• 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

December 7, 2013

I’ll have a Blue Christmas Tree…

I remember the first time I heard it.  I was a little girl and my mother was playing her favorite Christmas songs. That sultry smooth, deep voice.

“I’ll have a blue Christmas without you…” 

My mother smiled and told me how she saw him in black and white many, many years ago on the Ed Sullivan show.  She sighed at the sight of him and her father teased her mercilessly and danced around with a broom saying, “Oh Elvis, Elvis….”

I'll Have A Blue Christmas

Whenever I hear that song now I picture my mom. a young teenage girl sitting on the floor in front of a black and white TV, sighing over a handsome dark haired man that would go on to change the world of music.  I wonder if he knew we’d still be listening to “Blue Christmas”  all of these years later.

This year, at our house, we are most definitely experiencing a “Blue Christmas” but not the sad, soulful kind…more the pretty cobalt kind!

At The Picket Fence Holiday Housewalk 2013 15

and my blue, gold and white Christmas tree makes me sigh a little every time I walk past it! I’ve always wanted a towering Christmas tree but never had the ceilings to accommodate one….until now!  So, when Balsam Hill asked me if I’d like to have one of their trees, as part of the 12 Bloggers of Christmas, I jumped on the chance to finally have a spectacular Christmas tree!

12-Bloggers-of-Christmas

I'll Have a Blue Christmas Tree

When my Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval Vermont White Spruce arrived on my doorstep, my face lit up like…well…a Christmas tree!  I couldn’t wait to get this beauty up! I was so impressed with Balsam Hill’s attention to detail. From the nice storage bags, to the gloves for fluffing the tree, to the detailed instruction manual, it couldn’t have been easier to put my tree together!

I'll Have a Blue Christmas

My mom happened to be here visiting, so we each donned a pair of gloves and got to fluffing! I think we both gasped a little when we felt the branches of the tree.  They felt so real! That’s Balsam Hill’s “true needle” technology, except these needles won’t fall off and need vacuuming every other day!  I swear I expected to smell the sent of evergreen coming from them.  Once the tree was plugged up, it was a matter of hitting the On/Off foot pedestal and standing back to admire her all aglow!

I'll Have a Blue Christmas Tree

I know our family will enjoy our beautiful new tree for many, many years! In fact I’m sitting next my blue christmas tree while I type this.  Enjoying it’s lights, drinking some coffee and there might even be a little Elvis playing in the background….

” a blue, blue, blue Christmas….” 

I'll Have a Blue Christmas Tree

Today the talented Jennifer Rizzo is sharing her beautiful Balsam Hill tree as well, be sure to head over there to see it!

Jen Rizzo Christmas Tree

And, be sure to join us back here tomorrow for an AMAZING $1800 Balsam Hill Giveaway AND a round up of all 12 beautiful Balsam Hill Blogger Christmas Trees! Also be sure to pay the Balsam Hill Blog a visit, where they have been featuring each blogger all week with some fun interviews!

See you back here soon…at the picket fence!

signature

You can see all 12 of the Balsam Hill Christmas Bloggers Trees:

Monday December 2nd:
Vanessa (At The Picket Fence)
Ashley (Cherished Bliss)

Tuesday December 3rd:
Beth (Unskinny Boppy)
Candace (Vintage News Junkie)

Wednesday December 4th:
KariAnne (Thistlewood Farms)
Kristin (My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia)

Thursday December 5th:
Kim (Sand and Sisal)
Laura (Finding Home)

Friday December 6th:
Courtney (French Country Cottage)
Jeanne (Jeanne Oliver)

Saturday December 7th:
Jen (Jen Rizzo)
Heather (At The Picket Fence)

Also, if you haven’t already, be sure to come take the Holiday Housewalk Tour of Vanessa and Heather’s homes!

I was provided a tree to review by Balsam Hill, but all opinions, about the tree… and Elvis, are my own!  Please see our Disclosure Policy for more information. 

25 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Decorating, Holidays, Reviews Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decorating, Christmas trees

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « Our Minted Christmas Cards and a $100 Giveaway!
Next Post: 12 Creative Christmas Tree Ideas & $1800 Balsam Hill Giveaway! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof says

    December 7, 2013 at 6:00 AM

    SOOOOOO pretty and I love the blues. The dark ones give the perfect contrast with the others 🙂 Superb – a – llllyyyyyyy 🙂

    Reply
  2. Chrisitina says

    December 7, 2013 at 6:19 AM

    Absolutely Beautiful! Just love blue for Christmas- so wintry! of course now I have the Elvis song in my head! 🙂

    Reply
  3. Leslie Stewart @ House on the Way says

    December 7, 2013 at 6:30 AM

    Your tree is gorgeous! Balsam Hill is fabulous! I’m eyeing one of their white trees…thanks for the inspiration!
    Leslie

    Reply
  4. Courtney says

    December 7, 2013 at 7:28 AM

    I love your tree Heather- so pretty in it’s blue decoration and of course, I am now singing that in my head 😉 These trees are truly so beautiful and I love how everyone has decorated them!

