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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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January 20, 2014

Burlap Bulletin Board Gallery Wall

Do you remember the ‘Trapper Keeper’? I will never forget mine. It was purple with white stripes and in my world it was a symbol of cool-ness. Kind of like Guess jeans…and wearing two pairs of different colored socks which perfectly coordinated with my over-sized sweatshirt and the scrunchie holding my side ponytail.

I loved my Trapper Keeper with all of it’s built-in storage. Even back then it spoke to my little Type A heart.

I was thinking the other day about how Pinterest seems to be the modern day Trapper Keeper.

A virtual three ring binder with pockets and folders.

And I love it, really I do. I love being able to find just about anything I’m looking for and having those boards broken up by category. All neat and tidy and right there at my fingertips.

diy burlap bulletin board with nail head trim atthepicketfence.com

But sometimes, just sometimes, I miss those Trapper Keeper days. When I would see something in a magazine and tear it out and tuck it into a folder or tack it up onto a real bulletin board.

So, when I discovered a stack of unused canvases in a closet I decided that I would try and recapture my youth 😉 and make a bulletin board…but with a twist!

A burlap bulletin board is so easy to make that I decided to make 5 and turn it into a bulletin board gallery wall.

Burlap bulletin boards with nail head trim gallery wall from At the Picket Fence.com

BURLAP BULLETIN BOARD 

Supplies Needed: Stretched canvas, burlap and nail head thumb tacks.

canvas with burlap

Step 1: Using canvas as a guide, cut burlap allowing enough on each side to pull over the side and onto the back of the canvas.

bulletin board step 1

 Step 2: Use a staple gun to attach burlap to canvas.

burlap bulletin board step 2

 Step 3: Attach nail head thumb tacks around border of board. This might require a hammer and some elbow grease!

nail head trim on burlap bulletin board

 Step 4: Start pinning!

Except if it’s your husbands MBA diploma.

DIY-burlap-bulletin-board-gallery-wall atthepicketfence.com

 He worked very hard for that piece of paper so don’t go putting holes in it! I used a tiny bit of easily removable mounting putty on the back and stuck it on the bulletin board.

diy burlap bulletin board with nail head trim atthepicketfence.com

My Trapper Keeper days may be over. And Pinterest might be handy to have right at my fingertips.

But, there is just nothing like the feeling of tacking up something onto an actual, real life board. It elevates it and gives it an air of importance.

Whether it’s something you’ve worked very hard on…or something you are hoping to accomplish…or simply the sweet paintings of one of your favorite little artists.

Every morning  now, as I make my way into the office to turn on the computer, I pass this bulletin board gallery wall.

I don’t need a username or password to have access to the inspiration that is ‘pinned’ there. The things tacked to it don’t have numbers attached to them showing how popular they are and they don’t have to compete with each other.

They just simply reflect us…our dreams…our passions and accomplishments.

And that’s all that is required to be ‘pin-worthy’ in our house! 🙂

Vanessa signature

 

20 Comments Filed Under: Burlap, Crafts, Decorating Tagged With: burlap, burlap projects, crafts, organization

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    January 20, 2014 at 3:52 PM

    Very clever and so chic! I love the nailheads!!!! This is such an easy diy with a big punch of style!

    Reply
  2. Jennifer says

    January 20, 2014 at 3:57 PM

    Cute idea! I love the use of canvases for a bulletin board. I have an abundance of burlap, so this sounds like an idea to use. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  3. Carol Reddin says

    January 20, 2014 at 5:14 PM

    Great idea! I think we’ll try it in order to display the treasures from our “grandchildren.” Thinking of using them to decorate the stairs to the loft.

    Reply
  4. Martina says

    January 20, 2014 at 5:36 PM

    Super cute idea Vanessa…love how you added the nailheads!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 20, 2014 at 6:20 PM

      Thanks Martina!

      Reply
  5. Peggy says

    January 20, 2014 at 6:08 PM

    That is fabulous. I have all the supplies already and maybe your idea of pinterest boards might migle well with Burlap Bulletin Boards. Great Job!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      January 20, 2014 at 6:20 PM

      I think they will mingle really well Peggy! 🙂 Thanks so much for coming by!

      Reply
  6. Jill Flory says

    January 20, 2014 at 6:53 PM

    These are so cute – I saw them over on Google+ earlier tonight! And I had a Trapper Keeper too – mine had hot air balloons on it and I thought it was the coolest thing ever! I carried it home from school some days just to feel ‘cool’ and not because I really had anything to take home for real! And I wore the mismatched slouchy socks and baggy sweatshirts too. And anything Guess was the in thing 🙂

    Reply
  7. Debbie @Dewdrop Gables says

    January 20, 2014 at 8:37 PM

    I love this idea! So easy, yet so effective. And I love the last few sentences in the post…”They just simply reflect us…”
    Debbie 🙂

    Reply
  8. Sharon says

    January 20, 2014 at 10:09 PM

    Love this!

    Reply
  9. Heidi @ Decor & More says

    January 21, 2014 at 4:05 AM

    I’ve done a few of these using thrifted cork boards and LOVE the look. How cute to put several together in a gallery arrangement? Clever!
    xo Heidi

    Reply
  10. Judy says

    January 21, 2014 at 11:21 AM

    What a super cute idea. I love the look, especially with the nail heads. Great job.

