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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

April 21, 2011

Inspiration Friday No. 12


You may or may not know that one of the sister’s At the Picket Fence lives in the Northwest. And well, since it IS Earth Day, we thought you should see just how Vanessa decided to celebrate this year.

Everyone thinks that Northwest folks are all “tree huggers” anyway, so she thought she would try and live up to the reputation! She was going to wear a flannel shirt and then she realized she didn’t actually own one.
Guess she hasn’t really adapted to the culture there yet!
Her kids were looking at her like she had lost her mind but hey, the girls at the Fence have no shame!

Now in all seriousness, we really do think this is a pretty incredible world we live in!

And we do our part to be good stewards of our resources.
But to be honest, we really value PEOPLE more than anything else.
Which is why this week, there will be a larger number of Features.
There was just so much great inspiration from last week’s party that we are going to
Reduce
 our words so we can feature more folks who were able to
Reuse
items and transform them into something entirely new.
As well as those who like to
Recycle
and repurpose things that many would just throw away.


So, let’s get to it!

Ladder Laundry Rack from Little Lucy Lu. (Try saying that five times fast!)
 
Vintage Pendant Light from Three Pixie Lane
  Airplane Wall Art made from a fence by Kim at Too Much Time on My Hands.
 
Painted Sign made from a piece of wood found under the washing machine.
Shared with us by  Creative Carmella.

Two pallet headboards
  Too Much Time on my Hands                                               Designed to Dwell                  
                                             
Console Table made out of pipes and an antique door from Designing Emily.
Rolling Toy Box from Camelot Art Creations


 Window frame turned Jewelry Holder from Life.Love.Larson

Sign made from Barn Wood at Forty-Year-Old Ranch.

Now, don’t forget to grab your Featured At Button if you were featured at today’s party or during the week as a Facebook Feature! We have started featuring several links during the week on our Facebook page, so make sure you join us over there to see if you are featured! (did we say the word feature enough?? grin.)

Thanks for joining us at the fence on this very “GOOD” Friday!

When you are done linking up head over and party with the other “Friday Party Friends

The lovely Courtney at French Country Cottage

 Our beautiful friend Alison from
 
Stuff and Nonsense
Stuff and Nonsense

And the gracious Debra from Common Ground

vif187

Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it’s time to link on up…here’s the rules!

  •  Friend At The Picket Fence in some capacity
  • Link Up any post you’ve written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional…if it inspires link it up!

  • Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)

  • Please post our button (code in the sidebar) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY)
  • Visit another guest Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you!  We are trying so hard between writing posts, homeschooling, and taking care of our families..grin..to visit everyone’s posts. Sometimes we miss one and for that we apologize.  It makes us feed good knowing others are visiting people as well!  Thank you..it truly means a lot to us! 

This week’s Inspiration Friday is sponsored by:

There is still time to enter our $40 Simple Stencil Giveaway! Click on the link to enter!

 

38 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday

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Previous Post: « Three Great Easter Desserts!
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. jandjhome says

    April 21, 2011 at 9:25 PM

    Thank you so much for hosting.

    Reply
  2. Desire Empire says

    April 21, 2011 at 9:39 PM

    Can’t hurt to hug a tree every now and then.

    I love your first feature with the ladder in the laundry. I have one of those but it’s not half as pretty.

    I hope you beautiful girls have a blessed Easter and thanks for everything you do for blog land. Party’s, 101’s etc. You say you value people most and it shows. It is very much appreciated
    Best Carolyn

    Reply
  3. Sue says

    April 21, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Hi girls! I always have such a good time visiting a lot of the party links- there is so much inspiration out there! Thanks for advocating “comment love.” I know you both are busy and can’t always visit everyone, so if we each visit some of the other links and leave comments, it really would go a long way in making them feel welcome! 🙂
    hugs, Sue

    Reply
  4. Little Brick Ranch says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:01 PM

    Thanks for hosting and giving us that nice insight into Vanessa’s day!! 🙂 I used to live in the NW and I definitely did my share of tree huggin’ while I was out there!! 🙂 Check out my link ups for some GREEN living tips!!

