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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

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

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Previous Post: « Oh Good Grief! Thirtysomething…it ain’t what they said it would be.
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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

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“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 and the principles upon which our country was founded. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables t I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables to pit next to our outdoor couch and when I spotted these plant stands at @walmart from their @betterhomesandgardens line I knew they would be perfect…and they are!! 👏🏻 This is not a sponsored post. I’m just happily sharing this great find and why we should always be open to thinking outside of the box when it comes finding solutions for our decorating dilemmas.

Now we’re ready to head into this beautiful weekend! ☀️
What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
Today feels like one of those days that is worthy Today feels like one of those days that is worthy of a chef’s kiss. Blue sky with nary a cloud in sight, perfect mid-70’s temps, a gentle breeze blowing through my hair as I walk around my yard to see the status of my flowering plants.

This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

What’s a simple joy that you are thankful for today?
Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here are some highlights…

*Friday night I joined some wonderful ladies at church for a time of fellowship and yummy desserts. I made a strawberry lemon coffee cake and it was amazing if I do say so myself. ☺️ We are new-ish to this church and have just felt so warmly welcomed and folded in which has been very healing.

*Saturday was filled with getting our outdoor spaces spiffed up and my guys got our new table put together!

*Sitting outside for lunch with a yummy salad and iced tea felt like a little slice of heaven.

*Sunday we went to the iris gardens with my in-laws and then came home for naps and the most mouth watering ribs that my sweet husband had on the smoker all day.

*This glorious weekend ended with some ferocious rounds of UNO-corn (a hilarious version of UNO) and brownies my sweet daughter made for our dessert.

How was your weekend sweet friends? 🌸
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If you’d like the link to order them, just leave a comment with the word ‘bottles’ and I’ll send it your way. They’re even on sale right now! 🙌🏻
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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.

This sweet little project was first featured in my book Life in Season and is definitely one of my favorites.

Have the lilacs started blooming where you live?
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