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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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October 25, 2017

Never Going Back

This is my rally cry friends!

I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative and more likely to get pinned a bajillion times, I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste.

A waste of my time, my energy, my resources.

I would actually stress out about it. Really stress. How ridiculous is that?

But, something clicked with me a couple of years ago.

I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing.

I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it.

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. Yes, I realize I’m a blogger who shares a lot of decorating so I kinda sorta have to care about it a little bit. 😉

But, I don’t have to care about it so much that I feel almost paralyzed each year when the holidays roll around and I’m standing in the attic wondering if I need to just donate everything and start over.

And, you guys, something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I determined to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed.

When I just laid it all down and said…enough.

There was this incredible irony in it.

Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results.

In fact, it started looking like how I had really always wanted it to look way deep down in my heart.

I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way.

It’s funny how much my approach to decorating my home tends to reflect what is happening in my heart.

In those early years of blogging, I felt almost schizophrenic when it came to decorating. I was easily influenced by what I saw in other homes and what I thought mine was ‘supposed’ to look like. I didn’t feel confident.

And this same lack of confidence overflowed into other areas of my life as well.

It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be.

And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I’m actually doing what I really wanted to do all along.

To write books that encourage.

To get real about what it’s like to raise teenagers.

To share with you the things I’m wrestling with.

To provide ideas for your home and inspiration for your heart.

And, you guys, I’m never going back!

24 Comments Filed Under: Autumn, Decorating, Good Ideas Tagged With: fall, fall decor, fall Decorating

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Comments

  1. Judy Fisher says

    October 25, 2017 at 3:24 AM

    Good for you! You should be proud of yourself. Your blog is very enjoyable just the way it is. It’s actually nice to find a blog where the blogger isn’t constantly changing the decor every time they blog. That certainly isn’t very real for the majority of us.

    Reply
  2. Joan says

    October 25, 2017 at 4:41 AM

    This is exactly what I’m going through! I need to rid myself of ALL the seasonal decor and start fresh AND simple. I feel so overwhelmed with the holidays coming up and all the bins of decor. Enough! I’m going simple and will enjoy the journey. Great blog and perfect timing for this article! Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Diane says

    October 25, 2017 at 5:07 AM

    Good for you! I’ve been struggling with the same thing and I haven’t even started yet. Because what I envision, I don’t see out there in “”decor world””! Not yet anyway. Or what I envision is so old fashioned, it just slithered away somewhere. Anyway, my daughter and I have discussing making our house a home. We’ll get there with our own vision using the beautiful pics we see in design blogs as inspiration.

    Reply
  4. Calypso in the Country says

    October 25, 2017 at 5:18 AM

    Great post – I think we all feel that way from time to time. It can be hard because we are all doing this because we love to decorate and we love to look at other people’s decor. Yet, getting all caught up in the stress of it all is probably not what we planned. We have to remember that we inspire others by being ourselves! I always love stopping by to see what you are up to. Have a great day!
    Shelley

    Reply
    • Pat says

      October 28, 2017 at 5:45 PM

      One thing is that when you put it all out, you have to eventually take it all down. Then you wonder” Is this too much? Is it over-kill?” This year I did very little because of home remodeling and a new grand child and the world did not stop turning and I do not have that much to put back up before Christmas

      Reply
  5. ANDREA BENSON says

    October 25, 2017 at 5:56 AM

    Beautifully said!

    Reply
  6. Norma Rolader says

    October 25, 2017 at 6:12 AM

    Oh I can not imagine keeping things in there place or even putting them back … LOL!!!! I put everything up and away and within a day everything is piled here and there .. With taking care of my husband who is ill and bedridden and my 81 yr old mother lives with us … but God bless all will be alright

    Reply
  7. Deborah says

    October 25, 2017 at 7:27 AM

    Refreshing!
    Thanks for sharing from your heart…as always.
    It looks gorgeous and inviting where you are!
    xo

    All my heart,
    Deborah

    Reply
  8. valarie sanford says

    October 25, 2017 at 8:11 AM

    And this is why I join you at the fence every morning, God bless you!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      October 25, 2017 at 8:30 AM

      And I love having you here Valerie!! I’m so grateful for the wonderful people in this community! 🙂
      Blessings to you,
      Vanessa

      Reply
  9. Betsy says

    October 25, 2017 at 9:24 AM

    The simpler life is the best in my opinion. We are going through the process of downsizing and it hasn’t hurt one bit. The more we get rid of the more I want to get rid of. We want the remainder of our years on this earth to be spent honoring God and loving our families. We want our home neat and clean and the decorating that makes my husband and I happy. We don’t have to please anyone else ! Anyway, what we enjoy can’t be bought at a store. We prefer decorating with special treasured pieces — things that our grandparents had — items from nature –things that our grandchildren make for us and of course — family photos from the past and the present. Our hearts and well being can’t be purchased at a store.
    Blessings to you and your family..

