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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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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

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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

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In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a bit more tender. When Christmas rolls around and I no longer have wish lists that include Lego sets or dollhouses, I find that I want my home to reflect this craving for all things gentle.

So our hot cocoa station this year is much more simple and done in a neutral color palette that just subtly blends in with the rest of the decor. It still feels festive and is definitely still “user friendly” but it’s just a bit less…well…less.

And, that’s ok. It’s not that this area won’t ever again have bright colors (maybe even pops of red!) but, right now I’m happy to have things this way.

With all that is going on in the world right outside our door, my desire is for our home to truly feel like a respite. I want it to be where we come and let our guard down, our heart rates slow and to be flooded with a sense of peace in knowing that here is where we can just simply be. I want it to be a place of rest. Rest from the constant onslaught of news and information. Rest from the seemingly small struggles of school and jobs that can so often feel like big struggles.

And, most importantly, we rest in the comfort of knowing the One who is Sovereign over all and is the reason this month is so very special and sacred.

Many blessings to you dear friends as we kick off this wonderful season! ✨
Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary to popular belief, the celebration of Advent is VERY different from just simply doing a ‘countdown to Christmas’. It’s not about having little drawers filled with candy or doors to open with prizes inside. Those things are so much fun and definitely help to build anticipation as you head closer and closer to the big day.

But Advent, from the latin word ‘adventus’ meaning ‘arrival’ or ‘appearance’ keeps the focus completely on celebrating the arrival of the King who came in the form of an infant.

This is one of our favorite family traditions and over the years I’ve figured out how to incorporate the Advent candles into my decor without using the traditional wreath. I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration as we head into this sacred season. 🌲

#advent #adventdecoration #wearethehomemakers
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Starting early is a gift I give to myself and I’m always grateful for it! 🌲

#simplechristmas #traditionalchristmas
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest fo “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
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*pillow covers are from @jshhomeessentials
I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a confession ...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
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✨I want them to feel like my home is greeting them with a smile.

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✨I want them to feel like there is peace here.

✨I want them to feel like they are welcome…because they are. 

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How do you want people to feel when they come into your home? 

#christmasentry #simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
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Several years ago I felt a conviction in my heart about how much time and money I was spending on trying to create a new look every Christmas. I was not being a good steward of my resources and I was far too easily swayed by the peer pressure in this area. And a funny thing happened when I smashed this idol that had taken up residence in my heart. I suddenly found renewed joy in decorating for the season. By keeping things simple and maybe only buying something like a new spool of velvet ribbon, I actually realized that I could be far more creative reusing and repurposing what I already had.

In the coming weeks your news feeds will be filled with temptations for MORE. Maybe, this year, you too can find the joy in LESS. 🌲

#simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
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When will you begin to transition your home from Autumn to Winter?
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