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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 27, 2018

Spring Tulip Inspiration

Hey there, it’s been a while! It’s me, Julie from redheadcandecorate.com. I am so excited to be invited back today “At the Picket Fence”! Are you all craving Spring as much as I am? I bet you are. It has been a brutal Winter in the midwest (like much of the U.S.) and we are all craving the sun and warmth so badly. I was just speaking to my 83 year old Mom who lives in New York, and she said that she and my Dad feel like doing absolutely nothing, but sleeping and eating. That about sums it up for me, how about you? I told her to make sure that they are taking their vitamin D supplements, and getting a little exercise to get those endorphins moving. She agreed that was a good idea.

So, I was thinking…since I can’t send out sunshine, or even vitamin D tablets for that matter, what I can do is share a relaxing “Tulip Tour” with Tulip photos and ideas to help bring Spring into your heart and maybe even your home. Tulips always seem to cheer me up this time of year and they are easy to find at the grocery store. I usually pay about $10.00 for a bunch like these gorgeous pink ones I put in my favorite white pitcher…

*** Some of the links in this post may contain affiliate links for your convenience. Read full disclosure policy here.

Here in Michigan, Tulips are one of the first perennials that push up out of the chilly soil. It never fails, every year I get overly excited at the mailbox when we see them, and the kids just nod their heads with their ear phones on. Honestly, I think the kids really do enjoy them, but you know teens have a lot going on, so I completely get why they aren’t as excited as me. They will surely remember though as they grow older, I hope.

Depending on where you live, the head begins to emerge out of the stem after a couple weeks and show it’s true color, and that’s right around the time I start to get worried. You see, we have many deer in our neighborhood and they think these beautiful nuggets are there for them to enjoy. That’s when I run to the garage and grab my deer repellant. It really does help keep those rascals at bay. Just be sure to apply after rain, or your sprinklers go off.

In many ways, Tulips remind me of roses with a similar oval shape before they bloom, however the drooping stem always seems to intrigue me the most. Some folks like to put a little tie around them to help them stand up, but I actually enjoy letting them fall naturally. Have you ever noticed how each bloom will actually follow the sun if you put them in a sunny window? Just don’t leave them in the sun too long, or they will wilt faster.

I do have one warning about Tulips that you may not be aware of. Although my cats don’t seem to pay any attention to them, Tulips are toxic to all pets, so be very careful. Faux Tulips can actually be just as beautiful, and they certainly last longer, ha ha.

Here’s our oldest cat, Sylvia. We rescued her a few years back and she stole our hearts immediately. I guess I should also reveal that those shelves and mantle behind Sylvia no longer look that way. I painted them white 😯 , so I hope you’ll subscribe so you don’t miss the big reveal. I’m almost finished, but a sprained ankle has slowed me dow just a tad. I am loving the new bright look. Total shocker.

Last Year, I decided to treat myself to a beautiful pink tulip wreath for our front door. I was actually shocked at how life-like the imitation Tulips appeared. This wreath below on our white front door is so beautiful that I can actually see it from the road when I drive by our house and that is a pretty good hike through the woods. Just look at how vibrant and gorgeous this wreath is.

When I was photographing the pink Tulip wreath last year I couldn’t stop. It photographed so nicely and just made me want to share it’s loveliness everywhere. If you would like more information on this pretty lady, you can find it here:

Pink Tulip Wreath

I love these Tulip wreaths so much so, that I have added a bunch of them to my new Amazon shopping page. You can find them all there in one convenient location if you are interested. You’ll also find many of my favorite seasonal, and not-so-seasonal home decor items on this Amazon shopping page. I add things very frequently and I try to find the best prices and reviews for all of the products I choose. In fact many of the products I use in my own home, like that wreath. Here’s a few more of those Tulip wreaths I was referring to…

Coral Tulip Wreath

Yellow Tulip Wreath

Colorful Tulip Wreath

Oh, and before I forget, I recently filled a Mason jar with some white tulips, but the “Ruby Red Nail Polish Painted Jar” stole the show. This was so pretty in our foyer on Valentine’s Day, but I can think of several reasons to pull this red jar out including our patriotic holidays, and of course Christmas. Did I just say Christmas? 😯

Happy early Spring from redheadcandecorate.com!


 

 

Leave a Comment Filed Under: Crafts, Decorating, Easter, Good Ideas, Spring Tagged With: spring, spring crafts

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I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 y I've been watching our cherry trees bloom for 12 years now and every year I ohhhh and ahhhh over the blossoms like it's the first time I've ever seen them. I gush and I take photos (that look exactly like the ones I took the year before and the year before that) and I make my family come outside and look at them with me which you know they just LOVE to do. 😉 I think that is one of the main reasons why I love spring so much. On the one hand, it's predictable and yet, on the other hand, it still feels like such a surprise after the long months of barren branches.

And yesterday, as I was staring at the gorgeous blossoms for the umpteenth time, I couldn't help but think that I hope this is how I feel when our lives return to some semblance of normalcy.

I hope that the predictable feels special and that the typical feels anything but. I hope that I ohhh and ahhh over the simple things I've realized I've taken for granted. And, most of all, I hope that feeling doesn't go away for a very, very long time! 💗
Are you living with great expectation friends? Bec Are you living with great expectation friends? Because He is risen!

Happy Easter from my home to yours!
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What could be good about the unspeakable pain he suffered? What could be good about the shame and betrayal?

Easter Sunday is so joyful, bright and cheery. Shouldn’t that be the day we call “good”? It just feels so much better!

But, I don’t know how to rejoice over His resurrection, unless I have felt the pain of His death. I have realized that in life the sweetest victories are the ones which were realized after a pain-filled journey.

And, so it is with Good Friday. I know there will be victory over death, but I can’t skip ahead in the story.

Jesus knew what was coming. He knew what he would experience. And he knew why he would go through it. He did it for me. He did it for you.

Do you know that? Have you felt it down in the very core of your soul? 
Sometimes it makes me squirm a bit. Why would anyone do that for me?

Well, because, I can’t do it for myself!

There is nothing I can do to earn that kind of love and mercy.

That is why it is called GRACE.

His grace is freely given. We don’t have to pay for it. He paid the price for us already.

Do you remember that movie from years ago called “Ransom”? A couple’s young son was kidnapped and the parents went to hell and back trying to find him and pay the “ransom” demanded by the kidnappers.

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If you don’t absolutely HAVE to make a decision right now, I want to encourage you to wait until life gets back to normal. If you are finding yourself over-analyzing relationships and family dynamics, I want to encourage you to remember that everything seems more dramatic when looked at under a microscope. And, let’s face it, being homebound with our loved ones non-stop makes us all feel like lab rats in an experiment.

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