    Reply
  10. Julie Briones says

    October 25, 2017 at 10:14 AM

    Vanessa, your home looks lovely! Great post, and very encouraging…

    Now, I have to ask. I see The Harvester book in your one pic! Are you a Gene Stratton-Porter fan, or did you just purchase for the decor? 🙂

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      October 25, 2017 at 11:28 AM

      I love that you noticed that Julie!! I have many Gene Stratton-Porter books that have been handed down to me and she is one of my favorite authors of all time. 🙂

      Reply
      • Julie Briones says

        November 1, 2017 at 2:10 PM

        *squeals with delight* I LOVE her… she’s my all-time fave author! I have MOST of her books.. some doubles to give to my adult children. Always love to hear that someone ‘loves’ her as much as I do!

        On another note… I’m not getting notification of replies to my email… even though I ‘m checking it. Just thought you would like to know.

        Reply
  11. Beth at Unskinny Boppy says

    October 25, 2017 at 11:31 AM

    PREACH IT SISTER!! Last year was the first year I didn’t do a Christmas Home tour. I opted out of every single one of them, and it was THE most liberating thing I’ve done in a looooong time. We had such an awful year last year with family illnesses and I just didn’t have it in me to join the blogger frenzy. I stepped away and it felt really nice to sit back and do nothing all Christmas season long.

    The biggest issue I had was Garrett complaining that our house didn’t feel “Christmas-y” enough! LOL He’s never known his mother to not go ALL out for Christmas, so he felt pretty cheated. But, Caroline was still in the non-verbal, crawling/ snatching phase and I couldn’t decorate a tree without her pulling all the ornaments off.

    I’m 99.9% sure I will not be joining in any Christmas home tours again this year, (even though I could use the pageviews!) but I will definitely be decorating our home for the kids sake. Their memories matter more than Pinterest pins. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your heart on this! As usual, I agree! 🙂

    Reply
  12. Marti says

    October 25, 2017 at 1:51 PM

    Thank you so much Vanessa…when I first started reading blogs I felt compelled to do things in my home to look like others. Honestly I couldn’t keep up I was overwhelmed. I found my nitch finally and can enjoy what others do and get ideas from time to time. I am thankful for your new freedom and enjoy your lovely home and ideas.

    Reply
  13. Sherry M says

    October 25, 2017 at 2:23 PM

    Beautiful!

    Reply
  14. Mary-Ann (from Canada!) says

    October 25, 2017 at 7:41 PM

    Vanessa, your home is beautiful! Thanks for the lovely post today! It seems like there are a lot of people who feel the same way about all the decorating “stuff” that we have gathered over the years. It is a little stressful changing your home for the seasons and, after last Christmas, I decided that it is time to scale down and gave a lot of my decor to friends. It felt so good to do this and see how much they will enjoy the items in their home. I think that I will even get rid of more things as I unpack the Christmas decor this year. I really do love Christmas and love to decorate but realized that I just had too much and that it was becoming a burden to get our home decorated. And, it always seemed to take so long to get everything in place. This Fall, I purged again as I just did not want to have so much. I gave friends things for their home — and, again, it just felt so good to let someone else enjoy the decor.

    I agree with you, I just want to be surrounded with things in our home that really matter. Plus, I have realized that I must spend more time in helping others. This is so important.

    I have just received my copy of your lovely book and I am really enjoying it! May God continue to bless you and your sister. You have been such a blessing in the lives of those who read your posts. I always look forward to reading them!

    Bless you! You are so special!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      October 26, 2017 at 11:33 AM

      Oh Mary-Ann thank you so much for this incredibly kind and encouraging comment! I agree with you that the ‘stuff’ can easily become a burden and actually take away from our enjoyment of the seasons. It’s nice to know I’m not the only one who is feeling this way. Thank you too for your sweet words about our book! It blesses me so much to know that you are enjoying it. If you have time, would you consider leaving a review of it on Amazon? Thank you again for being apart of our At the Picket Fence community! xoxo

      Reply
  15. Shirley @Housepitality Design s says

    October 30, 2017 at 6:37 AM

    I love that you always speak from the heart!!

