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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

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June 26, 2013

My Good Housekeeping Feature!

Good Housekeeping inspired 4th of July decor www.atthepicketfence.com

I’m in this month’s issue of Good Housekeeping!

It’s a teeny-tiny-don’t-blink-or-you-will-miss-it feature.

But it’s there!

And why am I in Good Housekeeping do you ask?

handkerchief 4th of July pillow www.atthepicketfence.com
Well, I’ll tell ya.

I’m in Good Housekeeping because I took two Dollar Tree handkerchiefs, put a pillow between them and tied the corners with ribbons.
fourth of July front porch pillows www.atthepicketfence.com
Then I took two terra-cotta pots and put red flowers in the bottom one, white flowers in the top one, stacked the white one on top of the red one and stuck two American flags in it.
Makes sense, right?

potted victory garden 4th of July decor atthepicketfence.com

Ok, so maybe there was a little more involved in being featured in Good Housekeeping. Just a little though, mind you!

You see, I did this back in the summer of 2011. I had been visiting my parents and working my way through the stack of magazines my mom always saves for me. One of those magazines was Good Housekeeping. And it featured some fun and simple 4th of July decor. “Simple” is one of my most favorite words!

So, I created my own version of their version and took photos of it and put it on our blog.

Fast forward to March of this year and I get a call from my sister. “Where are you?” she hollers at me through the phone. “I’m on my way to pick up the kids from school”, I reply. “Well you are not going to believe the email that you just got!” she says.

stacked pot victory garden fourth of July decor atthepicketfence.com

Good Housekeeping had seen my version of their version and wondered if I would be willing to let them put it in the July issue of their magazine. Hmmmm…let me think about it…. 😉

I may or may not have neighbors who now think of me as the crazy lady who pulled her car over and made high-pitched screeching sounds while waving her hands around wildly.

American flags on stacked pot victory garden atthepicketfence.com

After re-editing and actually re-shooting some of the photos then sending them off to them I waited and waited and waited and waited and waited for the July issue to come out.

When it finally did, I greedily snatched it up and flipped through the pages looking and looking and looking and looking and looking. I reached the end of the magazine and didn’t see it. So I started from the beginning and went flipped through all the pages again and still didn’t see it.

I did this 4 more times.

Until…I saw it.

GH pic

A teeny-tiny-don’t-blink-or-you-might-miss-it-and-in-fact-I-did-miss-it-feature!

But still…kinda cool, huh? 🙂

Just goes to show that you never know whose watching!

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38 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Decorating, Features, Gardening, Good Ideas, No-Sew, Outdoors Tagged With: 4th of July, 4th of July crafts, 4th of July decorating, Good Housekeeping, pillows

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Comments

  1. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove says

    June 26, 2013 at 6:17 AM

    The pillow is adorable and that is very fun and exciting news! Congrats!

    Reply
  2. Gretchen says

    June 26, 2013 at 6:32 AM

    Congratulations! Great idea.

    Reply
  3. Marty Walden says

    June 26, 2013 at 6:41 AM

    I love simple and I love your don’t blink feature! Congrats!

    Reply
  4. Southern Scraps says

    June 26, 2013 at 6:56 AM

    Congrats to you! Cute ideas.

    Reply
  5. Jackie Adams says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:16 AM

    Congratulations Vanessa! So exciting!

    Reply
  6. Michelle Paige says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:30 AM

    So fun to be featured, even if it’s small! Congrats!

    Reply
  7. Tammy says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:39 AM

    Congratulations….what a great idea on the pillows! Very Cute!!!

    Reply
  8. Anita says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:41 AM

    Vanessa, congratulations!! Yay for you:-)

    Reply
  9. carol jane says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:47 AM

    Adorable pillow! No sewing at all? Maybe I can do this too! Ha! I dont have a sewing machine.

    Reply
  10. Richella @ Imparting Grace says

    June 26, 2013 at 7:57 AM

    Very, very, VERY cool!! Congratulations, Vanessa! I love Good Housekeeping. I started reading my mom’s copies when I was 12, which means I’ve now been reading Good Housekeeping for nearly 38 years! And I still love it, because I get wonderful ideas that will actually work in a real home. I’d be really excited if I were you–small feature or not, it’s still a feature! Way to go, friend!

    Reply
  11. Sara ~ Sweet Magnolias Farm says

    June 26, 2013 at 8:05 AM

    Congrat’s on your feature in Good Housekeeping .. No matter how small it is ..it’s still quite cool !

    Love your simple ideas .. sometimes they are truly the best .. and yours’ are too charming !

    Happy 4th ..
    Sara

    Reply
  12. Anjana @ At The Corner Of Happy & Harried says

    June 26, 2013 at 8:13 AM

    Congrats! And I did see it in GH!!

