Currently in Second…

Our front porch was slightly ahead in the 48-Hour Challenge, but now we’ve slipped down to second place. I’m not normally competitive, but with our new little one we could really use the $5000 bonus. If you’re so inclined, I’d really appreciate your vote! And please remember that you can vote every day until June 12.
front porch before and after

Comments

101 responses to “Currently in Second…”

  1. maria Avatar
    maria

    i’ve voted for you every single day, i sooo want you to win. your makeover is the best! love your site. Come on people, vote for Nicole!!! She must win!!!

  2. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Voted for you…hope you win! Your porch is SO cute!

  3. val Avatar

    i voted for you!

    Your project by far is the best, and your blog is so very nice. I love visiting, and getting inspiration. Keep up the awesomeness, lady!

  4. :::Lyzz::: Avatar

    I love both your blog and TYH’s. While I love both projects, I think your project is the best of the bunch and had been consistently voted for you everyday since the poll is open. I do hope that you win. We are planning to do our back patio in a while here and your hand painted rug is such and inspiration that I might just have to borrow it. Good luck and hope that $5k goes into your pocket for more inspiring goodness.

  5. Nikki Avatar
    Nikki

    The porch really is fantastic. It comes together so smartly and has a great feel to it.

  6. creative*type Avatar
    creative*type

    voted!

  7. Kim Avatar
    Kim

    I agree with Lyzz. I LOVE TYH’s blog, I really do, but your project was just better.

  8. Elena Avatar

    I’m all over it!

  9. Anna @ D16 Avatar

    I didn’t vote before because BHG wants so much personal info just to register (my home address? really??), but I just went ahead and did it anyway. If they send me junk mail, I’ll forward it to you! :D

    I really do hope you win. Your project is by far the best!!

  10. Sarah Avatar

    wow, when did that happen… I feel like you had such a good lead. I’ve been trying to vote everyday, because I really do love your design the best! I’ve added a post-it note to my work monitor that says “Making it lovely…VOTE!”, so now I won’t forget. Good luck :)

  11. christy Avatar
    christy

    You were so far in the lead I thought you were a shoe in! I also agree with Lyzz, I like both blogs but I think yours has way more impact for the money! I really hope you win! I forgot to vote the past couple days, that must be why. ;)

  12. Laura Casey Interiors Avatar

    New reader- I voted! great job!

  13. Leigh Avatar
    Leigh

    Aaaack! You have to win! Just voted.

  14. {AmericanGypsy} Avatar

    Just voted for you! Your porch makes me crave lemonade and late afternoon gossip. Love it!

  15. bianca Avatar

    Just voted for you, but it’s slightly confusing. It took me a second to figure out that I needed to go to your photo to vote for you.

    Will be sure to vote everyday for you! Good luck!

  16. anotherKate Avatar
    anotherKate

    I too hesitated to vote because of all the personal info, but I discovered that I only had to set up the email/password part and was able to vote without entering my mailing address, etc. Hope that helps rustle up a few more votes, yours really is the best of the bunch.

  17. Amanda Avatar

    I’ve voted every day as well. Great project! I hope you win!!! :)

  18. Mick Avatar
    Mick

    I’ve voted everyday for you. Yours certainly is the best design and use of the $500 budget. You got a lot for your money. I’m even having my husband vote each day!

  19. Making it Lovely Avatar

    Thank you so much, everyone!

  20. VICKI Avatar

    I was shocked when I voted today and saw the results. I have voted everyday for you. Yours is my favorite by far.
    I will continue to vote each day.

  21. VICKI Avatar
    VICKI

    I voted each day for you. I was shocked to see the vote count today. I will continue to vote everyday.

  22. Tamikko Avatar
    Tamikko

    I just voted for you :)
    yours really is the best. I love the pink and green. I’ve added the site to my ‘everyday’ folder in favorites so I can vote every day for the next month.
    Hope you win.

  23. Dewi Avatar
    Dewi

    I have been voting for you everyday.
    I really hope you win.

    I’m inclined to think some people have been accidentally voting for the other porch, your porch never comes up first in the lineup, when clicking thought I bet people coming from you website intending to vote for you inadvertently vote for the other porch.

