• 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
  • 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 *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search This Blog

Get the book!

Invite Vanessa to speak at your event!

Stay updated!

Must Reads

Recent Posts

  • Why We’ve Chosen Vacations Over Projects April 26, 2022
  • A New Look for the Family Room March 1, 2022
  • Christmas Kitchen and Family Room December 19, 2021
  • Christmas Home Tour Part One December 10, 2021
  • Easy Hot Cocoa Station November 21, 2021

Footer

Stay Connected!

Instagram

“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.
Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and h Happy Saturday!! After endless days of rain (and hail and snow) we are finally getting some sunshine and warmer temperatures. I’ll be honest, it’s really affected my spirits having one gloomy day after the next. So this is a much needed reprieve. Our cherry trees are showing off outside my kitchen window and we plan to get outside and make the most of these days while we have them.

What’s the weather like where you are?
“The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and “The devil, darkness, and death may swagger and boast, the pangs of life will sting for a while longer, but don’t worry; the forces of evil are breathing their last. Not to worry…HE’S RISEN!” (Charles R. Swindoll).

Happy Easter! He is risen indeed!
Who has believed our message? And to whom has the Who has believed our message? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

For he grew up before him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of parched ground; he has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon him, nor appearance that we should be attracted to him.

He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, he was despised, and we did not esteem him. Surely our griefs he himself bore, and our sorrows he carried; yet we ourselves esteemed him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. 

But he was pierced through for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon him, and by his scourging we are healed.

All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on him. (Isaiah 53)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

Isn't it amazing how small gestures can make us feel less invisible? Knowing that someone is thinking of us and takes the time to meet a need that we might not have even realized we had? These little acts can have big impacts. What is something that someone has done for you recently that made you feel valued and seen?

What have you done for someone else to remind them that you are paying attention to their needs?

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another.”
― Charles Dickens
“The next day the large crowd that had come to t “The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!’ – John 12:9-19
#palmsunday
Load More... Follow
Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 · Divine theme by Restored 316

Copyright © 2022 At The Picket Fence