• Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Collaborate
  • Blog
  • Parties
    • Children’s Parties Ideas
    • Holiday Parties
    • Adult Party Ideas
  • Holiday Ideas
    • Christmas
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Spring
    • Thanksgiving
    • Valentine’s Day
  • Seasons
    • Winter
    • Spring
    • Summer
    • Autumn
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups
  • Project Gallery
    • Crafts
    • Decorating
    • DIY
    • Good Ideas
    • Tutorials
  • Shop My Home
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

February 25, 2011

Inspiration Friday Party No. 4

Welcome to Inspiration Friday!


Before we jump into showcasing some of the fabulously creative folks who joined in last week’s party, we wanted to take a minute to share with you some exciting news.

If you have been over here for any length of time, you know that we are girls who love words. Our husbands might refer to it as being “wordy” but we beg to differ!
We just simply enjoy sharing…and caring.
And now, we are taking this passion beyond the Picket Fence.
Do you know about this website?
  
As part of the DaySpring community (the Christian subsidiary of Hallmark) the women who contribute to this blog are seeking to provide a place for anyone, no matter where they are on their faith journey, to come and feel supported. 


Their desire is to “create a new home for the heart’s of women” and with regular contributors like The Nester, Melissa Michaels from The Inspired Room, Lysa TerKeurst, Jennifer Schmidt from Balancing Beauty and Bedlam and many more, they are doing just that!
(in)courage also welcomes other women to contribute to it’s community and we are so thrilled and honored to have been selected to Guest Post there…both of us!

Vanessa’s post will be THIS FRIDAY the 25th and Heather’s will be coming up on March 26th.

Head on over there on Friday (after you link up to our party, of course!) and visit

Vanessa at the Daily Guest blog or click on

the DAILY GUESTS tab at the top to read Vanessa’s post.
We hope you will enjoy hopping over the Picket Fence for a little while and hearing from us at (in)courage!

Now, can we just say that you are some incredibly talented folks? We can? Ok, good. Because you are! Every week we are blown away by the awesome-ness and last week’s party was no exception.

If you are a new friend to At The Picket Fence, you might be asking 


Just what is Inspiration Friday?

Well, this is one of the very few Linky Parties where you can share pretty much anything with us.
Decorating, Cooking, Crafts, Great Ideas, Poetry, Inspiring Stories, they are all welcome here. 

We hope you will be inspired just as you inspire others!

Each week we start the party off with some highlights from the week before.
In keeping with tradition, we will be mostly featuring bloggers who are fairly new to our little community here. So, if you are featured this week, or even in weeks past, please feel free to grab the new “I’ve been featured” button from our sidebar!


First up this week is Jodie from Love, Laughter & Decor.
She created this absolutely stunning nursery for her precious girl.

This space is darling and sophisticated all at the same time!
And there are so many elements that will still work when this becomes a “big girl” room making the room functional beyond the baby stage. Let’s face it though, we all know that you never quite get back that “ohhhhh ahhhhh” feeling once the Polly Pockets start taking over!

To see more of this adorable room and all of the other wonderful creations from Jodie (wait until you see the Birthday party she just did!), please pay her a visit at  
Love, Laughter & Decor .

Next up is Rebecca from Throw Open the Windows. She decided that her family room was in need of a little “CPR” (her words) and started out by breathing new life into the pillows for her sofa.

This first one was made using a bath rug!

bathmat pillow3

She did a tutorial on making this darling ruffle pillow.

Ruffled Pillow
We think her plan for “resuscitating” her family room  is well on its way!

pillows3


Next up we have One Shabby Chick who shared with us this wonderful recipe for
Applesauce Muffins.

As well as this gorgeous Urn she found for a steal at Pottery Barn. It is filled with orchids given to her by her hubby for Valentine’s Day. Gotta love a guy who knows that it is ok to veer away from traditional red roses! Aren’t those beautiful?
This gal has an absolutely lovely blog so be sure to pay this One Shabby Chick a visit!

And last but certainly not least, we are breaking with tradition by highlighting a blogger who has a bigger following, but we just couldn’t resist showcasing her gorgeous silk draperies.

Ginger, the Savannah Granny herself, made these and they are simply beautiful!

Look at the fringe on those tie-backs!
And she coordinated her living room with the dining room by making these stunning valances.

To read more about the time and energy and skill that went into making these please pay the lovely Savannah Granny a visit!

Now don’t forget to grab your “Featured At” button ladies!

