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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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May 28, 2016

Weekend Wonderings

Happy weekend my friends!! What will you be up to? We’re celebrating my son’s 13th birthday today and I can be found curled up in a corner in the fetal position because I cannot believe that my baby boy is now officially a TEENAGER! Sniff…sniff…

Actually, even though it’s so bittersweet we are incredibly proud of the young man he is becoming and we have a BIG surprise trip planned for him. I’ll fill you in more on that another time.

But first, how about a little bit of inspiration to get you going on this Saturday morning?

Have you ever seen a recipe for something and wanted to eat it RIGHT.THAT.SECOND.? That’s how I felt when I saw these Raspberry Muffins from A Burst of Beautiful. I mean, seriously, these need to be baked at my house pronto!

Raspberry-Muffins-A-Burst-of-Beautiful-5

Have you ever thought that you couldn’t possibly love old shutters any more and that you’ve probably seen every use for them? Well that’s how I felt until I saw how Kim from Savvy Southern Style incorporated them into her beautiful deck makeover!

savvy southern style deck

Have you ever wondered if perhaps you have a basket addiction but then you see a totally new use for them and realize that this gives you the perfect excuse to run right out and buy another one? Well that’s how I felt when I saw this fantastic idea for turning an ordinary basket into a Party Cooler Basket from In My Own Style.

How-to-make-a-basket-into-a-cooler

Have you ever seen something in a shop and had it put a smile on your face because it was just so sweet? Well that’s how I felt when I saw this darling Cake Topper from Finding Home Farms. My girlie has a birthday coming up and I’m thinking this would be just the thing for her cake.

Happy-Day-Cake-Topper

Have you ever wondered why you took so long to purchase actual grown-up nightstands? That’s how I felt when I finally found the perfect new additions to our master bedroom and finally removed the table held up by yearbooks.

vintage books on dresser

And finally, have you ever had a wonderful reminder of the true heart of hospitality and had it remind you of just how much we need more of this in our world today? Well that’s how I felt when I read this from Life in Grace.

pinkbedevoted-700x700

I hope you have a truly wonderful holiday weekend as we honor those who have given their lives for the freedoms that we have. We have some fantastic ideas to help you get in the spirit of patriotism!

No-sew pennant banner and pillows

pennant-banner-11_thumb2

 Red, white and blue Jello Firecracker Shots

 jello-firecracker-shots-1-1024x1024

Patriotic Hand Pies

patriotic hand pies

As always, thank you so much for meeting us at the Fence and we hope you have a wonderful weekend!

5 Comments Filed Under: Crafts, Decorating, Desserts, Fourth of July, Good Ideas, Holidays, Recipes Tagged With: crafts, decorating, dessert, memorial day

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Comments

  1. Michele says

    May 28, 2016 at 3:56 AM

    A very happy birthday to your son! My little sister’s youngest just turned 13 recently so I know exactly how you feel. Congrats – it is a milestone for you both! : – )

    Great features.

    And I love your new pictures – you and your sister are two beautiful young ladies!

    Hugs – have a wonderful weekend.

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 29, 2016 at 2:50 PM

      Michele thank you so much for your kind words!! You are always so sweet and such an encouragement!
      Have a wonderful weekend,
      Vanessa

      Reply
  2. Martha Franks says

    May 28, 2016 at 9:40 AM

    What a delightful blog this morning! I’ve been outside working all morning and came in for lunch, which I eat in front of the computer catching up on blogs and stuff. You-and your sister- are a breath of fresh air!

    Reply
    • At The Picket Fence says

      May 28, 2016 at 8:35 PM

      Thank you so much Martha!! So glad we were apart of your morning. 🙂

      Reply
  3. Lynn Richards says

    June 3, 2016 at 6:07 PM

    I just about died laughing at the “grown up” night stands…. still don’t have them.

    Reply

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“Those who know your name trust in you, for you, “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.” Psalm 9:10
This is one of my most favorite projects from my b This is one of my most favorite projects from my book Life in Season! 

Because, if heaven has a fragrance, I’m fairly certain it smells like lilacs.

I think that somewhere along the way the verse in the Bible that said, ‘heaven will smell like lilacs’ just got lost in translation. But it HAD to have been in there at some point, right?

When I bury my head in the blossoms (which I absolutely MUST do every single time I walk past them), I immediately feel a stirring in my soul.

It seems like I wait forever for my lilac tree to bloom. Every year I anxiously watch as the buds begin to form on the branches and then when the blossoms finally burst forth I begin that agonizing process of deciding the absolute perfect moment to snip them and bring them inside.

And then, after all of that waiting and watching it’s just over…done. Because, unlike heaven, lilacs don’t last for an eternity. So, making my own lilac room spray seemed like the perfect way to enjoy their fragrance long after the blossoms have faded.

Here’s how to make it! Ingredients: Water, Vodka, Lilac fragrance oil. 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.

Once you’ve made this lilac scented room spray you will be very tempted to spray it in every room in your house. And someone may want to use it in the bathroom to cover up other less…ummmm….pleasing aromas.

But, do not, I repeat do NOT, let them.

You’ve captured the fragrance of heaven in a bottle and you wouldn’t want to go and tarnish it now would you? 😉
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)
I try to always remember to put a water bottle in I try to always remember to put a water bottle in my car before I go to pick up my daughter from school. She didn't ask me to do this, but a few months ago I began to notice that she was often thirsty when she would get in the car. Her water bottle filled up at the beginning of the day was empty by the time school got out and she would ask if she could have some water from my hydroflask. So I make sure to have one waiting for her. It's just a simple thing, really. But, I want her to know that I'm paying attention, that I see her.

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
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