    It does not make one bit of sense that the other porch pulled so far ahead of you and the bar-b-que couple when they were third for over a week ????

  24. Dewi Avatar
    Dewi

    ^^^^^^^^^ WOW, that is some mess i made typing fast and not rereading!!
    Sorry

  25. Julie Anne Avatar
    Julie Anne

    I’ve been voting for you daily every day but the first…

    I had the same hesitation about registering with BHG that Anna from D16 did – but I purposely spelled my name wrong and will now conduct an experiment to see how much junk mail I get from the “planted name”!

    Totally worth it to add votes to Team “Making it Lovely” – Nicole, Brandon, and Eleanor!

  26. Kara @ KSS Avatar

    I just voted for you!

  27. erin Avatar
    erin

    while i love both you and TYH, your painted porch rug is the best! i’ll continue to vote for ya!

  28. sarah beth Avatar
    sarah beth

    I do believe that yours is the best, and if the prize money helps you out with your little Princess, I am happy to vote for you!

  29. robin Avatar

    i voted! i’ll use their daily emails as a reminder to come back and keep voting! haha it is worth it, you guys so deserve it because your porch really is the best!

  30. SaraSophia Avatar

    Voted for you ma’am! Your design is the best anyway. I’d have voted for you even I hadn’t been stalking your adorable blog for months now:) Good luck and I really hope you win<3

  31. Linley Avatar

    I’ve been voting for you everyday. Your’s is really the best :)

  32. Rachel Denbow Avatar

    Just placed my vote for your beautiful porch. Not sure why it would be slipping to the boring one in first place. Yours is outstanding!

  33. Christina Avatar

    CAn I just say your design leaves the others in the dust

  34. Kerry (the seventy tree) Avatar

    I too have placed a vote! Been following your projects for a while now. Your porch was sooo good. I want a porch too…no one does the porch thing like that in the UK. Boo. And at full term too!!! Congratulations on your baby girl. She looks so sweet.
    Happy days to you
    Kerry.

  35. sophiefair Avatar
    sophiefair

    just voted — you really did achieve the most with the budget. and you are in the lead again — or at least you were a minute ago.

    go team lovely!

  36. sophiefair Avatar
    sophiefair

    oh, and i would have had to vote for you anyway — i have an eleanor too! she’ll be 12 soon, and is such an amazing kid. i wish you as much joy from your eleanor as i have had from mine.

  37. Michelle Avatar

    I just needed a reminder, I suppose! I voted once, and then forgot! Perhaps you could put a little reminder at the end of your posts. (I tend to ignore sidebars…)

    The project is lovely, and would have gotten my vote even if I DIDN’T just love your blog.

  38. Manvi Avatar

    Nicole,
    You had my vote as soon as I saw your finished porch. loved it. I have been meaning to do a post to encourage voting for you. I will draft and save it before I leave for buenos aires tom. good luck!

  39. Darlene Avatar
    Darlene

    VOTED!!!! Good Luck : )

  40. Liesbeth Avatar
    Liesbeth

    Done! I’ll try to remember to vote daily!
    Groetjes from Belgium,
    Liesbeth

  41. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    Registered and voted! Good luck!

  42. Desiree Fawn Avatar

    I just voted!
    I’ll to remember to vote each day!

  43. elle moss Avatar

    Ill vote! it looks amazing :)

  44. Tracy Avatar
    Tracy

    hey there, I’ve been voting for you too but the last few days, I haven’t :p So I voted today! I hope you win!! Love the front porch.

  45. pj Avatar
    pj

    i’ve been voting for you everyday. Your project is by far the best! and bravo to you for this very classy, low-key reminder to vote

  46. Tory Avatar

    I’ve been voting for your project everyday since the voting opened. Yours is by far the best. The others are a bit of a snooze! Your style and personality really show through. Great job, as always!!

  47. Jo Avatar
    Jo

    I’ve been voting for you every day. Your makeover was by far the most creative, stylish and well, just useful!

  48. Kristin Avatar

    You have got my vote! Hope you win! love this project.

  49. Hal Avatar
    Hal

    Ok OK I registered and voted today!

