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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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October 13, 2014

Creatively Christmas and Dreams Coming True

Remember last week when we talked about dreams? About how important it is to pursue them and to not let the doubt, fear and insecurity get in your way?

Well, today we are so thrilled to be sharing with you about an amazing dream that came true from one of our dearest friends.

Creatively Christmas cover sept

In our minds, Jennifer Rizzo is the queen of all things Christmas and not only have we loved being among the bloggers asked to participate in her annual Holiday Housewalk for the past two years (and this year too!), but we feel tremendously blessed to count Jen as one of our treasured friends. This girl is the real deal!

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So, when we found out that one of her dreams was coming true, the opportunity to publish an amazing collection of Christmas ideas and inspiration, we were chomping at the bit to do anything we could to tell the world about it!

Here’s a sneak peek at Creatively Christmas: Inspired Yuletide Decor.

Creatively Christmas by Jennifer Rizzo holiday book4

Just looking at the photos from the book causes us to have ‘visions of sugarplums dancing in our heads’!

Creatively Christmas by Jennifer Rizzo holiday book 1

And not only will you get to see amazing projects that YOU can make but you will also get to tour some truly beautiful homes. Homes that you won’t find on blogs or on Pinterest because they belong to Jen’s local friends.

Creatively Christmas by Jennifer Rizzo holiday book 3

And hey…wait a second…lookie there. We recognize those names!

We were so surprised and delighted to be mentioned in Jen’s book!

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You know, something amazing happens when you watch someone else’s dream come true. Not only are you beyond thrilled for them, but it also lights a fire underneath your own dreams.

So today, we’re not just celebrating the release of this amazing book. We’re celebrating the dreamers! And not just the dreamers, but the doers.

believed

Creatively Christmas: Inspired Yuletide Decor isn’t just another Christmas book. It’s the evidence of a dream that was nurtured and cherished, labored and sweated over. It’s the culmination of hard work and determination. And we couldn’t be more proud of Jennifer for reminding us that it IS possible to make your dreams come true!

The official release date of Creatively Christmas is tomorrow, Oct. 14, but you can pre-order today on Amazon. And you can get more ideas and inspiration every day on Jen’s blog.

All right now dreamers, let’s get out there and start making thing happen!

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7 Comments Filed Under: Reviews

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    October 13, 2014 at 4:48 AM

    Congrats ladies!!…such a wonderful dream come true for you and Jen….I so LOVE the Christmas season and decorating my home for my family and friends….so I can see how you can be so very excited about this…I always look forward to your home for every season…especially for Christmas…congrats again!

    Reply
  2. Lauren says

    October 13, 2014 at 8:09 AM

    Oh I want to crawl into that book and live there! How exciting for her…. And yes inspirational.

    Reply
  3. Debbie says

    October 13, 2014 at 8:46 AM

    I just love stories like this!! To say that she’s talented is an understatement. I saw so many blogs I know and enjoy on that list, too. I don’t really dream anymore. I’ve fallen victim to old age and oh well. 🙂 Now, I just cheer on the ones running for the roses.

    (That is not to say that I’m not still dreaming of being someone’s mother-in-law and grandma some day. Dreams like that never die. At least I hope they don’t.)

    Reply
  4. Anita says

    October 13, 2014 at 9:14 AM

    Wow, that is so very exciting for her and for you girls:-) Congratulations!

    Reply
  5. Jessica says

    October 13, 2014 at 9:23 AM

    So wonderful to see dreams come to fruition. Inspiring and beautiful!

    Reply
  6. Paige.Rose says

    October 13, 2014 at 10:25 PM

    How exciting especially ,because it has to do with the warmest & most giving time of the year! Congrats!!!!

    Paige.Rose

    http://www.TheQuaintSanctuary.blogspot.com

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Creatively Christmas is here!!! - Jennifer Rizzo says:
    October 14, 2014 at 2:30 AM

    […] Also how Heather and Vanessa talked  about dreams, […]

    Reply

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Instagram post 17891211502441289 Happy weekend friends! My sweet girl and I are getting ready to mess up the kitchen because it’s sugar cookie Saturday in our house! 👏🏻👏🏻 I’m so glad that she loves to bake with me and I cherish these moments that become even more cherished memories. What are you up to day? I hope it involves a few moments of memory making! 🌲
Instagram post 17842669984877531 I thought I had added the right ‘Perry Como Christmas’ album to my playlist. But apparently there’s more than one! Frankly it shocked me because I still have the actual vinyl Perry Como Christmas album that belonged to my mom when she was a girl and, in my mind, that’s the ONLY one that should ever be played! But, as I decorated my tree one night, a song began to play that I had never heard before. One that so simply and perfectly captured all that I desire my home to be. It goes like this:
.
You can tell, 
When you open the door! 
You can tell, 
If there's love in a home!
Every table and chair seems to smile, 
Do come in, come and stay for a while. 
You almost feel you've been there once before, 
By the shine and glow of the room!
And the clock seems to chime, 
Come again anytime, 
You'll be welcome wherever you roam! 
You can tell when there's love in a home!