    Reply
  16. Dorothy Ensz says

    October 30, 2017 at 1:36 PM

    I was looking for personal inspiration, and wondered which blog I thought might have what I was looking for. At The Picket Fence came to mind, and I’m so glad I got to read this post. It’s what I needed today. There is so much pressure to produce, to manage one’s time, to master social media, to plan for the most impact. I was so. tired. of the feeling of FOMO. Then the Still Small Voice said, relax, and start doing. One small thing at a time. Your post is so encouraging. It’s a very real assurance that doing and being are the most important, after all. Thank you again.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      October 31, 2017 at 10:12 AM

      Dorothy I can’t tell you how much it means to me that, first of all, our blog came to your mind when you were looking for personal inspiration, and that this post resonated with you so much. Thank you for your kind words and for being apart of our community!

      Reply
  17. Penny Meade says

    November 4, 2017 at 5:54 AM

    Keeping it simple, clean is joy.

    Reply
  18. Amber Ferguson says

    August 17, 2019 at 7:38 PM

    This is so wonderful, visually and the sentiment as well. I have already decided to end the chaos and get back to decorating from the heart. This week I am detoxing loads of commercial fall decor that I bought over the last few years trying to change my style to be “on trend” when I my passion is vintage decor and that is what I excel at. It is so liberating to not have that stress. This year’s fall tour will be much simpler with elements of nature and vintage treasures with a fall vibe. I am totally over the madness!

    Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consumin I’m never.going.back to stressful, time-consuming seasonal decorating. When I think back on the years where I would feel all of the pressure to come up with something fresh and creative I’m seriously embarrassed. Truly. Because it was such a waste. A waste of my time, my energy, my resources. Something clicked with me a few years ago. I was just done. I needed to simplify. I needed to not spend an obscene amount of time looking at fireplace mantels on Pinterest and trying to figure out how to make mine look amazing. I needed to put it all in the proper place in my heart and my mind. Which meant, it had to go waaaaayyyy down on the priority list. So far down it almost wasn’t on it. And I needed to confess to the Lord that I had allowed it to become an idol. 

Yes, I want to have a home that I enjoy. Yes, I love pretty things. But something really amazing happened when I finally released it all. When I decided to not give into the pressure and panic I would feel when I would scroll through my Instagram feed. When I just laid it all down and said…enough. There was this incredible irony in it. Because, the less time I took to decorate my home for each season, the more I found myself loving the results. I think that all along I had just been getting in my own way. It’s really taken a lot of time and prayer for me to finally be at a place where even though I still struggle with insecurities and I still have doubts from time to time, I’m becoming increasingly more confident in who God created me to be. And, just like my home, I’m finding that as I relax into myself, letting go of the comparisons and the pressure, the more I can actually lean into the calling He has placed on my life. 🍂

Leave a comment if you can relate! 

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking
“As the alluring song of September begins to whi “As the alluring song of September begins to whisper in my ear, my passionate spirit yearns for the splendor of its promise.” (Peggy Toney Horton)

Happy September dear friends! While I’m not quite ready to let go of summer and I plan to make the most out of the lingering, warm days, I’ll admit to starting to think about my fall decor this year. And one way to get inspired is to take a look back at previous years. Here’s just a glimpse at some of the ways I’ve welcomed Autumn to my home! 🍂

#september #falldecorating #falldecor #falldecoratingideas #wearethehomemakers
Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning Labor Day weekend might mean that we’re turning the corner and getting closer to fall but I’m not quite ready to let summer go. So I’ll just be over here continuing to whip up some super simple summer meals for my family that frankly can be enjoyed in any season. These shrimp rolls I made the other night were definitely a hit and would be great for any of your upcoming holiday weekend gatherings!

Shrimp Rolls 🍤

Ingredients
1-2 lbs of shrimp that is peeled, deveined and tail off (If using frozen make sure it’s thawed completely)
1/3 cup mayonnaise 
1/2 of a lemon
2 Tbsps chopped scallions
1 Tbsp chopped dill
1 Tbsp chopped Italian parsley
1 Tsp of Old Bay seasoning (more if you like!)
pinch of sea salt and pinch of black pepper
Hoagie Rolls
Softened butter

Directions: Gently pat the shrimp with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. Roughly chop the shrimp and place in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, squeeze half of lemon and stir to combine before adding in the scallions, dill and parsley. Stir to combine and then add the additional seasonings. Spread butter on hoagie rolls and toast in the oven until lightly browned. Pile on the shrimp mixture and enjoy! 

#shrimproll #foodie #weeknightdinner #easydinner #seafoodlover
Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. W Today has been a very Monday-ish kind of Monday. We woke up to the sound of chainsaws and rushed downstairs to find that our backyard neighbors were having two of the huge trees that line our shared fence removed. These trees have been here longer than the neighborhood and no, they weren't dead or causing damage to roofs, foundations, etc. They were beautiful and gave us wonderful privacy. We had no notice of this happening so this came as quite a shock. Because we were given no notice, we didn't have the chance to cover our outdoor furniture or plants and everything is now coated in a thick layer of sawdust including the fresh bark we recently put in the garden beds. And now our lovely privacy is gone, replaced by a direct view of an above ground pool and RV. I know, I know, it's totally a first world, privileged kind of problem to have. But, now we have to spend thousands of dollars on plants to try and recapture some semblance of privacy. Now we have days worth of clean up to do after we had JUST done a massive freshening up of our backyard. My overarching feeling has just been weariness at the way our world is today.

