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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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November 19, 2014

A Few of My Favorite Things

It was time. The children had finally reached an age where I was certain that they were ready to sit down and watch one of the greatest movies of all-time. The fake logs glowed in the fireplace, the lights twinkled on the Christmas tree and the smell of popcorn floated in the air.

And as Julie Andrews spun around in circles on the top of a hill, apron flying in the wind and I sat there surrounded by my precious babes, I was quite certain that there was nothing that could top this moment. I was wrong.

unique and creative Christmas gift ideas from atthepicketfence.com

 

When we reached my most favorite part in the movie, where Maria is in her room praying and Liesel is sneaking in through the window after meeting that boy Rolf (traitor!!) and dancing around the gazebo, I could barely control my anticipation. I knew which song was coming. The BEST song in whole movie in my opinion. And as Julie/Maria belted out those lines about raindops and roses and whiskers on kittens, I could see it dawning on my sweet girl’s face. She knew that song very well! I have been singing it to her since the day she was born and it is ‘our’ song.

And then, just when I thought my heart would burst with joy, she piped up and said, “Oh Mommy! That lady sings almost as great as you do!”

My heart pulled a grinch and grew two sizes bigger in that moment.

I mean, I’ve always sounded just like Julie Andrews in my head so this was just the proof I needed! 😉

You can imagine my delight when Melissa from 320 Sycamore asked me if I would be willing to join a whole gaggle of other bloggers in sharing a ‘Few of my Favorite Things’ this year. Of course, ever since I received the email I’ve been singing that song.

favorite things 2014

And now I’m sure you are too. You’re welcome.

So, in my best Fräulein Maria and without further adieu, I give you a few of my favorite things this Holiday season!

My incredible friend Laura from Finding Home just launched her new AMAZING new shop where you can buy 100% Pure Maple Syrup and I’m thinking they would make the perfect stocking stuffers this year!

View More: https://eveswishphotography.pass.us/putnam

I’m pretty sure that this  Downton Abbey Stocking from The French Elements would help in my quest to stay patient as we wait for the next season to premiere here in the states!

downton abbey stocking

 

A certain little girl in our home will be receiving the American Girl Doll of the Year Isabelle and I promise it isn’t just because she said I sound exactly like Julie Andrews. 😉 She is the ‘Girl of the Year’ so I know she will be cherished since come January 1 she will be no longer available.

Isabelle

I have several….ahem…older-ish folks in my life who seem to be always losing their glasses (usually they are on their heads!) so I think this Spectacles Necklace from Ambivalent Relics would be such a fun/funny gift.

spectacles necklace

I got this Chillsner from Uncommon Goods for my husband last year for Christmas and at first he was skeptical but all it took was a beer staying nice and cold until it was all gone to win him over.

chillsner

I don’t know about you but I still go the old-school route and have physical calendars in our home and I just love this Photo Calendar from Photographs by KLP so much!

calendar

 

I was explaining to my kids the other day that I learned to type on a typewriter instead of a computer and they looked at me like I was about 200 years old so I’m thinking one of these Typewriter Key Bracelets from Junxtaposition might be just the thing to help me recover from their insults. 😉

bracelets2-359x460

If I was decorating a nursery right now, the colors in this Child’s Deer and Butterfly Monogram Pillow Cover Set from LaRae Boutique would be exactly the palette I would choose! So beautiful, soothing and sweet.

deer pillow from LaRae boutique

 

A certain friend of mine has a little boy who adores all things construction and since I absolutely adore him I couldn’t resist ordering these Construction Utensils from Uncommon Goods!

construction utensils

 

 

These Cowgirl Boot Earrings from Bel Monili totally remind me of the year when my daughter was a cowgirl for Halloween. She NEVER wanted to take off those boots!

cowgirl boot earrings

 

My son is a total techie kid who spends his own money to buy electronics at Goodwill simply so that he can take them apart and study the insides. I kid you not that there is a section of our garage covered in motherboards. He’s been begging me for a ‘real’ camera, not a kids camera, so that we could do some photography sessions together. So when I saw this DIY Digital Camera Kit I KNEW it was the perfect thing for my boy. A camera that he can put together himself and see exactly how it all works!

camera

 

So, there you have it. Those are just a few of my favorite things this year.

What about you? Do you have some favorite things on your list this year?

For more great ideas head over to 320 Sycamore  and have fun working your way through all of the amazing selections from the other ladies. I’m heading over to visit Amy at The Idea Room  and I can’t wait to see her ‘Favorites’!

Now, you’ll have to excuse me because there is a little girl waiting upstairs for me to come sing to her. Bless her little tone deaf heart! 😉

Vanessa signature

13 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Good Ideas, Holidays Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas gifts

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Comments

  1. Iryna says

    November 19, 2014 at 6:01 AM

    Oooh, these are great ideas. Consider an Arduino board for your son and introduce him to Scratch (easy animation making software from MIT). 🙂

    Reply
  2. Catherine says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:37 AM

    Fun picks Vanessa—especially LUV those pillows!
    Catherine

    Reply
  3. Anna says

    November 19, 2014 at 8:28 AM

    So many fun things! I can’t decide which one is my favorite. 🙂

    Anna

    Reply
  4. Jessica says

    November 19, 2014 at 12:59 PM

    My favorites? Typewriter key bracelets and the photo calendars! Love them. Beautiful list!

    Reply
  5. Laura Putnam says

    November 19, 2014 at 5:23 PM

    Thank you sweet friends! I so appreciate your support!!!!!!

    Reply
  6. Ashley @ Cherished Bliss says

    November 19, 2014 at 7:40 PM

    So many great things ladies!! I would love some of that maple syrup! : )

    Reply
  7. Barb says

    November 19, 2014 at 9:19 PM

    So many goodies. Thank you for including my Downton Abbey stocking. We are overseas right now so it started my day off in a very merry way!

    hugs,
    Barb

    Reply
  8. Laura says

    November 20, 2014 at 7:16 AM

    Thank you for including my pillows in this beautiful collection!

    Reply
  9. Randi - Dukes and Duchesses says

    November 20, 2014 at 8:15 AM

    So many great gift idea suggestions! Love them all!

    Reply
  10. Megan says

    November 20, 2014 at 8:21 AM

    I’m always on the hunt for unique gift ideas for people. These are all wonderful options! Thanks for the suggestions!

    Reply
  11. taryn @ Design, Dining and Diapers says

    November 20, 2014 at 11:57 PM

    Oh I love that photo calendar and those pillows! Great picks!

    Reply
  12. melissa320sycamore says

    November 24, 2014 at 8:39 AM

    What great finds, Vanessa! I so miss buying American Girl for my girls, I still love looking at the catalog 🙂 Happy Thanksiving!

    Reply
  13. jeanne / juNxtaposition says

    December 2, 2014 at 8:29 PM

    aww… you make me blush !! thanks for the share – so wonderful !!! (and you KNOW you are one of our favorite blogs !!)

    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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