• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

May 14, 2015

Ballard Designs Pillow Knock-Off

I need to tell you something. I went into Michael’s Crafts the other day and realized that it had been at least 2 months since I had last been there.

Now, this might not seem like a really big deal to you but believe me, it is.

You see, there was a time when I was there weekly. Sometimes twice a week. I was eagerly trying to come up with projects and crafts that I could show right here on the blog and many times I found myself wandering around the store just hoping a brilliant idea would strike like lightning.

rope knot pillow diy

To be honest, pretty often those shopping trips turned out to be not only a waste of time but also a waste of money.

And sometimes I tried to make things that I knew would be considered ‘popular’ but really weren’t even my style.

In the world of blogging and social media, it’s very easy to fall into the trap of trying to fit in. Everyone else has chevron patterns on their walls, you should have chevron patterns on your wall. Everyone else has a giant chalkboard hanging in their dining room, you should have a giant chalkboard in your dining room. Everyone else is decorating with a gray/white/yellow/turquoise color palette, you should decorate with a gray/white/yellow color palette.

I have found that my insecure middle school self often has a lot in common with my 39 year old self.

Because sometimes I’ve just wanted my home to fit in.

Leather couch with cream pillows atthepicketfence.com

But something changed this year for me. Not only have I made peace with myself in so many different personal areas, like coming to terms with my Gong Show past, my spiritual gifts and learning how to make friends with my problems, but I’ve also made peace with my decorating style.

In fact, I kinda like my style. So, I decided that I would no longer create something just for the sake of creating something. Does that make sense? I only want to add things to my home that I REALLY love, even if they aren’t necessarily the latest trend.

And when I saw the Ballard Designs Wake Knot Pillow I knew I wanted to add it to my home. Only problem? The price. $45 for a small pillow just wasn’t going to cut it.

That’s how I found myself back at Michaels.

Ballard Designs Wake Knot Pillow knock-off atthepicketfence.com

Only this time, I knew exactly what I needed to purchase and didn’t spend excessive amounts of time OR money!

I found a neutral pillow for only $12 (God bless those 50% off sales!) and some ribbon.

ballard pillow knock-off supplies

And armed with my glue gun and the Ballard Designs pillow pulled up on my laptop, I was ready to go.

It only took about 15 minutes and I absolutely love how it turned out!

You know, the desire to ‘fit in’ is a funny thing. Because the reality is that there really is no ‘in’ to fit into, right?

It’s all a bit of an illusion.

Neutral nautical themed pillow atthepicketfence.com

And the last thing we want to do here At the Picket Fence is feed into an illusion or create a false sense of reality.

So we commit to keep it real here.

That might mean we won’t always have the absolute latest trends or the most cutting edge design ideas.

But what we will always have is a whole lot of heart.

And in the end, that’s a place where everyone fits in, right? 🙂

Vanessa signature

 

I’m joining some of my friends again today for our ongoing Budget Decorating Series so be sure to pay them a visit!

Budget Decorating updated

BEST-BUDGET-DECORATING-TIP

CEDAR HILL FARMHOUSE
DECORATING WITH BOOKS-budget friendly ideas-stonegableblog.com

STONE GABLE

Easy DIY mirror from ceiling medallion

JENNIFER RIZZO

Sharing this project here: Grace at Home

41 Comments Filed Under: Budget Decorating Series, Crafts, Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: budget decorating, craft, decor, decorating, DIY

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « How To Make Frozen Greek Yogurt
Next Post: Deck Decorating Ideas and Giveaway! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mimi Matthews Passionista At Large says

    May 14, 2015 at 3:53 AM

    Amen, sister! It’s ALL about heart. It took me longer than 39 years to let go of that lie of needing to fit in. Now I’m free and being me! Good for you. And I really like your pillow. 🙂

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:21 PM

      Thank you so much Mimi! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Peg says

    May 14, 2015 at 4:05 AM

    Love it! What would we do without glue guns? lol
    : )

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:20 PM

      LOL Peg!! I would be so lost without my glue gun! 😉

      Reply
  3. Hope Williams says

    May 14, 2015 at 4:20 AM

    We are as individual as we are supposed to be. Meaning, every single person on the planet wants to fit in, be liked, have friends and be the perfect little “I have it all together” person. Then reality hits! Life is way to short for chasing all that nonsense. Be you. If you are not grey walls, paint yours purple if that’s you.
    I believe with all my heart that by being you, sharing YOU with your readers, will be what draws and keeps people with you. Not the wanna be you but the you God made you to be.
    I love this pillow design. But for me it’s in red with white ribbon! Either way, it is still a gorgeous pillow!
    Be Blessed and be a Blessing, Hope

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:18 PM

      Thank you so much Hope! I truly appreciate your sweet comment and your lovely encouragement. You blessed me today!

