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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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August 12, 2011

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 27!

Inspiration Friday Graphic
What a great turnout at last week’s party! We know we have said it before (probably several times!) but we hope you all know just how much we appreciate you. We were talking this week on the phone about how truly special our bloggy friendships are and how blessed we feel to be among a group of people whose love for their families and homes spills over into genuine care for each other in this unique community.
You guys are the best!!
Before we get to the Features from last week’s Inspiration Friday party, Vanessa is going to share with you how she created one-of-a-kind invitations for her daughter’s Tea Party themed Birthday this year.
The full reveal of the party will be next week so be sure to watch for it!
Take it away Vanessa…
When mommy Lauren decided she would like to have a Tea Party for her 4th Birthday, I was more than eager to create unique invitations for the 3 little girls who would be attending.
I scoured Goodwill looking for just the right teacups but they were either too ugly unattractive or too expensive (no joke!).
 When I found these oversized teacups at Marshalls I felt like I had struck Tea Party gold!
I picked up a bunch of these silk flowers on Clearance at Michaels and cut the stems down.

Bundled together and wrapped with twine, they fit perfectly inside the teacups.

Then I found a darling sheet of teapot scrapbook paper which was perfect for the actual invitation.
I cut them into small squares… 

and attached the party details to the reverse side.
A little pink bow on the corner topped it off!
I placed the invitations in photo holders and tucked them down inside the teacups.
These were hand delivered to Lauren’s little friends and served as an extra party favor!
Now, be sure to come back on Tuesday to check out the rest of the party details!
picketfence_20010
Let’s get to our Features now, shall we?
We flipped for this absolutely adorable idea shared with us by Michelle of Our Wonderfilled Life.
This Removable Teepee is seriously clever and Michelle gives an excellent tutorial on how to make this yourself. And, get this, she manages to get all of this done while raising 5 boys…including a set of QUADRUPLETS!! You are our hero Michelle!
Next up we have these darling Calla Lily Sandwiches by Trish from Sweetology. How cute are those?
We are thinking Vanessa might have to convice her daughter to have another Tea Party next year just so she can make these!
And our lovely friend Sarah from Modern Country Style not only got to meet THE Annie Sloan, she also used the amazing Chalk Paint to transform her Dining Room table into this gorgeous beauty!
Next up we have the gals from Tres Chere Vintage Market, who shared with us this gorgeous vignette they created for a friend. Now, we were a bit concerned when we saw the title to their link was “Don’t Poo on our Parade”….that might be the first time we have seen the word “Poo” pop up at Inspiration Friday!
But once you read the hilarious post you will understand completely and appreciate the final results even more!

And finally we have this incredible Beach Condo Makeover shared with us by Suzy from
Worthing Court. You absolutely must go over and check out what this looked like before!
They did an amazing job transforming this vacation home.
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


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

42 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. NanaDiana says

    August 11, 2011 at 8:22 PM

    Oh- I have to come back later tonight when I have the chance to visit each one of your features blogs. Love them ALL~ xo Diana

    Reply
  2. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    August 11, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    What a fancy party invitation idea. Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  3. Debra @ Common Ground says

    August 11, 2011 at 8:56 PM

    Love the idea of the tea party and those adorable tea cups, can’t wait to see more! thanks so much for the great party, love ya’ll bunches, xoxo Debra

    Reply
  4. Honey at 2805 says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:42 PM

    Love the teacups! Thanks ladies for hosting!

    Reply
  5. Sherry says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:44 PM

    What adorable party invitations! Lovely little cups. Thanks you for having us over. Much inspiration here.
    Sherry

    Reply
  6. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:46 PM

    Thanks for hosting! Love the teacups!

    Reply
  7. Catie says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    Hi Ladies! What great picks this week. I LOVE that beach house/condo. Soo cute. I was emailing back and fourth with Suzy talking about her space and my sunroom. She’s soo sweet!

    Vanessa – What a great idea on the party invites. I can’t wait to see the rest of the pics from the party.