We sure love our friends here at the fence so if you’d take a moment to join us through google friend connect, email or our RSS Feed.  We’d love to get to know you better! We also love to see tweets about Inspiration Friday, if you feel like sharing with your twitter friends!  The more the merrier when it comes to a party!

And now, let’s get this party started! Here’s how to link up!

1. Add your Permalink to your entry but not your General Blog Address. To get your Permalink, click on the title of the blog post you are wanting to submit and copy and paste the address into the URL box. You will also have to add your email address but it will not be visible to anyone else.
2. Do not try and Link up until you have actually published that particular post on your blog.
3. Please link back to the host blog, At the Picket Fence by grabbing our Inspiration Friday button code on the sidebar or creating a text link so that those who visit your blog will be able to find some wonderful Inspiration from everyone else. (mandatory)
4) Give some linky lovin’ to some of the other Inspiration Friday link ups!  It’s always nice for others to hear how they’ve inspired you!  Of course we love to hear from you too so please leave us a comment and say hi!
We can’t wait to be inspired!
Thanks so much for stopping by the Fence today!


Love the girls at the fence,


After linking up to Inspiration Friday click the graphic below and pay a visit to French Country Cottage our Friday Party Friend! 

32 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday

Subscribe

Get the latest goodness straight to your inbox!

Previous Post: « Oh Good Grief! Thirtysomething…it ain’t what they said it would be.
Next Post: Simply Sundays…Never »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Melissa Miller says

    February 25, 2011 at 1:06 AM

    Thanks for hosting ladies. I adore your inspiring party.

    Warmly, ~Melissa

    PS I grabbed your button to disply. Precious!

    Reply
  2. elizabeth says

    February 25, 2011 at 1:08 AM

    Congrats on the guest posting at in courage…LOVE IT!

    Reply
  3. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    February 25, 2011 at 1:13 AM

    Hi Ladies, I’ll be sure and check your post at In Courage. Thanks so much for hosting.
    Hugs,
    Sherry

    Reply
  4. Bethany {3SonsPlus1} says

    February 25, 2011 at 2:36 AM

    Happy to link up…thanks for hosting!! And congratulations on the guest post!! 🙂

    Reply
  5. oneshabbychick says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:25 AM

    Vanessa and Heather, congrats on your wonderful news… and thank you so much for the lovely feature!!! I am honored… :-}

    Reply
  6. Lindy says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:26 AM

    Thanks a bunch for hosting!!!!

    Reply
  7. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜ says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:43 AM

    Thanks for hosting gals. Great inspiration…I love Savannah Granny!

    Reply
  8. linda says

    February 25, 2011 at 4:10 AM

    Happy Inspiration Friday! Thanks for the linky party!

    Reply
  9. Honey at 2805 says

    February 25, 2011 at 4:55 AM

    Hi ladies! Thanks for host Inspiration Friday and congrats on the InCourage post.

    Reply
  10. Lynn Richards says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:14 AM

    I can’t wait to see your guest posts over at (in)courage. It sounds like a wonderful place. I’m looking forward to visiting.
    And such talent you have showcased this week! WOW!
    xo
    lynn

    Reply
  11. Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    There’s some great inspiration in your features! Thanks!

    Reply
  12. Erin @ EKat's Kitchen says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:29 AM

    Hello ladies! Thanks for hosting! I’ve linked up a tour through our brand new house! I’ve had some challenges with linky tools and got three error messages, so if I linked up three times, I sincerely apologize.

    Reply
  13. Marie C. says

    February 25, 2011 at 6:07 AM

    Thank you so much for hosting — this is going to be fun!

    Reply
  14. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    February 25, 2011 at 2:08 AM

    Hi girls- Congratulations on guest posting!! All linked up- thanks for hosting! 🙂

    Reply
  15. Kim @ Quit Eating Out {Recipes to Make Dining Out a Choice, Not a Chore} says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:27 AM

    Thanks so much for hosting this party! And CONGRATULATIONS on being a part of inCourage. What a great blessing!!! Have a super start to your weekend Friends…

    Reply
  16. Martina says

    February 25, 2011 at 2:19 PM

    Thanks so much for the sweet comment you left on my daughters bedroom. I just linked up to your party and became your newest follower. Being a newbie to blogging I really need to make myself a list of all these great linky parties. Have a great weekend, Martina

    Reply
  17. Martha says

    February 25, 2011 at 2:29 PM

    Thanks for all the inspiration and for hosting! Have a great day!

    Reply
  18. Linda@Coastal Charm says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:15 PM

    I will be sure to check out your post…thanks for hosting!