    Oh – and I am hosting an Earth Day giveaway tomorrow…don’t forget to pop in!!

    Reply
  5. Andrea at Opulent Cottage says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:16 PM

    Happy Earth Day girlies, love the treehugger pics!! I only have a recipe for y’all today, but at least it’s a good one :)) I hope you and your families have a wonderful Easter!
    xo, Andrea

    Reply
  6. Debra@Common Ground says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:16 PM

    Hi Gals, thanks for the great party, just linked up. Have a wonderful Easter Weekend! hugs, Debra

    Reply
  7. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    Great pics Vanessa…hope you all have a blessed Easter.

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  8. Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:35 PM

    Thanks so much for hostessing this fun event! I have just linked up!

    Love all the “green” ideas shared here!

    Happy Easter!

    Big TX Hugs,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

    Reply
  9. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    April 21, 2011 at 10:43 PM

    Vanessa, You are so adorable I am surprised the tree didn’t hug you back! Thank you ladies for hosting and Happy Easter.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

    Reply
  10. Amanda says

    April 21, 2011 at 11:34 PM

    Thanks for hosting another party! I think we should all go and hug a tree!

    Reply
  11. michelle says

    April 21, 2011 at 11:58 PM

    Vanessa you are the cutest tree hugger EVER!!! 🙂 I love it!! The features you have are amazing! I love that console table! All of them are a clever way to reuse and recycle!
    I hope you both have a wonderful weekend and Happy Easter!!!

    Reply
  12. Carmella says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:05 AM

    Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for featuring my wall art project! It is one of my favorite projects…I knew saving that old board from the trash was a great thing to do 🙂 now I know why! You ladies are the BEST! I hope you and your families have a very happy Easter! XOXOXO!

    Reply
  13. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:17 AM

    Great features from last week. The talent out there amazes me. Thanks for hosting and have a Happy Easter.

    Reply
  14. Vivienne @ the V Spot says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:34 AM

    Those features are fabulous, and I LOVE the tree-hugging photos!

    Reply
  15. Modern Country Lady says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:42 AM

    That picture is priceless, Vanessa- hahahaha !! With or without checked shirt!
    Thanks for hosting- have a great Easter.
    XX
    Bea

    Reply
  16. Ashley says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    Thank you for the feature! Those were some great projects to be featured among. I love the tree hugging pics, too. Thank you for hosting!

    Reply
  17. Desiree Guy says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    Thanks for the feature!!! Love all the wonderful ideas :))

    Hope you have a wonderful Easter!

    Desiree
    CamelotArtCreations.blogspot.com

    Reply
  18. Katie says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:23 AM

    Great picture Vanessa! LOL!! Thanks for hosting ladies!

    Reply
  19. Kristin says

    April 22, 2011 at 2:15 AM

    Love the tree huggin’ going on in the P.N.W!
    Thanks Vanessa for all of your sweet comments this week!
    Hope you can stand one more post about faith and Casting “seeds”…
    Love, Kristin

    Reply
  20. Michell @ Girl In Air says

    April 22, 2011 at 2:48 AM

    OMG! What wonderful features!! I’m gonna be here all night! Thank you!!

    Oh and thanks for hosting:-)

    Reply
  21. Kim @ Too Much Time says

    April 22, 2011 at 3:23 AM

    You girls are so sweet! Two of my projects featured?!?! Thank you…bunches and bunches! Have a “good” friday!
    xo

    Reply
  22. alison says

    April 22, 2011 at 3:27 AM

    well…you must admit…that basket lamp really was divine…tee hee…have a blessed weekend and happy tree huggin’!

    alison

    Reply
  23. The "Boutique" Girls says

    April 22, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    We LOVE our tree huggers:) Thanks for hosting another link party. We love linking up!

    Reply
  24. Anna says

    April 22, 2011 at 6:27 AM

    New to your party and your blog. Thanks for hosting!

