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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
  • Speaking
  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

July 24, 2011

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 24!


It’s that time again!

Are you ready for another copy-cat feature? This one comes to us courtesy of Catie’s Corner.

Nothing says Summer more to us than S’mores! And when Catie shared this quick, easy and frankly a lot less messy version of a good old-fashioned treat, Vanessa knew she would be copying it.

These “S’mores on a Stick” were a huge hit when she took them to “Family Night” at her son’s camp last weekend. They didn’t last long on that platter!
Sitting around the campfire in the woods with all of the kids running around eating these felt like a quintessential Summer night. Thanks so much Catie for upping Vanessa’s “cool mom” status!
Our next feature we promise we are doing because these gals shared with us some pretty amazing projects last week and not just because they are sisters who also blog together! We kinda have a soft spot for that “sister love” but the gals from The Letter 4 also have so much creativity and talent between them that we were so thrilled when they shared it with us at last week’s Inspiration Friday party.

You just have to check out this darling “Touchy-Feely” Board  that Jamie made for her adorable daughter.  We’re thinking those chubby little hands are upstaging the project!

Now, she could have just used these spice racks from Ikea to actually hold Spices, but that would have just been too conventional for Katie from On the Banks of Squaw Creek!

image

Instead, she attached them to the sides of this dresser and then refinished the entire piece to create one pretty fantastic storage solution!

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Isn’t that so clever?? Look out Pottery Barn!
You absolutely must go and visit Katie On the Banks of Squaw Creek to see the rest of this transformation.
Pamela at From My Front Porch to Yours has been a fabulous friend of At The Picket Fence since it’s beginning and we couldn’t be happier to show off her incredible DIY hardwood floors!

Pamela and her husband laid these gorgeous floors for half the cost quoted to them by a professional installer! What makes these even more unique and beautiful is the decision to lay the flooring horizontally! Sigh…lovely, just lovely. You can read about Pamela’s flooring journey at her blog including even more before and after photographs!

It seems everyone’s gardens are in full swing or er um bloom and Nettie’s from This Dusty House is no exception. 

She shared with us the pleasure of picking the first carrots from their lovely garden and a very funny video that most gardener’s will appreciate! Please visit Nettie and her husband at This Dusty House.  They are an newlywed couple renovating their home and we know you’ll think they are as adorable as we do!
This last feature was too good NOT to share with you all. Libby from A Perfectly Crazy Life took burner covers and candlesticks from The Dollar Tree and made this out of them…
Yep! We Know! Pretty amazing and clever and so many other superlatives we can think of! Libby gives you detailed instructions in her post at A Perfectly Crazy Life.  We will be “copy catting” this one for sure!
If you were featured today (or have been featured in the past) please grab the featured at button located in our sidebar!

Are you following At The Picket Fence on Facebook?  Don’t forget we feature many of your links during the week on our Facebook Page! If you’ve been featured there, grab a button as well! Thank you to everyone who shared so many fabulous posts with us last week!  We appreciate you!
Now it’s time to share with us what has inspired you this week!
Thank you so much for joining us for Inspiration Friday at the Fence,
When you are done linking up head over and party with the other Friday Party Friends
The lovely Courtney at French Country Cottage
Our beautiful friend Alison from Stuff and Nonsense

Stuff and Nonsense
And the gracious Debra from Common Ground
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Now all ya PARTY PEOPLE it’s time to link on up…here’s the rules!

  • Friend At The Picket Fence in some capacity
  • Link Up any post you’ve written that has Inspired You and will Inspire Others-it can be a home improvement project, craft, recipe, story, devotional…if it inspires link it up!
  • Be sure to link back to your original post and not just your url (main blog address)
  • Please post our button (code in the sidebar) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! (MANDATORY)
  • Visit another guest. Please try and visit at least the link directly above and below you! We try to visit everyone’s posts but as Inspiration Friday grows, sometimes we miss some and for that we apologize.  It makes us feed good knowing others are visiting people as well!  Thank you..it truly means a lot to us!

We would love to recommend this fabulous post over at Crafter Minds for a quick tutorial on partying at a linky party! We couldn’t say it better ourselves! “Linky Party Like a Dinner Party?”
This week’s Inspiration Friday is sponsored by
where you can find the most amazing stencils to decorate your life with! 
If you are interested in being a sponsor of At The Picket Fence you can find out more information on our Advertise With Us page.  We are running a 2 for 1 summer special. Contact us to find out more information!