Today on the blog I’m giving you a tour of my house all dressed up for Christmas. And I hope you can tell that there’s love in this home. ✨
Instagram post 18118328449043115 One of my favorite Christmas songs is ‘O Holy Night’ and while each word, each lyric is as familiar to me as the back of my hand, there is one line that somehow, until recently, I managed to never really pay much attention to. It says, “Long lay the world, in sin and error pining till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.” Think about that for a moment. Our souls are longing to feel their worth. Prior to the arrival of the infant King in Bethlehem, the world waited, pined, engulfed in their sin and their error. And it was only through His birth, death and resurrection that our souls would experience their true value, their full worth.

Titus 3:4-7 says, “But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” The world tells us that our worth is based entirely on the external, on what can be seen. We’re not measured simply by our existence but rather by what we can offer.

But, thousands of years ago, when our Savior was born, we were told something very different. Before he walked among us. Before he performed miracles. Before he challenged the leaders of the day. Before he was betrayed. Before he was sacrificed. Before he rose from the dead. Before all else, he simply appeared. And it was through his lowly, humble, anything but royal appearance that our souls were given the opportunity to experience the fullness of their worth. It is only through being in his presence that we are able to feel the full magnitude of our value.

Who he is allows us to know, really know, just who we are.

We are beloved.

We are cherished.

We are worth it.
Instagram post 18074214343167043 It always seems like the simplest things are my favorite when it comes to Christmas decorating. I found four transferware egg cups in a vintage shop and knew they would be perfect for our advent candles! Aren’t they just so sweet? With the little paper Putz village underneath this centerpiece in my dining room brings a smile to my face every time I walk by. ✨
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But, hey, at least I can take comfort in the soft glow of twinkling lights and having my halls decked for Christmas!

Today on the blog I’m sharing the details of my soft and simple mantel decorations and I’d love for you to stop by! ✨
Instagram post 18116596168021683 Happy Saturday friends! Can you believe that tomorrow is December 1?! I think it’s time for my annual gentle reminder about this month. I don’t know about you but, for me, December is a month of mixed emotions, ranging from joy-filled moments to ones that have me wanting to pull my hair out.

There are so many expectations and we put so much pressure on ourselves to create magical memories. And for years I have felt the added weight of wanting to make sure my family had opportunities throughout the month to grow in their relationship with Christ.

We celebrate advent and read all of the appropriate Baby Jesus books and encourage a spirit of generosity and heavily emphasize the real reason for the season.

But sweet friends, I want to remind you today that one month out of the year does not a strong relationship with the Lord make. December doesn’t define our faith in Christ.

For our kids or for us.

There are 11 other months in the year. 11 other months to live out our faith in front of our children. 11 other months to pray with them. 11 other months to help them wrestle through their questions and add depth to their walk with the Lord. 11 other months to encourage them to have generous spirits.

Let’s stop putting so much pressure on this one month out of the year. Let’s be surprised at the ways we might be able to celebrate the baby in the manger without a dozen countdown calendars. Let’s give our kids some grace when they are focused more on gifts because…well…they’re kids after all.

And while we’re at it, let’s give ourselves some grace too.

Grace when we think we should feel all the warm fuzzy feelings about Christmas but we really just want to take a nap.

Grace that reminds us that this month will soon be over and we will have a brand new year ahead of us.

A new year filled with big moments and little moments and everything in between.

A new year to draw even closer to our Savior.

My hope for you is that, as you head into this season, you will be given fresh perspective and that you will give yourself (and your family) permission to just ‘be’. ✨
Instagram post 17937591637321018 Have you ever longed to belong?

Have you ever felt like you are on the outside looking in at everyone else who seemingly have it all together?

Are you craving more peace in your heart and your home?

Well, today I’m having a conversation with @drbarbaralowe on her podcast and it could not be more timely with the holiday season now upon us!

You can find the link to it on her page and I’d love to hear your thoughts on it and what resonates with you! ❤️
Instagram post 17903771584388964 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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