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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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September 21, 2018

Fall Mantel with Traditional Colors

A couple of weeks ago I began to notice how the light was changing in my house throughout the day, shifting and moving from room to room in a way that was different than it had been even just the week before. It was subtle, but it signaled the very end of one season and the very beginning of another.

I realized in that moment that while I absolutely love all of the bold, dramatic elements of Autumn, perhaps my most favorite aspects are those that are a bit less obvious.

The ones that creep up on you.

It’s the way the fields have a soft golden glow about them as they approach the harvest.

Or the way the mornings suddenly have a bit more ‘snap’ in the air and you reach for your favorite sweatshirt.

It’s the slight curling of the leaves on the trees outside my windows.

Or the way that my hydrangeas go from brilliant white to pale green to having the softest pink tint.

All of this was on my mind this year as I began to decorate my home for fall. I knew that I wanted to try to capture the essence of that subtlety. To have the colors in the decor match the way the light was shifting and the golden hues of those beautiful fields we pass each day as we drive to school.

While being smack dab in the middle of Autumn is a glorious thing to behold, I always have that sense of how fleeting it is and that the long winter months are right on it’s heels and this tends to leave me feeling that old familiar ‘mellan-fall-y‘ feeling creeping in.

Maybe that’s why I love the early days of the season so much. Because we are still in that ‘looking forward to’ stage instead of the ‘oh no it’s going too fast’ stage.

For many, Autumn seems to signal the beginning of an end. We know that the leaves are going to begin to fall and lushness will be replaced with bareness. And yet, we tend to forget that dormant isn’t the same as dead.

It’s just a slowing down, a suspension of time so to speak.

So, as much as I love Autumn and welcome it each year with open arms, I am in no particular hurry for it to show off just how fabulous it can really be.

I’m happy to celebrate the small changes, the subtle ways in which the season unfolds.

And how the most beautiful thing about this new season isn’t what happens in my home but what happens in my heart.

Much love to you friends,

Take a look at last year’s fall tour for more inspiration!

9 Comments Filed Under: Autumn, Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: fall, fall decor, fall Decorating

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Comments

  1. Sue says

    September 21, 2018 at 2:51 PM

    Love the new pull down chart. The colours are perfect for fall. Is it an original or repro. I would love something like. Your living room looks beautiful.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      September 21, 2018 at 3:25 PM

      Thank you Sue! It’s a reproduction that I found at a consignment store and is normally in a hallway in our home but I moved it to above the fireplace for fall. So appreciate you stopping by and I hope you have a great weekend!

      Reply
  2. Joann Hansen says

    September 21, 2018 at 6:11 PM

    Love your decorating. Just wanted to let you know I used your book for a lesson at church this week. I used Harvest and Melan”FALL”y. Love you book.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      September 22, 2018 at 3:20 PM

      Oh Joann! Your comment just literally made my whole week! I can’t even tell you how much it means to me that you enjoy my book so much and that you used it for a lesson at your church. Thank you! xoxo

      P.S. If you ever felt so inclined, would you be willing to leave a review of the book on Amazon? Authors rely on those so much!

      Reply
  3. Judy says

    September 21, 2018 at 6:47 PM

    I love how you have used the colors of fall in your home…shades of brown, gold, cream and pops of orange. Fall is such a wonderful time of the year with the cooler, crisp air; and, it is so much fun cozying up our homes as we prepare for what follows. Thank you for the inspiration!

    Reply
  4. Penni says

    September 21, 2018 at 8:46 PM

    Your fall mantle is simple, elegant and beautiful. Though I enjoy seeing others use non traditional colors for autumn, I use the traditional natural colors in our home. God has given us different seasons and each has a their own colors dictated by nature. I am not an orange person, but when fall comes it’s a must in my decor and brings that element of seasonal color and warmth to our home. Thank you for sharing not only your lovely mantle, but your heartfelt thoughts on life’s seasons.

    Reply
  5. Sean Mahan says

    September 24, 2018 at 5:03 PM

    Love this use of traditional colors, they’re the best!

    Reply
  6. Amber Ferguson says

    August 17, 2019 at 7:29 PM

    This is so pretty! Do you have a source for your velvet pillows? That is the shade I have been imagining but can never find. Thanks!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      September 4, 2019 at 2:03 PM

      Hi Amber! I’m SO sorry that I’m just now seeing your comment/question about the pillows. I purchased them last year at TJ Maxx. 🙂

      Reply

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The first weekend in December seems like a good ti The first weekend in December seems like a good 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 families 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. Or have a good cry. 