34 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday

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Comments

  1. Pamela says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:11 PM

    Thanx ladies for the feature!! I am also loving the spice racks on the side of the dresser! How ingenious and how did I ever miss that!! And thanx again for putting my Annie Sloan Follower Appreciation Party on your sidebar! Heres hoping I get a ton of questions to pick from!

    Reply
  2. Amanda says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:24 PM

    Thanks for hosting, love the features this week! Such great ideas.

    Reply
  3. Debra @ Common Ground says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:28 PM

    Hi Girls!! OK, the smores look so yummy. everywhere I’ve gone today in blogsville has delish tempting treats. eeecck! Just linked up,
    xoxo Debra

    Reply
  4. Poppy says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:32 PM

    The S’mores on a stick looks so yummy and I can understand why it became a super hit…I’m enjoying all these wonderful features.. that burner cover-candlestick cake stands are so amazing… such an inspiring idea. Thanks for hosting and have a great weekend!~Poppy

    https://withadashofcolor.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  5. Coley says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    Those smores are so dang cute! Thanks for hosting 🙂

    http://www.whatyoumakeit-coley.blogspot.com

    Reply
  6. Katie says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    Thanks for hosting ladies! Hope you both enjoy your weekend!

    Reply
  7. Catie says

    July 21, 2011 at 8:55 PM

    Wow it’s soo exciting to see my smores featured and copied!! Vanessa I know I’ve already tole you, but I’m happy they were such a hit! I’ve linked up two little side table makeovers this week. Thanks again for the lovely feature and for hosting! Have a great weekend ladies.
    ~ Catie : )

    Reply
  8. Rosemary@villabarnes says

    July 21, 2011 at 9:08 PM

    Thanks for hosting. Love the features.

    Reply
  9. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    July 21, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    Thanks for hosting girls, have a great weekend!! Martina

    Reply
  10. bj says

    July 21, 2011 at 11:22 PM

    mmmm, love all these features.
    Thanks so much for hosting, ladies.
    xo bj

    Reply
  11. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    July 21, 2011 at 11:52 PM

    Nice features, girls and thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  12. Maggie @ Midwestern {Sewing} Girl says

    July 22, 2011 at 12:42 AM

    Thank you so much for hosting, girls! I hope you both have had a wonderful week…;)

    Reply
  13. Jenni says

    July 22, 2011 at 12:48 AM

    WOWZA, wonderful features this weekend ladies! Thank you so much for hosting! Hope you both have a fabulous weekend!
    HUGS~
    Jenni

    Reply
  14. Honey at 2805 says

    July 22, 2011 at 12:49 AM

    Nice features, girls. Thanks so much for hosting!

    Reply
  15. Richella says

    July 22, 2011 at 1:03 AM

    Thank you for hosting a wonderful party! It’s such fun here at the picket fence!

    Reply
  16. Julianna, Jade, Janae, Jamie says

    July 22, 2011 at 2:22 AM

    Thank you so much for the feature! We have happily buttoned up!

    jamie @ theletter4.blogspot.com

    Reply
  17. Jo says

    July 22, 2011 at 4:51 AM

    sorry I posted twice honey, there was a problem with blogger. Judging by the other post which went on twice, I wasn’t the only one having problems. I don’t feel such a nonse now!! lol

    Jo

    Reply
  18. Karen says

    July 22, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    Thanks girls for sharing the wonderful creative ideas of yours & others. Vanessa, don’t fall out of your chair, but I’m linking up today. Have a great weekend, both of you!

    Reply
  19. classic • casual • home says

    July 22, 2011 at 5:32 AM

    Oh how cruel…I am on a diet…those s’mores? Yum. Guess I need to grow some delicious carrots 🙂

    Reply
  20. Eileen @ CottageBeachHouse says

    July 22, 2011 at 6:22 AM

    Yummy is all I can say. Thank you for this wonderful party each week!

    Reply
  21. Stuff and Nonsense says

    July 22, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    love the features…we made those s’more pops a few weeks ago for a party and they are a messy hit…don’t know if i’ll ever be brave enough to lay my own hardwood flooring…but hers look wonderful…all linked up girls!

    alison

    Reply
  22. Life-n-Reflection says

    July 22, 2011 at 12:00 PM

    OMG smores on a stick!!

    Reply
  23. Nette @ This Dusty House says

    July 22, 2011 at 12:47 PM

    Thanks so much for featuring our garden! And those s’mores on a stick… I think I will definitely have to try them! Mmmm…!