    Anna
    http://www.askannamoseley.com

    Reply
  25. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:00 AM

    Hi there girls! Vanessa- we just might be a couple of tree huggers over here too… 🙂 love it! Thanks for hosting! 🙂

    Reply
  26. Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says

    April 22, 2011 at 11:39 AM

    You don’t look all the comfortable hugging that tree, Vanessa! I hope your kids had lots of giggles. You have lots of great features this week. Happy Easter to you and your family. Hugs, Kim. Oh, and buy yourself a flannel shirt ;)!

    Reply
  27. Becca says

    April 22, 2011 at 12:19 PM

    Well, hey there, Miss beautiful tree hugger! (Did you get a haircut?)

    Love the features … the ladder in the mudroom is too cute!

    Thanks for hosting … I hope both of you and your families have a wonderful and HAPPY EASTER !! xo, Becca

    Reply
  28. Wendy says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:01 PM

    Thanks for the feature! It made my Good Friday even better!

    Reply
  29. CAS says

    April 22, 2011 at 1:16 PM

    You girls crack me up! Vanessa, you are too funny– absolutely adorable– but too funny! I was once a “tree-hugger” in Oregon, & I would be again, IF we lived in a place with trees. LOL!!! Yeah, I know we have lots of trees here in AZ, but they all have thorns of some kind. Ouch! AZ isn’t too big into “recycling” either. Bad state, bad, bad state!

    Anyway, you two keep up the good work. I hope you are having fun with this blog, because it is so much fun for all of us. Have a Happy Easter!
    CAS

    Reply
  30. Bec@littlelucylu says

    April 22, 2011 at 2:49 PM

    Thank you, thank you, thank you for the feature!!!
    Oh … and I live in the Northwest, too – so there you go! :)~
    Thanks so much for hosting the party!
    ~Bec

    Reply
  31. Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says

    April 22, 2011 at 3:08 PM

    Just look at all those talented people! You featured some amazing ideas. Thank you!
    Wishing you both a very Blessed Easter!

    Reply
  32. Gracie's Cottage says

    April 22, 2011 at 4:17 PM

    What a fun party…thanks for hosting! Off to get inspired!

    Jan

    Reply
  33. kara@elements-interiors.net says

    April 22, 2011 at 6:24 PM

    Hey sweet friends! Thank you for all your support and prayers this past week!
    I have linked up my “Floating Easter Egg Tree” #122

    Have a BLESSED Easter!
    I am BLESSED to have you girls as my Friends:)

    xoxokara

    Reply
  34. Rachel says

    April 22, 2011 at 6:36 PM

    Vanessa, you make me laugh! Have a blessed Easter! 🙂

    Rach

    Reply
  35. Kathy says

    April 23, 2011 at 11:14 AM

    Hello, thanks so much for stopping by – this has been a fun and interesting party – I am not a ‘tree hugger’ either – I just think it is common sense to be responsible for reusing – great for crafts – reducing – and recycling – I think we’ve seen a lot of very interesting ways to do just that – thanks for hosting this fun party,
    Kathy

    Reply
  36. Eleni says

    April 24, 2011 at 9:35 AM

    Those are such great features!!! So much inspiration:)
    It’s the first time I’m linking here, new follower, Thank You for hosting this great party:)
    Happy Easter
    Eleni

    Reply
  37. Pamela says

    April 26, 2011 at 10:04 PM

    LOVE the tree hugging!

    Reply

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“Ah, Lovely October, as you usher in the season “Ah, Lovely October, as you usher in the season that awakens my soul, your awesome beauty compels my spirit to soar like a leaf caught in an autumn breeze and my heart to sing like a heavenly choir.” Peggy Toney Horton.

Happy October dear friends! 🍂
On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the po On Monday my heart just felt so heavy. Yes, the pouring rain outside contributed to my feelings. But the primary cause was this overwhelming flood of thoughts about how much in our world and in our culture is going off the rails. I’d planned to make pumpkin bread that day but I was tempted to just curl up in a ball on my bed, pull the covers over my head and pretend that this would actually solve something. I didn’t give into that temptation though. Instead, I got out my favorite pumpkin bread recipe and found that, as I worked and prayed and hummed worship songs, my spirit began to settle. When the world feels very loud, the demands of family and home can actually help to quiet our souls. As each family member walked through the door later in the day, they commented on how wonderful the house smelled. It’s better than any fall candle in my opinion! And I knew that the extra loaf that I get from the recipe would be a welcome treat for my widower neighbor. So, if your heart is feeling a bit unsettled this week too, maybe this recipe will come in handy!