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’. ✨
✨ The first Sunday of Advent is upon us and this ✨ The first Sunday of Advent is upon us and this year I created a super simple centerpiece for my dining room that incorporates the candles we will use each of the four weeks leading up to Christmas. While we will only light one candle each week, I used more than four so that the centerpiece would look a bit more filled in. In keeping with my goal to embrace a softer approach to my decorating, this arrangement works perfectly and helps to keep our focus on the beauty and the meaning  of the Advent season. For more ideas like this, check out my previous Advent post! ✨

#advent #adventcandles #simplechristmas #wearethehomemakers
In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a In this season of motherhood, my soul is feeling a bit more tender. When Christmas rolls around and I no longer have wish lists that include Lego sets or dollhouses, I find that I want my home to reflect this craving for all things gentle.

So our hot cocoa station this year is much more simple and done in a neutral color palette that just subtly blends in with the rest of the decor. It still feels festive and is definitely still “user friendly” but it’s just a bit less…well…less.

And, that’s ok. It’s not that this area won’t ever again have bright colors (maybe even pops of red!) but, right now I’m happy to have things this way.

With all that is going on in the world right outside our door, my desire is for our home to truly feel like a respite. I want it to be where we come and let our guard down, our heart rates slow and to be flooded with a sense of peace in knowing that here is where we can just simply be. I want it to be a place of rest. Rest from the constant onslaught of news and information. Rest from the seemingly small struggles of school and jobs that can so often feel like big struggles.

And, most importantly, we rest in the comfort of knowing the One who is Sovereign over all and is the reason this month is so very special and sacred.

Many blessings to you dear friends as we kick off this wonderful season! ✨
Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary Next week is first Sunday of Advent. And contrary to popular belief, the celebration of Advent is VERY different from just simply doing a ‘countdown to Christmas’. It’s not about having little drawers filled with candy or doors to open with prizes inside. Those things are so much fun and definitely help to build anticipation as you head closer and closer to the big day.

But Advent, from the latin word ‘adventus’ meaning ‘arrival’ or ‘appearance’ keeps the focus completely on celebrating the arrival of the King who came in the form of an infant.

This is one of our favorite family traditions and over the years I’ve figured out how to incorporate the Advent candles into my decor without using the traditional wreath. I hope this gives you some ideas and inspiration as we head into this sacred season. 🌲

#advent #adventdecoration #wearethehomemakers
Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Bec Why do I start decorating before Thanksgiving? Because it’s the Saturday after and my house is almost completely ready to start the season! So I’m sitting with my coffee and just soaking it all up knowing that now I can focus on shopping, hosting and preparing our hearts for the start of Advent. The only thing left to do is get our fresh tree for the front room and then the decorating is done. 

Starting early is a gift I give to myself and I’m always grateful for it! 🌲

#simplechristmas #traditionalchristmas
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest fo “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
Christmas has arrived in the family room where I k Christmas has arrived in the family room where I keep things simple but festive! We’ll get a fresh tree after Thanksgiving which will go in our front room bay window but this slim faux tree with its colorful ornaments tides us over for now. Which room in your home gets the Christmas treatment first? Or do you just start doing a little at a time in each room? 🎄

*pillow covers are from @jshhomeessentials
I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST I share this recipe every year because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a 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!! 🦃
How do I want people to feel when they walk throug How do I want people to feel when they walk through my front door? That’s always at the top of my mind when I’m decorating my entry for each season, particularly at Christmastime. 

✨I want them to feel like my home is greeting them with a smile.

✨I want them to feel like this is a place where care has been given to details (but not to the point of being too stuffy or too busy or too overwhelming). 

✨I want them to feel like there is peace here.

✨I want them to feel like they are welcome…because they are. 

My home is a reflection of my heart and my heart is a reflection of the ONE for whom I live and try to honor and praise all of my days, but especially at Christmas.

How do you want people to feel when they come into your home? 

#christmasentry #simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
This is not a criticism of those who are sharing t This is not a criticism of those who are sharing their great new Christmas finds but rather an encouragement to those of you who are feeling a bit overwhelmed by it all and trying to resist the temptation to purchase more items than you really need.

Several years ago I felt a conviction in my heart about how much time and money I was spending on trying to create a new look every Christmas. I was not being a good steward of my resources and I was far too easily swayed by the peer pressure in this area. And a funny thing happened when I smashed this idol that had taken up residence in my heart. I suddenly found renewed joy in decorating for the season. By keeping things simple and maybe only buying something like a new spool of velvet ribbon, I actually realized that I could be far more creative reusing and repurposing what I already had.

In the coming weeks your news feeds will be filled with temptations for MORE. Maybe, this year, you too can find the joy in LESS. 🌲

#simplechristmas #simplicity #wearethehomemakers
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