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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

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December 8, 2011

Holiday Dining at Heather’s House!

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Wow! We are just so amazed at all of the fabulous links we are seeing at the Christmas Blogger Block Party! From Holiday Copycat Challenges, to Mantels, Banisters and Doors and Porches we are just blown away by the talent of bloggers!  Today we are sharing how we do Holiday dining in our homes with Sherry over at No Minimalist Here.
As many of you know, I recently remodeled my dining room and am so happy with how it turned out! It has been so much fun to decorate for Christmas using my new color palette.
holiday dining room
I mainly limited myself to gold, silver, white and a touch of red in here…just like the room itself!
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I worked really hard to use what I already had with a couple of extras from the Dollar Tree
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like these snowflakes in the centerpiece.
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I stenciled Joyeux Noel on the other side of my Thanksgiving pillows, allowing me to get double duty out of them.
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I made these glittery snowflake wreaths out of pool noodles and tinsel! I just LOVE them glittering in the windows. 
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I will show you how I made them in an upcoming post.
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I also love my vignette on my painted buffet.  The trees were made out of scrapbook paper and placed over old candlesticks I spray painted silver.
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My snowflake wreath is made from Dollar Tree snowflakes and…you guessed it I’ll be showing you how to recreate this as well! I hung it over my framed chalkboard…Let it Snow!
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I didn’t go overboard in my dining room but I think I’ve struck a nice balance of festive and Christmas-y in here!
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holiday dining room
I can’t wait to show you my Kitchen tomorrow in the Christmas in the Kitchen portion of the Christmas Blogger Block Party! The post will go up FRIDAY morning so please come back to join me with your Christmas Kitchen decorating and your favorite Holiday Recipes! If it’s Kitchen related you can link it up! And, don’t forget all of the amazing giveaways that will be happening on Friday all from our fabulous sponsors!
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See you then…
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This post is partying with:



Too Much Time On My Hands: Get Schooled Saturday
You’re Talking Too Much: Meet Me Monday

18 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Decorating, Dining Room, Good Ideas, Holiday Blogger Block Party, Holidays

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Comments

  1. Stuff and Nonsense says

    December 8, 2011 at 4:45 PM

    ahh
    love all the pretty festiveness
    of your dining room

    and the colors?

    delightful.

    alison

    Reply
  2. refresh reStyle says

    December 8, 2011 at 4:50 PM

    Oh your dining room looks so good! Looks like you have lots of projects to share, beautiful stuff!
    Debbie

    Reply
  3. Betsy@ coastal-colors says

    December 8, 2011 at 4:56 PM

    I love everything about this dining room! It’s gorgeous and festive! I’m on my way to the Dollar Store! LOL! I love your wreath! It amazing! Thank you for putting this blogger party together! It’s so much fun to see all of the amazing ideas and decorations!

    Reply
  4. Pattie says

    December 8, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    Looks so festive.. this has been so much fun I can’t wait to see your kitchen… You have out done yourself Merry Christmas

    Reply
  5. Robin says

    December 8, 2011 at 5:03 PM

    It’s all so beautiful and festive! I love all the white and silver. And I’m looking forward to the snowflake wreath instructions. It’s beautiful.

    Reply
  6. Tanya@takesix says

    December 8, 2011 at 5:05 PM

    Beautiful, beautiful dining room!! I can’t wait to see how you made the pool noodle wreaths!!

    Reply
  7. Kristin says

    December 8, 2011 at 5:35 PM

    Everything looks so pretty! I love the pool noodle wreath and the scrapbook paper & candlestick trees! Something so easy even I can make them!! :)) Looking forward to the tutorial…

    Reply
  8. Ange says

    December 8, 2011 at 6:15 PM

    Beautiful! I love the let it snow frame/sign. Aren’t you just loving your new dining room? Thanks for the great Christmas party you’ve put together!

    Reply
  9. It's All Connected says

    December 8, 2011 at 7:04 PM

    I like how light and airy it feels. There is lots of sparkle and interest without overpowering your new decor! ~ Maureen

    Reply
  10. FABBY'S LIVING says

    December 8, 2011 at 7:26 PM

    Gorgeous! I love all your decor for the holidays, fresh, warm and inviting. Your dinig room is perfect! Merry Christmas. FABBY

    Reply
  11. Anna says

    December 8, 2011 at 10:09 PM

    Gorgeous ask always!

    Anna
    http://www.askannamoseley.com

    Reply
  12. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    December 8, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Hi Heather! Your dining room is beautiful all decorated for Christmas. Love the gold and silver. Thank you for joining my party.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

    Reply
  13. Beth says

    December 8, 2011 at 11:21 PM

    I am all over that snowflake wreath hanging over the framed chalkboard!! I have a thing for snowflakes, except the real ones…

    Reply
  14. Honey at 2805 says

    December 9, 2011 at 12:04 AM

    It’s gorgeous! It would be so delightful to dine at your home, or at Vanessa’s!

    Reply
  15. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    December 9, 2011 at 12:33 AM

    Love all the glitter and sparkle going on in your dining room, Heather! Love the wreath and that snowflake on your chalkboard. Those dollar store hurricanes definitely come in handy!

    Reply
  16. Buttercup Bliss says

    December 9, 2011 at 1:47 AM

    I love your dining room decked out for Christmas! I can’t wait to hear how you made your latest projects – love the snowflake wreath. Of course, my favorite part is still the drum shade! It is gorgeous!!!

    Merry Christmas!

    Reply
  17. Katie@{The Allred Abode} says

    December 12, 2011 at 11:09 PM

    Love this tablescape! Wow, Thank you for sharing this, love it! I just started a new linky party, and would love for you to join in! Monday Myriad Blog Hop

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Fun and Easy Tinsel Wreath and a few more decorations says:
    January 27, 2013 at 5:34 PM

    […] a few days, to celebrate her life. I first showed a glimpse of this fun wreath when I revealed my dining room decorated for Christmas.  I wish my photography could do this wreath justice because it really […]

    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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