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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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April 19, 2023

Strawberry Muffins with Lemon Glaze

When you live in the PNW, you know that you will have to accept the reality of rain. But, just when I think that I've accepted that reality, we get an exceptionally wet spring and you start to wonder if you will ever see the sun shining for more than a few minutes at a time. So, I decided that if the sun wasn't going to hang out for very long outside my window then I was going to create a little bit of sunshine inside! I had some strawberries that I needed to use up so I made these yummy ... continue reading...

Leave a Comment Filed Under: breads, Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: breakfast, spring recipes

March 24, 2023

Console Table Refresh

There is a certain satisfaction in getting to the point in your home decorating journey where you look around and see very little you'd change. I'm finding myself very rarely purchasing new items for our house these days as I make strides to purge the excess stuff in my life. But, lately, I've realized that there are a few nooks and crannies that could use a bit of a refresh. ... continue reading...

2 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas

February 23, 2023

Laundry Room Makeover

"Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well." (Louisa May Alcott) One of the most important things I've come to realize about my role as a homemaker, it's that making my days both useful and pleasant is so vital for our home to feel peaceful. And, I think the same is true of the spaces in our home. Fifteen years ago, when we moved into our home, I was so thrilled to even have a ... continue reading...

10 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: decorating, laundry room

January 27, 2023

Winter Decorating Ideas

By this point in January I always begin to suspect that the date on the calendar must be wrong because I'm fairly certain that they've added at least twenty days to this month. Every year it feels sooooo long and every year this feeling seems to take me by surprise for some reason. Maybe it's because I've had eleven months to try and forget about it. ... continue reading...

6 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Good Ideas, Winter Tagged With: decorating, home decor, winter

December 10, 2022

Nostalgic Christmas Home Tour

When we were little girls, my sister and I knew that it was important to my parents that Santa not get the credit for our 'big' Christmas gift. The hand-crafted doll house, the white leather roller skates with purple wheels (still one of my favorite childhood gifts), the Schwinn bike, the Cabbage Patch doll, and so much more. All of these items were saved for and chosen carefully at a time when money was tight. So, to allow jolly old St. Nick to take the credit was a bridge too far and my mom ... continue reading...

5 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Christmas, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decor, Christmas home tour

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  • Strawberry Muffins with Lemon Glaze April 19, 2023
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What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
Today feels like one of those days that is worthy Today feels like one of those days that is worthy of a chef’s kiss. Blue sky with nary a cloud in sight, perfect mid-70’s temps, a gentle breeze blowing through my hair as I walk around my yard to see the status of my flowering plants.

This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

What’s a simple joy that you are thankful for today?
Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here are some highlights…

*Friday night I joined some wonderful ladies at church for a time of fellowship and yummy desserts. I made a strawberry lemon coffee cake and it was amazing if I do say so myself. ☺️ We are new-ish to this church and have just felt so warmly welcomed and folded in which has been very healing.

*Saturday was filled with getting our outdoor spaces spiffed up and my guys got our new table put together!

*Sitting outside for lunch with a yummy salad and iced tea felt like a little slice of heaven.

*Sunday we went to the iris gardens with my in-laws and then came home for naps and the most mouth watering ribs that my sweet husband had on the smoker all day.

*This glorious weekend ended with some ferocious rounds of UNO-corn (a hilarious version of UNO) and brownies my sweet daughter made for our dessert.

How was your weekend sweet friends? 🌸
I am absolutely and completely a better version of I am absolutely and completely a better version of myself when the sun is shining! Raise your hand if this is true for you too.

And, not only do I feel myself seeming to physically rise up from a slumbered state to greet the sunshine we've been longing for, I find that it seems like my house is rising up too. Every room, every nook and cranny (even though I now see dust bunnies that I missed during my cleaning on the dreary days), every leaf and flower outside...it's all coming to life and breathing fresh hope into my spirit. What a gift it is to be able to enjoy this home in all of the seasons of the year and of our lives. Now, I'm going to head outside and clean our deck and maybe there will be some time leftover for those dust bunnies!
I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispenser I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispensers! They come with pre-made labels for SO many different options and would make a great Mother’s Day gift! I love how they add a bit of pizzazz to my kitchen. And they go perfectly with some of my antique accessories like the little dish my mother in law gave me for salt and pepper and the tiny toothpick holder which belonged to my great grandmother. 

If you’d like the link to order them, just leave a comment with the word ‘bottles’ and I’ll send it your way. They’re even on sale right now! 🙌🏻
The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This is what I’m thinking (and sometimes saying out loud) every time I pass my dining room window and see my lilac tree bursting forth. I should probably just go full Paul Revere and ring a bell while I shout the news for all to hear. I’m sure my family would love that!

Lilac season is so bittersweet because it’s over way too soon but, fortunately, I’ve figured out how to capture the deliciousness of the fragrance by making my own lilac scented room spray. It’s SO simple!

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.

This sweet little project was first featured in my book Life in Season and is definitely one of my favorites.

Have the lilacs started blooming where you live?
The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard ar The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard are at their peak and I’m here for it!
It’s time for another #tiptuesday! One of the gr It’s time for another #tiptuesday! One of the greatest joys of this stage in my parenting journey is getting to see the results of the years spent pouring into my children. The worry, the sleepless nights, praying, questioning our decisions and learning to trust in the Lord Who loves them even more than we do. We definitely didn’t do everything right, but what an an amazing experience it is to watch them become these incredible teens/young adults. My tip this week might seem simple, but I believe it can make a major difference in the lives of our children, in our homes and maybe, just maybe, in the culture too. 🌸
It was the most glorious day to celebrate my best It was the most glorious day to celebrate my best friend! Oregon came through with perfect weather for my wonderful husband’s birthday and we made the most of it by taking the convertible to our favorite winery and soaking up the sunshine, yummy food and wine. Then we had a lovely time celebrating with family at our home. Robb is truly the most amazing husband and father and all around incredible man. He loves and leads us well so it’s such a joy to get to honor him on his special day. 🎂

“The good man brings out of his good treasure what is good.” Matthew 12:35
It’s time for another #tiptuesday! Today I’m s It’s time for another #tiptuesday! Today I’m sharing with you two critical things to determine if you want to create order in your home which leads to a much more peaceful experience for everyone. As a recovering perfectionist, this has been one of my greatest lessons and I hope it encourages you today! 🍃
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