After doing lots of research on Pinterest, I fell in love with these looks for the room:

1. First, mark up your particle board. It is important to figure out how many buttons you want and the distance between each of them. We mapped it our with a sharpie and a measuring tape so it would all be even. We decided on 10 buttons total. We marked a line in the middle, then the quarters, then in between those going horizontal. Then we went 7 inches down going vertically. Where those lines intersect is where you have a button. Then Ryan drilled 2 holes for each button. You need both so you will be able to tie the thread on the backside once the fabric is all attached. 

2. Then get the batting just right and staple it to the backside of the board. This is a 2 man job. I held the board in place while Ryan secured it with the staples. Holding it vertical while stapling was better in the long run so we could make sure it was nice and tight.

4. Repeat the batting step with the fabric. Once we had secured 2 of the sides, I was a little worried because it was still looking wrinkled. We used our iron to get the wrinkles out while we still had a chance. You want the fabric as tight as you can get it.

I was so pleased with the way it turned out that I wanted to see it behind the bed. Some time soon, we are going to get a bed frame and then end up raising the headboard a little.

This project also required some collaboration with Rachel. Her work continues to impress.

I am really please with the way it all turned out and I think it is a great start to Jaclyn’s new business! Cheers to JAC!!!

Please go explore her site: www.jaclynjourney.com

From the ECS Cookbook and Kitchen of Peggy Carlton

Ingredients:

3 cups sugar

2 sticks butter

1/4 tsp baking soda

3 cups flour

6 eggs, separated

1 cup sour cream

Directions:

Mix sugar and butter together. Mix soda and flour together in a separate bowl. Add egg yokes to sugar and butter one at a time. Add flour mixture and sour cream, alternating, a little at a time. Fold in egg whites. Put in a greased and floured Bundt pan.

Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees.

Dining Room: Kendall Charcoal by Benjamin Moore

Hallway Downstairs/Stairway/Upstairs Landing: Blue Springs by Benjamin Moore

Downstairs Bathroom: Burnt Caramel by Benjamin Moore

Office: Hawthorne Yellow by Benjamin Moore

Guest Bathroom: Winter Solstice by Benjamin Moore

***Coming soon***

Guest Room: Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore

Before:

It was just gross no matter how much we tried to clean it!!! This thing couldn’t ever be pretty without some big changes.

Matt and Ryan ripped this room down to almost nothing. I didn’t realize we had to go back before we went forward, but they knew what they were doing.

Cutting open another doorway was a last minute decision that made this room to me. I love Jack and Jill bathrooms. Holmes and I shared one for about 10 years. Those years were filled with so much teenage drama over who got to use the bathroom first.

But it really opens the space up and makes it feel its actual size. Matt also made it so both doors would open out instead of into the bathroom. Imagine the space we gained! (We also gained mass amounts of dust.)

Because the wall was covered with weird, fake tile, they had to put up new dry wall.

I love the retro tile we picked! It was half the price of the tile I originally wanted, but its perfect for the look I was going for.

Matt laid the tile on a Friday.

And Ryan grouted later that week.

This is about the point where it was all coming together!!!

Then we ran into a slight problem! I wanted a vanity that fit the bathroom look I was going for. This proved way more difficult than I realized. After several stops, we found this dresser at an antique store in Franklin, Kentucky. It was the cheapest one we had seen all day and the closest to what I was wanting! Amazing how that worked out.

We made the switch from black to white and knew it was perfect for the space.

It all seemed to move really quickly after this! We painted the walls & bead board. Matt put up frames around the doors and the trim, plus a pendant light Ryan picked out.

After cleaning the tub, installing the vanity/sink, a new toilet, and finishing up the paint, it was complete!

The last thing to get was a shower curtain that found at Anthropologie in Birmingham. Thank you Grandy for contributing to the bathroom! I love the ruffles.

*the Sigma Chi boys are the blue group (Avatars).

We decided to give the outside a fresh coat of paint. The owner of the local paint store said we could use any paint we wanted after we put a coat of Stickies Primer. Obviously we wanted to get rid of the RED FEET!

But there was still the problem of the inside. We bought a kit from Lowe’s for $40 and were determined to get this thing looking better.

Ryan wanted to try out some Comet (only $0.94) before we brought in the big guns. After about 20 minutes of manly muscle power, this thing looked brand spankin new!!!!!!! Now we can return the other kit and are more than pleased!!!!

Stay tuned for the bathroom reveal coming soon!

We decided that he needs a surprise this morning even though my gift was finished being made (YES, I said made! I was surprised too!)

When I got home from work, Ryan said my gift still wasn’t finished. I have been so curious about what he was working on because usually I give homemade gifts. This year we switched roles! My man found this DIY for Scrabble Coasters and thought it would be perfect for me. He was right! I am so impressed that he took the time to create these.

They are cute and such a treasure! Thanks Valentine!