At The Picket Fence

DIY Kitchen Cupboard turned Dartboard Cabinet

2012-05-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

I’ve never been one to hold a grudge but there’s always a first time right?

I don’t care that it is against an inanimate object.

I’m holding it responsible!

You see, it all began when I blinked and my oldest got older and the little wooden train table in the play-room which was loaded with tracks and Thomas characters somehow traded places with this:

I went from impressing my sweet little boy with my train track-building skills to being walloped by that same boy at a game which I am pretty sure was made up by some maniac determined to make fools of mothers everywhere and leave their children rolling around on the floor in hysterical laughter as they slowly try and connect those tiny, annoying players with a ball that never stops!

Then, as if I hadn’t been humiliated enough, we went and added this to the game/play room too.

So, I figured if I couldn’t get a tiny dart to do anything except bounce off of it’s target then at least I could make a pretty space for the game to be housed.

Actual dartboard cabinets can be fairly expensive, so I thought

I might just try and see if I could create one myself.

I headed to our local ReStore where I found this old kitchen cupboard.

And I transformed it into a DIY Dartboard Cabinet!

I added bead board wallpaper to the back.

Sprayed the inside door panels with chalkboard paint for keeping score.

We all know what my score will always be. Ugh.

And the entire thing got a nice coat of creamy off-white paint.

Two little wire containers hold the darts, chalk, eraser and extra tips.

And since there was enough room to put the shelf back in, I thought it would be the perfect place to put some board games. The “Clue” game was mine as a child and the “Perfection” game was my hubby’s.

I refuse to accept the fact that since they are circa 1970’s they are now considered “vintage”!

I also added oiled bronze knobs to the cabinet doors.

I suppose I’m just going to have to get used to the fact that even

play rooms have to start growing up sometime.

But, I don’t have to be happy about it!

Thanks so much for joining me today at the Fence,

This post is partying here:
DIY By Design: Spring into Spring
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
Uncommon: Uncommonly Yours Party
From My Front Porch to Yours: Treasure Hunt Thursday
No Minimalist Here: Open House Party

How to age new garden pots

2012-05-15T06:46:00.000-07:00

The topic of aging has been forefront in my mind these days since…well..ahem…I turned…forty… this past Friday. And while it takes years, hopefully, to age oneself, it only takes a few hours to age new gardening pots.

I found this pin on Pinterest (are you following us on Pinterest? We’d sure love it if you would!) several weeks back and just love the look of these aged blue terra cotta pots.

Source: Country Living

I knew that with some paint and a little elbow grease I could create some of my own.

They may not be identical but I think they definitely look like they’ve seen some years in the garden, instead of a few weeks on the store shelf.

Here’s all it takes to create this same look yourself.

Materials:

Terra Cotta pots (new or old) in various sizes
spray paint and/or regular paint in the color of your choice (I just used some left over wall paint I had)
inexpensive foam craft brushes
sanding sponge
steel wool
hammer
exacto blade

Directions:

(this couldn’t be easier)

Paint your pots, lighter on some heavier on others
I painted the teal blue underneath some of the pots and the lighter color on top in layers
While paint is still slightly wet, take your sanding sponge and start to sand off the paint in areas that would normally receive wear.

Do this along the rim and bottom of pot. Also along any edges.
For a more distressed look use the steel wool and heavily scrape off the pain along the surface.
You can also use an exacto knife to chip off the paint.
Take a hammer and lightly chip off some of the pot, revealing the terra cotta color underneath
Continue these steps until you get the look you want.

That’s it!

One of the benefits of having Better Homes and Gardens out to our house was I got to keep all of these gorgeous potted herbs that they purchased for the photo shoot!

They just happened to be some of our favorites!

I can’t wait to start enjoying our fresh herbs this year thanks to Better Homes and Gardens, and I’m so excited to be out working in the yard!

What outdoor projects are you working on?

Place this post is partying at:
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures
Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials and Tips Link Party
You're Talking Too Much: Meet Me Monday

A Labor of the Heart~Mother’s Day

2012-05-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

I will never forget the Mother’s Day when we were expecting.

For years I had painfully endured this day.

I would remain seated in my pew at church as the pastor said,

“Let’s have all of the mothers stand up and give them a round of applause.”

But this year was different.

We were the ones expecting!

There was so much anticipation, nervousness and uncertainty.

We knew that our lives would be changed forever with this

long prayed for dream finally coming true.

But, I wasn’t the one who was pregnant.

Weeks before, we had received the phone call informing us that a young birthmother had chosen us to be the adoptive parents of her son.

He was due in 6 weeks.

The emotions we experienced at that moment were unlike any we could have prepared ourselves for. While we were so excited about the prospect of finally becoming parents, it was tempered by the reality that there was no guarantee.

And that in order for us to experience this tremendous gain, someone else would experience a tremendous loss.

We prepared as much as possible but I never could bring myself to cut the tags off of the baby clothes we had been lovingly storing away.

An unexpected surprise came in the form of a trip my husband won through his employer and we decided to turn it into one last ‘hoo-rah’ before the baby was born.

We quickly booked flights to Hawaii and at the last minute my parents decided to join us there.

When we realized we would all be there together for Mother’s Day it only added to the excitement!

While we lounged in the sun and made plenty of fruity drinks, our thoughts were never too far from what we knew was waiting for us upon our return.

To celebrate Mother’s Day we made reservations at a wonderful restaurant and I remember feeling like we all shared this special little secret. The waiter gave me quite the strange look when he asked if I was a mother and I said, “Not yet, but soon.”

I’m sure he was even more confused when we made a champagne toast!

I felt all of the same hopeful “expectancy” in that moment but with none of the certainty.

3 weeks later on a beautiful day in May, the most precious little boy was born.

He was tiny and perfect and when I held him for the first time, his eyes opened up wide and locked with mine.

We were overjoyed! Our dreams were finally coming true!

We prayed that God would allow us to bring this boy home to be part of our forever family.

And while we prayed, just down the hall there was a young girl.

A young girl whose life had forever been changed.

I slowly walked down the hall and knocked on her door.

As I entered the room, I saw her sitting up in the bed holding him.

Sitting down gingerly on the edge of the bed, I leaned in to take a peek at his sweet face and to tell her how beautiful he was.

He looked like her.

We laughed together about his slightly crooked nose, a result of being in the breech position.

All of the fears I had about how I would feel towards my child’s birthmother just disappeared.

And my heart ached.

The pain and grief I had felt for so many years dissolved into only intense pain and grief for her.

She would never go back to the care-free life of a teenager.

I finally understood the true meaning of the word “bittersweet”.

The bitterness of this moment, this choice, combined with the sweetness of the gift of this child.

I held her close and we wept together, the tears dripping down onto the swaddled bundle.

I made vows and promises to her which are too sacred to ever repeat to anyone else.

And as I left the room I felt a peace unlike anything I had ever experienced.

Our case worker said that the attorney was going in with the paperwork and that we could have the baby in the room with us while we waited….and waited…and waited.

And in the midst of it all, the peace remained.

The door opened slowly and time froze.

The smile on our case workers face gave us the answer we had been waiting to hear.

He was ours!

All of ours…mine, my husband’s and this young woman’s.

Our lives would be forever joined together by this precious link.

We began packing our things and then the 3 of us walked back down that hallway and into her room.

Her eyes were puffy and swollen from crying…so were mine.

I picked up my new son and placed him back into the arms of his birthmother.

Our case worker asked us to all join hands and as we stood in a circle she prayed a blessing over all of us. The enormity of what was happening was not lost on anyone in that room.

I sat back down on her bed and gave her the gift we had carefully selected for her along with a letter from my heart.

It seemed so grossly inadequate to hand her these items and

have her give over the baby in return.

She asked if she could walk out to the car with us.
She wanted to see us drive away with him.

We all walked down the hall together.

Our son’s birthmother carried him.

The maturity and grace she showed in these moments was astounding.

She leaned into the waiting car and placed him in his car seat.

We hugged and cried…and hugged…and cried...I didn't want to let go of her.

And then we got in the car.

My wonderful sister and I sat in the back seat on either side of our son.

And all the while, she stood there watching.

She watched as the car started up and slowly pulled away.

I turned around in my seat so that I could see her face…imprint it in my mind.

Even now, I can still see it.

I stayed turned around until I could no longer see her.

And then I wept.

My sister wept with me.

Through my tears, I stared down at the beautiful face of my first child.

He had made me a mommy.

But, only through the loving sacrifice of this young lady.

On Mother’s Day, I think about both of my children’s birthmothers and what this day means to them. And I pray for them. Over the years, I have expressed to them countless times how incredibly grateful we are that they gave us the privilege of being

mommy and daddy to these amazing, wonderful children.

There are just no words to appropriately convey the depth of that gratitude.

People often say, “children are a gift”.

But until you have been literally “gifted” your children,

you just can’t fully appreciate the truth of that statement!

The adoption of my children did more than just give me the great joy of becoming a mother.

It allowed me to understand God’s love for me in a brand new way.

“In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding.”

Ephesians 1:5-8

And the sacrificial love my children’s birthmothers showed in placing them with us, gave me a new understanding of the loving sacrifice God made in giving us His own Son.

On this Mother’s Day, I pray that this truth will be very real to my children and their birthmothers.

And I pray that it will be very real to you too!

With love from my heart,

You can read the rest of this series by clicking here

Inspiration Friday No. 64 and Someone’s Turning 40!

2012-05-11T17:30:00.000-07:00

It’s Heather! (on Friday)

Happy 40th Birthday sweet sister of mine!!

