2011 was packed with wonderful before and after projects! Readers and editors both shared some amazing furniture re-do's. From the old made modern to the broken turned fixed, here are just a few of the incredible before and after furniture posts of the year.

TOP ROW
• 1 Craigslist Coffee Table Turned Tufted Ottoman
• 2 Before And After: Reading Bench Makeover
• 3 How To Refresh Vintage Wood And Celebrate It's Years Of Character
• 4 Before And After: Pallet Daybed
• 5 Before And After: From Low Coffee To A Lovely Desk

Electronic gift certificates have been around for quite a while and are fantastic as a last minute gift idea. While they may seem a tad impersonal at first, they can actually be especially nice for the vintage lover in your life. There are an abundance of unique online vintage shops, many of whose owners have an impeccable eye for quality and present their goods with top notch product styling. So for those that love to virtual window shop for vintage, putting a little e-money in their pocket may just be the perfect gift.

Holiday cards have started to arrive, and there are so many creative ways to display them. From card chandeliers constructed with embroidery hoops, to cards easily hung from decorative twine, a quick search online provides all kinds of clever ideas. My favorite of the year is this simple branch display via kidspot.com...

Who: Artist Lisa Jordan of lil fish studios
Redefine: "Needle-felting"

The art of forcing individual wool fibers to interlock by using a barbed needle. Using this approach, the soft fibers can be coaxed into firmly formed sculptural shapes or painterly scenes.

Lisa works with wool before it has been processed. She is a maker whose process turns a raw material into a finished piece of art. She is able to sculpt and paint not with a brush, but with a barbed needle. With a lot of patience, an incredibly appreciative, creative mind, and a box of band-aids, Lisa makes beautiful art. Read more about her process below...

Do you spread holiday cheer to your neighbors? Have you purchased that Secret Santa gift for the office? Here are a few eco-friendly ideas for any special occasion.

Who: PearsonMaron
Redefine: "Slip casting"

Putting slip (liquid clay) into a mold, letting it harden, then pulling it out.

In Quincy's and Adam's work, drawings come to life and disasters become amazements. Through their art, fantastical characters like the abominable snowman and the elusive chupacabra are celebrated. They show us the direction to happiness and literally make cloud factories! Intricacies and rules are mastered to give us simple childhood dreams.. and they do all of this with clay.

Sending paperless holiday greetings via email or smart phone is becoming quite common. While handmade greetings are a more personal art form, and tend to carry more of the traditional holiday spirit, businesses like Cartolina are offering beautiful, eco-friendly alternatives.

I have been drawn to simple holiday decor this year. Natural decorations made from found materials have caught my eye and have both inspired and motivated me to step outside and gather materials. The photo's and projects above are wonderful inspiration. I can't help but think of an afternoon walk, hunting for twigs and branches, bringing the findings home and making all three.