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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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  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

May 28, 2011

Inspiration Friday No. 17 and a Special Guest

Hi and welcome to Inspiration Friday #17!  We had a record number of  friends last week!  So a warm welcome to our new party guests and a big thank you to those of you who come back each week to party with us at the picket fence!  Before we share our features with you, we wanted to introduce our special guest this week.  She is very dear to us both and she is a budding photographer!  We thought what better way to introduce her to you all than on Inspiration Friday.  Please meet Mekenzie Leigh

Heather’s daughter and Vanessa’s niece. 🙂  Mekenzie, who is 11,  has just discovered a talent and passion for nature photography and has recently created a little gallery of her art, including naming each piece. 😉  We hope you’ll indulge us as we share a few of Mekenzie’s recent photographs.  

Spikey Flora

Butterfly on Dandelion

Fly on the Fence

Yellow Flower

The Lone Dandelion

Flash of Fire

Crow’s Feather

Our House in a Bubble

White Bells

Needless to say, Momma Heather is proud of Mekenzie’s eye for photography!  Don’t ever hesitate to put “real” equipment and tools of trade into the hands of a child who shows talent for something.  Mekenzie was give no real instruction (besides..keep that strap around your neck and don’t drop my camera! grin!) and through trial and error was able to create true works of art!  The capacity for a child to self teach and learn is so amazing!  They have no fear or hesitancy, they just do! Thank you Mekenzie for being our guest today At The Picket Fence! 😉

Now onto our Features for the Week!  We would beg you to stop making it so difficult for us to choose features each week, but that would mean you would stop linking up such fabulous things and we can’t have that…because we love each and every one of them!  There were some issues with Blogger…again…and Vanessa is off having some fun (it helps when you can share the visiting)..so Heather was unable to get to every link this week and leave a comment, but we will continue to visit you all as Blogger lets us.
Our First Feature goes to show again the resourcefulness of bloggers when they want the designer look but not the designer price tag.  Wendy from Designed to Dwell was craving the look of the beds she saw at Restoration Hardware but not the $900+ cost (ouch!)  She decided she and her talented husband could knock-off the look for a fraction of the cost! 
 Fraction was right! $25 to be exact! And is it not gorgeous?! Pay Wendy a visit at Design to Dwell and see many of her other amazing projects and ideas!
Up next we have one of our dear friends Ann from On Sutton Place.  Ann took us through a literally mouth dropping step by step transformation of her screened in porch.  There are so many mouth watering details and Ann shares each one with us.  The before and after photos are amazing!
Head over and visit Ann at On Sutton Place and her lovely porch and take a peek at the process of Ann’s porch redo!
Up next we have Stacy from Conspicuous Style.  She has the greatest since of humor because she readily admits she’s not super keen on DIY projects.  We all secretly have those moments where we HATE caulk..admit it..you know you do.  Stacy just isn’t afraid to say it! What we really want to know is does Stacy full appreciate how FABULOUS her DIY Kitchen paneling is?!
Yes we know…just stare and don’t say anything.  It’s breathtaking isn’t it?
Stacy shares several more photographs of her new paneling as well as instructions at Conspicuous Style.  This is one you dont’ want to miss! 
Now were shifting gears a little here.  But we thought this next project would be a perfect gift idea for those of us with upcoming graduates or as just a great way to memorialize those fun high school and college years…they were fun weren’t they?? 😉  Heather from Deco-organize Crafts helped her Mother-in-law make these fabulous pillows
out of her son’s old team t’shirts!  Aren’t they cool?!  Heather’s MIL is redecorating an entire bedroom in her house with the memorabila of her children so that when they come home and when the grandchildren visit they can stay in a room full of their and their parents memories.  We think this is such a lovely and creative idea and these pillows would be perfect for a student or even for a dad on Father’s Day!  Heather shares the tutorial on how to make these at Decor-ganize Crafts so you can make one too! 
and we want to end our Features by inviting you to a lovely Apple Blossom Tea Party hosted by Poppy at With A Dash of Color.  There isn’t much that words can say..the photographs do all of the talking…
Sigh…visit Poppy at With a Dash of Color and take a moment to have “tea” with her…I bet she’ll keep it all set up for your visit! 🙂
If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the new featured at button located in our sidebar!

 Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook?  Don’t forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you’ve been featured there, grab a button as well! Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week!  We appreciate you!
Now it’s time to share with us what has inspired you this week!
Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,

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! 

45 Comments Filed Under: Guest Posts, Inspiration Friday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Bonnie@Creative Decorating says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:01 AM

    Loving that kitchen! I don’t really have any time of inspiration this week! I think I need a rest!

