I wanted to thank you all earlier, but I was waiting until I heard from Better Homes & Gardens…

We WON! Making it Lovely received the most votes in the 48-Hour Challenge at BHG.com and we’ll be the recipient of a $5000 bonus! We’re so excited, and we’re eager to get started on a few new projects around the house that will now be possible. And obviously, we couldn’t have won without your tremendous support. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Today is the last day to vote in the 48-Hour Challenge. The timing of the challenge was a bit crazy (coinciding with my ninth month of pregnancy), but Brandon and I took it on and we’re so proud to have been a part of it. Thank you to Better Homes and Gardens for asking me to be a part of the challenge, and thank you to the other participants: The Cottage Nest, The Home Garden, The Wood Whisperer, and of course my friends over at This Young House. We were thrilled to be in such wonderful company, and the other four projects were all incredibly inspiring.

Here’s a look back at where we started…

And where we ended…

And during the process we went from a married couple to a family.

Thank you too, all of you, for your support throughout the whole process. There were times when I thought I was in a bit over my head (*ahem*, porch painting), but the end result and your thoughtful comments made it all worth it. And I truly appreciate those of you that took time to vote for us, whether it was once a day, once in a while, or just once. Thank you.