“An older sister is a friend and defender~a listener, conspirator, counselor and a sharer of delights. And sorrows too.” –Pam Brown

From the beginning you have been there, protecting…

…hanging out with me and our cousins on the rockin’ orange shag carpet…

(Heather on far right)

…commiserating over the poofy, itchy dresses mom put us in…

…sporting some awesome perms and big bangs…

(oh dear heavens, sorry mom and dad! )

You grieved with me when I wondered if I would ever become a mom and rejoiced with me when those dreams finally came true!

And now, in this season of life, I love that we finally get to do a little bit more of this together!

And no matter what stage of life we are in, one thing is certain…

You will always be older than me! Hee Hee!

Heather, no one could ask for a better sister than you.

I am so blessed to have you in my life, not only as my sister, but as my friend!

I wish I could be there to celebrate this day with you but I know we will have so much fun on our Haven adventure next month. 5 hours in the car together!

We’ll be like Thelma and Louise…minus driving off a cliff in the end, of course!

I love you so much and hope you feel truly celebrated today,

OK, now, we do have a little bit of business to take care of today too.

It is time to announce the winner of the My Memories Software Giveaway!

And the winner is:

Jacki from Reni Days on Washington Street!!

Congratulations Reni!

We'll be in contact with you regarding your prize.

Now, let's take a look at some of the fabulous features from last week's party!

INSPIRED ROOMS

Barb from The Everyday Home shared her gorgeous Kitchen and Breakfast Room Makeover which was chock full of charm and lovely details!

Amanda of the Girl in Pink shared her incredible Jane Austen themed window display she created for a local antique store! You truly will not believe how many amazing pieces she transformed to put this together and we so admire all of her hard work and talent!

Kristel of The Velvet Door showed off her freshly updated Dining Room. You will have to go pay her a visit to see the beautiful damask wall!

MAKEOVERS

Anna of Ask Anna shared her beautiful and inexpensive chandelier makeover and we are so loving that gorgeous ceiling stencil! Well done Anna!

Can you guess what this Wine Cabinet was in a former life? You will have to go over to

and visit Tammy at One More Time to find out and then you will fully appreciate how awesome this makeover really is!

CRAFTS and CREATIONS

The lovely sisters of Be Book Bound have been doing a wonderful series celebrating all things “Anne of Green Gables” (be still our hearts!) and last week Miriam showed us how to make these darling

Herb Crates.

Terry of 11 Magnolia Lane revealed her incredible Kid’s Education Center which she created in her basement. How awesome is this?? Way to go Terry!

Maggie, (A.K.A. The Hell on Heels Housewife) showed us how to make this darling Country Wristlet and we are just loving the denim with those fabric rosettes!

RECIPES and PARTIES

Seriously, how adorable are these Strawberry Shortcake Pops from Dixie Delights??

She just had to go and put them in a red wagon to take the cute factor up a few notches too!

The Thrifty Crafty Girl showed us how to make Homemade Soft Pretzels and we were pretty sure that their wonderful smell was coming through our computer screens!

INSPIRING STORIES

Our friend Ange from The Blooming Hydrangea has recently launched a new series entitled Marriage Monday. Every week she and her hilarious hubby will share encouraging words of wisdom about the roller coaster ride of marriage and how it can be strengthened and nurtured into the wonderful relationship which God intended it to be!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located on our Buttons Page found under our header!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well!

Are you following us on

We sure hope so! BUT...We have a SPECIAL REQUEST of you, if you visit INSPIRATION FRIDAY and like to PIN the great projects you see here! Please pin from the ORIGINAL SOURCE and not our blog...unless it's one of our own creations, then by all means pin away from here...we won't mind! ;)

Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you!

Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week!

Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

where you can find beautiful pieces like these:

Mother’s Day Craft~Personalized Candles

2012-05-10T07:26:00.000-07:00

Attention:

We interrupt this blog post for a special message: if you are reading this and are apart of my family and answer to the name "Nonna" or "Mimi" you must immediately look the other way and click out of this page!!

Now back to our regularly scheduled program:

Whew! That was a close one folks!

But we just couldn't have the grandmothers reading this and ruining the surprise, now could we?

While browsing Pinterest for Mother's Day projects to do with my kiddos, I came across this fun idea for making Personalized Candles. The original source for this craft is the blog Come Together Kids.

I knew it would be the perfect gift for the grandmas this year!

All you will need are white or off-white candles, tissue paper, wax paper and the acrylic paints of your choice. You can see I'm not partial to any one brand, just whatever happens to be on sale!

Cut a piece of tissue paper slightly smaller than the size of the candle.
I just wrapped one around to gauge the correct width/length.

Place the tissue paper on top of a piece of wax paper so that the paint doesn't soak through onto your work surface. At this point it is important for your kids to understand the meaning of the word "dab".
As in, "you can't just glop on the paint and smear it all around, you need to dab it gently.
Oh good grief, now we have to do this again!"
This might happen several times and may or may not have you momentarily question why you bother attempting crafts with your children...just sayin'!

We did a little flower garden complete with blue fluffy clouds and the really neat part is that the entire thing is made up of their precious little fingerprints!

Wait for the tissue paper to completely dry.

Then take your tissue artwork and wrap it around your candle.
Cover this with another piece of wax paper and be sure to have a nice tight grip on it.

Next, take a blow dryer and on high heat slowly and gently apply the heat to the wax paper working your way around the candle.
I literally put the nozzle of the blow dryer right on the wax paper because I soon realized that it needed that direct heat to adhere to the candle.
You will see the tissue paper slowly disappearing and the artwork becoming "one" with the candle.

And that is all there is to it!!
A sweet and simple Mother's Day craft which really could be customized for any special occasion!

We will be adding a pretty candle holder to go with the personalized candles to

make these gifts extra special.

And I have a feeling these will be candles that will never actually be lit, don't you?

Now, don't forget that there is still plenty of time to enter to win our fabulous Eco Natural Soap Giveaway!!

And while we are on the subject of mothers, we feel so honored to be included among the nominees for the

Circle of Moms Top 25 Home Design Mom Bloggers!

And we would be even more honored if you felt so inclined to take a moment and go over to vote for us!

It is simple to do and you can do it once a day until the contest ends which is May 15th.

I hope you are having a fantastic week so far and as always we so appreciate you stopping by to visit us at the Fence today!

This post is partying here:
DIY By Design: Spring into Spring Party

Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday

No Minimalist Here: Open House Party
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home Party

Eco Natural Soap Giveaway!

2012-05-09T07:25:00.000-07:00

We are so excited about this giveaway!

When Alicia and Alan of Eco Natural Soap contacted us with the opportunity to review their products and host a giveaway we immediately jumped at the chance.

And why not?

This incredible couple took a risk and launched their amazing company in 2009 and “now have more than 100 products and growing, selling at 95 local dealers which include

almost every health food store in their area.

The entire product line is formulated with 100% pure, natural, organic ingredients.”

Take a look at just a small sampling of what they have available in their online store!

Exotic Butters Luxury Dry Skin Balm (Lemon Rosemary)

Mineral Makeup

Lip Relief All Natural Lip Balm (Island Lime)

Pet Shampoo & Coat Conditioner Soap

After drawing straws it was decided that Vanessa would have the chance to try out some of their products.

Rough job huh?

First of all, just getting the box in the mail was quite a treat since it made the entire mailbox smell like the inside of a luxury spa!

And it was so much fun to sample all of these amazing products.
Again, rough job but someone has to do it.

Vanessa has been using the lip balm every night before going to bed and has noticed how much softer and less dry her lips feel in the morning. All the better for kissing her kiddos! Oh, and her hubby too, of course!

The Back Pain Relief balm has become a favorite also and is helping to relieve her "Blogger-itis"...you know...the aches and pains that come from frequent clicks of the mouse and long stretches of immobility.
Do you suffer from that too?

We are certain this syndrome will be added to the medical journals in the very near future.

Truly, every single product was wonderful and we officially give them the

Picket Fence seal of approval!

Now, we know you want to try them too, right?

So, how about a

GIVEAWAY!?

Here is what the winner will receive:

2 Body Balms of your choice

2 Soaps of your choice

1 Lip Balm of your choice

That is an over $40 value!!!

Here is how to enter to win:

MANDATORY 1. Visit the Eco Natural Soap website, take a look around and come back to leave us a comment letting us know which items you would want to try. (1 entry)

OPTIONAL 2. "Like" Eco Natural Soap on Facebook and come back here to leave us a comment letting us know you did. (1 entry)

OPTIONAL 3. Tweet about or post this giveaway on your Facebook Page and come back here to leave us a comment letting us know you did. (1 entry)

~~*Giveaway ends at midnight (EST) on Tuesday, May 15th. U.S. residents only*~~

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

Good luck friends and thanks so much for joining us today at the Fence,

*We received products to review in exchange for hosting this giveaway on our site.

Beautiful confectioneries and a generous heart!

2012-05-07T14:15:00.000-07:00

I have a sweet friend. She makes sweet things. She is the owner of "Chic" Decorated Cookies, Bouquets and Confection in Florence, KY...and she is so talented!
For our homeschool prom she donated these beautiful cookies for every senior's swag bag.

The theme was "Hollywood Nights" so she came up with this adorable "movie screen" cookie and put the graduation year on them.

Needless to say, the kids loved them...and not only are they cute but they taste amazing!

Here are a few of Alicia's other creations.

This beautiful communion cake

Don't you just love this zebra hot pink and black zebra striped cake? Perfect for a teenage girl!

This planet cake was one she recently created for a seven year old. She even used "rock candy" for moon rocks!