Pumpkin Bread:

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
4 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup water
3 cups white sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour three 7×3 inch loaf pans.
In a large bowl, mix together pumpkin puree, eggs, oil, water and sugar until well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture until just blended. Pour into the prepared pans.
Bake for about 50 minutes in the preheated oven. Loaves are done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 🍂
Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super Happy first day of Autumn!! 🍂 Here’s a super simple centerpiece that you can make in five minutes (or less) with just a few pumpkins and extra faux greenery. Let’s spend less time decorating and more time enjoying this season. It’s my favorite!! 🧡

#fallcenterpiece #falldecor #centerpiece #fiveminutedecorating
"Define your day", she told me as I held my newbor "Define your day", she told me as I held my newborn son. My mom and I were talking about how blurred my days and nights had become and how easy it would be to just stay in my pajamas 24/7. She encouraged me to make an attempt to put on 'real' clothes in the morning even if they were just nice sweatpants (bonus if they were clean!) and to throw a little bit of makeup on. That simple advice helped chart a course for my years of motherhood that continues today. And recently I began thinking about how critical it is that we not only seek wisdom from those ahead of us in our stage of life but that we are willing to apply it as well.

So, I asked this question on my personal Facebook page; "What is something you feel you've done well to create a peaceful/meaningful home for yourself and your family?" The catch was that the question was geared towards women in the 40+ age range. The responses came flooding in and were so wonderful and insightful. So, I'm going to be starting a new series where I share this wisdom with you and will include the first name of the woman who offered it. 

Today we start with Alison who said "I learned to set my alarm early to get up and moving before my kids woke up. I showered, got dressed and did my devotions while the house was quiet. It set my heart and perspective for each day.”

Is this something you do in your life too? What wisdom would you offer to a mom of young children?

I truly think our culture would greatly benefit from more women in different seasons of life being willing to invest in each other. 🍂

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #motherhood #parentingwisdom
If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a resta If bread pudding is on the dessert menu at a restaurant I’m definitely ordering it! It’s one of my all time favorite treats. So I decided to try my hand at making some here at home with a little fall twist and it was SO delicious!! 🍎

Ingredients:

6 slices of day old bread (french, sourdough or even brioche works great)
2 cups of heavy cream
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
For the apples:
3 peeled and chopped apples of a tart variety
1 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour (or corn starch)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350
Cut bread into cubes and place in a greased 8 1/2 x 11 baking dish
Whisk together in a bowl the eggs, cream, vanilla, rum, cinnamon and nutmeg and then pour it over the bread cubes. In a separate bowl, mix together the apples, brown sugar and flour/corn starch. Pour the apple mixture on top of the bread mixture making sure to spread the apples evenly across every part of the bread mixture.
Bake for 45 minutes. 
Enjoy!

#falldesserts #breadpudding #fallrecipes #desserts
When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after onl When one kiddo wakes up not feeling well after only a week of school, you take the opportunity to make Saturday a truly restful day. Pancakes on the griddle, puttering around the yard admiring the way the limelights have begun their autumn journey from white to green to pink. Sprinkling touches of fall around the house a little bit at a time. Savoring the slowness of it all and taking care of my people in this place that provides us all with a respite from the world even if just for a day.

Hope you’re weekend is off to a great start and that you make it a priority to slow down for a bit and soak up the beauty around you. 🍂

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #falldecorating
As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but thin As summer slips into fall, I can’t help but think about how grateful I am for the reminders all around me of God’s Sovereignty over everything including the seasons. It can be challenging in our world today to trust that there isn’t a single thing happening that surprises Him.

In a way, decorating my home to reflect the changing season serves as a tangible reminder of this trust. Even something as simple as seeing a pumpkin on my mantel or a basket of mums on the coffee table fill me with peace because they represent the things that remain constant and true.

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” Isaiah 40:8

#wearthehomemakers #homemaking #club31women
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
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