      Reply
  4. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    May 14, 2015 at 5:09 AM

    I love your pillow so much! What a great project… but I love your wisdom even more!!! What a sage post. For 39 you really have it together! Vanessa I could be your mother (yes, I’m probably older than your mother) but I feel such a kindred spirit to you and Heather! Keep up the great work and the way you have your priorities straight!!! You are one-of-a-kind and so is your amazing style!!! xo

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:17 PM

      Well I don’t know about having it all together but I’m definitely trying to keep it real here! Yvonne I want you to know that I think of you as a mentor to me and treasure the relationship we’ve been able to cultivate over these last few years. Not only do I love and admire your home but more than that I just love and admire YOU! Thank you for being such a blessing and an encouragement to me always. xoxo

      Reply
  5. Doreen says

    May 14, 2015 at 5:26 AM

    You go girl – this was on my “to do” list and you beat me to the punch! I knew it would be a good knock off and it looks fabulous! Well done!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:15 PM

      LOL Doreen!! I didn’t dare do a Pinterest search for it because I was positive that someone else HAD to have already done it and then I wouldn’t make my own! 😉 Thanks so much for your sweet comment!

      Reply
  6. Pat says

    May 14, 2015 at 5:54 AM

    Bravo for keeping it real. Thanks for the wisdom, it struck a chord here. And I love your pillow.
    Pat

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:14 PM

      Thank you Pat!

      Reply
  7. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    May 14, 2015 at 6:09 AM

    You knocked this project right out of the park!….Beautiful job…love the pillow….and what I love about you is that you are true to yourself….I love your “Vanessa” style!….

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:14 PM

      Awwww…thanks so much Shirley!! And I love your ‘Shirley’ style! 😉

      Reply
  8. Richella Parham says

    May 14, 2015 at 6:24 AM

    Isn’t it funny to think about all the people who have no doubt tried to “fit in” to YOUR decorating style? Actually, yours is a great style to emulate, but let’s pray that each one discover her own style and learn to be content, as you have done. I am proud of you, sweet girl! You’ve developed great wisdom for one so young, and you do a good job of sharing it. God bless you!!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 4:14 PM

      Thank you so much sweet friend!! Your encouragement means the world to me! <3

      Reply
  9. Sheila says

    May 14, 2015 at 7:09 AM

    I stopped over at BD to take a look at their pillow because I had never seen the wake knot pillow and I have to say I like yours a WHOLE lot better. I like the neutral, sandy, beachy feel to it. Also, I know what you mean by trying to keep up with the trends. While I like a lot of the trends I just find that I do better (feel better and like my home better) when I make things that are my style vs. running myself ragged trying to keep up with the blogging Jones’. Great job and I love the changes you are making to your home. GORGEOUS!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 1:23 PM

      Oh thanks so much Sheila!! So appreciate your comment! 🙂

      Reply
  10. Betsy says

    May 14, 2015 at 7:09 AM

    I’ve always tried to keep our home somewhat stylish but quickly found that I wasn’t happy with many of the things that the décor magazines were showing. I finally realized our home only needed to make my husband and myself happy. No one else mattered. We decorate with just what makes us happy and comfortable. If we’re happy then everyone else who comes to our home is happy.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 1:17 PM

      You are so right Betsy! Thanks so much for coming by today!

      Reply
  11. Sue Tait says

    May 14, 2015 at 7:22 AM

    Love this pillow! Love even more your attitude, you are wise way beyond your 39 years, it took me 54 years to get where you are now. Good for you!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 1:17 PM

      Thank you so much Sue!

