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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 4, 2012

Decorating with Photos & a $350 Shutterfly Giveaway!


We all know how difficult it can be to come up with fresh and new Holiday Decorating Ideas year after year.  
There there’s the whole dilemma of Holiday Gift Giving!


Using family photos can be a great way to personalize your holiday decor and make great gifts for family and friends!

When Shutterfly contacted me asking me to share with you some unique and fun ways to incorporate photos into my home decor, I couldn’t have been more thrilled! I’ve always loved Shutterfly for their easy to use photo processing, but I never realized how many great Home Decor items they had and all of the beautiful ways I could use them around our home.



Silhouettes are all the rage these days in home design! From ancestors to kids to pets…they are a unique way to showcase your family!

How about displaying silhouettes on Shutterfly Plates for an unusual way of showcasing them in your home. Plates can be customized with an abundance of fonts, colors and with the photo of your choice!


Or, how about this fun project for your winter decorating!


Create a Photo Cube for each member of your family (don’t forget the pets) and display them anywhere! Choose a your cube design style and a fun saying (I chose Let It Snow) and intersperse it between the blocks.


Perfect for the mantel, coffee table or an entryway console.


Your family members will feel special seeing their best photos displayed!


For a more traditional look, Dimensional Wall Art is a great way to showcase your favorite family photographs and a quote, verse or saying that is meaningful in your home!


Don’t be afraid to try something new with Shutterfly’s products. For this art piece I used the “Heaven Boy” (which traditionally would be used for a baby art piece) because I loved the color scheme and adapted it to use for our family photos.


Shutterfly allows you to incorporate your favorite saying or quote and has tons of font choices and color to make your piece truly one of a kind!


What a great gift for newlyweds, new parents or grandparents..reminding them of how important life’s milestones are!

As you can see there are so many great ways you can use Shutterfly Home Decor projects to spruce up any space in your home!




“What area of your house would you like to make feel like home with Shutterfly Home décor   products?”

Answer this question below in the comments for a chance to win a:

$350.00 prize pack giveaway from Shutterfly!!

Seriously how cool is that?!

A big thanks to Shutterfly for providing this fabulous prize to one of the readers of At The Picket Fence!

Visit Shutterfly to find these and other Home Décor products, or connect with them on Facebook. Check out BlogHer.com to find additional reviews and more ways you can enter to win!


Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.
You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This sweepstakes is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.This sweepstakes runs from 10/3 to 10/31/12.

GOOD LUCK!!

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Disclosure: This post is a sponsored post for Blogher and Shutterfly. I was given products from Shutterfly to review and compensation. All opinions expressed are my own.

99 Comments Filed Under: Decorating, Giveaways, Good Ideas, Holidays, Reviews

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Comments

  1. Yvonne @ StoneGable says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:15 PM

    Your shutterfly photos really do give your home warmth and personal…ity! I love the cubes!!!

    I would love to warm my new living room up and make it feel like home with a big family collage!!!
    Such a great giveaway!!! Thanks!

    Reply
  2. Eclectically Vintage says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:30 PM

    I love Shutterfly! I have their heavy cut out acrylic ornaments of my girls – they are fabulous!

    Your silhouette plate display is perfect – and those cubes rock! I think I need one for everyone I know (man, woman, child, animal …)!!

    Crossing my fingers!
    Kelly

    Reply
  3. Anonymous says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:31 PM

    I love shutterfly! I’m a first time Nana, and love to display pictures. Love the way
    you used the cubes. Thanks for the giveaway!!
    Donna
    dmiller@buckmasters.com

    Reply
  4. Eclectically Vintage says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:32 PM

    Tweeted – but I secretly want to win it for myself!!
    Kelly

    Reply
  5. Eclectically Vintage says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:33 PM

    Forgot to add my twitter link:
    https://twitter.com/KellyisEclectic/status/253487454236053504
    Kelly

    Reply
  6. Debby says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:42 PM

    My entryway hall. I love SnapFish and use it often. The quality of their photos are
    always great.

    Reply
  7. priminitupjen says

    October 3, 2012 at 1:46 PM

    Would love to decorate my entryway with Shutterfly. Have made many photobooks with Shutterfly! Thanks

    Reply
  8. shannon i olson says

    October 3, 2012 at 2:48 PM

    this would be great especially with my daughter’s upcoming wedding!! great products

    Reply
  9. Margaret says

    October 3, 2012 at 2:50 PM

    I have a narrow 2 story stairwell screaming for interest! I would love Shutterfly’s creative solutions for my problem space!