    Reply
  2. Debra@Common Ground says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:07 AM

    Just linked up, thanks so much for the party! I’m lovin’ getting to know you gals! xoxo Debra

    Reply
  3. Stephanie ~ Angelic Accents says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:11 AM

    Thanks so much for hostessing this fun event ~ I just linked up. That sunporch and kitchen are both calling my name!! Love them! And that lil photographer is awesome!!

    Big TX Hugs,
    Stephanie
    Angelic Accents

    Reply
  4. Little Brick Ranch says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    Thanks for hosting!! I love that feather and the bubbles!! nSo simple but pretty…

    I linked up my easy pineapple cutting as well as a green gift wrapping idea! Hope you likey!! 🙂

    Reply
  5. FABBY'S LIVING says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:21 AM

    That pretty lil’photographer is just so adorable and talented! I have a professional photographer daughter, who’s wonderful and so go on little gal, you’ll do well! I love the before and after photos, breathtakingly beautiful! Thank you for sharing and for hosting this great party, I just linked to it, I have in the past as well. Have a great weekend.
    FABBY

    Reply
  6. Janet says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:23 AM

    She’s so talented! AND Beautiful! 🙂

    Fellow homeschooler here! 🙂

    http://www.iheartmygluegun.com

    Reply
  7. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:35 AM

    That is amazing photography for such a young lady. Heather you must be so proud! Thanks for hosting gals…Have a great weekend.

    Reply
  8. Sue says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:46 AM

    Mekensie has a real talent! My faves are the “fly on a fence” and “our house in a bubble”. Amazing!

    Reply
  9. Poppy says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:48 AM

    Simply gorgeous,photography! Mekenzie is incredibly talented. Each and every one of them is breath-taking and she is so young! I’m amazed at her talent. You must be so proud of her as a parent and as an aunt…I dropped in to for a visit and to link up and oh my lord what a nice surprise! Thank you so much for featuring my apple blossom tea party,I feel humbled.I love Stacey’s paneling.. she did such a beautiful job on it and her house is so beautiful. And I love love love the sun porch and the pretty pink bedroom…so beautiful and inspiring..looks like something one would see in a magazine cover. Thank you ladies for sharing Mekenzie’s beautiful smile and for hosting this party for us each week and letting us share our creativity. Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!~Poppy

    https://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  10. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:55 AM

    That photography is amazing. What a talent she has. I can’t even do all that yet. She needs to teach me! Thanks for hosting and have a super holiday weekend!

    Reply
  11. Debbie says

    May 27, 2011 at 1:10 AM

    No vain praise here: She is extremely talented!! I wish that I had that kind of eye. She’s also as pretty as a picture and could do just as well on either side of the lens.

    Reply
  12. Honey at 2805 says

    May 27, 2011 at 1:38 AM

    Hi Girls!!

    The photos are indeed awesome!
    Thanks for hosting!

    After being away (vacation-did you even miss me?- and moving my Mom) for several weeks, I’m playing catch up and didn’t link up to the party last week. I could have done a couple of more, but thought I should stop at three. Hope you don’t mind. If so, just feel free to delete me.

    Reply
  13. Shelia says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:20 AM

    Hi Ladies! Oh, my goodness – she is one talented young lady and she’s only 11!
    I’m joining your party today!
    be a couple of sweeties,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  14. saltbox treasures says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:22 AM

    Beautiful features this week! So inspiring! Thanks for hosting each week.
    ~ Julie

    Reply
  15. Shelia says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:23 AM

    Oops! I messed up and have my post in here twice! I didn’t think it took the first time! You can delete it – I’m sorry. 🙁
    Shelia

    Reply
  16. housedressingblog.blogspot.com says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:40 AM

    What talent! I would love to have ‘Crow’s Feather’ framed and hanging on my gallery wall.
    Thanks for hosting the party, you know I love you two ladies and now I’m a fan of Miss Mekenzie too!

    Reply
  17. Michell @ Girl In Air says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:40 AM

    Breath taking photos!! Thank you ladies for hosting!!

    I’m off to check out your feature blogs:-)

    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  18. Sue says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:41 AM

    Wowie!!! Mekenzie definitely has talent that she could easily pursue as an artist! Momma should really be proud. Glad I could link up this week- life sure has been busy lately. 🙂 hugs, Sue

    Reply
  19. Kellie Collis says

    May 27, 2011 at 3:42 AM

    What a beautiful home! I’m loving that dining room and kitchen. Have a delightful weekend, Kellie xx

    Reply
  20. Ange says

    May 27, 2011 at 3:50 AM

    Wow! Blown away by Mekenzie’s eye for photography! I loved the house bubble picture and the fly one as well. Can’t wait to see what she’s doing in a few years with this!!! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply
  21. Jessica @ O. Alouette says

    May 27, 2011 at 4:12 AM

    Mekenzie’s photography is amazing!

