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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

August 6, 2011

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 26!

Inspiration Friday Graphic
Before we kick off this week’s Inspiration Friday, we wanted to remind you of the $100!! Joss & Main giveaway we have going on here at the picket fence until this coming Monday! It couldn’t be easier to register for this giveaway and seriously…
who couldn’t use an extra $100 to buy something cool for their house?!
Now it’s time for another “copycat challenge” where we attempt to recreate one of the amazing projects shared with us at a previous Inspiration Friday party!
When Vanessa saw this darling tiered stand made out of burner covers and candlesticks, which was shared with us a couple of weeks ago by Libby from A Perfectly Crazy Life, she just knew she had to recreate it for her daughter’s upcoming Birthday Party.

All it took was one packet of Dollar Store burner covers in a lovely apple motif and 2 brass candlesticks pulled out of the closet where brass candlesticks go to die.

Some soft pink spray paint and Gorilla glue was all that was needed to finish off this easy peasy project!

This is just barely a sneak peek of what Vanessa will be sharing with you in the coming weeks from Lauren’s Tea Party Birthday. So stay tuned!!

picketfence_20010

Now we know the stores (and some of you!!) already have Fall on the brain, but Summer is still in full swing around here and these next 2 features prove it!

First up we have Michelle from Michelle Paige who created this incredible Restoration Hardware Driftwood Mirror knock-off. We think this is absolutely gorgeous in all of it’s rusticness and Michelle even got her kids involved in this one!

Ok…so even though we are still in Summer mode, we couldn’t resist this next feature from the Beachcomber. Check out this absolutely darling Driftwood Christmas tree!

She also created an incredible driftwood jewelry holder that you must see!

Michelle from My Life as a Mrs. was determined to give her basic IKEA bookcase a little extra panache and we think she definitely succeeded with this makeover!

The gallery wall up above completes this fantastic transformation!

Patricia Ann shared with us how she transformed a table and chair set they have had for many years and gave it a whole new lease on life. Check out those gorgeous Frenchy slipcovers on the chairs!

And last but not least, Marianne from Country Glamour Home created this stunning tablescape on the porch of her beautiful home. The combination of green/black/white creates such a crisp and cool affect and we are pretty sure our invitation to sit down at this table must have gotten lost in the mail somehow…Right Marianne? 😉

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
vif187
Be sure to head on over and visit Debra for the inaugural Design Challenge project featured during Vintage Inspiration Friday this week!


Not only are we sponsors of the Design Challenge but Heather’s dining room is the first project! Visit Common Ground and help Heather with her dining room re-do!

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 as many posts as we can but as Inspiration Friday grows and especially during the busy summer months, 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

 Specializing in vintage and antique items and creates one of a kind pieces from the “unexpected”! We invite you to pay a visit to our fabulous sponsor…Unexpected Elegance!

43 Comments Filed Under: Design Challenge, Inspiration Friday

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Previous Post: « $100 giveaway from Joss and Main and At The Picket Fence!!
Next Post: “Imparting Grace” for Simply Sundays »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    August 4, 2011 at 5:27 PM

    All wonderful projects! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  2. Debbie--https://refreshrestyle.com/ says

    August 4, 2011 at 5:35 PM

    I love your picks this week. I just need some drift wood! Love the burner cover tiers! I think I know where some brass candle sticks are hiding!
    Thanks for hosting,
    Debbie

    Reply
  3. Michele Smith says

    August 4, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    I love all the features fixing to check them out! Looking forward to seeing the tea party.
    Thank you for hosting.
    Michele

    Reply
  4. Vivienne @ the V Spot says

    August 4, 2011 at 5:57 PM

    I love the tiered tray! Great job! Love the features and thanks for hosting the party!
    xoxo

    Reply
  5. Liz says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:04 PM

    Beautiful feautures and thanks for hosting! XO ~Liz

    Reply
  6. Catie says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:28 PM

    Hello Ladies! You’ve had a great week of posts and you picked some great features. I HAVE to make that tiered stand. Guess I’m heading out to the dollar store this evening. Oh I just thought, I’m going to put polka dots on mine!! I will definitely be sharing. : ) Have a great weekend. ~ Catie

    Reply
  7. Catie says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:29 PM

    PS. Thanks for hosting!! : )

    Reply
  8. Brandi says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:38 PM

    I love the tiered tray too! thanks for hosting ladies!