    Reply
  10. shannon i olson says

    October 3, 2012 at 2:52 PM

    tweeted! @shannoniolosn https://www.atthepicketfence.com/2012/10/decorating-for-holidays-with-photos-and.html … #giveaway #shutterfly 350$giveaway at shutterfly enter here!

    Reply
  11. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    October 3, 2012 at 2:52 PM

    My hallway is where I have been thinking about warming up with some family pics. Looks like Shutterfly has some cool ways to do this.

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  12. Alli @ Cupcake Diaries says

    October 3, 2012 at 2:56 PM

    Wonderful giveaway! I would love to decorate my front room. That’s where I’d like to put all my pictures and things, and this sure would be perfect for that!

    Reply
  13. Sandy says

    October 3, 2012 at 3:01 PM

    Would love to add a collage of photos of my trip to Ireland in my office. I have never used Shutterfly, but would love to give it a try.

    Reply
  14. Ceekay-THINKIN of HOME/Doublewide Decor says

    October 3, 2012 at 3:48 PM

    That looks like you had fun. I love shutterfly….just got 2 packages last week. But I would flipped if I could do some of those fabulous projects! Fingers crossed on this one!!

    Reply
  15. Gypsea says

    October 3, 2012 at 4:33 PM

    Your decorating style is wonderful and I am not surprised Shutterfly contacted you and you displayed their products beautifully! I love the “Let it Snow” and the dimensional piece. I want to redecorate my guest room and that is the perfect place for items like these! Wonderful!

    Reply
  16. Lynn says

    October 3, 2012 at 4:46 PM

    I would like to use shutterfly home decorum to display pics and family in Our never ending blank hallway,what a great way to start a gallery.

    Reply
  17. Patty says

    October 3, 2012 at 5:01 PM

    Your projects are great! I love to decorate my house with family pictures.

    Reply
  18. 20 North Ora says

    October 3, 2012 at 5:48 PM

    Great ideas. Love the cubes. With grandchildren, you can always use more pictures!! Thanks for the giveaway.

    Judy

    Reply
  19. Lori says

    October 3, 2012 at 7:16 PM

    I’d love to add some personalized photo decor to my kids’ room! Thanks!!

    Reply
  20. Brooke A says

    October 3, 2012 at 7:48 PM

    I’d love to make our bedroom feel like a home! We have yet to put our wedding photos up- and this gives me some really great ideas!! LOVE the silhouette plates too! Thanks for sharing!!!

    Reply
  21. Kristin @ My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia says

    October 3, 2012 at 8:20 PM

    I have a few pictures of the kids that I would love to make into huge canvas pieces of art.
    Thanks so much for the chance!
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  22. Bethany McLain says

    October 3, 2012 at 10:49 PM

    My kiddos bedroom could definitely use some fun pieces!

    Reply
  23. Lisa says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:06 AM

    Although not in my house, my empty office would definitely benefit from some of these great ideas!

    Reply
  24. Lisa says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:07 AM

    Although not in my house, my empty office would definitely benefit from some of these great ideas!

    Reply
  25. Anonymous says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:18 AM

    Wow! Those cubes are amazing…I would get those! Suzi Pblapere@att.net

    Reply
  26. Laurie Ramsey says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:25 AM

    I would love to decorate our guest bedroom with family photos!

    Reply
  27. KathyMcCann says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:27 AM

    My family room and the hallway leading to it are the places to welcome our friends and display our family pictures.

    Reply
  28. ProjectHope7 says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:34 AM

    There are several places in my apt that I would love to enhance if I won this. But in thinking about it, it would probably be my bedroom. I am battling for my life so spend more than half my time in bed trying to rest or heal. So there are several places on the wall that I would love to put family photos or travel photos!
    Cathy B*****y pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  29. mommy2luke2008 says

    October 4, 2012 at 2:41 AM

    I would love to add some photo’s to my bedroom! It is the only room in my house that isn’t covered with pictures!

    maryw1981 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  30. mommy2luke2008 says

    October 4, 2012 at 2:42 AM

    I shared this on twitter!
    https://twitter.com/getinonthewins/status/253686403198750720

    maryw1981 at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  31. DeeR says

    October 4, 2012 at 3:02 AM

    Love to help my grandson’s pick out Christmas gifts for their mom, thinking these precious silhouette plates might be just the perfect gift for mom’s bedroom this year.