I think about how often we try to do right by people, to be respectful and courteous. To be thoughtful and considerate. And it’s not reciprocated. How its starting to seem more and more like people have just given up on those seemingly small niceties. And my soul just feels heavy. Because I feel like so much of what used to be common courtesy is not so common anymore. Drivers on the roads are angrier and more reckless than ever before. Red lights being run are an everyday occurrence around town. On our recent family vacation, I heard more people using the F word out in public than ever before even while around children. Where are manners? Where is kindness? I'm finding myself being surprised when someone is thoughtful because it seems like a rarity. And that's just all on a micro, local level. Don't even get me started on the insanity in our world/culture. After I returned from grocery shopping (which can also be soul crushing), I found myself desperate for a reminder of the truth. 

*Part 2 continued in the comments.*
How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully How often is it in our lives that we don’t fully grasp our strengths or our weaknesses until we are put to the test? Little did I know how much I would love my role as a wife, mother and homemaker until I became one. And that in my endeavor to do those roles to the best of my ability, it would bring to the forefront gifts and talents and blessings that I use outside of these walls.

As I water others, I’m watered too because it brings such joy to care for those around me. But it can also make me see more clearly the areas in which I’m lacking and be a very humbling reminder of how much I still need to grow and learn.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “Whoever brings blessing will be enriched and one who waters will himself be watered.”

Have you done any ‘watering’ of others this week? How has it blessed and ‘watered’ you in return?
“Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you “Mom, this is one of my favorite meals that you make.” Statements like this from my kids fill me with so much joy and such a sense of assurance that my role as the maker of this home is one that makes an impact on them in both big and small ways. It’s not just sheet pan shrimp boil. 

It’s nourishment
It’s time together around the table
It’s laughing as we try to get the butter sauce out of the pan
It’s a memory
It’s an imprint on their lives 

The ordinary act of making a meal becomes EXTRAordinary. And I try to keep that in mind as I do this task day in and day out, year after year. 

***

Ingredients: 
1 pound baby red or yellow potatoes
Green beans or corn (4 ears cut in half) whichever you prefer
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt and pinch of black pepper 
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (12.8-ounce) package smoked andouille sausage, thinly sliced
Crusty bread for dipping 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook potatoes until just tender, about 10 minutes. Put potatoes, shrimp, sausage and green beans or corn on baking sheet. Pour butter over top. Sprinkle with old bay seasoning and salt and pepper. Mix well to combine. Bake for about 12 minutes or until shrimp is pink. 

#shrimpboil #sheetpandinner #sheetpanmeals #homemaking
Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and lig Temperatures in the 100’s call for fresh and light cocktails! My husband is my own built in bartender and he put this together the other night. 

2 jiggers of gin (you could also use vodka) 
*you should do a jig when using a jigger 😉*
Crushed ice 
Grapefruit tonic 
Squirt of lime 
Sprig of mint 

Easy and so refreshing!! ☀️

#cocktails #summercocktails
There is something magical about the late summer e There is something magical about the late summer evenings. Maybe it’s because we have a greater sense of the fact that these long days are slowly shortening and we want to savor them as much as we can. I know I intend to do just that. 

I hope you’re having a wonderful August so far dear friends!
Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our hou Variations of this recipe are on repeat at our house all summer long. We’re big on the ‘build your own’ method of making dinner especially on very hot days. Simplicity for the win! 
#recipes #easydinner #easydinnerideas #homemaking
In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grou In music, rhythm is a regular repetition or a grouping of beats. No matter what else a piece of music has in terms of its pitch or tone, the rhythm never changes. Its the stabilizing force and brings order to a composition that would be completely chaotic without it.

The same can be said of rhythms in our lives and in our homes. When everything else feels out of control, rhythms and patterns provide us with stability and something that we can rely upon to give us a sense of security in a very insecure world. But, too often, we associate the rhythmic things we do in our lives as merely tasks to be gotten through rather than gifts which provide much-needed balance.

Whether it’s making the coffee every night before we go to bed or doing my devotional in the morning before the rest of the house wakes up or watering my garden, these simple tasks provide a rhythm to my day that is truly grounding. 

What’s something that you do that you would classify as a rhythm or pattern in your week?
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