And how cute is this one for a first birthday!? This color scheme is so popular right now.

Alicia not only is available locally, but she will ship cookies or a cookie bouquet in the continental United States. So, any of our readers can order some of her amazing cookies no matter where you're located.

Alicia generosity and giving spirit extends into her business. 10% of her profit on each order is donated to a non-profit organization of the buyers choice! If you have a favorite charitable organization you can let Alicia know when you place your order and she'll make the donation in your name! That kind of business is worth supporting!

To see more of Alicia's creations you can visit her at her Facebook Page (please consider giving her a Like and telling her the gals from At The Picket Fence sent ya)
Chic Decorated Cookies, Bouquets and Confections Facebook Page
or on her newly created blog where she lists pricing, shipping information and has more of her creations on display!
Chic Decorated Cookies, Bouquets and Confections
We'd love you to consider using Alicia for any of your cookie or cake needs!
And a big thank you to Alicia for providing the cookies for prom!

Shopping for Mother's Day with the Picket Fence Girls!

2012-05-05T06:50:00.000-07:00

We are Mothers.
We like to shop.
Nuff said.

So, with that oh so special day for celebrating Moms everywhere coming up,
(ummm....ahem...hubbies...if you are reading this...it's May 13 by the way!)
we thought we would show you some of our favorite things (look out Oprah!) from the shops of our seriously talented Sponsors.

We'll take one of each of them, ok husbands of ours???

Green Chalcedony Briolette Necklace with Purple Amethyst accent from Designs by Tahra.

Garden Script Pillow from Ann at Sutton Place Designs

Formica Hang Tags from JuNxtaposition

Queen Anne's Lace Floral Watercolor Original Art by Redbird Cottage Art

Union Jack Banner Garland from at 20 North Ora

Hand Stamped "Leap Fly Soar" Necklace from The Rusted Chain

Blue and Cream Accent Pillow Cover from Tilly's Loft

Keep Calm 'Celebrate' and Carry On Art Print Poster from Curly Willow Collections

And of course, whatever the daily deal happens to be at BlueMing Deals!

Yesiree, any or ALL of those things would make these two mamas very happy ladies.

Although, just getting the privilege of being moms to our precious children

is really the best gift we could ever receive!

But, we hope we've given you some great ideas to add to your own wish list or to purchase for the special "mother" in your life!

Thanks so much for joining us today at the Fence,

And don't forget Inspiration Friday is still going on strong all weekend! Be sure to share your inspiration with us!

Derby Day Recipes and Inspiration Friday No. 63

2012-05-04T07:08:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited to be a part of the Derby Day Week Celebrations along with some amazing Kentucky Bloggers!

There are a few traditions associated with The Kentucky Derby that are a must. Horses, Hats...and Mint Juleps! First consumed in the late 1700's, the granddaddy of cocktails, The Mint Julep, was traditionally served on Kentucky Derby Day.

Comprised of a few simple ingredients, mint is the defining component of this popular Southern drink.

Served with Kentucky Colonel Mint and a high quality bourbon (also a Kentucky native) this cocktail is sure to please the most discerning and sophisticated among us!

and of course if you want to really serve these drinks properly...you must serve them in a silver mint julep cup!

Classic Derby Day Mint Juleps
from At The Picket Fence

1/2 ounce simple syrup
3 mint sprigs
2 oz. high quality bourbon (we love Makers Mark!)

Muddle the sugar, one mint sprig, and the bourbon in a mint julep cup or rocks glass.
Add crushed ice and garnish with the remaining mint sprigs. (Serves 1)

The perfect accompaniment to a mint julep is a slice of Kentucky Derby Pie. This is our families Kentucky Derby Pie recipe, and it couldn't be a more simple but decadent pie to make.

Kentucky Derby Pie
from At The Picket Fence

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 stick butter, melted

1 cup pecans

1 cup high quality semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla

1 unbaked pie shell (homemade or store bough roll out shell)

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix sugar and flour together well in mixing bowl. Add eggs and melted butter, blend together well. Add coarsely chopped pecans, chocolate chips and vanilla, mix well. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Bake for 40-45 minutes and light golden brown on top. Allow to cool for 20 minutes. (Serves 8)

If you are hosting a Derby Party this Saturday, you can't go wrong with serving these two classic Derby Day recipes, your guests will think you are a Derby Day Diva!

Check out all of this week's amazing Derby Day Posts from my fellow Kentucky Bloggers!

We kicked off Derby Week over at The 2 Seasons, where we got a history lesson on the Kentucky Derby.

Up next, the fabulous Carmel of Our Fifth House showed us how to incorporate the most important aspect of the Derby into our home decor, the horse...of course!

Then we headed back over to The 2 Seasons for a lesson on hats and hat making!

The lovely Kari Anne of Thistlewood Farm is teaching us how to monogram our own glasses (us Southerners love a monogram!) and is sharing a great Lemonade Mint Iced Tea recipe.

Be sure to stop by and visit all of these amazing and talented gals...

and a big thank you to the fabulous mother daughter team of Janette and Jordan at The 2 Seasons for hosting this great Derby Day Party!

Now ya ready for some fabulous features from last week?!

INSPIRED ROOMS
This kitchen makeover from Blissful Blooms will definitely put a smile on your face! With all of these charming details, you wouldn't believe how this space started out. It is definitely an amazing transformation!

Our friend Richella from Imparting Grace shared her beautifully redone Guest Bedroom. Our bags are packed and we are on our way Richella! Two beds, two sisters...perfect, right? We promise not to jump back and forth on them like we did on the one's at our Grandma's house years ago!

and since we're hanging out in your bedrooms, we just had to share Erin's, from How to Nest for Less, beautiful master bedroom makeover. She installed wood paneling in her beautiful master bedroom makeover and gives a full tutorial on how they created this look, you could be installing some yourself in no time!

MAKEOVER
Kristin of A Vintage Fairy did an incredible job on this PB Knock-Off! For literally a fraction of the price (the Pottery Barn piece was $999!) she gave this a wonderfully vintage look and we love the two tone paint treatment on the doors.

Angie from Postcards from the Ridge upcycled this their dining room buffet into this gorgeous bathroom vanity. She shares the step by step instructions of this beautiful makeover!

This harlequin table makeover from Rukmini at Trumatter is fabulous! She shares how she painted it as well as how she was inspired be her Granny.

CRAFTS and CREATIONS

Jo-Ann from Growing in Grace showed us how to make this darling House Number Flower Hanger! We love any kind of two-for-one project!

Kendra from the The Good Life, Adventuring Through Goodwill, created this adorable ruffled dress...out of a bed sheet! Isn't it adorable? We applaud your creativity and ingenuity!

Aimee at It's Overflowing showed us how to knock-off this beachy Pottery Barn vignette, for just a few dollars! Makes us so ready for summer!

RECIPES
Rebekah from Woven Home shared this guilt free Strawberry Trifle with us last week...guilt free?! We're all over that!

Pulled Pork Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Apples? Yes please! This recipe came to us courtesy of Ashbee Design and all we can say is that we might have drooled a little bit when we saw it.

and Lori from The Stonybrook House shares her "world's best" Homemade Granola Recipe with us, who wouldn't want to start the morning out with a big bowl of such loveliness!

Inspiration
Meredith of I Am a Mother Seeking, allowed us a glimpse into how she honored her daddy on the anniversary of his death by celebrating his life. Thank you Meredith for sharing this with us!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located on our Buttons Page found under our header!
Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well! Are you following us on We sure hope so! BUT...We have a SPECIAL REQUEST of you, if you visit INSPIRATION FRIDAY and like to PIN the great projects you see here! Please pin from the ORIGINAL SOURCE and not our blog...unless it's one of our own creations, then by all means pin away from here...we won't mind! ;) Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you! Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week! Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence, When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

Better Homes and Gardens comes to Kentucky...behind the scenes of a photo shoot

2012-05-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

This is going to be a long one folks…thanks for indulging me.

It started two months ago with an email. The irony of it all was that I was on the phone with my mom who had finally got ahold of a copy of our At The Picket Fence feature in Romantic Homes Magazine. We were discussing how cool the whole thing was, when I happened to glance down at an email that came through on my phone….and I might have screamed a little in the phone…sorry mom.

It went a little something like this:

“….Hi this is Kit from Better Homes and Gardens…I showed your project (kitchen island) to our editor-in-chief, and she would like to feature it (for an I Did It! Feature) in an upcoming issue. To do this, we would like to send a photographer and a photo stylist to your house for a day to photograph you and your island. Would that be possible?”

Would that be possible?! Um….so I screamed and screamed and jumped up and down, and my poor mom was screaming, “what?! what?!” and I couldn’t even breathe…and I might have started crying. Cause see…I ADORE Better Homes and Gardens, like seriously there has been decades of BHG love in this home. I keep every issue and have them categorized by year. In fact, I even get TWO copies of BHG every month because in my enthusiasm subscribed twice this year…haha!

So after calming down, I replied to Kit’s (assistant editor at BHG) email and welcomed them with open arms into our home. After an exchange of emails, Kit informed me that it would be late May/early June before they would be traveling to Kentucky. And then I waited, and waited, and tried to guess when they might come. I piddled a little here and there to finish up some kitchen projects I had been putting off, knowing I had plenty of time.

Until two weeks ago…when I received an email from Kit stating that the photographer had an opening and was available the 26th/27th of April!! Um, heart attack! She was so sweet and said if it wasn’t convenient they totally understood…but seriously who says “no” to Better Homes and Gardens!