  50. kribss Avatar

    it was between you and tyh, i voted for you because yesterday i was jonesing to do some decorating. your style + taste match mine so much better plus you have the baby card- kids are damn expensive!!

  51. AussieMum Avatar
    AussieMum

    I just registered and voted! Hope you win!

  52. Michelle Avatar
    Michelle

    Hi Nicole,

    I love your blog. I am new to Oak Park and you are very inspiring! I hope you win, and your baby is beautiful. I voted, and I will keep voting everyday!

  53. Emily Avatar

    I voted, I also had my boyfriend vote & my Mom too! I’ll be sure to vote agin tomorrow! Good luck & congrats on your beautiful baby girl!

    ~emily

  54. Lauren Avatar

    I voted for you too….and blogged for others to do it as well!

    http://the-little-goat.blogspot.com/2009/05/cast-your-vote.html

  55. Jo Avatar
    Jo

    Yay! You’ve pulled out front again. I’ve sent the voting page to friends so they too can vote every day, hopefully a few Aussie fans can help you take this thing out!

  56. Lily Grace Avatar
    Lily Grace

    I liked the other porch one better. But I do read your blog and your project was great, too.

  57. madeleine huttenback Avatar
    madeleine huttenback

    YAAAAYYY We’re in the lead!!!! Go Baby GO!

  58. Jo in NZ Avatar
    Jo in NZ

    196 votes ahead at 10.40pm NZ time!

  59. Beth Avatar
    Beth

    Ok, this post of yours finally got me to register to vote – and when I went on this morning (day after your post) you’re back in first! I must admit I read your blog and TYH almost daily, even going back and reading archives often – but I think your porch outdoes theirs, so you’ve got my vote now, too.

    And to all those people skeptic to enter all that personal info just to vote, some of the above commenters are right, you don’t have to, just your email and password. Worked for me, too!

  60. D Avatar

    Been there, done that.

  61. kristen Avatar

    i wasn’t gonna vote because of all the personal info they wanted, but i did it anyway (is that the only way you can see the results, or am i dumb?!) and voted for you! your project is the most personalized, and makes the most sense! love it sooo much!

  62. Audrey Avatar

    Looks like you’re back in the lead, Nicole! Congrats!

  63. michelle Avatar

    just voted again!
    wednesday morning & you are in the lead by 200 votes! :)

  64. Agnes Avatar

    I have been voting as much as I can!!! Good luck!!! xoxo

  65. dana Avatar

    i voted for you!! will keep voting. :)

  66. danielle Avatar

    i’m voting for you!! :)

  67. Nuit Avatar

    Voted twice :) will go in and vote again this week. Yours is without a doubt, the BEST!

  68. cliona Avatar

    Just voted for you :)

  69. Jess Avatar

    Wooo!! You’re now 200 votes ahead!

  70. Rosa Avatar
    Rosa

    Just voted. Your porch looks awesome. Good luck.

  71. Bryn Avatar

    Your porch is absolutely amazing and by far my favorite – and the fact that you hand painted it while 9 months pregnant! You HAVE to win! I’m going to vote for you everyday :)

  72. kathleen Avatar

    I’m voting for you every day…good luck!

  73. Tina Avatar
    Tina

    I LOVE your porch!! I just registered to vote and will make sure to vote everyday. My husband and I just bought a 106 year old home so I am looking for decorating ideas. I am loving your pictures of your home and your beautiful baby daughter!!!

  74. Roberta Avatar
    Roberta

    Just voted! Hope you win!

  75. anh-minh Avatar
    anh-minh

    Yay! It looks like you’re back in the lead (where you definitely deserve to be). Good luck, Nicole!

  76. Jessi Avatar

    I’ve been voting for you as part of my everyday morning routine, who wouldn’t vote for a fellow Chicagoan not to mention your BEA-utiful transformation? I am wondering though, what are you dreaming of doing with the $5K? Or do you not want to jinx yourself by pre-spending the cash-ola, as I like to call it.

  77. Susan - Jubilee Furniture Co. Avatar
    Susan – Jubilee Furniture Co.

    I, too, didn’t want to leave such detailed personal information – but am now registered and voted for your beautiful porch – and will do so every day! You and Brandon created a wonderful spot.