    Thanks for hosting! 😉

    Reply
  22. Eleni says

    May 27, 2011 at 4:32 AM

    Her photography is just amazing and she’s only 11!!!??? Wow, and I can’t even take a decent photo, hehehehe!!!
    Thank you so much for this inspiring party:)
    Hope you have a great weekend!!
    xo

    Reply
  23. Vivienne @ the V Spot says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:16 AM

    That kitchen/dining room/paneling is fantastic! Wow. Thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  24. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:25 AM

    Hi Ladies!!! What a talented girl and so pretty on top of it!! Thanks for sharing and thank you for hosting 🙂

    Reply
  25. Christie says

    May 27, 2011 at 4:41 AM

    The house in the bubble is my favorite, but the picture of your daughter is the most beautiful! These really are amazing! I am dying to learn how to do all of that with my camera! No luck playing around with it! She has a talent there mom!! Have a great weekend! Christie

    Reply
  26. Emily@LovelyBeasts says

    May 27, 2011 at 12:25 PM

    Amazing pictures! She’s a wonder with the camera :). And the tea party setting is lovely. Jealous of the green green grass and the beautiful tree.

    Thanks again for hosting yet another great party!

    Emily

    Reply
  27. stefanie says

    May 27, 2011 at 1:30 PM

    soooooo much talent!!!

    Reply
  28. Midwest Magnolia - Melissa Lewis says

    May 27, 2011 at 1:36 PM

    That screened in porch is gorgeous. I would hang out there all day, every day. Thanks for the linky party:)

    Reply
  29. Carmella says

    May 27, 2011 at 1:47 PM

    Mekenzie’s pictures are great!!

    So happy to finally be able to link up!! Hope you both have a great holiday weekend!

    Reply
  30. Anne Lorys - Fiona and Twig says

    May 27, 2011 at 2:05 PM

    Mekenzie is SO talented, and SO cute!

    I am very happy to be linking up with you again this week!!! 🙂

    XOXO,
    Anne

    Reply
  31. Mary @ Redo 101 says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:01 PM

    Thanks for your great linky party! I’m off to visit around blogland.

    Reply
  32. SallyLeeByTheSea.com says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:02 PM

    Thanks so much for hosting ~ Happy Memorial Day weekend :O)

    Hugs,
    Marie

    Reply
  33. janet says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:05 PM

    I’m so ready for a sweet tea party!

    Love the photo of the butterfly on the dandelion…she has a talent.

    Thanks for letting me join your fun party

    Janet xox
    https://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  34. Traci says

    May 27, 2011 at 6:14 PM

    I really like your blog! Such beautiful pictures!

    You’re invited to follow my blog! Hope you do! 🙂 Thanks! I will follow your too! 🙂

    Reply
  35. Bonnie@Creative Decorating says

    May 27, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    Well, I found something to post about for the party! Just in time before we leave for the weekend! Enjoy!

    Reply
  36. Melissa and Scott says

    May 27, 2011 at 8:32 PM

    What an amazing talent she has at such a young age! Thanks for hosting week after week 🙂

    ~Melissa

    Reply
  37. Lynn Richards says

    May 28, 2011 at 12:12 AM

    There’s so much eye candy in this post I can hardly contain myself!!!!
    And the photos from Mekenzie, well. Are you sure she is only 11? Better watch out!!!
    xo
    lynn

    Reply
  38. NanaDiana says

    May 28, 2011 at 12:39 AM

    Wow! That girl has some serious talent for 11 years old! Amazing eye. Do you suppose she could give ME a few lessons? I could sure use them!!!

    I will pop by and check out your featured bloggers. Amazing choices! Hugs and Happy Memorial Weekend! xxoo Diana

    Reply
  39. white life© says

    May 27, 2011 at 11:39 PM

    It‘s wonderful that I found your blog about link at Mustard Seed. I’ve inserted a small stop and like what I see…. 😉 Now I’m your new follower!

    Have a nice day
    Tine

    Reply
  40. Heather @ Decor-ganize Crafts says

    May 28, 2011 at 4:30 PM

    Thanks again for another great party! Thanks for featuring my t-shirt pillows! I didn’t even think that they would make a great graduation gift as well!

    Reply
  41. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage.com says

    May 29, 2011 at 12:57 PM

    Gorgeous photos… and she’s just getting started! Thank you for hostessing.

