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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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August 23, 2012

Back to School Party Ideas

back_to_school_party_ideas atthepicketfence.comWe are so excited to announce that we have a new member to the Picket Fence Team!

Julie is Vanessa’s “in real life” friend and will now be a regular Contributor here.

back to school, Martha Stewart

She is a wife and a mom of 3 darling kiddos. She loves photography and making everyday moments into memorable occasions. She is incredibly talented, creative and throws some knock-your-socks-off-fantastic parties! We just know that you are going to love her as much as we do.

So, without further ado, please help us welcome Julie as she shares some of her awesome ideas for
Back to School Celebrations
Hi everyone! I’m so thrilled to be meeting you all here At the Picket Fence!
In honor of all things back-to-school, Vanessa invited me to share with you a few of our family’s back-to-school celebrations & traditions.
We started our back-to-school party tradition when our oldest was 4 and about to enter Pre-K.

She was uneasy about school & prone to separation anxiety so we thought it would be a way to boost her confidence and make the start of school a little more celebratory.It quickly became a family tradition and has helped offset the bittersweet transition that I feel each year as school begins—a pep rally of sorts for the whole family.

For every back-to-school and end of school party our girls (and pretty soon our boy, once he starts school) select colors to create our theme. This year it’s apple green with shades of pinks & purples.
They also select the menu for the celebrations. Armed with scrapbook paper, scissors, circle punches, tape & ribbons, I create simple party details that appear in almost every “school” celebration: bunting/banners, celebration pins, invitations & signs.

back to school, pennant, back to school party

Add in fresh flowers or apples from our tree.

back to school, back to school party

Free printables from internet searches (so grateful to all the talented bloggers & artists for their free downloads!) and our requisite “apple” cupcakes (inspired by Martha Stewart and our party is mostly complete.

This is last year’s “Celebration Pin”.

back to school

And here is this year’s version.

To indulge my creative side, I’ll usually try out some new tutorial or craft that I’ve picked up in my searches. For this year’s party I followed a tutorial from the blog MADE  to make the girls’ matching back-to-school party skirts. I have never sewn before this summer and I discovered in the process of making these that I had been threading & inserting my bobbin completely wrong all summer proving that if I can follow this tutorial with relative success, anyone can!
I attached a flower hair clip to the waistband to fancy them up a bit.

At each back-to-school party our kids receive a small gift to start off their year. Some years the gifts have been more symbolic or meaningful depending on what our kids were dealing with as we approached the start of school.

Past years have included a small child-sized locket with picture of mom & dad for our anxiety-prone girl (she wore it every day for the entire year, opening it when she needed to feel “closer” to us), a few sparkly pencils & erasers, a new devotion book for the school year and last year (for that same sensitive girl) a small, stretchy watch so she would be able to tell at any point during the day how much longer she had until she could see us. This year the girls will be getting the following books that I found on Amazon.

Ten Girls Who Used Their Talents

Ten Girls Who Made A Difference

Our middle child starts Kindergarten this September and she’s been excitedly awaiting another family tradition of a “fancy” dinner-date out with mom a few nights before school starts, commemorating her entry into elementary school.

She gets a special invitation in her mailbox and can choose both of our outfits for the evening.

A new tradition added to this year’s party has been to include a verse for the school year in our party décor. This summer the kids and I worked on memorizing my 92 year old grandmother’s life verses: Psalm 91. When we began talking about a verse for the year I asked the girls if they had any ideas and my oldest

(who still struggles with homesickness at the start of the year) suggested Psalm 91:2.

This I declare about the Lord: He alone is my refuge, my place of safety; he is my God and I trust him.

I have a feeling that this verse will challenge/encourage me as much, if not more, than my kids as I begin the process of releasing them to school. We’ve written it on our hall chalkboard, added it to our party décor & included it as our theme on our invitations to the grandparents.

To photograph our kids at the beginning and end of each school year I’ve used these free printable signs from Blonde Designs and then have made my own for capturing the last day of school. This past year I stumbled upon the beautiful blog Simple as That and will be using some of her photography tips to capture memorable back-to-school moments. She also has an awesome Back to School Photo Checklist which she offers as a free printable!

Finally here’s a few pictures of how we finish out our year.

This past year the girls chose pink & turquoise as the party colors and I found & framed this beautiful free printable from Laura Winslow Photography

We kept it framed on our kitchen table all summer, reminding us to savor the days. Our peonies held on to their petals for an extra day to add a pop of pink color on our table and I used this tutorial for the streamers.

and this one for the cupcake toppers.

Thanks so much for letting me share a few of our simple celebrations with you. Happy Back-to-School from our house to yours!

And thanks so much for joining us (and Julie) at the Fence today,

dual-signature_thumb2

21 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Children's Parties Ideas, Crafts, Family, Good Ideas, Guest Posts, Kids, Parties Tagged With: Autumn, back to school, fall, kids

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Comments

  1. Jessica Kielman says

    August 22, 2012 at 7:59 PM

    How super exciting…and wow, Julie, can you please be my mom? What lucky children! I cannot wait to see more! Welcome to one of my favorite blogs…so glad you are here!