    Reply
  9. Michelle @ My Life as a Mrs. says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:49 PM

    Oh my goodness, thank you so much for the feature!! And thanks for hosting such a great party…can’t wait to check out what everyone brings this week!

    mylifeasamrsh.blogspot.com

    Reply
  10. Charlotte says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:52 PM

    I love the tiered trays! I will be making this:) Thanks for the inspiration! So many great ideas…so little time:( But, it is better to have more inspiration that we can handle, than not enough!

    Charlotte

    Reply
  11. Katie says

    August 4, 2011 at 6:57 PM

    Thanks for hosting!!!

    Reply
  12. Honey at 2805 says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:01 PM

    Great features! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  13. Ann Marie of At Home With Ann Marie says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:25 PM

    I did it! Thanks for hosting! So excited to be a part of what you’re doing!

    Reply
  14. Marianne says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    I just love the tiered cupcake tray….I can even do that one! And thanks so much for featuring me! You are both such sweethearts!
    Marianne 🙂

    Reply
  15. Michelle Paige says

    August 4, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Wow! Thanks so much for featuring my driftwood mirror! I so ned to make a tier and I think I need to try the driftwood Christmas tree! Thanks for all the inspiration!

    Reply
  16. Maggie @ Midwestern {Sewing} Girl says

    August 4, 2011 at 8:06 PM

    Yay! Thanks so much for hosting, girls! That driftwood mirror and the IKEA bookshelf are out of this world!!! Hope you both have a wonderful weekend…;)

    Reply
  17. Sue says

    August 4, 2011 at 8:15 PM

    It’s always fun to see what everyone is up to over here! You girls rock when it comes to hosting a par-tay. xo Sue

    Reply
  18. NanaDiana says

    August 4, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    Nice picks to highlight girls! Ya know, you just MISSED the opportunity to post that driftwood Xmas tree in July..then we would have really had a Christmas in July post~ I know most of these gals and am headed over to visit a couple more! xo Diana

    Reply
  19. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    August 4, 2011 at 9:04 PM

    Thanks for hosting girls, have a great weekend! Martina

    Reply
  20. Stuff and Nonsense says

    August 4, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    i almost featured those burlap chair slipcovers this week!

    alison

    Reply
  21. SavannahGranny says

    August 4, 2011 at 11:58 PM

    Thanks for hosting. As always, I enjoyed your copy cat cupcake sign.
    Lot of great stuff today. Have a great weekend. Blessings, Ginger

    Reply
  22. Amber @ Quilted Euphoria says

    August 5, 2011 at 12:21 AM

    Thanks for hosting this wonderful party! I liked up two projects (# 3 &4) and then finished a project today and decided to come link it up too. I hope that’s okay. If not, feel free to delete #4! 🙂

    I love your blog and your parties, thanks for hosting!

    quiltedeuphoria.blogspot.com

    Reply
  23. Ivy and Elephants says

    August 5, 2011 at 12:27 AM

    What a great project. I know I have some candle sticks around here some where. I can’t wait to hit the dollar store this weekend. That is a wonderful idea. Thanks for sharing and thanks for hosting this wonderful party.

    Paula

    Reply
  24. Pamela says

    August 5, 2011 at 1:05 AM

    Vanessa I love so far what I am seeing from the bday party! You are so creative girl!

    Reply
  25. bj says

    August 5, 2011 at 1:17 AM

    Thanks so much for hosting this fun party..:)

    Reply
  26. AshTreeCottage says

    August 5, 2011 at 1:42 AM

    Hi Girls ~ Thanks for hosting!

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

    Reply
  27. Laura Beth says

    August 5, 2011 at 1:57 AM

    Thanks for hosting & giving us a plae to share our projects/gain inspiration!