    Reply
  32. nikkireynolds@sbcglobal.net says

    October 4, 2012 at 5:23 AM

    I’d get all those .jpgs into nice albums (I know it’s not exactly “decor”, but I’d set them all out on my coffee table for people to enjoy – now THAT’S decor, right?)…

    Reply
  33. melia57 says

    October 4, 2012 at 7:28 AM

    I would love to put Shutterfly home decor items in my family room. The new cubes look great! I huge Shutterfly fan!

    Reply
  34. Teresa says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:30 AM

    I need some wall art in my bedroom.

    Reply
  35. Jordan@the2seasons says

    October 4, 2012 at 12:02 PM

    What a great giveaway! My friend is getting married in a couple of weeks and she is having someone come and do silhouettes of the the guest for the guest book and for us to take home.

    Reply
  36. bakingtobankingmom says

    October 4, 2012 at 1:05 PM

    I have been wanting to spruce up my family room. I would love to incorporate more family photos!!!

    Reply
  37. Savvy Seasons says

    October 4, 2012 at 3:33 PM

    I love those cubes, what a darling idea! =)

    Reply
  38. Angie @ Knick of Time says

    October 4, 2012 at 10:32 AM

    I was just on Shutterfly’s website a few hours ago, looking for some Christmas ideas, but I LOVE that dimensional wall art piece you have – way cool! Thanks for the opportunity to enter!
    Blessings,
    Angie @ Knick of Time

    Reply
  39. Ashley says

    October 4, 2012 at 5:44 PM

    I would say my living room.

    hewella1 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  40. Ashley says

    October 4, 2012 at 5:44 PM

    I would say my living room.

    hewella1 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  41. SolDucky says

    October 4, 2012 at 7:02 PM

    Our entryway definitely needs some homey feel to it with pictures.
    soluckyducky at gmail dot com

    Reply
  42. SolDucky says

    October 4, 2012 at 7:04 PM

    https://twitter.com/DuckyBunny/status/253933407099289600

    soluckyducky at gmail dot com

    Reply
  43. Rachelle says

    October 4, 2012 at 2:45 PM

    I love shutterfly! What a creative collage, I am remodeling and this would be a great addition and I love the Let it Snow blocks for winter decor!!!

    Reply
  44. Jeanie says

    October 4, 2012 at 11:50 PM

    I have a large, bare living room wall that is screaming out for a photo collage!

    Reply
  45. mary_smith says

    October 5, 2012 at 10:08 AM

    I love the photo cubes. A great gift idea! I have a large mostly empty wall in our living room that could really use a family collage. Most of my family lives out of state so it would really make me feel closer to family having pictures of them in the living room.

    Reply
  46. gshrader says

    October 5, 2012 at 1:23 PM

    I love shutterfly! My entryway table could use those photo cubes which would be awesome! And my living room wall that is bare would look awesome with some photo collages! thanks for the chance
    gayle_shrader at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  47. gshrader says

    October 5, 2012 at 1:24 PM

    tweeted about the contest

    thanks
    https://twitter.com/GayleShrader/status/254210364001120256
    gayle_shrader at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  48. Patty (Patty's Pretty Things) says

    October 5, 2012 at 4:33 PM

    I have used Shutterfly to make my son’s wedding books. They are so beautiful. I didn’t know about all the other cool products.

    Reply
  49. purplelover04 says

    October 6, 2012 at 6:47 PM

    i am new a big person on taking pictures and this looks fun and very different .

    Reply
  50. MCantu1019 says

    October 6, 2012 at 7:19 PM

    In my bedroom.
    MCantu1019 at aol dot com

    Reply
  51. Kerry says

    October 6, 2012 at 9:38 PM

    Our hallway could use some redecorating!
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    Reply
  52. Kerry says

    October 6, 2012 at 9:38 PM

    tweeted: https://twitter.com/KerryBishop/status/254697166101176320
    nuthouse(at)centurytel(dot)net

    Reply
  53. Dee says

    October 7, 2012 at 4:25 AM

    I would love to fix up my entryway for sure! Thanks for the chance 🙂

    deeg131 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  54. Dee says

    October 7, 2012 at 4:28 AM

    tweeted https://twitter.com/DeeGee13/status/254800127603142656

    deeg131 at gmail dot com

    Reply
  55. Kristibelle says

    October 7, 2012 at 5:17 PM

    I just remarried this year, and would love to update my tree ornaments with photos that include our new blended family! Great giveaway, thanks!