So after panicking for about three hours, I emailed back and said, “come on out to Kentucky!”

I spent the next two weeks completing the kitchen…and about twenty other major projects in the house…I mean c’mon BHG is spending two days here, of course I wanted everything to be perfect even the parts they weren’t photographing. I walked around with paint down my arms and in my hair and a look of panic in my eyes for these last two weeks and all of my friends were so sweet and understanding and didn’t tell me I was a crazy woman….at least to my face. I also was helping to plan a prom in the middle of all this…just to add a little excitement into the mix.

I want to take a moment to thank a couple of dear friends who came over to help me with a couple of projects I couldn’t complete in this timeframe on my own. My friend John who is a contractor and came over and added extensions and crown molding to the top of my cabinets. Also, my best friend Robin, who is an incredible seamstress, for finishing my seat cushion on my window seat. Both took several hours and I appreciate them so much! I will share more of their gorgeous work in a kitchen update post next week.

Besides working fast and furiously to get the kitchen ready, I also had to get myself ready! ugh! My least favorite part of this whole thing. I hate to be photographed, especially when I don’t have control of the editing. My sweet friend, kept telling me to “stop fearing man, and what man thinks…and worry about how this can give glory to God” Amen!

I was in contact with Stacey the fabulous photo stylist about what to wear and in what colors, and hit the stores for a whirlwind shopping spree. On Wednesday, I rushed in for a color touch up and cut, where my hair stylist proceeded to pick paint out of my hair!

Wednesday is also when “the boxes” started showing up. Big boxes. Huge Boxes. Boxes marked from “Better Homes and Gardens” eek! This was really happening.

Stacey arrived first, after a flight into Louisville, lugging in several bags from a stop off at Whole Foods for staging. We quickly began to unload her bags and the boxes that had arrived full of props.

My dining room quickly began to look like we were moving.

The first thing we did was unload my kitchen, all of it. into the living room. So much for that perfectly cleaned living room.

Then Stacey began staging to get a jump start on the morning. I can’t show you pictures of any of the kitchen too close up staged for the shoot or anything that looks too much like the final feature, but I was given permission to share lots of behind the scenes shots.

Edmund Barr (the photographer of many, many amazing BHG features) came breezing in from Los Angeles a few hours after Stacey, looking hip and cool, but so down to earth and fun and funny. I couldn’t have asked for nicer, kinder, people to spend two days with. We laughed, and joked and just hung out. They made me feel so comfortable and relaxed and for that I thank them so much!

Edmund dragged in several bags of equipment, it’s amazing what they have to bring with them! He began to set up for the shoot the next day.

We went over my wardrobe and discussed what outfits to start out with.

I steered them to a great little Mexican restaurant nearby and then they left for the evening, around 7:30 pm.

It was a miracle that I slept that night.

The next morning the sun rose bright and early, and so did I!

Stacey and Edmund showed up to the house at 8:30 am and got busy right away. My friend and former student, Allie, arrived to take these behind the scenes photos for me (thank you Allie!). I on the other hand sat. and sat. and sat. I truly had no idea how much preparation went into setting up a room for a shoot. Everything had to be just perfect.

Edmund worked on getting his equipment situated and spent over an hour on just the lighting, this takes setting up a shot to a whole other level! It’s serious business, and makes my little blog photo shoots look like child’s play!

Stacey worked on getting the food and plants prepped for the photo shoot.

I sat and visited with my best friend, Robin. And I drank coffee. And she fixed my hair for me, with Zoe at my side..

And we drank some more coffee. And listened to Edmund and Stacey swap stories about all of the different jobs they had worked on and showing us which recent features they had done in BHG…and we were in awe. and drank more coffee.

My sweet mom-in-love had prepared a wonderful brunch and then a delicious lunch of chicken salad sandwiches for us, and Stacey and Edmund were so appreciative!

We were informed that doesn’t happen very often, but hey we’re in the south and that calls for some good ole’ southern hospitality!

When everything was just perfect it was time for me to jump in the shots.

I was so nervous but Edmund and Stacey helped me to relax. Edmund loved to say things like, “Hi America!” “Hi everyone in my doctor’s office!” I told him that wasn’t helping my nervousness. ha!

They would occasionally stop to make a quick text or phone call with BHG Headquarters, to get instructions or to run different shots or ideas by them.

Stacey and Edmund would pause to view the photos in this cool big picture viewing thing..

Of course, the best way to enjoy this whole process…is to not take yourself too seriously!

After taking several different shots I changed clothes and my sweet puppy Zoe showed up at my side. My daughter suggested we should include Zoe in the photos if we wanted them to be realistic since Zoe never leaves me. Edmund and Stacey thought that would be a great idea, so we did several shots with Zoe….and in my opinion those were the best ones!

I sure hope she shows up in the feature, that would make it just perfect!

After hundreds of photos and a few hours, we were done! It became a whirlwind of activity, since Edmund and Stacey were flying out that afternoon.

We all chipped in and worked hard to get them packed up…there was even some sillinness at the end, I think we were all a little tired.

Stacey taped up all of the boxes and left them for Fed Ex pickup and then after chatting a little, a hug goodbye…

…and a quick picture together…they were gone.

My special day was over, but I have so many amazing memories. Edmund and Stacey were a dream to work with, and it was a dream day for me. I feel so honored to have had this opportunity and now it’s just a matter of waiting now to see the results in print. Because we don’t have a definitive month yet, I will just say for now that it will most likely be fall before it’s out.

I want to thank Better Homes and Gardens for such an amazing opportunity and for their professionalism from beginning to end.

Thank you for allowing me to share this special moment in my life with you all, my friends here At The Picket Fence. This is an opportunity that any one of you talented women and men could have, so if this is something you dream of…keep putting yourself and your hard work out there, you never know who’s watching and paying attention!

Thanks for meeting me today…and Better Homes and Gardens…at the picket fence!

Don’t forget we have a great giveaway going on right now from My Memories!

Also, we’re in the middle of our fabulous Derby Day Series this week hosted by the gals at The 2 Seasons. Today they are sharing the most important feature of the Kentucky Derby…the hat of course!

Sharing this post at these fabulous parties:

My Memories Suite Review and Giveaway

2012-05-01T06:20:00.000-07:00

I was recently contacted by a fabulous company, My Memories, that wanted to share with me their amazing digital scrapbooking software. Not being a "scrapbooker" I wasn't sure how this software would be of use to me. I was reassured there was a million ways that someone could use scrapbook software...and wow were they right!

From the traditional uses like family scrapbooks and digital scrapbooks, to calendar, VIDEOS!! Christmas cards and invitations..there are hundreds of different ways to use this amazing software.
I was excited to download My Memory Suite and see just how easy it was to navigate. Most of you know by now my son is graduating from high school in just a few short weeks..gulp! I decided to see if I could create a cool and fun Graduation Party Invitation using my scrapbook software.
Here's what I came up with! What do you think?

My Memories Suite walks you step by step through the process of creating your layout. They have already designed, easy to use templates in lots of different sizes, or you can create your own custom template, which is what I did. Once I created my "album page" i.e. invitation I just saved it as a .jpeg file and uploaded it to a photo processor! I had 100 custom photo invitations in one hour for $13.00! How awesome is that?!

Even the basic package comes with TONS of cool graphics, fonts, papers, etc BUT you can buy an endless supply of packages for super cheap off the My Memories website in any theme your heart can imagine!

I've already thought of so many other uses using My Memories Suite Software. I have started the graduation program in it and I have plans to use it for our blog...of course! Think of all of the amazing buttons, headers and graphics you could create for your blog! They also hold weekly challenges and have a forum for help and to get great ideas!

My Memories.com wants one of our readers to get to experience their fabulous digital scrapbooking software as well, so they are offering one reader of At The Picket Fence a chance to win their own My Memories Suite software!

Here's all you have to do to enter to win:

(MANDATORY ENTRY) Visit My Memories browse around a choose a favorite digital paper pack or layout (good luck choosing just one!) and come back here and tell us in a comment which one was your favorite!

(OPTIONAL ENTRY) Follow My Memories on Facebook or Twitter and let us know you did in a SEPARATE comment.
(OPTIONAL ENTRY) Facebook or Twitter about the giveaway referencing our Facebook Page or Twitter Name and My Memories and let us know you did in a SEPARATE comment!

That's three ways to enter to win this great scrapbook software!
The giveaway will be open until midnight EST on Sunday, May 6th!

AND...because My Memories wants to give everyone a chance to try their amazing product, they are

providing a special code just for our friends here At The Picket Fence!

With the code:

STMMMS26562

you will receive $10 off your My Memories Suite Software and upon purchase a $10 coupon off anything in the My Memories Shop. That's a great deal!

So get yourself entered to win this great software and if you don’t win…you can still purchase it for a great price with the coupon code above! A big thank you to My Memories for providing this generous giveaway!

Don’t forget it’s DERBY WEEK here in the great state of Kentucky and we are celebrating with a fabulous group of Kentucky Bloggers.

We kicked off Derby Week yesterday, where the fabulous mother-daughter duo of Janette and Jordan at The 2 Seasons shared with us the history behind the Kentucky Derby. Today the amazing Carmel of Our Fifth House is sharing equine decorating tips! I’ll be sharing some fabulous Derby recipes at the end of the week…so stay tuned!

And as always…thanks for joining me today at the picket fence…

A post about prom and living out your faith…on this Simply Sunday

2012-04-29T07:16:00.000-07:00

This is my son Michael…this is his best friend Ashton. (Isn’t he handsome?! Isn’t she gorgeous?!..grin!)

