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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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May 23, 2014

Best In Show ~ Dog Themed Party

Best in Show Birthday Party

My daughter has yet to meet a dog without some redeemable quality.  Every dog regardless of pedigree, grooming, or personality is either the cutest, sweetest, or smartest dog on earth.  And if they’re not, well, it’s not their fault and they deserve an extra dose of love and affection.

Dog themed children's birthday party from atthepicketfence.com

Case in point, when choosing a pet to be photographed with during Humane Society day camp, my daughter lovingly chose a large, gray pit bull with one eye.  As I looked at the photo of her with an arm draped around it’s neck and her face glowing, I both cringed at and admired her for her choice.  While I don’t share her passion for canines, every dog must have its day, and her 7th birthday had to be a day for dogs.

dog invitation

One of my kids’ favorite things to do when dreaming up birthday plans is to choose a color palette and this birthday girl was super specific about the shades she wanted.  A trip to the paint aisle to get color chips was helpful and carrying those cards in my purse allowed me to color match to her specific palette whenever I was out shopping.  I love how color can unify a theme and make even a few, simple decorations pop.

party decor

In order to create a more feminine dog party, I brought in dog show elements using paper medallions and frilly prize ribbons (both vintage and diy ones) in the décor.

front door

paper fan backdrop

white ribbon

The table settings featured miniature dog house candy boxes, and the birthday girl ate from her own fancy dog dish.

place setting

dog dish

No dog party would be complete without the guests of honor (which in our case are stuffed) decked out in party hats.  As a surprise for the big day, I designed fancy new kennels for them out of empty Amazon boxes.

party dogs

dog house

dog balloons

Another thing my kids are really specific about is their cake.  This year my daughter insisted on a 4-layer vanilla cake, with creamsicle frosting between the layers and I loved how the citrus-y flavor complemented the bright orange colors of her party.  To make the creamsicle frosting I used our family’s favorite buttercream recipe and added vanilla bean paste, a few tablespoons of orange juice concentrate and a few teaspoons of orange zest, adjusting the flavors until she gave her final approval.

dog cake

sweet treats

large dog bone cookies

cake

After sweets, we passed out dog noses and the kids had a blast playing a version of Simon says (dog trainer says) and competing in relay races by pushing balls around with their snouts and balancing tennis balls on Frisbees.  The noses were such a hit that some wore them for the rest of the party, sometimes resting them on the tops of their heads when they were concentrating like during the draw-a-dog art lesson.  It was totally hilarious.

dog noses

dog artists

dog nose drawing

The favorite activity might very well have been when we gave them all a chance to eat like dogs.  Bowls of cocoa puffs were devoured by kids on hands and knees as they were given permission to forgo all mealtime manners and lap up their food and slurp up their drink.

dog food

In order to truly celebrate my daughter’s love of dogs, we made special doggie bags for each party guest to give to their favorite friend, family or neighborhood pet.  They braided tug toys and filled their bags with peanut butter & pumpkin dog treats, tennis balls, and mini bones.

doggie bag

doggie treats

craft table

braiding

After a round of dog Mad Libs, we watched the 1950s version of Shaggy Dog and, as each guest left, they were given a dog pop and a hand selected dog of their own to take home.

dog pops

dog favors

The dog day was over but fortunately for us, the library hosted a reading event with therapy dogs the very next day, so we could keep the love going.  My daughter’s passion for dogs was totally affirmed and she didn’t ask for a dog all weekend which made this celebration a total success, in my opinion.  Now if only I could find a way to stop my husband from sending me dog listings on craigslist!  😉

puppy love

Julie Signature

24 Comments Filed Under: Celebrations, Children's Parties Ideas, Family, Good Ideas, Kids, Parties Tagged With: birthday parties, kids parties

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Comments

  1. Lauren says

    May 23, 2014 at 4:23 AM

    This is such an adorable and fun idea for a birthday party. Love all of the sweet and creative details!!!

    Reply
  2. Patty Lucas says

    May 23, 2014 at 4:39 AM

    God bless your daughter for posing with a pit bull. I have two pit bulls who own me and you would not believe the discrimination that is placed on these dogs. My red nose pit is 85 pounds who thinks she is a lap dog and is absolutely terrified of our cat. I won’t give you the statistics regarding pit bulls and how many are put down each and every day because they are “bad”. Please give your daughter a kiss and hug from me and thank her for all the love she shares with dogs. And for you, please don’t shop – adopt.

    Reply
  3. Teresa says

    May 23, 2014 at 5:09 AM

    Such a cute party! Where did you find the white trophy cups that are holding the dog pops and also the dog house candy boxes?