    Reply
  28. Libby says

    August 5, 2011 at 2:51 AM

    YOUR tiered tray looks awesome! I had to make mine so tall so I could fit all the fun cupcake toppers on the cupcakes 🙂 thanks for including it in the copycat challenge!

    Reply
  29. ⚜ ↁℯℬℬᴵℰ⚜@ Debbiedoos blogging and blabbing says

    August 5, 2011 at 3:12 AM

    Thanks for hosting. Love Marions porch, great pillow too.

    Reply
  30. A Cozy Cottage in the City says

    August 5, 2011 at 3:19 AM

    This is my first link to your party! 😉 Thanks for hosting!!!

    Best,
    Jess

    Reply
  31. Ann says

    August 5, 2011 at 4:19 AM

    I love your blog and am a follower. As a new blogger myself, I’m linking up for the first time and look forward to many more. Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  32. Sue says

    August 5, 2011 at 7:57 AM

    Love the pale pink tiered dessert stand~so pretty!

    Reply
  33. Amber @ Quilted Euphoria says

    August 5, 2011 at 7:59 AM

    I would love for you to come link up at my weekend party! Have a great weekend!

    https://quiltedeuphoria.blogspot.com/2011/08/weekend-wow-me-party-1.html

    Reply
  34. Api says

    August 5, 2011 at 11:40 AM

    Lovely blog… great projects! 🙂

    Reply
  35. michelle says

    August 5, 2011 at 1:12 PM

    I love the tier cupcake holder! So cute and what a great idea, I can’t believe that you painted it though!.
    LOL!!
    Just kidding! I love the soft pink and the cupcakes look so good!!!!
    Enjoy your weekend girls!!
    xoxoxo

    Reply
  36. Kim @ Cheap Chic Home says

    August 5, 2011 at 4:29 PM

    The driftwood mirror is so pretty!

    Reply
  37. Lynn at Cottage and Creek says

    August 5, 2011 at 5:27 PM

    I just love the tiered cupcake holder – what a clever idea! Such inspiration! Thanks for hosting this fun party.
    ~Lynn

    Reply
  38. Karen says

    August 5, 2011 at 9:16 PM

    Thanks for hosting and sharing these great ideas. Love the cupcake stand & the tablesetting is beautiful. I’m going to check out how the driftwood mirror was made. Joining the party this week.

    Reply
  39. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage.com says

    August 6, 2011 at 2:45 PM

    Thank you for hosting!

    Reply
  40. Kristy Life-n-Reflection says

    August 6, 2011 at 3:21 PM

    Love the beach driftwood and those chairs!

    Reply
  41. Ali says

    August 6, 2011 at 4:42 PM

    Thank you so much for hosting 🙂

    Reply
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Yesterday on the way home from school I had the ra Yesterday on the way home from school I had the radio tuned to my daughter's favorite station and a song that was playing had a line in it that really stood out to me. It made reference to a 'season of the sticks' which I think its safe to say must mean winter. I thought that was such an accurate, albeiet kind of depressing, picture of this time of the year.

While we definitely have more than our fair share of evergreen trees here in Oregon, we also have plenty of trees and bushes that are reduced to sticks during the cold months. But, this morning as I looked out my kitchen window, greedily sipping from my mug of coffee, I marveled at the beauty of the winter sunrise. The sky was all pinks and oranges with frost on the rooftops and a little bit of fog. And, I realized that part of why it was so amazing is because I could see it more clearly through the sticks. The bare branches allowed me a view that I wouldn't be able to see if those same branches were covered in leaves. Being stripped down to almost nothing revealed something magnificent.

We have seasons of the sticks in our lives too, don't we? Times when we feel as though we've been stripped bare and left exposed. It's easy to think that this is a place where all is ugly and dark. And yet, just like the winter sunrise was more visible because of the bare branches, the vulnerability we feel in the winter season of our souls allows us to get a glimpse of beauty that we wouldn't see otherwise. In the lush, warm seasons it's so easy to become comfortable. But in the bare, cold seasons we recognize just how much we need to rely on the One who placed the stars in the heavens and is sovereign over all.

If you feel like your soul has been stripped bare and you've been left exposed and vulnerable, may I encourage you today to ask the Lord to help you to see the beauty in this 'season of the sticks'.

