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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 9, 2014

If Heaven Had a Fragrance

…I’m fairly certain it would smell like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right? 😉

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

If I knew that I could do it justice I would attempt to describe the aroma. But, I just can’t.

It’s almost too amazing to try and put into words.

lilacs in bucket

So, I’ll just bottle it up instead!

Homemade Lilac Scented Room Spray from At the Picket Fence


It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done.

Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity.

5 minute craft graphic

 So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

How to Make Lilac Room Spray

Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil

homemade room spray ingredients

 Directions: Fill spray bottle with 50/50 ratio of water to vodka.

Add 12 drops of lilac oil. Give it a shake, spray and if the scent isn’t strong enough, simply add a few more drops of lilac oil.

tag on lilac room spray atthepicketfence.com

If you can put it in a glass misting bottle (found at Target!) and add a sweet little tag to it I can guarantee that you will love it even more!

And wouldn’t this make such a sweet gift for Mother’s Day?

homemade lilac room spray

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house.

And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉

 Vanessa signature

P.S. We’re so thrilled to be guest posting today for Glynnis Whitwer from Proverbs 31 Ministry and we would love to have you visit us there to see how we made this Dried Flower Necklace!

how to make a dried flower necklace atthepicketfence.com - Copy

25 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Five Minute Crafts, Good Ideas Tagged With: cheap crafts, crafts, Five Minute Crafts, Mothers Day

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. chelsea says

    May 9, 2014 at 4:51 AM

    I had no idea it was this simple to make something like this! Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply
  2. Kerry Purcell says

    May 9, 2014 at 5:46 AM

    Oh what goodness in a bottle – which I LOVE by the way. Where did you find something so fabulous? Can’t wait to make this for my own home. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 9, 2014 at 6:43 AM

      Hi Kerry! I actually found the bottle in the gardening section at Target next to the watering cans. Isn’t it adorable? I just like holding it! LOL!

      Reply
      • Kerry Purcell says

        May 9, 2014 at 7:42 AM

        Well, guess who is going to Target this weekend. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
  3. Claire @ A Little Claireification says

    May 9, 2014 at 7:01 AM

    This is brilliant – I LOVE that adorable bottle, Vanessa!! Pinned! xo

    Reply
  4. Amanda @ Dixie Delights says

    May 9, 2014 at 11:09 AM

    Love that idea! My heaven will smell like jasmine 🙂 xo

    Reply
  5. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    May 9, 2014 at 2:57 PM

    Oh what a great recipe to bottle up the scent of heaven!…Wish we could grow lilacs here…Lavender would be another “heavenly scent”….Have a wonderful weekend and Happy Mother’s Day ladies!!!

    Reply
  6. Ashley @ Cherished Bliss says

    May 9, 2014 at 6:08 PM

    I am so excited to try this!! Pinning! : )

    Reply
  7. Carol Reddin says

    May 10, 2014 at 6:30 PM

    Love this! Wish I had some! 🙂 Mom

    Reply
  8. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    May 14, 2014 at 10:39 PM

    Vanessa,
    Thanks so much for sharing this idea. Looks pretty simple…maybe I can do it:)

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  9. Lisa Palmese says

    May 22, 2014 at 12:25 AM

    Vanessa,
    I really enjoyed this post and i think I’m going to try it.
    I lost my Mother not quite 2 years now and it feels like yesterday.
    But We had had Lilac Bushes Growing up and I would gather a Bouquet
    frequently for my Mother. She just Loved them So Yes since they where
    My Mother’s favorite I would like to think Heaven smells like Lilacs.
    Thank You
    Lisa

    Reply
  10. sandy says

    May 30, 2015 at 10:25 AM

    love this

    Reply
  11. Rosemary says

    May 30, 2015 at 10:45 AM

    Thank sounds great, I love Gardenia, Can I use that oil instead? That would be sooo nice.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 30, 2015 at 11:41 AM

      You can use whatever fragrance you want Rosemary! 🙂

      Reply
  12. mary says

    May 30, 2015 at 11:21 AM

    where do you get the lilac oil?

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 30, 2015 at 11:40 AM

      Hi Mary! I actually got mine off of Amazon. 🙂

      Reply
      • mary says

        May 31, 2015 at 1:54 PM

        thank you

        Reply
  13. cburkinsd says

    May 31, 2015 at 10:53 AM

    Hi. This looks like a great fragrance recipe. I am just wondering if you could use rubbing alcohol instead of drinking alcohol?

    Reply
  14. Judie says

    May 31, 2015 at 11:12 AM

    Hobby Lobby has oils. You might try there.

    Reply
  15. jeanie trujillo says

    June 1, 2015 at 5:46 AM

    can’t wait………is there any option besides vodka???? thank you

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      June 1, 2015 at 7:37 AM

      Hi Jeanie! You don’t have to use vodka but it helps to make the scent last longer. 🙂

      Reply
  16. Rose says

    August 11, 2015 at 7:53 PM

    Icannot wait to try this and give as present this summer and fall, thank you

    Reply
  17. Gwendolyn Kestrel says

    March 31, 2016 at 2:37 PM

    Thank you for the how-to! I love Lilac and had been buying a type from a store that got discontinued. I was terribly disappointed. Now I can make my own!

    Reply
  18. Melissa says

    February 27, 2017 at 9:50 AM

    I can’t find this bottle on target’s website. Can you provide a link?

    Reply
  19. Kelly Broughton says

    July 30, 2018 at 4:11 PM

    My most favorite memories of my childhood have the aromas of lilac and honeysuckle in them. Playing outside and having these smells around helped to remind me that although all the other children in the neighborhood were boys I was still a girl and could appreciate the wonderful smells of spring flowers that the boys never wasted their time on. I grew up always looking for perfume scents of both of these wonderful flowers. They used to be so easy to find but now not so easy. Thank you for sharing and I will be making my own sprays now for my home.

    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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