    Reply
  42. Ann from On Sutton Place says

    May 29, 2011 at 1:18 PM

    Hey girls…I am just now catching up from last week. It was so crazy I had no time for blogging! This is so thoughtful of you both. I’m incredibly grateful for the feature! You two are so generous with your time and talents…thank you so much. ~Ann

    Reply
  43. Ali says

    May 29, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    Thank you again for hosting. Have a great week 🙂

    Reply
  44. Traci says

    May 31, 2011 at 4:06 PM

    What awesome pictures!!! MeKenzie is very talented.

    Reply
  45. Related Site says

    October 17, 2013 at 11:36 AM

    Usually I really don’t go through posting in blogs, on the other hand would like to declare that this specific write-up really forced everyone to try and do the idea! The crafting preference continues to be surprised me personally. Cheers, great report.

    Reply

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Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to sha Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to share all of the details of our family room shelving makeover but I’m super impatient and just had to give you all a sneak peek!! We are SO happy with how they turned out and it finally looks like I’ve always envisioned. Our quick fix years ago (scroll to see the before photo) never felt quite right but now? Soooo much better!! 🙌🏻 Big shoutout to our amazingly talented friend Matt @redemptive_woodworx for bringing our vision to life and doing such impeccable work.

I hope you all have a great start to the 4th of July weekend and make sure to check my stories later for Friday Funnies!
The month of June is coming to a close and it has The month of June is coming to a close and it has been JAM packed! The highlight by far though was my son's graduation from high school. When I started blogging, he was only 6 years old and some of you have been apart of my community here for that entire time. Now, he's 19 and there is a reason parents are told not to blink because the years truly do go faster than I ever could have imagined. He has become such an incredible young man we are so excited to see how God is going to unfold the next chapter of his life. We celebrated with parties galore (SO many open houses to attend!) and made memories we'll forever cherish. My mama heart was filled to bursting with the joy of it all! Now we're taking some time to just enjoy these warm, summer days making even more memories because, when you’re at this stage of parenting, you know all too well how much you need to grasp every opportunity to spend time together.

I hope your summer is off to a great start too dear friends! 🪴
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts o “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy first day of summer dear friends!! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted something new here but life has been crazy. I’ll have some new photos of house projects and life events to share with you soon but, got now, I’m just going to enjoy this gorgeous first day of summer after our ridiculously long, wet spring. ☀️
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. Th “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace) 

Welcome June!
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells 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.

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

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. 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.

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? 😉
We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most We had two back to back days of sunshine (the most we’ve had in a LONG time) and now we are back to pouring rain. This has officially confirmed what I’ve know to be true for awhile now.

I’m a MUCH better version of myself when the sun is shining! 🤪 So I’ll just be over here today plotting and planning how my husband and I can be snowbirds someday when the kids are out of the house.

If you could spend your winters (and apparently most of spring too!) in any part of the country, where would it be?
Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of Happy weekend sweet friends!! We’ve had a LOT of rain lately (which is saying something when you live in Oregon) and I’ll admit that it’s affecting my moods a bit. I feel like I’m dragging and struggling to find the energy to get stuff done. So don’t mind me if I’m over here looking at photos of my garden in the summertime and finding that it keeps me hopeful about those days to come. They will come, right?! 🤪. 

What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
We’re going to be giving our laundry room a make We’re going to be giving our laundry room a makeover soon. It’s LONG overdue! In fact, the folks from the counter company were just here taking measurements. While we have made some simple, inexpensive updates over the years, it still has many of the original elements from when the house was built in 1992.

Two of our bathrooms are also in need of major makeovers. And we’ve saved up enough money over the years to tackle those projects. But, for the most part, we made the decision to use the bulk of that money in another way. While we knew that it was financially wise to invest in our house, we also knew that the greatest investment we could make was in our children. 

I’ll admit, there are times where I see other people doing massive overhauls of their entire home in a matter of months and I feel a prick of envy. But, we decided that if our choice was between waiting a bit longer to enjoy a renovated bathroom or going on adventures as a family, we would choose adventures every time. And we don’t regret that decision for a single second. It’s not that we haven’t tackled home projects (we’ve done a lot!). It’s just that it’s been a slow and steady process. 

Most recently, we let our son pick where we would travel for spring break since this is his senior year of high school and we are trying to make up for lost time. With so much of life ‘paused’ for two years, we have appreciated these moments more than ever. And, since he’ll be heading to college in the fall, we are very aware of how important it is to spend this time together while we still have a modicum of control over everyone’s schedules.

We have many years left to remodel our home but only so much time left to make memories with our children.

And, while I’m always happy to look around my home and see rooms that are updated and more reflecting of our style, it doesn’t compare to the joy I feel when I look around my home and see the people I love the most who have been shaped by the many adventures we’ve experienced together.
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