She is the daughter of my best friend.

They decided to go to the prom together.

In fact, they went with a group of their closest friends.

Much like kids do for proms everywhere.

But this is where my son’s prom differs. See we homeschool and these kids are homeschoolers.

And we felt they deserved to have a prom too.

So we worked hard and pulled off a special night for our kids. We planned, we raised funds, we decorated, we photographed and we provided a night to remember!

We hosted a sit down catered dinner beforehand for our seniors.

and then opened up the dance to all of our high school students.

and they danced…and danced…

and danced some more.

It didn’t matter whether they were 12 or 18 they had a great time together….

…it’s one of the things I love most about homeschooling!

And it reminded me so much of my own prom, so long ago, but yet it didn’t. Because here was the difference…the open display of faith that these young people have, a faith that I often hid out of embarassment and wanting to appear “cool”, was evident here at their prom. From the opening prayer over dinner...to the way they conducted themselves the entire evening.

All of these young adults has such a strong love for the Lord. They don’t mind moms and dads hanging around chaperoning, because there’s nothing to “hide”.

Where there is no guidance, a people falls, but in an abundance of counselors there is safety. Proverbs 11:14

They don’t mind having younger brothers and sisters coming and hanging out and even joining in on the dancing…because they have been taught to love and respect their siblings…most days anyway.

…and after it was all over, at midnight…. they stayed. Stayed to help clean up. Stayed to climb up on ladders in prom dresses and tuxes to tear down decorations and mop floors,

and then…instead of heading out to “party” till sunrise, they returned to our home instead.

To hang out and watch movies, and laugh and talk and just be together having fun.

This is why I love my son’s friends so very much! I love them for always lifting him up and never dragging him down.

Love one another with brotherly affection. Out do one another in showing honor. Romans 12:10

“A friend loves at all times…” Proverbs 17:17

I love them for being young men and women of faith, who will go out to be a light in this world! God is going to use them mightily for His Kingdom!

Thank you for indulging this proud Mom and letting me share a little of this special event with you! It was such an honor to be a part of this milestone evening in the lives of these young people! I am proud to call them not only my son’s friends…but mine as well!

But, most of all I am proud to be the Mom of this amazing young man! I love you Michael.

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 62!

2012-04-27T07:00:00.000-07:00

Is anyone else totally flabbergasted that we are nearing the end of April already?
And if you are a Southern Gal (Heather) then you know what the end of April means.
That's right! The Kentucky Derby!
And if you aren't a Southern Gal (Vanessa), then it just means you have an excuse to wear a big hat and drink a yummy cocktail for no apparent reason. Woo hoo!

In honor of Derby Week, At the Picket Fence will be teaming up with these fabulous ladies to celebrate in high style.
So be sure to visit them all week long as they share how they pay homage to this Southern tradition.
At next week's Inspiration Friday Party, Heather will be sharing 2 of her favorite "Derby" recipes!

We also wanted you to be sure to "Save the Date" for this upcoming event:

It's a great way to connect with other Bloggers and maybe make a few new friends!

Now, how about some Features from last week's party?

INSPIRED ROOMS

You truly have to go see this gorgeous Dining Room Transformation from Serendipity! It has so many incredible details and you simply must see that chandelier up close. Besides, when you see the 'before' photos you will appreciate this 'after' even more!

Our friend Ange, a.k.a. The Blooming Hydrangea, shared the darling Vintage Inspired Bedroom she created for her daughter.
We love that adorable yellow bed and the embroidery hoop artwork hanging over it!

MAKEOVERS

Carmel from Our Fifth House shared yet another rockin’ transformation when she took basic white bookcases from boring to beautiful! Chalkboard paint backing and fabulous trim detail add to the charm of this piece gracing her daughter’s room.

This Filing Cabinet turned Bar from Smallgood Hearth is so clever and cool! We could totally see Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware knocking this off!

Linda from The Studio of Decorative Arts showed us how she gave her white fireplace mantel and surround a brand new look with gold leaf details and antiquing. Just gorgeous!

CRAFTS AND CREATIONS

This beautiful Convex Mirror from Suzy at Worthing Court helped complete her lovely dining room makeover and she shares a wonderful tutorial on how she made this!

We love the simple beauty of this Decorative Rope Knot from Mindy at Heart Maine Home. And she made hers for only $9 as opposed to the high price tags for the same piece at Ballards or Restoration Hardware. Well done Mindy!

We love this Baseball Wreath from The Pinterest Project! And you don't have to be a Phillies fan to try this one. Just adapt it to your favorite team! How cute would this be for Little League?!

RECIPES AND PARTIES

Anita of Cedar Hill Ranch shared with us the details from her stunning Wildflower Party which was held on her equally stunning property. She has the magic touch for sure!

These Coconut Macaroons from A Pinch of Joy look so divine and we think they would make the perfect addition to a Mother's Day brunch!

INSPIRING STORIES

Laurie from Heaven's Walk shared with us the blessings she found in the simplicity of one day's activities. Of course she did it in the only way she knows how...with heartfelt words and beautiful photos!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located on our Buttons Page found under our header!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well!

Are you following us on

Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you!

Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week!

Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us!

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

Where you can find cool vintage pieces like these:

Boy’s Room Mini Makeover

2012-04-24T19:15:00.000-07:00

Considering how long it has taken me to complete even a "mini" makeover in my son's room, one might think that the walls would be gilded with gold and that the bed is now floating suspended from the ceiling.

Sheesh!

I have a confession to make though. This makeover actually began last summer!

Picture me hanging my head in DIY shame.

I'm going to blame my son though, OK?

That is why we have kids right? So we can blame them for things.
Please tell me I'm not the only one who appreciates this wonderful bonus to parenting!
I've mentioned before that he is somewhat "change" resistant.

So, it did take some time to convince him to let me freshen things up a bit.

But, once he realized that I wanted his room to reflect his interests and hobbies, he was all over it!
My son is a budding "engineer" and I really wanted to capture the spirit of that in his room and yet still hold onto some of the vintage elements.

Here is the very messy BEFORE

And here it is AFTER the mini-makeover.

Same wall color, same bedding and some of the same decor but with a much lighter, brighter feel!
You can see the window treatments are new and you might remember that I trimmed them out with
Duct Tape just to add a fun little pop of color.

Waaaaaaayyyy back last summer, I realized that he needed a desk in his room but I wasn't quite sure how to squeeze one into the space. So I took his bookcase from this...

...to this!

It's a "deskcase"....errr...a "bookdesk"...ummm... a "desk/bookcase"??

Whatever you want to call it, it works!

By simply attaching a piece of plywood to one of the shelves and adding legs to the end, it became a wonderful way to maximize the space. I also had a piece of plexi-glass cut to size so that he can put photos underneath and keep the surface clean.

Last summer we also switched out the original "boob" light for this new fixture.

It looks a lot like the Depot Ceiling light from Pottery Barn kids

but I found it at a local store for half the price! Yes!

I also scored this wonderfully chippy headboard for $5.

While most of the wall decor was changed, I just couldn't take this piece down.

It was painted by my father-in-law for our son soon after he was born.

It is so special to all of us and we wouldn't dream of not having it in his room!

I did however make some other changes to the walls.

The golf paintings simply had to go and so did this little red table which obviously wasn't functioning well for my son and all of his "treasures".

In their place, I found this awesome "Gears" clock and since my boy is a lover of all things mechanical I knew it would be perfect!

I also purchased this bookshelf to use as a night-stand and for more storage.
Yes, that is a Lego radio with an alarm clock "brick" stacked on top!

Isn't this just so cool?

And I was absolutely ecstatic when I spotted this little box at TJ Maxx with the gears on top.

It was just the perfect finishing touch!

Of course, my son took it as an excuse to find more random things on the playground, put them in his pocket and then bring them home to live in his new "treasure" box.

Please tell me my kid isn't the only one to do that!

Last week I shared with you probably the most dramatic transformation in this room.

The armoire got a face-lift thanks to Miss Annie Sloan and her magical paint and it made a tremendous impact on the look and feel of the space.

And don't forget my Work Lights turned Gallery Lights which show off my mad photography skills!
Who knows? Maybe my "mother-boards as art" pictures will be famous someday!

And in case you are wondering where all the toys are hiding in this room.
Some were tossed out into the hallway so that I could take these photos and some are stored in his closet.
But, his Legos (which are what he plays with the most) are all stored in this rack of plastic bins.
We ended up sorting them all by color so that it was easier to find pieces.
We gave up keeping the Lego sets together a long time ago!

Now, I wanted to give my son the chance to put his own "stamp" on his room too.
So, we created this fun little piece of art.
I took a leftover scrap of plywood and gave it a coat of copper spray paint.
Then we just started nailing and gluing some of the components of the electronics that he has taken apart to the plywood. We had soooo much fun doing this together!

We hung it on the wall using chain link in an oiled bronze finish.
My boy was just so thrilled when he saw it up there and I have a feeling it will be something he treasures forever. I know I will!

I couldn't bring myself to update the photos in these frames.
They are just so sweet and perfectly capture my precious boy in all of his wonderful 4-year-old-ness.
That was almost 5 years ago...sigh...

This room may have taken awhile to get it's mini-makeover.
But, I had so much fun figuring out how to freshen it up and capture the spirit of my boy without spending very much money.
I think I did all right...don't you?

Thanks so much for joining me at the Fence today,

This post is partying here:
DIY By Design: Spring into Spring
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Home Stories A 2 Z: Tutes and Tips Party
It's Overflowing: Overflowing with Creativity

reFresh reStyle Hopped over the Fence!

