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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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December 2, 2013

Monogram Themed Christmas Tree with Balsam Hill

Sigh…I love monograms. I can never quite put my finger on what it is about them that makes me so happy.

I mean, it’s just a letter, right?

In the song ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’ there’s a line that says, “I’d like to add his initial to my monogram”.

And maybe that’s part of what I love about them. They’re so identifying aren’t they?

When I got married, that middle letter of my monogram changed, going from an ‘R’ to an ‘H’.

And suddenly ‘H’ was my new favorite letter.

Christmas entry with Balsam Hill tree atthepicketfence.com

Several years later a new family member joined us and I found myself loving the letter ‘I’ oh so very much….and the little boy it was attached to of course! And a few years after that a little miss ‘L’ came to be part of our family. Simple letters suddenly representing my heart.

Given my love for these letters it only made since that when I was presented with the opportunity to try out a Christmas tree from Balsam Hill that I would take the opportunity to create our own little ‘Family Tree’.

The artificial tree page on the Balsam Hill website, while filled with tons of options, makes choosing the right tree for your home an absolute cinch. I felt a bit like Goldilocks on the hunt for just the right tree to go in my entry. It couldn’t be too big or too small or too wide or too narrow.

mason jar ornament Christmas tree decor from atthepicketfence.com

So when I spied the  Greenwich Estates Pine Tree Set  I knew it was just right. 3 trees with the middle size being the perfect one for me.

There’s just nothing like having a big box delivered to your front door during the holiday season is there?

The trees were impeccably packaged and came with easy instructions for assembling them. It also came with gloves to use while putting your tree together. I figured I could also use them afterwards if I ever joined a hand bell choir! 😉
Balsam Hill Christmas Tree Review

Rather than using the existing stand, I decided to place my tree in a pot and then load it up onto this little wooden sled.

I think it looks like it might have just been pulled in from the forest.

If that forest grew trees covered in white lights and fully decorated.

The branches on this tree are the most realistic artificial branches I’ve ever seen. Every time I bend down to plug it in I expect to catch a whiff of fresh pine scent.

small Christmas tree on sled in entry from atthepicketfence.com

Mason jar lids became the perfect way to celebrate my favorite letters in the alphabet. I simply printed out each letter, used the lid to trace around it, cut it out, placed it inside the rim and then added the lid to the back. I secured it with a dab of hot glue and attached a piece of twine to the back so that it could hang from the tree.

monogram mason jar lid ornament from atthepicketfence.com

I added a paper garland made using music sheet wrapping paper (leftover from last year) and twine.

Simple and lovely and free.

music sheet wrapping paper garland from atthepicketfence.com

I had the kids write words that describe our family on little chalkboard tags before hanging them on the tree.

 This one is definitely true!

chalkboard tag ornaments from atthepicketfence.com

And, of course, the letter that started it all had to hold an honored position at the top of the tree.

monogram tree topper from atthepicketfence.com

Every morning when I come downstairs I walk past this family tree as I head towards the kitchen…and the coffee.

I see those letters representing the names of my most favorite people in all the world.

And how it all began when I added “his initial to my monogram”.

Monogrammed themed Christmas tree from atthepicketfence.com

I’m so excited to be sharing my Monogram Themed Christmas Tree as part of

Balsam Hill’s 12 Bloggers of Christmas Series!

12-Bloggers-of-Christmas

Here’s a sneak peek at the tree you’ll see today from Ashley of Cherished Bliss!

Joy Sneak Peek

And here’s the full line-up

Monday December 2nd:

Vanessa (At The Picket Fence)

Ashley (Cherished Bliss)

Tuesday December 3rd:

Beth (Unskinny Boppy)

Candace (Vintage News Junkie)

Wednesday December 4th:

KariAnne (Thistlewood Farms)

Kristin (My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia)

Thursday December 5th:

Kim (Sand and Sisal)

Laura (Finding Home)

Friday December 6th:

Courtney (French Country Cottage)

Jeanne (Jeanne Oliver)

Saturday December 7th:

Jen (Jen Rizzo)

Heather (At The Picket Fence)

Be sure to stop by and visit all of these talented bloggers this week to see their trees!

1553F4F30A9801A6AFB3E9C624118E7B

*Disclosure: I received product for this review but all opinions are 100% my own*

P.S. Here’s some of the fun we’ll be joining in this week:

Jennifer Rizzo holiday 150 housewalk button

11 Mag Lane Holiday Open House button Final

37 Comments Filed Under: Christmas, Crafts, Decorating, Good Ideas, Holidays, Reviews Tagged With: Christmas, Christmas decorating, Christmas trees

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura @ Finding Home says

    December 2, 2013 at 5:10 AM

    Vanessa – I love it. Just perfect for that spot and I love the pot and sled!!

    Reply
  2. priscilla says

    December 2, 2013 at 5:21 AM

    That is a gorgeous fake tree ! You have decorated it beautifully ! I decorate 13 trees for Christmas I would love for you to visit !

    Reply
  3. Martina says

    December 2, 2013 at 5:44 AM

    Love love love!!

    Reply
  4. Shirley@Housepitality Designs says

    December 2, 2013 at 6:19 AM

    What a beautiful tree Vanessa!…How creative of you to use the ball jar lids!…and yes, I can imagine how it makes you feel as you come down the stairs to start your day and see that beautiful family tree…

    Reply
  5. Ashley says

    December 2, 2013 at 6:51 AM

    This is beautiful Vanessa! I love those ornaments and I just adore that sled! Beautiful beautiful work : ) Pinning!