“Answer me quickly, O Lord! My spirit fails! Hide not your face from me, lest I be like those who go down to the pit. Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul." Psalm 143:7
I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake a I just went to make my mid-morning protein shake and grabbed a banana out of the freezer and was about to put it into my shake before I realized it was a frozen egg roll. Sooooo that's how my day is going so far! 🤪How about you?

It's honestly fairly representative of my state of mind these days as I can't seem to make the date on the calendar match the date in my spirit because it feels like it should be January 45th. Every year this month drags on and every year it seems to surprise me for some reason. In addition, my heart just feels heavy as I witness a lot of darkness and sadness around me. So, I'm choosing to control what I can control by making my house feel as cozy as possible, relishing the sunshine whenever it dares to peek through the clouds, gathering inspiration for warmer weather projects and, most importantly, resting in the comfort of the sovereignty of my Father.

“God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways; he does great things beyond our understanding. He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’ and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’ So that everyone he has made may know his work..." Job 37:5-7
What if you could do something at the beginning of What if you could do something at the beginning of your day that would be a gift to yourself later on? That’s what we’re talking about on this week’s Tip Tuesday! #tiptuesday
The sun decided to make another appearance today! The sun decided to make another appearance today! It’s been such a lovely Sunday. Chocolate croissants for breakfast followed by church then naps/football/reading/etc and soon we’ll be heading out to dinner with friends. These are my favorite kind of weekends. Hope yours has been lovely too! 🌿
Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshi Yesterday was stormy and cold but today the sunshine is breaking through the fog and my house just seems happier. We definitely needed to see that light streaming in through the windows and it’s a gift I don’t take for granted.

And yes, there are still twinkle lights on my mantle because those help when the sunshine goes away again. ✨
Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here i Happy weekend! The rainy and gloomy weather here in the Willamette Valley has me feeling less frustrated about my migraine forcing me to just snuggle up indoors and these flowers in my kitchen are lifting my spirits. What are you up to on this holiday weekend?
It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offe It’s time for TIP TUESDAY! This week, I’m offering a gentle reminder from my own parenting experience after feeling my heart pricked with conviction about what was waiting for my daughter every day after school. I hope it will encourage you! 🌿#tiptuesday
The day after Christmas I found myself laundering The day after Christmas I found myself laundering and folding all of the linens we used the previous night as we hosted my husband's side of the family for dinner and other festivities. As I laid out each cloth napkin and folded them one by one, I couldn't help but be struck by what a simple, yet meaningful, task it was. It's such an honor and privilege to be the hostess and, at this stage of my life, I realize that this has almost one hundred percent become my role now. Our parents are in their 70's and have either downsized significantly or simply don't have the energy to take on hosting duties for a large group. I could resent this. I could feel overwhelmed by it. But, instead, I'm choosing to embrace it knowing that, someday, I too will pass the hosting torch and I hope that I will be welcomed with love and attentiveness. So, I fold the linen napkins, taking pleasure in the way all of the creases line up and how neat and tidy they look in the drawer of my dining room buffet. These seemingly simple chores are part of the lifeblood of homemaking and my attitude towards them can either be one of gratefulness or grumbly-ness (yes, I'm making up words now). 

And I’m choosing gratefulness. 

“This job has been given to me to do. Therefore, it is a gift. Therefore, it is a privilege. Therefore, it is an offering I may make to God. Therefore, it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him. Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God’s way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness.” (Elisabeth Elliot⁣)
Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kic Welcome to Tip Tuesday! I’m so excited to be kicking off the year with a brand new series! Each weekly installment will feature a tip for everything from your home to faith to parenting to family life and so much more. My goal for 2023 is to have far more personal interaction with this community while continuing on with the mission of weaving together all things heart and home. I hope you enjoy this first tip and I’d love to hear from you about whether or not you decorate for winter! 
#tiptuesday #organizing #winterdecorating
“He has made everything beautiful in its time. H “He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” 

Here’s to beginnings. Happy new year friends! May you experience the majesty and sovereignty of the Lord in 2023 like never before! ✨
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