2012-04-23T20:00:00.000-07:00

We're not exactly sure when and how we connected with Debbie from reFresh reStyle but we do know that it seems as though we have known her forever!She has been the truest kind of friend to us here in blogland.Supportive, encouraging, funny and just an all-around fantastic lady.We know so many of you treasure her too!
So we are thrilled that she is here guest posting for us today!

And without further ado, take it away Debbie!

You see those ugly brown chairs at Goodwill and yard sales or maybe they're hiding out in your attic.

Brown, dirty and sad.

But with a little elbow grease, a staple gun, some cute fabric and a happy color,

you can turn blah-blah brown into BLUE-TIFUL!

You only need one in a room to create a pop of fun.

So go ahead and shell out that $5.99 at Goodwill.

You'll be glad you did.

Have a blue-tiful day :)

and come see me, when you can!

Debbie from reFresh reStyle

Thank you Heather and Vanessa for having me!

Wow! Everything Debbie touches turns to DIY gold, don't you think?
If you have never visited her, you need to just get yourself right over there.
We know you will find her to be just as lovely and inspiring as we do!

Thank you so much Debbie for hopping over the Fence to visit us today!

A Legacy of Sighing?

2012-04-22T15:58:00.000-07:00

*A Post from the Past*

It was a simple request.

One I make every day.

"Go put your shoes and your coat on, grab your backpack and get in the car."

As I turned and headed down the hallway to help his little sister with her shoes, I heard it.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

I don't know the proper word to describe a great big SIGH, but that was the gist of it.

"Really?" I wanted to say.

"You are sighing because you have to put your shoes and coat

on and grab your backpack and get in the car!"

While these words didn't actually come out of my mouth, I was thinking them very sarcastically in my mind.
Boy, it must be rough to be 8 years old these days!

And, then it hit me.

In one of those very unpleasant moments of parenting, I realized exactly why he did that and exactly where he learned it.

My brother-in-law once told Heather that we are the "Sigh-ing-est" family he had ever met.

We took a vote and decided he could stay in the family even after making that crack at us!

But, you know what?
He is totally RIGHT!

We all do it. All.the.time.
Sorry Mom, Dad and Heather.
If I'm throwing myself under the bus you are all coming with me!

And I know when I sigh it is usually over really dumb things.

Like, waiting in a long line even though there are also other people waiting in the same long line.

Or being asked for a snack from my children....over and over and over.

Or hitting all of the red lights on our way to the store.

Or finding that they have run out of olives at said store.
But, really, that is pretty ridiculous don't you think?

I mean, how do you run out of olives?

"Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh"

Ummm....I digress. But, you get the idea.

And, as I heard that big sigh escape my son's mouth, I realized that this was a legacy I was not proud of leaving. It isn't exactly what I have in mind when I think about passing things down to my children.

So, I did a little bit of research and a LOT of soul searching.

The first place I went to was my B.I.B.L.E. (yes that's the book for me!).

I looked up "Sighing" in the Concordance and you know what? There was only ONE verse that used that word and it had to do with sighing out of sorrow.

For some reason, I had a feeling that wasn't exactly the kind of "sighing" I've been doing lately.
Well, that got me to thinking. What was I feeling when I let that little puff of air escape me?
What did it represent and what did I think I was getting away with by inhaling and exhaling in a very loud manner?

And that is when the soul searching began.
It didn't last long, though, because it was quickly revealed to me what this whole sighing business was really all about.

It was my way of

Grumbling

Complaining

Expressing Frustration without using actual words

And, let me just tell you friends, there are A LOT of verses in the "Good Book" about those emotions!

They aren't pretty and they sure do hit home.

"These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage." Jude 22:7

Ouch! Now I know why I don't spend a lot of time in the book of Jude!

"Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe." Philippians 2:14

I'm fairly certain my sighing doesn't make me "shine like a star".

And, I'm also fairly certain that while I may have fooled myself into thinking that it is better than actually verbally expressing my frustrations, I'm not really fooling anyone else!

I think they call it being...gulp...PASSIVE AGGRESSIVE.

Because, let's be honest. What do I really have to sigh about?

I lead an incredibly blessed life.

I have a wonderful husband who loves me, 2 amazing children and a home that not only provides shelter but is a place where I get to express my creativity. We have food, shelter, clothing and transportation times 2.

I have had my share of sorrows, that is true.
But my little day-to-day life's issues do not warrant that kind of response.
Not when there are other things I should be sighing about.

I should sigh over the broken and hurting around the world....around my city...in my neighborhood.

I should sigh because there are children who went to bed hungry last night and will probably again tonight.

I should sigh that my children are growing up in a world that promotes living for "numero uno" more than having a servant's heart.

These are the things that should cause me to inhale and then deeply exhale.

Maybe there was a reason that the only verse in the Bible that mentions sighing has to do with there being a day when "sorrow and sighing will flee away." Isaiah 35:10

Until that day, my desire should be to sigh for the lost...the hurt...the hungry.

And maybe, just maybe, if my children heard their mother sighing over those things, they will begin to sigh for them too.

Now, THAT is a legacy worth leaving! Don't you think?

Thanks for joining me for this Simply Sunday at the Fence,

Sharing this here:
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 61!

2012-04-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

Howdy party people!

Once again you did not make it easy for us to narrow down the amazing projects to feature this week. You would think you were all just a bunch of incredibly talented, creative, thoughtful, inspiring, and fabulous people or something!

Last week announced the winner of the $25 credit to Curly Willow Collection
and have yet to hear from her.
So, if your name is Nova (and it can't just be a nickname that you suddenly came up with!), you are the winner and we are giving you until Monday to contact us before we pick another winner.
Hope we hear from you!

Before we jump into the highlights from last week’s party, we just wanted to take a second and let you know that we may be a little scarce around Blog-town for the next week or so.

Heather has some very important guests coming to her home next week.
They may or may not be bringing cameras to take photos of a certain room in her house.
And she may or may not be running around like a chicken with her head cut off getting ready for them to come. Oh, and these photos may or may not end up being seen by millions of readers. Just sayin'!
So, while she is frantically painting and putting on finishing touches, Vanessa is holding down the fort here at the Fence. Just know that we love ya even if we can't visit as often!
And we promise to give you the full scoop on these pretty exciting happenings very soon!

Moving on, we are super excited to introduce you to our newest Sponsor!

“BlueMing Deals is a Daily Deal site focusing on all kinds of yummy DIY stuff - craft venues, home decor, jewelry making, gift giving and entertaining. We offer only 1 item each day - in limited quantities, at super great prices! Some of our products can't be purchased anywhere else - making the Daily Deal not only a great deal, it's a One of a Kind great deal!”

Uh oh…daily deals on DIY stuff??? This could be dangerous folks!

Be sure to check out BlueMing Deals to see what kind of deal you’ll find today!

Now, are ya ready to see some features from last week? We are too!

INSPIRED ROOMS

Sherry from Living in the Rain Garden shared her jaw-dropping Bathroom Renovation. This is one of those “you gotta see it to believe it” transformations and you will be amazed when you see how this room used to look!

Stacey from Conspicuous Style re-revealed her stunning Dining Room complete with new floors and wall color. This gal is just beyond talented and we would feel like we were in some swanky restaurant if we were eating dinner in that room!

MAKEOVERS

Roeshel, a.k.a. The DIY Showoff, just never ceases to amaze us! Check out how she ended up using a thrift store chandelier. Yep. Turned it into a coffee table! So cool!

We are so loving how Kim from Too Much Time on my Hands turned an old dresser into this one-of-a-kind garden planter! She didn’t even mind that her neighbors were looking at her like she was crazy! If they were DIY’ers they would have totally gotten it, right Kim?

CRAFTS AND CREATIONS

Look closely….can you guess what this mirror is made out of? Kristi from Addicted 2 Decorating showed us how to make this Chrysanthemum Mirror out of Plastic Spoons!!

Isn’t that just so neat?

From plastic spoons to dried lemons! Take a look at this beautiful Dried Lemon Wreath from Jenny at Days of Chalk and Chocolate. It looks so Spring-y!

Have you seen this Swing Set turned Fire Station from Michell at Girl in Air?? She is so incredibly creative and talented and we think her son is one blessed little guy! Michell is also becoming a local celebrity by sharing her talents in a monthly Craft Segment for a local news station.
We are so thrilled for you Michell!

RECIPES

Lyuba of Will Cook for Smiles shared this recipe for Apple Pie Pancakes and when Vanessa’s son saw this up on the computer screen he immediately wanted to know when he would get to try them!
Soon, my boy, soon!

Taryn from Design, Dining and Diapers shared this recipe for these yummy (and beautiful!)

Lofthouse Style Gluten-Free Cupcakes.

We love finding ways to make the most out of our meals and this recipe for Deviled Ham from

With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart showed us how to get some more mileage from our leftover Easter ham!

INSPIRING STORIES

This week we thought it would be fun to share an Inspiring Person with you rather than an Inspiring Story! Every week Abbie from 5 Days, 5 Ways shares with us the most incredible ideas for stretching a budget and repurposing pieces.

Like this idea for turning a skirt into a ruffled infinity scarf…

and this one for reversible baby booties!

But what we love most about her is that every week she also shares her heart…for God…for her family…and for her home. She is definitely the real deal in our book and we hope you will pay her a visit. We promise you will be inspired!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located on our Buttons Page found under our header!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well!

Are you following us on

Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you!

Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week!

Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us!

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

Joining the CPC (“Chalk Paint Crew”)

2012-04-18T15:45:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, I finally did it!

