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At The Picket Fence with Vanessa Hunt

Where Ideas for your Home Meet Inspiration for your Heart

  • Book
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  • 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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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!
Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to Lemon bars all ready for tomorrow! It’s going to be a different kind of Easter for sure but some things don’t change. Have you been baking and getting ready for tomorrow? What’s one thing on your menu that you have to have every year?
If this is Good Friday, why doesn’t it feel so “good”? It all seems backward doesn’t it?

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.

Well, Jesus is our “ransom”. (1 Timothy 2:6) His life was the payment.

Why is it called “Good Friday”? Because that wasn’t the end of the story….
.
…It was just the beginning!
Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house Raise your hand if there’s a table in your house that’s become the landing zone for ALL THE THINGS! 🙋🏻‍♀️🤪 I’ve never been more thankful for our rarely used dining room table as it’s become command central for school books and laptops and games.

Where are things collecting in your house right now?
“Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every si “Sighing, tears, frustration, anger.” Every single one of these emotions has made their way through our home in recent days and, my guess is, they have in your home too.

I SO needed this reminder today from the new book ‘Adore’ by @sarahagertywrites.

Adoration isn’t just sitting at His feet gazing longingly with stars in my eyes. It’s bringing my fears and my sorrows and gray roots in my hair that desperately needs to be colored and my messy house and all of the things that threaten to send me over the edge right now and laying them down before Him, soaking up His word and His presence so that when I stand back up, I am changed for having spent the time adoring the ONE who is... Healer, comforter, peace-giver, deliverer, redeemer.

What do you need to bring to Him today? I’ll share mine in the comments and I’d love to hear from you too!
I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole I’ve always loved evenings, but since this whole lockdown thing began, I’ve come to appreciate this time of day even more.

It feels the most...normal. Daytime is strange and foreign right now. My husband has taken over our home office, I’m suddenly taking over the responsibility of managing my kids’ distance learning and let me just say that teaching 7th grade algebra to my daughter is hugely ironic since I struggled with math all the way through school. I’m trying to do my own work but it feels utterly futile with the constant interruptions which take precedence right now. In the daytime, I’m constantly reminded of how upside down life feels.

But, in the evening, I cook dinner like I’ve always done and we gather around the table like we’ve always done and we laugh and tell stories and then clean up and play games or go on a walk or watch a show. And that feels SO gloriously normal.

So now I love evenings even more than I ever did before and I’m so grateful for this little chunk of time where the rhythms we established years ago are helping to sustain us now when so much of life feels outside of our control.

What feels ‘normal’ to you right now? Whatever it is, keep doing it. 🌿
When I was in college I would frequently call home When I was in college I would frequently call home and pour my heart out to my mom, sharing with her all that was happening in my life in that completely unfiltered way that you can talk with the person who potty trained you. These phone calls usually took place at night and my mom would patiently listen as I vented frustrations about professors, roommates, boyfriends and the food in the cafeteria. And, inevitably, they would end with my mom saying, “Everything seems worse when you’re tired. Try not to overthink things or make any major decisions tonight, especially when you are feeling emotional.” Dear friends, may I pass along this advice to you today?

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.

If you are tempted to quit a job, start a business, start homeschooling permanently, stop homeschooling permanently, move to a new city, buy a farm, quit pursuing your dream, join a commune or make any other major life decision just…wait. Because, if it is in fact the right decision, it will be made even clearer once our lives return to their ‘regularly scheduled programming’. Instead, in this strange season, let’s all just take a deep, collective breath and let it out slowly, releasing the anxiety that threatens to overtake us. Let’s help each other maintain some perspective and not slip into a posture of over-thinking every little thing in our lives. Let’s remember that the enemy of our souls would love nothing more than to use this time when things feel dark to manipulate us into thinking that aspects of our lives are worse than they actually are.

My prayer for you in these days is that you will have the clarity to know what is true and that you will be filled with peace even while we live in this season of so many unknowns.
Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking thes Raise your hand if you’re doing more baking these days! 🙋🏻‍♀️ I’m trying to avoid gaining the #corona15 but my daughter and I LOVE baking together and it does help to pass the time plus it counts as a science lesson right?

If you’re able to find flour in the stores (for the love people please stop overbuying!) and you’re doing more baking at your house too you need to add this apricot bread to your list of new recipes to try!

Normally I’d point you to my blog for the directions but I’m going to do you a solid and leave the full recipe in the comments.

What have you baked so far during this time of social distancing? I’d love some new ideas!
There are a LOT of people out walking in our neigh There are a LOT of people out walking in our neighborhood right now (but still social distancing!) and she decided that she wanted to bring them some joy and put a smile on their face when they pass by our house. Also, the square with ‘say no to coronavirus’ is priceless. 😂 I just love her so much!
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