    Reply
  56. mary johnson says

    October 8, 2012 at 1:14 PM

    I love all the fabulous ways you chose to decorate with photos of your family! With Shutterfly the possibilities are endless! I would love to be able to decorate my bedroom with photos of my sweet little family so their precious faces are the first thing I see when I wake up, and the last thing I see when I go to sleep! Thenameismary at gmail dot com

    Reply
  57. Destiny says

    October 8, 2012 at 6:00 PM

    I love the Dimensional Wall Art which would be perfect for our bedroom that we’re currently redecorating!

    Reply
  58. mare ball says

    October 9, 2012 at 8:18 PM

    I love those silouette plates! My mom had some of those made when I was a kid and I still have them. I love the white dresser as well. It’s so charming. Never thought of a using a dresser outside a bedroom, but it’s lovely.

    Reply
  59. Angie CountryChicCottage says

    October 10, 2012 at 3:10 PM

    I would love to use these products in my foyer! 🙂 Great giveaway!

    Reply
  60. Olive Cooper says

    October 10, 2012 at 9:19 PM

    A large portrait of my 21 year old college kiddo in my hall would be wonderful. Thanks for the opportunity.

    Reply
  61. Kelly Massman says

    October 12, 2012 at 1:20 AM

    We have a new home with no photos! I’d love to put some in my craft room and living room!!! Thanks for a chance to win and have a great day!
    kmassmanATgmailDOTcom

    Reply
  62. Howell says

    October 12, 2012 at 7:04 AM

    I’ve used Shutterfly so many times but mainly for photo books. I would like to decorate my living room with the photo cubes.

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  63. Howell says

    October 12, 2012 at 7:05 AM

    I’ve used Shutterfly so many times but mainly for photo books. I would like to decorate my living room with the photo cubes.

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  64. Howell says

    October 12, 2012 at 7:07 AM

    tweeted
    https://twitter.com/leedhowell/status/256652247218409472

    hlee99 (at) gmail (dot) com

    Reply
  65. wigget says

    October 12, 2012 at 2:00 PM

    the living room

    Reply
  66. Georgia Caudle says

    October 13, 2012 at 10:52 AM

    Would love to decorate the Livingroom! Love the Canvas Prints.

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  67. Georgia Caudle says

    October 13, 2012 at 10:54 AM

    Tweeted

    https://twitter.com/gmissycat/status/257071659389968384

    gmissycat at yahoo dot com

    Reply
  68. Karina says

    October 13, 2012 at 8:03 PM

    my living room

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

    Reply
  69. Karina says

    October 13, 2012 at 8:03 PM

    tweet
    https://twitter.com/karinaroselee/status/257209998587871233

    karinaroselee at gmail dot com

    Reply
  70. anita b. says

    October 15, 2012 at 3:16 AM

    imnotarunner at gmail dot com
    the living room definitely needs sprucing up with pics

    Reply
  71. The Simmons Family says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:00 PM

    I love all these ideas.. So great!! Glad I found your blog!

    Reply
  72. wizardewu says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:38 PM

    I would decorate my office with the Dimensional Wall Art from Shutterfly.

    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    Reply
  73. wizardewu says

    October 15, 2012 at 6:39 PM

    tweeted
    https://twitter.com/wizardewu/status/257913498510688256

    eugeniewu at gmail dot com

    Reply
  74. cw says

    October 16, 2012 at 10:31 PM

    I would love to make our living room more personal, right now it is very drab and no personality

    cgies25 at homtail

    Reply
  75. Kristi says

    October 17, 2012 at 12:22 AM

    I don’t think I could choose just one area–it looks like Shutterfly’s products could be used anywhere in the house!

    Reply
  76. Paula Martin says

    October 17, 2012 at 12:22 AM

    Would love to redecorate my living room with some of these great ideas! Just beautiful.

