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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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February 1, 2011

Open House

I recently realized that while I have shown folks bits and pieces of my house, one room at a time, I’ve never really given a true “tour”.
So, please, do come in!
There is a reason that I am only showing you the downstairs though.
It is the only part clean enough to take pictures of.
And even then, there was quite a bit of shuffling around and shoving in of things in order to get it ready for you to see!
To the left of the front door is our
Living Room

And behind that sofa is the
Dining Room

Made the pillows myself, yes ma’am I did!
Heading back towards the foyer you can see the doors to the
Office
That is as far as I can let you in there…don’t try and get any closer or you might get lost in all of the papers!

Through the foyer and onto where we really live, you will pass by this built-in
China cabinet.

Head around the corner to your left and you land in the heart of the home!

A look back towards the Breakfast nook and Family Room.

This hallway leads to a full bath on the right (doesn’t that sound Realtor-ish?)
and straight ahead is the Mudroom.
That rooster painting was my crazy TJ Maxx find from a few months ago!

And now, let me point you back towards the foyer and the front door because frankly, it is time for you to go!

I’m pretty sure that one of the closets I shoved everything into in order to take these pictures is about to EXPLODE!
Thank you for coming to my Open House At the Picket Fence!

SAS Interiors

French Country Cottage

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8 Comments Filed Under: Decorating

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Shelia says

    March 17, 2011 at 12:24 AM

    Hi Vanessa! Oh, my Lord! Your home is gorgeous! I’m in love with that lovely rung in your entry! Your living room and dining room – gorgeous! Your kitchen – gorgeous! Can I just come and live with you? 🙂
    Be a sweetie,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  2. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    March 17, 2011 at 12:30 AM

    Hi Vanessa, Thank you so much for joining my party and sharing your beautiful home. Everything is so pretty and what a fabulous kitchen you have. Thank you for all your support!
    Hugs,
    Sherry

    Reply
  3. Martina says

    March 17, 2011 at 2:00 AM

    Vanessa your home is beautiful!! I love your slate floors and if that gorgeous rooster painting goes missing don’t come lookin here!! Martina

    Reply
  4. Kim says

    March 17, 2011 at 7:44 PM

    You are so right Vanessa -I never got the sense from any of your posts just how big your home is. It’s absolutely gorgeous and I love the floor plan. So glad I got to tour it.
    xoxo,
    Kim

    Reply
  5. Teresa@oursoutherncountryhomeandfarm says

    March 17, 2011 at 10:21 PM

    Your home is beautiful! Thanks for the tour.

    Reply
  6. Pat says

    March 17, 2011 at 11:44 PM

    Your home is absolutely gorgeous Vanessa!

    Enjoyed the tour.

    Reply
  7. Honey at 2805 says

    March 18, 2011 at 1:08 PM

    Your home is gorgeous, Vanessa. Are you sure your children live there? 😉 It’s spotless!

    Reply
  8. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    March 19, 2011 at 5:23 PM

    GORGEOUS! GORGEOUS! GORGEOUS!! Your home is beautiful Vanessa! So open and spacious and CLEAN!! Love your rooms and colors~ so pretty- thanks for sharing this at my party this week!! 🙂

    Reply

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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
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