I jumped right up on the Annie Sloan Chalk Paint bandwagon.
Yes indeedy! Now, granted, this bandwagon is pretty full and my rear end barely made it on there.

In fact, I think I might actually be in the little donkey cart being pulled along behind the bandwagon!

But, that still counts right?

As part of the mini-makeover I am doing in my son's room, we moved this armoire/dresser/cabinet (?) from the playroom into here. It has had many incarnations over the years and was originally in my bedroom in high school. But the dark stain and brass handles didn't exactly say "boy's room".
I think it said, "I look old and tired so please put me out of my misery"!

I knew this would be the perfect opportunity for me to join the AS Chalk Paint Crew!

BEFORE

AFTER

What do you think?
TONS better, no?

I used the color Old Ochre and while it did take a good 2-3 coats to really cover up the dark stain, I think it turned out beautifully!

The new oiled bronze hardware really pops and give it such a fresh look.

I think this new color shows off the detail so much more!

I decided against doing a lot of distressing on this piece. There is so much going on in this room that I was afraid it would be too busy. So leaving it simple and crisp seemed to be the best way to go!

It is so weird how different the color of the wall looks depending on the time of day!

But, I am completely in love with this piece of furniture now and it has totally

changed the look of the space.

I have a few finishing touches to add to his room and then I will be able to share with you the reveal of this mini-makeover. Finally!
I know you are all on pins and needles, right?
Anyone? cricket...cricket...

Thanks so much for joining me today at the Fence,

This post is partying here:

DIY BY Design: Spring into Spring

Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home
Redoux: Friday Feature Party
Common Ground: Vintage Inspiration Friday
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Stuff and Nonsense: Friday's Unfolded
The Rooster and the Hen: RRR Transformation Party

If....

2012-04-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too:
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream — and not make dreams your master;
If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim,
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same:.
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings,
And never breathe a word about your loss:
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much:
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And which is more; you'll be a Man, my son!Rudyard Kipling

Happy 18th Birthday my precious grown-up baby boy.

Every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day, of every year of your 18 years of life have been a joy to me.

You have never given us a moment of grief or tribulation, but only laughter and blessing. Your love for the Lord shines through in all you do.

I love you from the depths of my being and for eternity.
Your mom

Giveaway and Guest Posting!

2012-04-16T05:48:00.000-07:00

Could there possibly be a better way to start a week than with a Giveaway??
We don't think so either!

And this one is extra special to us because we are offering it in conjunction with our Guest Post today over at the site of Glynnis Whitwer, editor of Proverbs 31 Ministries Magazine.
Glynnis is also an author, speaker, wife and mother and every day she shares her insights into life and faith on her wonderful blog.

We were so honored when she invited us to be apart of her Spring Series!
We are thrilled to be sharing some quick and easy ways to add inexpensive, yet beautiful, decorative touches to your home.

AND, we are giving you a chance to win a wonderful collection of decorative items to add a little charm to your own home!

The winner will receive the following:

A handled burlap candle holder with glass insert and a beautiful candle with a decorative decal. This burlap "bag" would also be a lovely way to display flowers, hold silverware, etc.

A gorgeous set of 2 linen tea towels with a stamped bird design.

A set of darling bird themed coasters.

This adorable picture frame chalkboard with flower embellishment in the corner.
Of course, the chalk is included!

At an over $40 value, we think this is one fantastic prize!!

Would you like to know how you can enter to win it?

Well, we are making this super easy for you today folks!

Just head on over right now and read our Guest Post over at Glynnis Whitwer's blog and come back over here to leave us a comment letting us know you did!

That's it! Easy peasy, right?

Now, what are you waiting for?
Get yourself on over there and come back here to enter to win!

P.S.
We just wanted to add that while we are so grateful to be homemakers, we truly believe that in any season of life, whether you are a stay-at-home mom with young children or you work outside of the home.
Whether you are employed part-time, full-time or retired.
The desire to be a "maker" of a "home" is something that resonates with all of us as women!
And it can be expressed in so many different ways.
We just hope you all feel encouraged to have your homes be a refuge for yourself and your families.
And that perhaps, by creating that haven, you will be moved to extend this hospitality
beyond your front door!

And, as always, thanks so much for visiting us today at the Fence,

*Giveaway ends at midnight (EST) on THURSDAY April 19th. Open to US residents only.*

Don't Let Me Blow Away Mommy

2012-04-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

*A Simply Sunday post from the past*

The wind was whipping around us as we were spinning and twirling through the yard.

Arms spread out, we laughed as dizziness set in before we tumbled into the lawn chair together.

She wrapped her little arms around my neck, snuggled in tight and said,

"Don't let me blow away mommy!"

It was one of those moments in life where you wish you could stop time.
You long for a way to bottle it up so you won't ever forget how soft her skin feels against yours.
How her little fingers played with your hair as we sat quietly together.

And my heart began to ache.

Ached because I knew that this moment would be over all too quickly.

Ached because I knew that soon she would not fit so perfectly in my lap.

Ached because I knew that the winds of life would toss and turn her and that I wouldn't always be there to block their force as they tried to "blow her away".

But, there are no magic bottles for collecting moments.
No spells to be conjured up in an attempt to stop time.

Just as a strong wind pulls and tugs at a boat tied to the dock, this world will try to pull her away from the security of being tied to our "dock".

And even the strongest of docks have been known to be pulverized by gale force winds and boats tossed and turned like plastic toys in a bathtub.

Source

So I pray for wisdom, protection, guidance.

"If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind." James 1:5-6

What if instead of being tied to the dock, her boat was tied to a rock.

THE rock.
The only One that can withstand those hurricanes of life.

Immovable.
Unshakeable.

Source

"The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies." Psalm 18:2-3

Because, no matter how much I want to believe that she will find enough security tied to the dock that is our family, I know that there are some things from which I cannot protect her.

Things that we can't predict and are beyond our control.

So, we too tie our rope to the Rock, trusting that He will take care of her.

Protect her.
Strengthen her.
Guide her.

And as we sit in that chair together on that warm summer day, she has no idea of the thoughts running through my head.
She just innocently waits for my reply.

So, I tell her the only thing she needs to hear at the tender age of 4.

"I won't let you blow away sweetie!"

Thanks for joining me for this Simply Sunday at the Fence,

Sharing this here:
Imparting Grace: Grace at Home Party

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 60!

2012-04-13T07:15:00.000-07:00

60??? Huh?

Has it really been 60 weeks since we all started partying together here at the Fence?

That just doesn’t seem possible!

But, that is 60 weeks of some of the most incredible Inspiration we have seen in our lives and we look forward to what you all have in store for us this week!

Before we jump into the party, we have the little business of announcing the winner of the

Curly Willow Collections Giveaway!

And the winner of the $25 credit is..

NOVA!!

Congratulations Nova! Please send us your email address so that we can put you in contact with Vicki from Curly Willow.

We also wanted to let you know that Vanessa is hopping over the Fence on Friday to give a tour of her home at Debbiedoo’s Blogging and Blabbing.

Here’s a sneak peek…

If you want to see more of Vanessa’s home tour, you are just going to have to go on over to Debbie’s place on Friday!

She is truly such an amazing gal and if you are new to the Blogging community you will want to spend some time with her over there. She hosts the popular weekly “Newbie” party and it is such a great way to connect and find support here in Blogland.

Let’s get to the fun of seeing some amazing features from last week’s party!

INSPIRED ROOMS

We think this is such an awesome Big Boy Room from Visual Eye Candy! Debbie did an amazing job creating this wonderful space for her sweet “big” boy.

We never tire of Kitchen Reveals and the next two show that whether you prefer BLACK...
like this gorgeous kitchen makeover from Julie of Redhead Can Decorate

or WHITE...like this soothing kitchen makeover from Jessica at Stay at Home-ista! BOTH color choices are amazingly fabulous!

Janette of the wonderful blog, The 2 Seasons, revealed her incredible Mud Room. We absolutely love the brick floors and the use of a gorgeous armoire for extra storage!

MAKEOVERS

Kristen of My Covered Bridge did an incredible job transforming her 80's bathroom into this gorgeous retreat! You simply must go over and check out the "Before" to fully appreciate the "After".

Did you see this fabulous Laundry Room Makeover? No..where have you been?! Karen at The Quaint Cottage shares oodles and oodles of wonderful projects and details as she shares how she transformed her laundry room into a laundry haven. Go check it out!

Bliss Ranch calls it a "Long Live Rock Teen Boy Dresser" we just call it ROCKIN'!! Teen Boy..shmeen boy...this dresser would be amazing for ANYONE! Seriously...with references like 867-5309, and Hotel California..this is just one awesome piece of furniture, and you will not believe what she was working with! Please visit to see every detail of this fabulous piece!

Decorate with a Little Bit helped her friend makeover these floor in her new home!
They took ho-hum hardwoods and turned them into fabulous!

Jenny from Days of Chalk and Chocolate gives us a step by step tutorial on how she made over this chair. You HAVE to see the before...are you SURE it's the same chair, Jenny?! ;) grin!

CRAFTS AND CREATIONS

This sunny and sweet sign from Laura Beth at A Step in the Journey caught our eye! It was perfect for Easter but deserves to be displayed year round! For two little girls, who wished that C.S. Lewis was their grandfather, this sign could not be more perfect!

Jacqueline from Get Cottage shared her GORGEOUS Vintage Country Easter Table with us! Who wouldn't want to sit right here on a glorious spring day!