    Reply
  6. Bonnie @ Uncommon Designs says

    December 2, 2013 at 9:07 AM

    Love it!!! Such a perfect little tree!

    Reply
  7. kristin says

    December 2, 2013 at 9:07 AM

    Oh my goodness Vanessa, the tree is fabulous!I love how it at the front of the house to welcome your guests! Perfection.
    XO
    Kristin

    Reply
  8. Becca says

    December 2, 2013 at 10:02 AM

    Oh, I love this tree, Vanessa … from its perfect size and “thoughtful” and creative ornaments … to the meaning behind it! I also love that you placed it in your beautiful foyer so that it’s the first tree guests see when they come on in. Happy Holidays, sweet friend. xoxo

    Reply
  9. Amanda @ Dixie Delights says

    December 2, 2013 at 11:21 AM

    I LOVE it!!!!

    Reply
  10. Candace @ Vintage News Junkie says

    December 2, 2013 at 1:33 PM

    This is beautiful, Vanessa!! But, not nearly as beautiful as the story of your Monograms! How precious. You are blessed with such a beautiful family and now you have a tree to celebrate it! Way to kick off a fantastic week of magnificent trees!!

    Reply
  11. Alyssa says

    December 2, 2013 at 2:00 PM

    Gorgeous, Vanessa! I’m loving the look of the burlap ribbon. I bet this would also be the perfect size tree for an apartment or smaller living room…now you have me thinking of all the possibilities! :)Thanks again for sharing!

    Reply
  12. Thistle says

    December 2, 2013 at 2:23 PM

    Vanessa!

    You are such a rock star! Love the idea of using the lids….and of course anything monogram has my name written on it (literally)! LOL!

    Happy, happy day to you my friend!
    karianne

    Reply
  13. Beth@Unskinny Boppy says

    December 2, 2013 at 7:02 PM

    GORGEOUS! I’ve always been BC but then when I got married I became BCB. I understand the letter love! 🙂 Beautiful photos and tree! Happy Holidays– Very excited to share my Balsam Hill post tomorrow!

    Reply
  14. Kelley @ Miss Information Blog says

    December 3, 2013 at 10:43 AM

    Vanessa, that is adorable and what a great way to celebrate your immediate family! BTW when the Atlanta Bloggers come to visit I am so totally hunting down and stealing that sled!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      December 3, 2013 at 8:13 PM

      LOL!! Would you believe I found that sled at the thrift store for $5?! Thanks so much for coming by! 🙂

      Reply
  15. Kim says

    December 3, 2013 at 6:48 PM

    Lucky you! I have been using trees and garland from Balsam Hill for years. I don’t use the large tree anymore and got a little one for the sunroom. My other tabletop tree is not from Balsam Hill, but maybe next year. They are so life like and I love how you decorated yours.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      December 3, 2013 at 8:13 PM

      Thanks so much Kim!! They really do have the most realistic look to them don’t they? And I love having a little one to decorate. Just trying to keep up with you my friend! 😉

      Reply
  16. jessica @fourgenerationsoneroof says

    December 4, 2013 at 7:11 PM

    Love the monogramed ornaments and the gold pops are beautiful!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Rustic Glam Christmas Tree Reveal - Cherished Bliss says:
    December 2, 2013 at 6:54 AM

    […] from At the Picket Fence is sharing her Monogram Themed Tree today too, so hop on over there and see her beautiful tree! I simply adore the ornaments she made! […]

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  2. Oh Christmas Tree! How Lovely are Thy Branches - Unskinny Boppy says:
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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)
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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
When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the pa When the Lord blesses you with a glimpse of the payoff of your investment in your children, it is truly one of the greatest gifts. We had that experience twice this week with our 18 year old son and were overwhelmed by this opportunity we had to watch as he handled two very different situations (one personal and one professional) with grace, maturity, integrity and courage. Those of you mamas of little ones, don't ever minimize the job you are doing in raising this next generation. 

Every story read at bedtime
Every correction made to strengthen character
Every outdoor exploration
Every nose wiped
Every bandaid applied
Every time you say no when the world says yes
Every night of helping with homework
Every difficult conversation
Every prayer uttered

The final pieces of the puzzle of his childhood are falling into place and the picture revealed is one that is more wonderful than we could have imagined. And we know that it is only by God's grace on us as we sought His wisdom and guidance that we have come to this point. We have been FAR from perfect parents, but one of my most sincere prayers for the past 18 years was that the Lord would stand in the gaps that were surely to be revealed by our imperfections. And He has answered those prayers again and again. He's taken my humble petitions and most sincere intentions and knocked our socks off with the young man we are so privileged to call our son. And we can’t wait to watch as his future unfolds!
Happy Saturday!! I haven’t posted all week (exce Happy Saturday!! I haven’t posted all week (except for in stories) because I was soaking up the sunshine and time with my family in San Antonio for spring break. One of our favorite activities was a bike tour of the missions and I found myself obsessed with all of the beautiful architecture, especially the doors. What is it about doors that is so fascinating? Is it knowing that these were so lovingly hand carved? Is it thinking about how many people have crossed through them? Whatever it is, I couldn’t get enough of them and had to stop and admire each one. 

I hope you are having a wonderful kickoff to spring too dear friends! 🌸
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