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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, 2011

Blogger Block Party Recap and Highlights!

We’re wrapping up the Blogger Block Party!

WHEW!!
Forgive us if we are a little out of breath.

We have been running up and down the block all week long stopping off at all of these amazing parties!

Can you believe how many links there were?
At last count we had 1138 and the party is still going on through Sunday so, if you want to have your SUMMER related post as part of the Summer Blogger Block Party there is still time!
Before we get to some of the highlights of the party (we thought it was tough to pick features from Inspiration Friday!) we just want to say a huge THANK YOU!

Blog Party Button (3)

To say that we are stunned and amazed at how many of you joined the Summer Blogger Block Party would be an understatement. I don’t think any of us could have predicted just how incredible and just how FUN this would end up being and we appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to link up. We like to think that maybe we even helped provide some extra motivation for folks to try a new activity with their kids, get creative with drop cloths, spruce up their decks or patios or porches, test a new recipe, try their hand at gardening, create a fun summer tablescape,  wear something fun for summer, add some vintage summer charm, venture out for some summer “sale”-ing, or carve out a special summer space for rest and relaxation.
Would you all have done that anyway? Probably! I mean, you are Bloggers, right?!
But this sure did give us a nudge in the right direction and we can’t imagine a better way to kick off our Summer then to get to see all of these incredible ideas and inspiration all in one place!
So now, if you don’t mind indulging us a bit more, we would like to share with you some of our favorite picks from the parties we hosted here at the Fence!

We have recently “met” this lovely new friend here in blogland and we just had to share this fantastic idea she linked up to Vanessa’s Summer Activities for Kids Party.

Paula’s blog Ivy and Elephants is full of beautiful ideas and inspirations and she just happens to be warm and friendly too…a winning combination! She and her son Sebastian spent an afternoon carefully selecting, cleaning and polishing some silver items (trays, creamers, teapots, etc.) found at thrift stores.
 
She then had him fill them with gravel, soil and succulents. We hear he ended up giving this one to his grandmother. And seriously, could this kid possibly be any more adorable??!! We don’t think so!

Next up is another lovely new friend Misty of Misty’s Mornings who shared with us this fantastic idea for fighting off those mysterious cases of “I’m Bored” Disease that tend to creep up in the summertime.

She sets up Quiet Stations for everything from building Legos in the playroom to writing letters to family members at the kitchen table. When the timer goes off, the kids head on over to the next station.
So Misty…do you think it would work to set up about 20 of these around the house?
We are thinking that could buy us some serious time to get things done!
Maybe there could even be a “Mommy takes a nap and no one interrupts her” station.

This next idea is not only a creative Summer Activity for your own kids, it is an incredible way to teach them how to extend grace and love (and their toys!) to other kids.

Becky from Organizing Made Fun hosts “Backyard Thursday” every week, every summer and provides a place for kids in the Los Angeles area who may not have the luxury of a backyard to play in, to come and experience the thrill of running through a lawn, digging in a sandbox, or even hang out in the “Girls Only” playhouse!

She has hit up garage sales and received many donated toys, helmets, skates and other play equipment which she then cleans up, organizes and stores neatly in easy to identify bins. As much of an impact as it has on the children who get to come and play at “Backyard Thursday“, it has also made a huge impact on Becky’s own children. They have learned how to show God’s love to others by doing something as simple as sharing their backyard. And just reading this post impacted us too! Thanks so much Becky!

Up next we have a few links from Heather’s Fresh from the Garden post that stood out!

Kelly from Till Death Do Us Part shared her beautiful raised beds she had built all on her own!

If you saw my garden post you know I’m a fan of raised beds!

Diann from the Thrifty Groove shared with us the incredible herbs her husband and she grow for their very own herb business!

Farmers market 2011 020

Yes, I’ll take all of these please! 🙂

We also has some fabulous Fresh from the Garden Recipes shared with us

Our friend Angela from Unexpected Elegance (we will be telling you all about her fabulous Etsy shop on Monday) did a great post on Canning 101!

Melissa from Shabby Love was kind enough to give us her recipe for…wait for it…Mojito Cupcakes!

Yeah we know…we want one too!

There were SO MANY other fabulous posts…it’s truly impossible to narrow them down to to a few so we thought it would be fun to also share three of the top summer related “clicked through” links (excluding the fabulous posts from our co-hostesses) from the Blogger Block Party.   It’s always fun to see what catches YOUR eye. These are in no particular order. 