We adore Becca of from Gardners Two Bergers...and we ADORE this Burlap Ruffled Union Jack Pillow she created! She gives us step by step directions on how to make our own...unless your Heather, than you just WISH you could make your own. ;)

RECIPES and PARTIES

This Carrot Cake from Pine Cones and Acorns looks almost too beautiful to eat...almost!
Perfect for Spring...or Summer...or Fall...or Winter...

Amanda from Bullfrogs and Bulldogs shared this incredible recipe for Mac-n-Cheese with a Gluten Free option. Frankly, we would be happy to just lick the bottom of that little jar!

We adore bread...bread stuffed with well anything..even better!! Loving this Braided Apple Bread from Trick and Treat.

INSPIRING STORIES

Sonya of Beyond the Screen Door is experiencing a lot of milestones and accomplishments in her life right now. Including the recent engagement of her daughter, her son turning 18, celebrating 30 years of marriage AND the launch of her new site The Shop Beyond the Screen Door!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located on our Buttons Page found under our header!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well!

Are you following us on

Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you!

Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week!

Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us!

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

Dawn's talent shines through with her amazing collection of original watercolors, hand-painted cards and printed greeting card sets like these gorgeous Wildflower Greeting Cards!

Powder Room Reveal

2012-04-10T08:45:00.000-07:00

I am so relieved to have this room done! I mentioned awhile back that I had no idea when I started this remodel, that the smallest room in the house would be the most challenging.

I shared my intentions to makeover my powder room about eight weeks ago. But here’s a little reminder of how it’s evolved over the years.

This is a photo heavy post..I hope that’s okay! grin! I will share in my next post all of the details on how I brought this room together. So for now…enjoy my powder room makeover!

I am on a wainscoting kick, so I couldn't leave the powder room out! I added beadboard to the room to lighten it up.

A close up of some of the details.

The tangerine, grey and red stone fleur de lis was my inspiration piece for the room.

I also loved this little pot, which was a perfect match to the tangerine!

I really struggled finding a rug that I liked that fit the color scheme but also wasn't too busy since it’s right next to our entryway. What do you think? A good choice?

My boldest decision in the room…the tangerine ceiling! If you follow us on Facebook, you know that Bama Boy put up quite the objection to me using ~~orange~~ tangerine anywhere in the house.

If you know anything about the SEC you know that orange is a predominant color in the uniforms of many or our arch rivals. I told him to get over it.

Am I crazy? Well, maybe. But it’s just paint right? And, life’s too short not too have a little fun in your house!

So what do you think? Do you like the transformation?

Stay tuned for the details on this makeover!

This post is partying at:

You're Talking Too Much: Meet Me Monday
My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia: Tuesday's Treasures
How To Nest for Less: Just a Party With My Peeps

Home Stories A to Z: Tutorials and Tips Party
Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday
Ask Anna: Weekend Warrior
DIY By Design: Spring into Spring Party
Savvy Southern Style: Wow Us Wednesday
Stuff and Nonsense: Fridays Unfolded
Common Ground: Vintage Friday
From My Front Porch To Yours: Treasure Hunt Thursday
French Country Cottage: Feathered Nest Friday
Redoux: Friday Feature Party

He is Risen Indeed~ Happy Easter!

2012-04-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

source

“Thomas said to him, “My lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed. “

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that

Jesus IS the Christ,

the Son of God,

and that by believing you may have life in his name.”

John 20:29-31

He is Risen!

He is Risen, indeed!

Happy Easter to you, our friends, with love in the matchless name of Jesus Christ,

Inspiration Friday No. 59 and a Giveaway!

2012-04-06T08:00:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that we are nearing the end of the first week of April??!!
Yowza! Time is just flying right by us and we know it is for you too, so we are honored that you would take a few moments out of your day to come by, pay us a visit and par-tay with us!

You ready?
Let the fun begin!

Up first,

It is time for us to announce the winner of our Designs by Thara Giveaway winner of this gorgeous necklace!

And the winner is....

Rachel from The Philosopher's Wife!!
Rachel, please contact us through out contact page and we'll put you in touch with Tahra!

Don't forget Thara is ALSO generously offering 10% off purchases for our friends here At The Picket Fence through the month of April..think Mother's Day gifts! Just type in Tahra10 when checking out!

And, while we are on the subject of Giveaways, well, how about another one???!!!

This one comes to us courtesy of our wonderfully talented and generous friend Vicki of

Her shop is filled with the most amazing Greeting Cards, Digital Scrapbooking Paper and Artwork!

Here is a peek at just some of her lovely items:

We love these "Whimsical Magpies" Greeting Cards!

Mother's Day and Father's Day are quickly approaching and we love the wonderfully vintage feel of these cards.

And this Spring Greeting Card with Matthew 6:33 printed on it might just be one of our favorites!

Ummm...well...maybe THESE are our favorite!

How adorable is this set of Spring Greeting Cards?

Now, for the

GIVEAWAY!

One lucky Picket Fence reader will win a

$25 credit to

Ahhh...the gift of shopping.

Want to know how you can enter to win it?

Here's how!

(Mandatory) 1. Head on over and visit Vicki at Curly Willow Collections , and come back to let us know which item(s) you liked best. (one entry)

(Optional) 2. "Like" Curly Willow Collections on Facebook and come back to let us know you did by leaving a comment. (one entry)

(Optional) 3. Subscribe to Vicki's blog Vicki Designer: Joyful Expressions leave us a comment letting us know you did. (one entry)

(Optional) 4. Share about this giveaway on Twitter or on your Facebook page and leave us a comment letting us know you did. (one entry)

And because she is so VERY generous, she is offering this beautiful Easter Card Printable for...FREE to our friends! Isn't it gorgeous?! You can just print it our right from here and you'll be all set with your Easter cards. Perfect for your Easter dinner hostess or how sweet to give your Pastor or Priest a lovely Easter card on Easter Sunday!

Just click on this attachment to download a full size version pdf file of the card

Ok, we know you are ready to see some of the highlights from last week's party right??

Here we go!

INSPIRED ROOMS

Stacey from A Sort of Fairytale showed just how far $150 can go in transforming a space when she shared her absolutely charming bathroom. And yes, that is a vintage First Aid kit on the wall!

and while we're hanging out in the ~~bathro~~... "salle de bain" hehe.... That's french for bathroom, sounds slightly more sophisticated ;)... we have to show you this amazing room transformation from Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage. You have to go see the before...it was a crime scene...;) You have to head over to read what we're talking about!

MAKEOVERS

Vikki of The Quirky Quail did an incredible job making over this once sad chair into a beautiful French-i-fied masterpiece!

We love to see things repurposed, and Jessica from Mom 4 Real did a great job repurposing by turning an old outdated mirror into this lovely chalkboard! She gives you the full tutorial on her blog. Isn't it beautiful!?

Rosemary of Villa Barnes can turn anything into pure gorgeousness, and one again she did not disappoint! These items certainly did not start out looking like this, go check out the transformation!

CRAFTS and CREATIONS

Lisa of Take Six shared this incredibly lovely Spring Tablescape.

Christie of My Ocean of Notions showed us how to make this adorable Bunny Skirt.

Myric from Peties Passion created this gorgeous French Wall Art...from old toys found at the Goodwill! Amazing!

Our friend Courtney from French Country Cottage built the most darling “Wee Little Birdhouse”, we're sure she'll be having new neighbors moving in very soon! ;)

RECIPES and PARTIES

Kelly of Notable Nest threw her son the most awesome Pirate Party.

How perfect that her son is named Jack! Argh!

Sylvia of Sylvia’s Simple Life invited us to a Spring Afternoon Tea and showed us how to make these exquisite Crystallized Pansies!

Who can resist Hot Cross Buns to celebrate Easter! Rebecca from Natural Mothers Network shared with us the history of Hot Cross Buns, as well as a great recipe!

INSPIRING STORIES

Virginia shared a great article she wrote for Inspired by Family Magazine. "Favoritism in Blogging." This article speaks to those insecurity and self doubt many bloggers feel. We encourage you to read this great post and hear Virginia's insights on how to overcome this struggle!

Katie of Adventures of a DIY Dork proved that there is definitely nothing “dorky” about giving of yourself to support and encourage others. She participated in a walk to raise awareness about Muscular Dystrophy and was blessed to be apart of “Amanda’s Angels”. We would love for you to go read more about this experience and the precious little girl who inspired Katie…and us!

If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button code located in on our Buttons Page found under our header!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook? Don't forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you've been featured there, grab a button as well!

Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week! We appreciate you!

Now it's time to share with us what has inspired you this week!

Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

And...one last thing we want to share with you...Are you following us on

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends:

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it's time to link on up...here's some instructions for Inspiration Friday

Link Up any post you've written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional...if it inspires link it up!
Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY to be featured At The Picket Fence) Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize. It makes us feel good knowing others are visiting people as well! Thank you..it truly means a lot to us!

And while it's not a requirement, we'd sure love ya to be following along with us in some capacity! Below are some great options!

And before we close, we would like to say that with all of the recent posts and thoughts around out in blogland right now on Linky Parties, we hope that each of you knows how much we appreciate you partying with us each week! We work hard to make this a fun place to be and our heart's desire is to showcase YOU! We're not perfect, by any means, but we do our best each week to bring you a quality party! Thanks for being a part of that.

This Inspiration Friday Party is Sponsored By:

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!!!

UPDATED: Linky Tools seems to be glitching when links are submitted. Before you resubmit, please refresh Inspiration Friday post once or twice to see if your link has appeared. It appears they are linking and by resubmitting it is causing links to show up multiple times. We are monitoring the party and if a link shows up more than once. we'll try and fix it on our end. :)
Thanks and we apologize!