    Jessica @ Mom 4 Real

    Reply
  2. Susan (My Place to Yours) says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:19 PM

    Welcome, Julie! Your great projects almost make me wish I had children at home again. I’ll start planning some fun celebrations for the grands instead. 🙂

    Reply
  3. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    August 22, 2012 at 8:53 PM

    YAY Julie!!! Welcome 🙂
    XO

    Reply
  4. Ruby Jean says

    August 22, 2012 at 9:27 PM

    Welcome to the Picket Fence, Julie!!! Lovely back to school ideas. We homeschool and do more of an all year round thing. But we can’t help but get excited when the stores fill up with all those school supplies at cheaper prices 🙂
    Have a blessed day!
    Angelina

    Reply
  5. Debbiedoo's says

    August 22, 2012 at 10:57 PM

    Welcome Julie!~ you are in good company! Great post. Nice meeting you:)

    Reply
  6. Buttercup Bliss says

    August 23, 2012 at 12:53 AM

    Welcome Julie to one of my absolute favorite blogs!! Your ideas are precious!! I SO wish I had a little girl so I could use all of your sweet decorative ideas :=) I may tweak them so I can use them with my little boy!

    Reply
  7. Shelia says

    August 23, 2012 at 1:26 AM

    Hi ladies and I want to welcome Julie to At The Picket Fence! Isn’t she so creative? Oh, how I wish I had been more creative when my children were little!
    Be a bunch of sweeties,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  8. Helen's Decor says

    August 23, 2012 at 1:31 AM

    Welcome Julie! Like Shelia posted above me…I wish I had thought to be this creative when my son was starting school. I’m planning to copy some of the ideas to send special notes to my grandchildren this school year. Can’t wait to see what you 3 ladies share with us.

    Thanks, Helen

    Reply
  9. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    August 23, 2012 at 2:46 AM

    These are just precious ideas~ a real celebration of childhood! I hope you share this great post at TUTORIALS TIPS AND TIDBITS going on now!!! LOVE them all!

    Reply
  10. Shannon at Fox Hollow Cottage says

    August 23, 2012 at 3:15 AM

    Oh my…I am in need of a good schooling. Maybe it’s having a boy? As he got older he just wasn’t into those fun little things. Girls… much more fun! 🙂 LOL!

    Welcome to Julie! The more the merrier right?

    Reply
  11. Heidi @ Decor & More says

    August 23, 2012 at 11:16 AM

    How precious — every detail thought of and I love that her girls are part of the process! Welcome, Julie!! We look forward to soaking up more of your brilliant creativity!
    xo Heidi

    Reply
  12. Catie @ Catie's Corner says

    August 23, 2012 at 2:50 PM

    Love this post! Julie is an awesome addition to the crew. lol Can’t wait to see what else she has to share.

    Sorry I haven’t been around much ladies! I love your blog and plan to get back on track with mine once school starts. You’ll be hearing and seeing more of me soon. =)

    ~ Catie

    Reply
  13. Savvy Seasons says

    August 23, 2012 at 5:07 PM

    Great post and welcome Julie!! What an inspiration she is, so glad you posted this because I am going to take some of her ideas and apply them to my girl’s going back to school, thank you! XO ~Liz

    Reply
  14. Judy says

    August 23, 2012 at 5:22 PM

    What an awesome mom Julie is. I’m excited that you have her as a new contributor. So many fun ideas for back to school.

    Reply
  15. Suzanne says

    August 23, 2012 at 6:06 PM

    What fun! Welcome to the Picket Fence — just one more reason I keep coming back!

    Reply
  16. thistlewoodfarm says

    August 23, 2012 at 8:18 PM

    Julie,

    You are AMAZING!!!!!!!!!! You need to be nominated for “mom of the year!” And your photography is off the charts! I am so happy you are over At The Picket Fence!

    Have a blessed and wonderful day!
    karianne

    Reply
  17. Cocalores says

    August 24, 2012 at 5:54 PM

    These are some really sweet traditions! Your kids must love them =)

    Reply
  18. Smart School House says

    August 26, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    I just love that banner!

    Reply
  19. Debt Free Mommy says

    August 27, 2012 at 4:31 AM

    It’s party time over at Debt Free Mommy Blog and you’re invited!! Please stop on in and link up with Making Space Mondays. We look forward to seeing any post(s) about making your space better. Hope to see you there. -Tabitha

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Back-to-School…Ugh! | Charming Farming says:
    August 20, 2013 at 4:15 PM

    […] For starters, there’s the Back-to-School Party. […]

    Reply
  2. Back to School Party Ideas - At The Picket Fence says:
    August 6, 2014 at 3:01 AM

    […] From our very own At the Picket Fence Contributor Julie here are some adorable ideas for a Back to School Party  […]

    Reply

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“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka. Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
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