    Reply
    • Julie says

      May 23, 2014 at 8:21 AM

      Thanks Teresa! The candy boxes were an Etsy find (from Bluefin Works) and the trophy cups came from the Threshold line at Target a few years ago.

      Reply
  4. laura@top this top that says

    May 23, 2014 at 5:25 AM

    Oh I just love the details of this amazing party. my lily loves all her animals and this could be perfect for her upcoming birthday.

    Reply
  5. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    May 23, 2014 at 5:34 AM

    This has got to be one of the cutest themed birthday party I have seen….magnificent!!!!…..Happy Memorial Day ladies!!!….Incredible job Julie!

    Reply
  6. Suzi says

    May 23, 2014 at 7:22 AM

    This is incredible. What an effort. The only thing i see wrong with it is that her future husband will never be able to celebrate her birthday right! Ha. Will likely be in the doghouse for i.t too 😉

    Reply
  7. Karee says

    May 23, 2014 at 9:07 AM

    Darling theme that every kid would be sure to like and have fun with!
    Karee

    Reply
  8. Barbara Ann says

    May 23, 2014 at 10:07 AM

    Your daughter has a gift of caring for others already at a young age. A tribute to her patents. Love the theme carries this attribute on. But the cake & cookies are darling. Where did you get the doggie pops in the trophy cups? ?
    I think these would be a cute gift.
    Happy Birthday to a wonderful young lady..
    Barbara Ann http://Www.etsy.com / shop / barbaraannscreations

    Reply
    • Julie says

      May 23, 2014 at 10:38 AM

      Thanks so much, Barbara Ann! The doggie pops came from Oriental Trading and though I didn’t sample them, the kids assured me that they tasted great–they had a nice fruity flavor 🙂

      Reply
  9. Jenn @ My Fabuless Life says

    May 23, 2014 at 12:14 PM

    Oh. My. Gosh! What an ADORABLE idea!! Everything is PERFECTION!!!

    Reply
  10. Shannon @ Fox Hollow Cottage says

    May 23, 2014 at 10:27 PM

    I just want to let you know my birthday is in January and I like Barbie, Hello Kitty and all the evil queens of Disney. Pick any theme and use any colors you like, I’m sure it’ll be fabulous. You’ll need a 4 and a 6 for my cake 😉

    This was too, too cute!!!

    Reply
  11. Brooke says

    December 21, 2014 at 7:47 AM

    Where did you get those adorable stuffed animals?

    Reply
  12. Liz Archie says

    February 20, 2015 at 7:53 PM

    So many great ideas! It looks like the kids had a lot of fun!
    Where did you find the stuffed animal dogs used for the favors?

    Reply
  13. Lisa says

    April 20, 2015 at 4:48 PM

    I love the stuffed dogs you used for your party! Where did you purchase them???

    Reply
  14. Nikki Collins says

    May 4, 2015 at 9:18 PM

    Where did you find the doghouse boxes?

    Reply
  15. Cupcake Porto Alegre says

    May 24, 2015 at 2:47 PM

    nice party 🙂

    Reply
  16. Amy Sterling says

    August 4, 2015 at 7:47 AM

    I love all of this! We are planning a similar party for my daughter right now. Where did you find the dog party hats and the stickers on the bottles?

    Reply
  17. Princess Genevieve says

    January 15, 2016 at 3:21 PM

    This is so cute! I did a puppy party two years ago… for my puppy! I love these colors though. I used red, white, and black- the colors of my puppy/ his collar. One day I hope to reprise the theme for my future kiddos. ox

    Princess Genevieve

    Reply
  18. Kristin says

    April 19, 2016 at 3:35 AM

    Good Morning,

    What an awesome party idea!! My daughter is having a friend party this weekend and has just changed her mind on the theme. We went from Cheetah’s to dogs!! Where did you get the stuffed dogs and the cute little hats for them! Thank you!

    Reply
  19. kris says

    June 7, 2016 at 12:06 PM

    What a great idea, my daughter wants a puppy party. Where did you get the stuffed dogs? they look like a perfect size. Thank you!

    Reply
  20. Ameliorateme says

    August 16, 2016 at 3:30 PM

    ^^looks like you haven’t seen any of these new comments? But I’d also love to know where you found the dogs thank you.

    Reply
  21. Heather says

    January 5, 2017 at 11:39 AM

    OMG! So cute! Where did you get the stuffed animal dogs at? All the ones I’m finding are either way expensive or not very good quality in bulk! 🙁

    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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