    Reply
  13. Judy Clark says

    June 26, 2013 at 8:17 AM

    Vanessa – Congratulations! Your porch looks darling and very “Fourth of Julyish”. Great job. But then, everything you two do is great and a lot of your items should be published. Again, congratulations. I’ll save the issue and say – “that’s my friend”.

    Judy

    Reply
  14. Leslie Harris says

    June 26, 2013 at 8:41 AM

    You’re in Good Housekeeping because you’re awesome. Love the ideas and I’m sharing this on my FB page.
    xo
    Leslie aka Gwen Moss

    Reply
  15. Ashley says

    June 26, 2013 at 9:27 AM

    You work hard on everything you do and deserve the Good Housekeeping feature. Good for you!

    Reply
  16. Susan @ My Place to Yours says

    June 26, 2013 at 9:43 AM

    Kinda cool? Oh, yes it is! Congratulations. Cute patriotic porch, by the way. 🙂

    Reply
  17. susan says

    June 26, 2013 at 10:22 AM

    Good for you! Very cool patriotic decorating…no wonder they liked it!
    Susan

    Reply
  18. Jessica@designerssweetspot.blogspot.com says

    June 26, 2013 at 10:29 AM

    How exciting to be featured! I didn’t know Good House Keeping ever did features, even if it’s a small one, it’s great exposure! Nice job!

    Reply
  19. Leslie Stewart @ House on the Way says

    June 26, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    That is fabulous! Congrats!

    Reply
  20. Marty@A Stroll Thru Life says

    June 26, 2013 at 12:44 PM

    Oh how exciting. I love it. Your pillow is definitely cute and this is such an honor for you. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  21. Mandy Grimes says

    June 26, 2013 at 12:44 PM

    How exciting to be featured in a Magazine!

    Reply
  22. Heidi @ Decor & More says

    June 26, 2013 at 1:05 PM

    Awesome, Vanessa!! I need to make a pillow like that for my front porch bench — genius! Congrats!
    xo Heidi

    Reply
  23. Angela says

    June 26, 2013 at 1:43 PM

    This is awesome!!! Congratulations!!! Well deserved!~~Angela

    Reply
  24. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    June 26, 2013 at 2:01 PM

    Congrats Vanessa…!!!..Love how you stacked one pot into the other!!…I love placing flags in my planters too!….My porch looks like a parade!!!…:) Can’t wait to get the GH and see your feature!! So wonderful!!!

    Reply
  25. Cindy says

    June 26, 2013 at 3:23 PM

    Congratulations!!! Super cute pillow 🙂
    Blessings,
    Cindy

    Reply
  26. karen says

    June 26, 2013 at 5:48 PM

    Vanessa that is so fun!!!! And what a cute project!!

    Reply
  27. Lynn@Southern Direction says

    June 27, 2013 at 9:10 AM

    I love it! Congrats!

    Reply
  28. MDR says

    June 27, 2013 at 12:46 PM

    So festive! Love it and YOU! Mom

    Reply
  29. Christina @ The Frugal Homemaker says

    June 27, 2013 at 3:06 PM

    Congrats, Vanessa! I already saw your feature in my magazine 🙂 Might have to copy your pillows – love them and how easy they are to do!

    Reply
  30. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    June 27, 2013 at 5:18 PM

    That’s awesome Vanessa!! Yay!! 🙂
    xoxo

    Reply
  31. Sherry says

    June 27, 2013 at 10:10 PM

    How cool to be in Good Housekeeping!!! Glad you finally found it! 😉 I love that pillow idea…I might have to copy that! Simple is always good.

    Reply
  32. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof says

    June 29, 2013 at 5:16 AM

    That is awesome! Contgrats 🙂

    Reply
  33. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof says

    June 29, 2013 at 5:16 AM

    congrats…..I can spell 🙂

    Reply
  34. Liz @ Quirky Vistas says

    July 1, 2013 at 5:48 AM

    So fun! Magazine worthy for sure and I can just see you now out waving your arms and screaming. I would do the same! Congratulations! It is a super cute idea everyone will want to imitate!
    Liz

    Reply
  35. Lauren @ The Endearing Home says

    July 2, 2013 at 7:06 PM

    Congratulations on being featured in Good Housekeeping! I love the pillow and the flower pots too! Such great ideas, thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  36. Zuni says

    July 4, 2013 at 8:06 PM

    I’d be a crazy lady too if I got an email from a magazine!! LOL. And your work was deserving…both cute ideas, photographed well! ~Zuni

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Last Minute 4th of July Decor & Recipes! - At The Picket Fence says:
    February 1, 2014 at 7:23 AM

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  2. 31 Last-Minute 4th Of July Decorating Tricks | Sharing Interesting Stuff, Updates News & Free Tips says:
    June 25, 2014 at 8:26 AM

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May we never take for granted the freedom given to us not by earthly authorities but by the ONE true authority. And may we live in such a way as to honor those who fought for and protect freedom and liberty. 

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