    Reply
  24. Becca says

    July 22, 2011 at 2:28 PM

    Love the features, girls … the s’mores on a stick look fabulous! And, love that you shared Pamela’s amazing floors! Thanks for hosting … have a wonderful day and weekend. xoxo

    Reply
  25. Sue says

    July 22, 2011 at 2:43 PM

    Heather and Vanessa, Have a wonderful weekend and thanks for hosting!
    I am in love with the tiered dessert stand!

    Reply
  26. Diann says

    July 22, 2011 at 2:48 PM

    Thank you girls for hosting! Have a fun weekend!

    Reply
  27. Linda Jordan says

    July 22, 2011 at 5:00 PM

    Thanks for hosting! There are so many interesting links to check out 🙂

    Reply
  28. Ana says

    July 22, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    Hi Vanessa and Heather,
    I’m so exciting about joining in all the party fun this week for the first time. Can’t wait to see what others are sharing this week. Thank you so much for hosting. Wishing you a wonderful and fun weekend.

    Hugs and Kisses,
    ♥Ana~A Petite Cottage

    Reply
  29. michelle says

    July 22, 2011 at 10:00 PM

    Those look so YUMMY and so perfect when it is too hot to have a fire. 🙂 I hope you gals have a great weekend!!!
    xoxo

    Reply
  30. Cami @ Four Jokers and a Queen says

    July 23, 2011 at 2:30 AM

    Love all these ideas…Thanks for hosting this and letting my blog be part of this event!
    xoxoxo, cami
    http://www.fourjokersandaqueen.com

    Reply
  31. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    July 23, 2011 at 2:42 PM

    Hi Girls~ I tried to comment when I linked up but it wasn’t letting me- just wanted to say thanks for hosting! 🙂

    Reply
  32. sarah says

    July 24, 2011 at 12:40 PM

    got to try those mello smores out with the kids….they look so yummy

    Reply
  33. Nancy says

    July 24, 2011 at 8:59 PM

    Those wood floors are gorgeous, and that dresser outfitted with the open shelving is just too clever! Great features.

    Thanks for hosting,

    Nancy

    Reply
  34. Katie @ On the Banks of Squaw Creek says

    July 25, 2011 at 4:16 AM

    thank you thank you thank you for the feature! I’ve had quite a few visitors from it!

    Reply

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Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to sha Happy Friday!! I’m working on a blog post to share all of the details of our family room shelving makeover but I’m super impatient and just had to give you all a sneak peek!! We are SO happy with how they turned out and it finally looks like I’ve always envisioned. Our quick fix years ago (scroll to see the before photo) never felt quite right but now? Soooo much better!! 🙌🏻 Big shoutout to our amazingly talented friend Matt @redemptive_woodworx for bringing our vision to life and doing such impeccable work.

I hope you all have a great start to the 4th of July weekend and make sure to check my stories later for Friday Funnies!
The month of June is coming to a close and it has The month of June is coming to a close and it has been JAM packed! The highlight by far though was my son's graduation from high school. When I started blogging, he was only 6 years old and some of you have been apart of my community here for that entire time. Now, he's 19 and there is a reason parents are told not to blink because the years truly do go faster than I ever could have imagined. He has become such an incredible young man we are so excited to see how God is going to unfold the next chapter of his life. We celebrated with parties galore (SO many open houses to attend!) and made memories we'll forever cherish. My mama heart was filled to bursting with the joy of it all! Now we're taking some time to just enjoy these warm, summer days making even more memories because, when you’re at this stage of parenting, you know all too well how much you need to grasp every opportunity to spend time together.

I hope your summer is off to a great start too dear friends! 🪴
“And so with the sunshine and the great bursts o “And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer.” F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Happy first day of summer dear friends!! I can’t believe it’s been so long since I posted something new here but life has been crazy. I’ll have some new photos of house projects and life events to share with you soon but, got now, I’m just going to enjoy this gorgeous first day of summer after our ridiculously long, wet spring. ☀️
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. Th “It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.” (Maud Hart Lovelace) 

Welcome June!
“No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom “No man is entitled to the blessings of freedom unless he be vigilant in its preservation.”
General Douglas MacArthur

Grateful today and every day for those who were vigilant to the point of death in the preservation of our freedom. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
“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? 😉
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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.

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What are your favorite plants that you look forward to seeing in the summer?
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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. 

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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.
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