    Reply
  11. Angelina-JoJo and Eloise says

    January 21, 2014 at 11:27 AM

    I LOVE this!! What a Cute and Fun idea. The nail heads really make them POP!!
    xoxo
    Pinning!

    Reply
  12. Kelly says

    January 21, 2014 at 3:00 PM

    I love that idea! I remember the trapper keepers too. Gosh, I haven’t thought about those in a while. I still rip out pages from magazines and save them in a binder. I like to think of it as one huge home decor book with all my favorites. I get it out sometimes and flip through it and it’s a good feeling to have it all together. I know Pinterest is all the rage, and I do look at it too, but I like my magazine pages as well. I like your idea of making attractive bulletin boards for keepsakes etc. The nail head trim adds a great touch!

    Reply
  13. Filagrasideeffects.Blogspot.Com says

    January 21, 2014 at 11:08 PM

    I have got go through some great information listed here. Certainly really worth book-marking pertaining to revisiting. I wonder just how a great deal of hard work you put to produce the kind of great useful web site.

    Reply
  14. Kathy Hutton says

    January 23, 2014 at 12:14 PM

    I have a big bulletin board I use just the way you described your thoughts. Good post

    Reply
  15. Carmel says

    January 27, 2014 at 7:04 PM

    Super cute! Love the gallery wall look! My 5th grade teacher banned Trapper Keepers from her classroom – can you even believe that?! She hated the sound they made when you opened them – ha!

    Reply
  16. deana fernandez says

    May 13, 2015 at 7:49 AM

    Those are gorgeous. We just did our recent DIY blog post on cork square and photo gallery wall but love the idea of covering canvas’ with fabric-especially burlap. http://www.handmadesanctuary.com

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Some of My Creative Friends…... - Cottage in the Oaks says:
    January 22, 2014 at 3:31 AM

    […] and Vanessa of At the Picket Fence are always having fun….and definitely the real thing! So authentic, inspiring, and personable. It […]

    Reply
  2. DIY Memo Boards | Mrs. Bomb.com says:
    March 6, 2014 at 7:40 PM

    […] to spend $50+ on these boards, so I was so excited to find a tutorial to make similar boards from At the Picket Fence […]

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"Define your day", she told me as I held my newbor "Define your day", she told me as I held my newborn son. My mom and I were talking about how blurred my days and nights had become and how easy it would be to just stay in my pajamas 24/7. She encouraged me to make an attempt to put on 'real' clothes in the morning even if they were just nice sweatpants (bonus if they were clean!) and to throw a little bit of makeup on. That simple advice helped chart a course for my years of motherhood that continues today. And recently I began thinking about how critical it is that we not only seek wisdom from those ahead of us in our stage of life but that we are willing to apply it as well.

So, I asked this question on my personal Facebook page; "What is something you feel you've done well to create a peaceful/meaningful home for yourself and your family?" The catch was that the question was geared towards women in the 40+ age range. The responses came flooding in and were so wonderful and insightful. So, I'm going to be starting a new series where I share this wisdom with you and will include the first name of the woman who offered it. 

Today we start with Alison who said "I learned to set my alarm early to get up and moving before my kids woke up. I showered, got dressed and did my devotions while the house was quiet. It set my heart and perspective for each day.”

Is this something you do in your life too? What wisdom would you offer to a mom of young children?

I truly think our culture would greatly benefit from more women in different seasons of life being willing to invest in each other. 🍂

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #motherhood #parentingwisdom
If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a resta If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a restaurant I’m definitely ordering it! It’s one of my all time favorite treats. So I decided to try my hand at making some here at home with a little fall twist and it was SO delicious!! 🍎

Ingredients:

6 slices of day old bread (french, sourdough or even brioche works great)
2 cups of heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the apples:
3 peeled and chopped apples of a tart variety
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour (or corn starch)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cut bread into cubes and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Whisk together in a bowl the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg and then pour it over the bread cubes. In a separate bowl, mix together the apples, brown sugar and flour/corn starch. Pour the apple mixture on top of the bread mixture making sure to spread the apples evenly across every part of the bread mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes. 
Enjoy!

#falldesserts #breadpudding #fallrecipes #desserts
When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after onl When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after only a week of school, you take the opportunity to make Saturday a truly restful day. Pancakes on the griddle, puttering around the yard admiring the way the limelights have begun their autumn journey from white to green to pink. Sprinkling touches of fall around the house a little bit at a time. Savoring the slowness of it all and taking care of my people in this place that provides us all with a respite from the world even if just for a day.

Hope you’re weekend is off to a great start and that you make it a priority to slow down for a bit and soak up the beauty around you. 🍂

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #falldecorating
As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but thin As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but think about how grateful I am for the reminders all around me of God’s Sovereignty over everything including the seasons. It can be challenging in our world today to trust that there isn’t a single thing happening that surprises Him.

In a way, decorating my home to reflect the changing season serves as a tangible reminder of this trust. Even something as simple as seeing a pumpkin on my mantel or a basket of mums on the coffee table fill me with peace because they represent the things that remain constant and true.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #club31women
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
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