    Reply
  77. Lizykitty23 says

    October 17, 2012 at 3:28 AM

    Loving the cubes idea!!!! BrillianT!!!!

    Reply
  78. Amy says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:17 AM

    Wow, so beautiful. I want to decorate my living room area with these fun products from Shutterfly to make it feels more like home. This is the area my family spend the most time in.

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  79. Amy says

    October 17, 2012 at 6:18 AM

    tweeted: https://twitter.com/uTry_it/status/258451748384014337

    amy [at] utry [dot] it

    Reply
  80. Christina says

    October 17, 2012 at 8:21 AM

    I would like to make my living room and dining room feel like home with Shutterfly Home Décor products so that my friends can enjoy such beautiful art works when we have fellowship gatherings in my house several times a year.

    ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

    Reply
  81. Christina says

    October 17, 2012 at 8:27 AM

    Tweeted about this promotion: https://twitter.com/ctong2/status/258483713581662208

    ctong2[at]gmail[dot]com

    Reply
  82. the cheese thief says

    October 17, 2012 at 11:45 PM

    i love shutterfly!

    Reply
  83. traciet says

    October 19, 2012 at 8:48 PM

    I would love to make a photo art display for both my bedroom and home office, tracietrump@yahoo.com

    Reply
  84. Olivia R says

    October 20, 2012 at 4:22 PM

    My second bedroom, which I use as an office, but is not to personal. It is a place I just go to when I need to get work done, so I didn’t put much effort beyond furniture.it could use the personalization of family photos and other shutterfly products

    Oliviatheservicedog at hotmail dot com

    Reply
  85. Olivia R says

    October 20, 2012 at 4:28 PM

    https://twitter.com/OliviaAbby/status/259692351625236482

    Oliviatheservicedog at hotmail dot com

    Reply
  86. Talina says

    October 21, 2012 at 5:28 PM

    I’d do my girl’s bedroom I think. They are growing so fast and I already miss their baby faces. A canvas of them as small babies would be beautiful I think.

    Reply
  87. Talina says

    October 21, 2012 at 7:12 PM

    Just tweeted: https://twitter.com/TalinaN/status/260095123214454784

    Reply
  88. AZPartyMamma says

    October 23, 2012 at 5:51 AM

    they have plates??? I want to put something behind my couch in the living room!

    Reply
  89. Tammi says

    October 26, 2012 at 1:34 PM

    antastic ways to show off the family! Love it!

    Reply
  90. Snookie Quinn says

    October 26, 2012 at 8:57 PM

    Living fulltime in our RV and traveling the country, my camera is never, ever far away. I have taken thousands of pictures over the past six years and would love to have Shutterfly help me display some of my more memorable photos.

    This is a great giveaway! Shutterfly is my favorite for photo books!

    Reply
  91. learning table says

    October 27, 2012 at 2:33 PM

    So many possibilities!

    Reply
  92. Cori Westphal says

    October 28, 2012 at 5:26 PM

    We just started finishing our basement. Right now it’s sheetrock. It’s cold and plain and boring. Once I get the walls done, I’d love to cozy it up down there with some fun family photos!

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

    Reply
  93. Cori Westphal says

    October 28, 2012 at 5:32 PM

    Tweet: https://twitter.com/coriwestphal/statuses/262713380295561216

    coriwestphal at msn dot com

    Reply
  94. Carmen says

    October 29, 2012 at 7:25 PM

    I would love to add Shutterfly products to our family room. We currently only have two paintings on the wall – the rest of the space is completely bare.

    Reply
  95. Dee F says

    October 30, 2012 at 2:56 PM

    What a great way to have art on the wall and so many other ways to use Shutterfly products.

    Reply
  96. Erin says

    October 30, 2012 at 5:12 PM

    LOVE the photo cubes! Would love to decorate my living room with them.

    Reply
  97. Betty C says

    October 31, 2012 at 1:08 AM

    I’m getting ready to repaint my living room and I’d love to add a whole new look. I have several travel photos that would make a great wall display.

    Reply
  98. Karine Traverse says

    October 31, 2012 at 11:15 PM

    My daughters’ room the walls are white and empty

    Reply
  99. Karine Traverse says

    October 31, 2012 at 11:15 PM

    Tweeted https://twitter.com/SAHMofDQ/status/263841516185874432

    Reply

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
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