    Blessings,
    Linda

    Reply
  19. Jodie says

    February 25, 2011 at 3:50 PM

    Good Morning Ladies,

    Thank you so much for featuring my nursery! When I found out the news, I was elated (big smiles)! Thank you again!

    I’ll be linking up today, thanks for hosting!

    Jodie

    Heather, I’m still thinking about your guest bathroom! Love it! I think I see a bathroom makeover in my future! Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
  20. thegypsymama says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:16 PM

    Love having you ladies over at (in)courage – thanks for sharing your story with us!

    ~Lisa-Jo

    Reply
  21. kara@elements-interiors.net says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:50 PM

    HEY O!!! Im back sweet guuurlz! Thank you for Hosting! I have been DROOLING over Jodies nursery for a MONTH! I want ANUTHA Baby!!
    Well….I dont want to be Preggers and DELIVER one, just want someone to Hand me a NEWBORN! Yeah…NOT gonna happen! You ladies a ROCKIN your new Blog! AWESOME!

    xoxokara

    Reply
  22. SavannahGranny says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:51 PM

    AWWWWW! Thank you so much. I am so honored. I am grabbing your featured button. I can’t tell you how excited and honored I am at this moment. Hugs, Ginger

    Reply
  23. Katie says

    February 25, 2011 at 6:30 PM

    Those muffins look delish!!

    Reply
  24. AshTreeCottage says

    February 25, 2011 at 7:12 PM

    So much inspiration. I just love this party!!

    Love,
    Susan and Bentley
    xxoo

    Reply
  25. LowCountryLiving says

    February 25, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    I picked you for the Stylish Blogger Award! You can go to my blog and get a copy of the award (copy and paste the award button)along with instructions.

    Reply
  26. Green Door Girl says

    February 25, 2011 at 11:11 PM

    Thanks for hosting each week and congrats on the guest posts at inCourage!

    Reply
  27. Heather says

    February 25, 2011 at 5:39 PM

    Great inspiration this week! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  28. One Heart (Marcia) says

    February 26, 2011 at 3:02 AM

    So much inspiration. Loves those throw pillows! I look forward to joining the party next week. Looks like fun.

    Reply
  29. classic • casual • home says

    February 26, 2011 at 7:09 AM

    I love this party!
    Mary Ann PICKETT 🙂

    Reply
  30. Pam @ Our Adventures in Home Improvement says

    February 26, 2011 at 2:54 PM

    Thanks for hosting this party. I started my blog about a month ago, so am thrilled when I can find all of these new blogs!

    I’m your newest follower and look forward to seeing your posts.

    Have a great day.
    Pam

    Reply
  31. LowCountryLiving says

    February 27, 2011 at 1:40 AM

    Thanks for the note about Tuesday Treasures. I’ll have to check it out!

    Reply
  32. Beth@Wiccan Make Some Too says

    February 27, 2011 at 5:06 PM

    Following your blog now. Thanks for the great party!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

  • Nostalgia is Not an Aesthetic

    Nostalgia is Not an Aesthetic
  • A New Podcast

    A New Podcast
  • Taking Decorating Thoughts Captive

    Taking Decorating Thoughts Captive
  • Kids Need Real Answers

    Kids Need Real Answers

Sign Up and Never Miss A Post!

Must Reads

Latest Recipes

Making the Case for Heirlooms

Strawberry Muffins with Lemon Glaze

Honey Tea Cake Loaf with Lemon Glaze

view more recent recipes

Recent Posts

  • Nostalgia is Not an Aesthetic March 21, 2026
  • A New Podcast March 21, 2026
  • An Autumn Home Tour October 9, 2025
  • How to Adapt Your Traditions as Your Kids Get Older December 13, 2024
  • Christmas Home Tour 2024 December 13, 2024

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

Front door wreath….✔️ The very last Christmas dec Front door wreath….✔️

The very last Christmas decorating to be completed and one of the most important since there’s nothing I love more than welcoming people into our home this season.

I bought the wreath for $15 from a wonderful local vendor, reused my favorite bells and added a velvet bow in the color I’m carrying throughout the house this year.

Do you buy a fresh wreath each year or do you use a faux wreath on your front door? 

#frontdoorwreath #christmaswreath #christmasporch
The first day of December and the first Sunday of The first day of December and the first Sunday of advent. As we enter into a month that can be filled with stress, anxiety, worry and even sadness, let us turn our hearts towards the ONE who came as the ultimate, undeserved gift. Because it’s all about Him. 

“Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” (Corrie Ten Boom)
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
Its that time of year again. I share this recipe e Its that time of year again. I share this recipe every November because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a confession ...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
It’s that time of year again!! Chex Mix will be ma It’s that time of year again!! Chex Mix will be made on repeat for the next month and I’ve figured out the secret to getting the BEST flavor.