      Reply
  12. Donnamae says

    May 14, 2015 at 7:43 AM

    Love the pillow…and the sentiment…you speak from the heart! That’s why I like it here…I feel like I fit in! 😉

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 1:17 PM

      Awww…you definitely fit in here!!! 🙂 Thanks so much!

      Reply
  13. Sandy says

    May 14, 2015 at 9:21 AM

    Wow Vanessa!!! What you shared totally hit home. Obviously, you hit a chord with me because I have been thinking similarly about decorating. I admire you for being sooooo honest. Oh by the way, I love the pillow:)

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 12:35 PM

      Thank you so much Sandy!! Isn’t it nice to know we aren’t alone in our feelings? I so appreciate your encouragement. 🙂

      Reply
  14. Julie says

    May 14, 2015 at 12:55 PM

    Hi Vanessa I love the pillow and it fits right on your couch. I really liked that you took an already made pillow and made it your own. I could do that! I
    I also wanted you to know how much I appreciated your kind words last week. I kept them close and re-read them to let them sink in. Many tears later, they eased my mind. Thank you!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 1:13 PM

      Thank you so much Julie! And you have been on my heart and I’ve prayed for you often since you shared your situation with me. If nothing else, I just so firmly believe that there is great comfort in knowing that others have experienced similar hurts and that we can journey through it together! Maybe you could pray for me too?? 🙂

      Reply
      • Julie Kimmel says

        May 15, 2015 at 1:42 PM

        Already on it, sister!!

        Reply
  15. Anita from Cedar Hill Farmhouse says

    May 14, 2015 at 5:37 PM

    OH my goodness, I love your pillow!!! Well done

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 7:47 PM

      Thanks Anita! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Kim says

    May 14, 2015 at 7:39 PM

    Super post, my friend and love the pillow!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 14, 2015 at 7:46 PM

      Thank you so much Kim!!

      Reply
  17. Pamela says

    May 14, 2015 at 10:46 PM

    Great job on the pillow.. Great insight about being real…
    Have a blessed day
    Pam

    Reply
  18. Laura Jo says

    May 15, 2015 at 3:31 AM

    Thanks for sharing your heart! I needed to hear that!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 15, 2015 at 7:51 PM

      Thank you so much Laura Jo! 🙂

      Reply
  19. Genny says

    May 15, 2015 at 5:56 AM

    So glad to hear to feel this way too! I’m always feeling like my house is so blah since I don’t have white cabinets, and all neutral colors and well, the list goes on. And I find myself battling with my inner self because I really like my house. While it could use a little bit here and there, other priorities have come into play. Thanks so much for keeping it real!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 15, 2015 at 7:51 PM

      Thank you Genny! 🙂

      Reply
  20. Richella Parham says

    May 21, 2015 at 4:46 AM

    I like this so much, Vanessa. Just popping back in to thank you for joining Grace at Home and to tell you that I’m featuring you this week! 🙂

    Reply
  21. Debbie says

    May 22, 2015 at 7:55 AM

    It has been so very long since I even ventured into blogland, but this morning I found myself sitting here with a cup of coffee and thought about this little picket fence and what you were up to. I have been here for a while enjoying things, and then I saw this post. You couldn’t have written my words better if I were whispering in your ear. Not only do I relate to what you said about, well, everything, but I like the fact that we have such similar tastes. I love (and will now probably attempt to copy…) that pillow. It goes with my style. (Which after a vacation from Debbie for about two decades, I have finally rediscovered and embraced with a complete sense of peace.. )

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 22, 2015 at 7:47 PM

      Hi Debbie!! Oh how I absolutely LOVED seeing your name pop up today!! I’m so thrilled that you are coming back from your blogging vacation 😉 and that you have found such a sense of peace in it. It’s all a journey, right?? Our blogs are always secondary to ‘living’ and making sure that we stay true to ourselves. I always say that we run the blog, the blog doesn’t run us and I think that helps to remove that pressure and replace it with peace. Welcome back sweet friend!! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Take the Quiz

Stay updated!

Get all the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • A New Gig! April 16, 2021
  • Lessons From Growing Out My Bangs March 12, 2021
  • Painted Staircase Handrail Makeover March 4, 2021
  • A New French Country Dining Table February 3, 2021
  • Open Now December 17, 2020

Get all the latest straight to your inbox

Footer

Instagram

I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2021 At The Picket Fence