The Shabby Chick My Summer Porch
On Sutton Place My New Front Door

No Place Like Home The Place Where I’m Most Happy
We hope you have enjoyed our highlights! If you are like us you could spend all summer visiting these fabulous links! Therefore, starting Monday we will be providing a permanent link to the Blogger Block Party in our sidebar so you can drop by and visit all of these great bloggers anytime you like! During the summer we will also be occasionally featuring a post from the Summer Block Party, so make sure you’re a friend of At The Picket Fence cause you never know when you might see YOUR post featured on here!
Monday we will be announcing the giveaway winners of the fabulous gifts provided by these fabulous sponsors
Be sure to come back Monday to see if you won one of these great prizes!  And remember there’s still time to join in on the fun through Sunday!  You can visit Fresh from the Garden and link up your projects still!
Thank you for partying with us all week At The Picket Fence!
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18 Comments Filed Under: Blogger Block Party

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Comments

  1. Lakeshore Cottage Living says

    June 25, 2011 at 6:08 PM

    LOVE the quiet stations idea…gonna steal that idea and put it to gooooooood use!

    Reply
  2. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    June 25, 2011 at 6:09 PM

    This was such a FUN party girls, thanks so much for putting it together and hosting it!! Martina

    Reply
  3. Tracy@GeneralSplendour says

    June 25, 2011 at 6:20 PM

    Congratulations! Your block party was certainly a rousing success. I can imagine your head is spinning! I think I clicked on a few more then fifty and I was overwhelmed as you get deeper into each blog it is a few hours later! 🙂 Thank you for this opportunity – it was a lot of fun. When is the NEXT one? Hee hee!

    Reply
  4. Debbie says

    June 25, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    I don’t know how in the world you were able to pick a few to highlight. I’ve never seen such a response to a blog idea.

    Reply
  5. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    June 25, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    This past week was a lot of fun! There are so many it will take me a long tome to get through them all!

    Reply
  6. Sherry says

    June 25, 2011 at 7:28 PM

    Lots of inspiration here at this party. Thanks for putting it together. Great themes and very talented people!
    Sherry

    Reply
  7. Diann @ The Thrifty Groove says

    June 25, 2011 at 7:32 PM

    Thank you so much for the feature! I joined 4 out of the 6 parties and it was a blast! I will be going back to this party and checking out eveyones posts throughout the next couple months. So many amazing links! And you ladies did a fabulous job putting it all together!

    Reply
  8. Pattie says

    June 25, 2011 at 7:35 PM

    All of you where great thank you so much for putting all of this together for all of us to have fun and get to know each other… And thank you for highlighting my back yard… Talk about feeling like a Million Bucks… have a great rest of the weekend.

    ~~Pattie~~
    The Shabby Chick

    Reply
  9. Misty says

    June 25, 2011 at 7:55 PM

    Thank you so much for hosting this great party and for featuring my entry on Quiet Stations. I just did a happy dance! 🙂

    Reply
  10. Grammy Goodwill says

    June 25, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    This was a great idea and just the impetus I needed to finally get my blog going. Thanks.

    Reply
  11. Honey at 2805 says

    June 25, 2011 at 9:49 PM

    Your Block Blog Party is a huge success! Congrats! I have found so much inspiration & am sure to be referring back to it in weeks to come. Thanks girls!

    Reply
  12. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    June 25, 2011 at 10:37 PM

    It was great fun to be a part of this partay!~ Thanks for the opportunity.

    Reply
  13. Angela says

    June 25, 2011 at 11:16 PM

    Thanks for the party! It was fun to participate and thanks for featuring my canning post!
    ~Angela

    Reply
  14. Andrea@ourbluefrontdoor says

    June 26, 2011 at 1:54 AM

    Thank you for hosting this awesome week long party! I had the best time looking at so much talent and wonderful posts! Such inspiration out there and the perfect way to share it.

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  15. Seaside Style says

    June 26, 2011 at 6:19 PM

    This was such a wonderful idea. Thank you to all you ladies for doing this. It was fun !

    Reply
  16. beachcomber says

    June 26, 2011 at 11:30 PM

    those cupcakes look amazing!!!
    cheryl x

    Reply
  17. simpledaisy says

    June 27, 2011 at 2:52 AM

    So much wonderful inspiration!!!!

    Reply
  18. Melissa says

    June 27, 2011 at 1:21 PM

    Thank you so much for putting together the blog party! It was so much fun and inspired me to get projects done that have been on my to-do list for awhile! 🙂 Thank you also for highlighting my Mojito cupcakes! I’m so excited!!!!

    Melissa

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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