Want to know what it is? It’s all about being EXTRA! 

Take the base recipe up a notch by using a full stick of butter, extra tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and an extra 1/2 tablespoon of Lawry’s seasoning salt.

I guarantee you’ll never go back!

You’re welcome. 😉🎄

#chexmix #chexmixupgrade
Happy Friday!! I limped my way to the end of the w Happy Friday!! I limped my way to the end of the week and I’m feeling especially grateful for the twinkling lights around my home which give me so much joy.

The great debate on social media over whether or not Christmas decorations should appear before Thanksgiving is one I just let roll on past me. Because I am so unbelievably thankful for this life, my family, my friends, this country, this home and most of all my Savior. 

Having my home all ready to welcome the next sacred season doesn’t take away one iota from my ability to express gratitude on the official day set aside each year where we do that collectively.

And when the last slice of turkey has been eaten and all of the leftovers put away, I’ll be over here ready to be fully present in the month of December and soak up every bit of it! 🦃🎄
IKEA vs Heirlooms: Why we need family treasures “ IKEA vs Heirlooms: Why we need family treasures

“My children have grown up seeing antique books on a coffee table, vintage toys in their bedrooms and even pieces of furniture that were all passed down from one generation to the next. But as my nest gets closer and closer to being empty, I’m keenly aware of the fact that many of these cherished items might not be as welcome in the homes of future generations.”

*Read the rest over at @cleartruthmedia*
All of my CTM articles are saved in my highlights
Not too long ago, someone told me that they liked Not too long ago, someone told me that they liked it better when I just talked about decorating and didn’t mention anything else. This person preferred me to keep any opinions or convictions to myself and just focus only on content about home decor, crafts and recipes. Aside from the fact that I’m always astonished that people feel so free to say things like that, I do agree that it would be a lot easier and more palatable if I didn’t talk about things like a Biblical Worldview, apologetics and the nature of reality itself. For one thing, Instagram wouldn’t throttle my account with its algorithms that are skewed to diminish voices like mine. It would be much easier to be so tethered to this app that I change everything I post to fit into its preferred framework. I would be asked to be part of influencer groups and activities like I was years ago. But I’m not that person anymore. Yes, the core of this community will always be an emphasis on homemaking which will include decorating and recipes but I can’t separate that from the core of who I am as a follower of Jesus Christ.

It would be so much easier for me to just show you the latest Amazon products I’ve bought and tell you to “comment” to get the links. But I’m not called to take the easy path. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

I truly believe that so many have been lulled into thinking that the narrow gate wasn’t really all that narrow. But, it’s never been more obvious that it really is. And every day I seek to stay on that very narrow way.  More than ever before, I believe that our world needs to know that there is objective truth and a solid foundation to stand upon as we navigate our lives. My role as a homemaker is predicated on that foundation and everything else flows out of it. Talking about these things isn’t going to get me lots of views here. 

But I live for an audience of ONE.
The first time we hosted my in-laws for a meal was The first time we hosted my in-laws for a meal was in 1998. I was a new bride and eager to impress them. It did not go well. Let’s just say there was a bit of a garbage disposal mishap. 

It’s been over 25 years since then and I’ve learned so much about what really matters when it comes to hosting and caring for my family well during the holiday season. 

The peace we long for in our home begins with our hearts. If you want your home to feel more peaceful during the upcoming holiday season, I have five things to consider that will make that not only possible but predictable.

✨ Read the full article over at @club31women ✨

#club31women #wearethehomemakers
Here, in my little corner of social media, you won Here, in my little corner of social media, you won’t find a lot of unboxing of brand new items for Christmas. 

What I’m unboxing are the decorations in the attic that  I’ve had for years and figuring out how to give them a fresh look. I added new lights to an old pre-lit tree that no longer worked because I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. I’m putting out a different set of mugs at the hot cocoa station and the advent candles are arranged with greenery from outside.

As our feeds are filled with so.much.stuff, I want to offer you a reprieve. A place where you will find less emphasis on what’s happening in our homes and more on what’s happening in our hearts.

More than ever before, I can see just how much people are needing the hope found in Christ and that will always be the focus here. 

So, while you may not see me unpacking a massive, new tree or telling you to “comment for the link”, what you will see is encouragement to turn our hearts to what matters the most and let that reflect in every corner of our homes this season and all year long. 🌲

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #homemakerschristmas #club31women
Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2026 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2026 At The Picket Fence