    Reply
  5. Deborah Wilkins says

    December 7, 2013 at 7:51 AM

    Your artificial tree could smell like a fresh tree if you ordered some “Scentsicles” from http://www.amazon.com. I put them on my artificial tree this year and my husband asked me why I decided to buy a real tree this year! They are wonderful and truly add the scent of Christmas to your home.

    Reply
  6. Kim @ Sand & Sisal says

    December 7, 2013 at 7:58 AM

    So gorgeous! I love all that blue and I especially love how the entire room looks!

    Reply
  7. Shelia says

    December 7, 2013 at 8:13 AM

    Hi Heather! Oh, I’d be blue too if my Christmasing looked like yours! Your tree is just beautiful! I’m just amazed at someone so young has such an elegant style! I’m a fan, can you tell? 🙂
    Have a great weekend and be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  8. Martina says

    December 7, 2013 at 10:33 AM

    Beautiful!! Love the night shot!

    Reply
    • Heather says

      December 11, 2013 at 5:16 AM

      Thank you Martina! I love seeing trees all lit up at night! ~Heather

      Reply
  9. kristin says

    December 7, 2013 at 10:37 AM

    Your tree is just beautiful! Love the blue 🙂 My mom used to play Elvis all the time,I can see her in the kitchen cooking up a fabulous meal right now singing his songs.
    xo
    kristin

    Reply
    • Heather says

      December 11, 2013 at 5:14 AM

      Thank you Kristin! Yours was fabulous as well! 🙂

      Heather

      Reply
  10. Carol Reddin says

    December 9, 2013 at 7:43 PM

    Your tree is so gorgeous, Heather! It looks like a jewel. Glad I could help you assemble it & enjoy how beautiful it is! But, you could forget I ever told you my “Elvis” story! Love you, Mom

    Reply
  11. Diana Smith Hill says

    December 11, 2013 at 6:01 AM

    Gorgeous! Fabulous mix of the blue tones! I love it!

    Reply
  12. Laurie says

    December 26, 2013 at 10:49 PM

    I love your balsam hill tree and I am considering buying one for next year. I am curious as to the girth of the tree that you purchased. Is the girth about 55 inches or so? Most of their trees have a very large girth measurement and I am not wanting to purchase one that is too large for my space. Would you be so kind to help me with your input?
    It would be much appreciated!
    Thank you!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Personalized Christmas Stocking and a Pink-a-Palooza Tree - Thistlewood Farm says:
    December 7, 2013 at 5:33 AM

    […] Saturday December 7th: Jen (Jen Rizzo) Heather (At The Picket Fence) […]

    Reply
  2. Coastal Christmas Tree says:
    December 7, 2013 at 10:25 AM

    […] Heather (At The Picket Fence) […]

    Reply
  3. Rustic Glam Christmas Tree Reveal - Cherished Bliss says:
    December 7, 2013 at 1:14 PM

    […] Saturday December 7th: Jen (Jen Rizzo) Heather (At The Picket Fence) […]

    Reply
  4. 12 bloggers and 12 amazing trees… says:
    December 8, 2013 at 2:01 AM

    […] At the Picket Fence (Heather) […]

    Reply
  5. Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Gift Card Giveaway says:
    December 8, 2013 at 4:01 AM

    […] At the Picket Fence (Heather) […]

    Reply
  6. 12 Creative Christmas Tree Ideas & $1800 Balsam Hill Giveaway! - At The Picket Fence says:
    December 8, 2013 at 4:53 AM

    […] last but definitely not least was this “I’ll have a Blue Christmas” tree from Heather here At the Picket […]

    Reply
  7. Balsam Hill Giveaway - 12 Gift Cards - Cherished Bliss says:
    December 8, 2013 at 4:57 AM

    […] At the Picket Fence (Heather) […]

    Reply
  8. 12 Creative Christmas Tree Ideas (and a Giveaway) - Thistlewood Farm says:
    December 8, 2013 at 5:30 AM

    […] last but definitely not least was this “I’ll have a Blue Christmas” tree from Heather here At the Picket […]

    Reply
  9. Balsam Hill’s 12 Bloggers of Christmas {Christmas Tree Round-Up} says:
    December 8, 2013 at 9:06 AM

    […] At the Picket Fence (Heather) […]

    Reply
  10. 12 Bloggers of Christmas: Dagmar Obert on How to Decorate a Christmas Tree | Balsam Hill Artificial Christmas Trees Blog says:
    December 8, 2013 at 6:36 PM

    […] Heather of At the Picket Fence […]

    Reply
  11. 15 Christmas Tree Decoration Ideas that will Make Your Home Adorable | Style Motivation says:
    December 12, 2013 at 9:17 AM

    […] Source […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

“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
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence