…congratulations on your blog’s success and thanks for all the inspiration!
I stumbled upon your Life Story, of all things, and cried myself to sleep after reading it. I was hooked at that point and have been an avid follower ever since. I love how candid you are. Makes me want to be a better person. Thanks for sharing your designs and life with your readers. We adore you!!!
OMG! 4 years??? I’m pretty sure I’ve been with you (pretty much) from the very start. I definitely remember the tin foil nightstand! I was one that loved it ~ and still do! I also remember when you spray painted your kitchen back splash…. um… ORANGE. It has been a true TREAT watching you, and your style, change, grow, morph, and expand. You are unbelievably talented. You are unbelievably fun. You are unbelievably inspirational. I’ve loved every second of the journey and promise to follow you to the end!
I found you when you were a contestant on Crafting with the Stars! That was FOREVER ago. I feel like I was one of your first readers. I hope I was! 🙂
As I read this post I realized when I first saw your work….someone posted your Tin Foil Nightstand on Pinterest and I loved it and recreated the look on an old money box, although I didn’t begin to follow your blog until 2012. Congrats on 4 years!
I LOVE your blog and have for a long time! Your personal story actually brought me here. Your projects are amazing but the way you told that story made me stick around 🙂
I started following you the second I saw you on Nate Berkus with your “house proud”. I loved how adorable you were and how candid. Keep up the good work and congratulations on 4 years!!
It was the DIY rug that brought me over to your blog. The Anthro Acid mirrors made me bookmark it. 😉
Happy Blogiversary, my friend!! From the dates you have above, I think I’ve been reading since late 2010/early 2011. How cool is that?! Congratulations. xo
I’ve only been reading your blog for a few months. First found you on pinterest. I was hooked. I started at the beginning and read every blog when I had a moment. Needless to say, not a lot got done around here during those first weeks! I love all of the projects, and really want your orange couch! When my daughter leaves on vacation next week I’m painting my dining room chandelier orange!!! I can’t wait. She says there’s too much color in the house- impossible I say. Thank you for all of the inspiration you give me.
I started following you this year and I have been hooked ever since! I don’t know how many times I have pinned your orange sofa but it’s a few! I love your style and your creativity inspires me. Congrats! Blog land wouldn’t been the same without your mind.
I honestly can’t even remember how I found you! Funny how blogging leads you around to others. I’ll cheers you to four more too, though!
I have been a follower for a couple years and for the life of me can not remember how I found you. Your style has evolved from awesome Diy, to truly magazine worthy. I can totally see you in House Beautiful. When I saw you on Domino’s, I was so excited for you. Keep it up, your blog has given me the ability to find my own decorating voice.
Happy blogiversary! I totally remember that yellow VR blog header, & the tinfoil nightstand & anthro acid mirrors were some of your first projects that got me hooked on VR!!!
Made some Swig cookies today. I get rave reviews every time.
Found you and loved you on Nate. Miss all that show did for you all (bloggers at large) but so glad he introduced us! Here is to the next four years!!
I have been following you since you started and yours is still my favorite DIY/decorating blog! I even have branches like yours hanging on my living room wall and string art in my kitchen 🙂 After seeing you on Nate’s show I was inspired to starting thrifting and DIYing and it’s become my most favorite hobby and a huge passion. Thank you for sharing your creative mind with the rest of us! Happy Anniversary!
Congratulations! Its been fun watching the change!
I’m not much of a DIYer but enjoy it vicariously through you. Can’t believe it’s only been 4 years! I first saw you on The Nate Berkus Show, (miss that) I would imagine that was a big break-out occasion for you!
Some of us will probably stay on our wobbly, infant blogger legs…but my mom always told me that my character, and in so many ways my life, could be defined by how happy I was for other’s accomplishments and successes–so kudos to you, keep up the good work! Mary Wilding http://www.mytributejournal.com
congrats! I think I found you somewhere around that wood slice VR logo– definitely through a search that led me to your DIY rug post. Excited to keep following along along!
4 years! That’s awesome! I first saw you on The Nate Berkus Show like three years ago now and have followed you ever since. Your blog is such an inspiration for others!
i came for your himmeli wreath as posted on instagram by brickyard buffalo a few months ago, and i’ve been coming back ever since. love your blog and especially your “real life story”. you’re a gem.
I came to check out the anthro acid mirrors after seeing them studio 5 and I’ve kept coming back ever since!!
Thank you for sharing! It’s inspiring to see how far your blog and designs have come from that first post. It gives me hope that my style will continue to evolve and only get better!
Congrats Mandi! I think you’re great!
It’s nice for a new blogger like me to see that you have to start somewhere and can improve like wine over time! Your site is fabulous, congrats on your success!
I found you on your very first post and have loved every min since. Can you believe you have had this blog as long as it takes to finish high school! I feel like high school was an ETERNITY but the last 4 years have flown by. You have a lot to be proud of Mandi. It is crazy to see how much your style has evolved. Cant wait to see what you do with the next 4 years.
It’s funny to realize that the rug was from your site! I remember staring at it thinking, “THAT’S what I need to do.” (and never did.) I always love seeing the positive support you get on your site because of your frankness and joy in life. You inspired me to start my own blog of our first home remodel, and I finally feel like I have an enjoyable creative outlet. Keep being yourself and inspiring the rest of us to dive into hard core creativity!
The Anthro mirrors definitely brought me here and I followed your tutorial to a ‘T’. It has been amazing to follow along ever since. Congratulations to 4 years and here’s wishing you many, many more! Yay!!!
Congrats Mandi, you’ve done a lot of amazing work so far!
Hey I just got my latest copy of DIY and you were in it! I had just discovered your blog a few days ago so I was so excited when I recognized you! I told my husband “hey I know her!” haha Congrats 🙂
Mazal Tov!
Your board and batten brought me here (though looking back on pintrest I had pinned many of your posts before following VR).
Your personality and fresh style have kept me here 🙂 you are one of my faves!
I’m pretty sure I found you from a pin of your entryway with the bike triptych!
Believe it or not, the foil nightstand brought me here. I read through the tutorial, and was hooked. Your creativity and personality coming through in just words and pictures is what kept me going. I immediately started clicking around for other projects on the site. Its odd, because I feel like as your style progressed, it seemed to be right on cue to what I was on to. I love how you stay current without being trendy. That ultimately is what keeps me here. Congrats on the 4 year anniversary! May the creative juices keep flowing!
Love your blog!!!
I first came over when your entryway was featured on YHL, saw your living room, and never left. Keep it up. You’re amazing!!
Cannot remember for the life of me how I stumbled upon your blog but your shiny personality love for what you do and downright bizarre (in a good way) ideas hooked me straight away.
Have been reading your blog voraciously ever since ,must be a good couple of years now. I find your blog funny, interesting and a visual feast of unusual and fun home ideas that has helped make me aspire to more in my house.
I really look forward to reading the blog an hope it goes on and on for years to come. Love ya guts!!!
I know I found you through some random blog rabbit hole that I tend to get on, but it wasn’t until I saw you on Nate that I really started following along. Your personality and fearlessness drew me right in! Congrats on an amazing 4 years and here’s to many more!
I like the floating shelves, the sliding barn door and the rug you made. Vintage indeed and very artistic. Hope you have some more projects to share.