    More importantly you two created a beautiful daughter. Congratulations!

    I was also excited to see you, your house and your blog featured in the Tribune magazine section in Sunday’s paper. How exciting! Jubilee Furniture even got a mention. :-)

    Lots of wonderful things happening for you which is great since you sure work hard. Good for you!

    Hope you’re finding time to rest!

  78. kris Avatar
    kris

    Voted for you! I hope you win. I can’t believe you painted that floor by hand with a baby so close to being delivered. That’s dedication to your craft. Also, congratulations! Your baby daughter is beautiful.

  79. Nat Nat Avatar

    Voting everyday!

  80. Bonnie Avatar
    Bonnie

    I notice that you are now back in first place. I hope my votes have helped. I read the article in the Sunday Trib and just had to “look you up”. We have an Arts and Craft (1921) in Crown Point, IN and I have loved it for the twenty years we’ve lived here. Love what you are doing with your home. Congratulations on beautiful Eleanor!

  81. Chantal Avatar

    Hi Nicole, I would love to vote for you (because your porch really deserves it) but I have to register first and as I’m not living in the States, the website doesn’t accept me… now isn’t that a pity… BH&G should change that. I’m sure you have more visitors from outside the States…!!
    Good luck, really hope you win!!

  82. Katlyn Avatar
    Katlyn

    I just voted again….hopefully first place tomorrow!! =) GOOD LUCK!!

  83. nm Avatar
    nm

    Your entry is so nice and you really deserve to be among the top choices. I also saw the entries of other participants and deciding who will win is surely hard because all of you have great concepts.

  84. harp Avatar
    harp

    I love both blogs as well but honestly beleive you deserve to win!!! Will vote for you everyday until June 12!

  85. Tarnya Avatar
    Tarnya

    have voted for you. congrats on the baby and hope you win!! all the very best. xx

  86. Jody Pham Avatar

    voted! you deserve it!

  87. hafsa Avatar
    hafsa

    jst voted for you! :)

  88. Making it Lovely Avatar

    Thank you, thank you! Every vote counts… it’s a close race!

  89. Katie Avatar

    I voted…and will go back as many days as I remember until the deadline to vote again!!! Great job on the porch, it’s beautiful, fun and creative (of course!!) and a belated CONGRATS on your beautiful baby girl : ) Hope you WIN!

  90. kenzie Avatar
    kenzie

    Just voted for ya!

  91. Uchenna Avatar

    Hi Nicole! Greetings from the Philippines! Congratulations to you and your husband, your baby girl is absolutely adorable!

    Good luck on the contest, registered at BHG just so I could vote for you. Hoping you’d win. Your project was best of the group. Come on people, let’s vote everyday!

    Cheers Nicole!

  92. Chantal Avatar

    Don’t know what happened but all of a sudden I’m registered and can vote. So of course I voted for you! You’re # 1 again, YEY!!

  93. Laurie Avatar

    Voting every day! You are in the lead once again :)

  94. Terrah Avatar

    Voted! *fingers crossed* You should win by that detailed floor ALONE.

  95. Fifi Flowers Avatar

    That is a HUGE difference!

  96. Rachel B. Avatar

    You can count on my vote from now until June 12th! Love your new porch!! I seriously want to come by and shoot some polaroids of that awesome pink table!

  97. Zoe, Conversation Pieces Avatar

    I’ll be voting – I do love a good before and after :)

  98. Gwendolyn Avatar
    Gwendolyn

    +1 vote!

  99. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    Your makeover is SO the best! I voted for you- had to leave a fake address- but I voted for you nonetheless!

  100. Pencils Avatar
    Pencils

    I voted! Sorry, I haven’t had time to visit your blog lately–I have my own small baby (actually, she’s not that small anymore!) Anyway, I totally understand how $5K could come in handy, so I will vote for you. I’m entering the HGTV house contest every day anyway, so I’ll do them together. Uh, though, no one else here should enter for the house, it’s MINE! ;)

    Besides, I love your makeover. Love the “rug” you painted.