    Thanks soo much for hosting ladies. Hope you both have a great weekend. : )

    Reply
  8. Richella says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    That must have been one spectacular tea party–those are the cutest invitations I’ve ever seen! What a wonderful idea for a memorable celebration.

    I will just go on record right now as saying that I think that 4-year-olds ROCK. I loved that stage of my boys’ growing-up years! Do y’all know the Christopher Morley poem about four-year-olds?

    The greatest poem ever known
    Is one all poets have outgrown:
    The poetry–innate, untold–
    Of being only four years old.

    Speaking of boys, I’ve made a bit of progress on LegoLee’s room. He now has a bed complete with upholstered headboard, which I’ve linked to your party. He’s loving it–and he requested that it be pushed against the wall so that nothing can fall down beside it. Hallelujah!

    Thanks for hosting!

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

    August 11, 2011 at 10:34 PM

    Love all the features! Thanks for hosting such a fun party!
    Debbie

    Reply
  10. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    August 11, 2011 at 11:12 PM

    Love a tea party and the invitations are fantastic. Thanks for hosting such a fun party. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  11. The Summer Porch says

    August 11, 2011 at 11:20 PM

    Thank you for hosting once again! I love those teacups. There are so many talented people out there!
    Hugs Rosemary…xx

    Reply
  12. Tres Chere Vintage Market says

    August 11, 2011 at 11:32 PM

    Hello Ladies! Thank you so much for featuring our “Poo Parade” post! You are wonderful! Oh and thank you again for hosting another fabulous Link Party!

    Angela & Debbie

    Reply
  13. bj says

    August 11, 2011 at 11:56 PM

    Love the cups and flowers..just precious.
    Thanks so much for hosting..

    Reply
  14. janet says

    August 12, 2011 at 12:47 AM

    Happy to be in the company of so many wonderful links!

    Thanks for hosting.

    Janet xox

    https://theemptynest-janet.blogspot.com/

    Reply
  15. Lynn@ The Vintage Nest says

    August 12, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    I bet there were some squeals of delight when those little girls got their invites. I will definitely put that one in my files for my big girl tea party this Spring. Many thanks for hosting this fun party. xo

    Reply
  16. Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says

    August 12, 2011 at 1:34 AM

    Hi, Girls! Vanessa, what an adorable idea for party invitations!
    You guys picked some great inspiration for this week. I’m off to take a closer look!

    Reply
  17. Liz says

    August 12, 2011 at 1:41 AM

    The cups and flowers are so pretty! Thanks for hosting, ladies! =) XO ~Liz

    Reply
  18. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    August 12, 2011 at 2:18 AM

    Hi Ladies! Thank you for hosting this week. Vanessa, The tea party invitations and cups are an adorable idea. Happy birthday to your daughter.
    xo,
    Sherry

    Reply
  19. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    August 11, 2011 at 9:52 PM

    Hey girls!! Super cute invitations Vanessa!! Just darling! Thanks for hosting today!! Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  20. Carrie @ Fine & Handy says

    August 12, 2011 at 5:40 AM

    I need to get me some cute tea cups. Great ideas! Thanks for hosting and have a great week!

    Reply
  21. Michelle@ourwonderfilledlife.com says

    August 12, 2011 at 1:09 AM

    First, I am so glad to see more of the tea party, those invitations are just precious, perfect paper!!

    I don’t think I can contain my excitement any longer! Thank you so much for featuring the removable teepee, so fantastic!! It is sooo greatly appreciated, and what wonderful company to be in!

    Truly so great, thank you!!
    {hugs}
    Michelle

    Reply
  22. Sandra says

    August 12, 2011 at 2:11 AM

    I sure do like the Poo Parade one! Actually, everything is so pretty! Thank you for hosting this fun party!
    Blessings,
    Sandra

    Reply
  23. Becca says

    August 12, 2011 at 11:52 AM

    What a beautiful invitation … and a lucky little girl! Knowing Vanessa, I’m sure not one detail was left out … I can’t wait to see pics! And, thanks for hosting, ladies … I crashed your party twice this week! xoxo

    Reply
  24. Ginger Zuck says

    August 12, 2011 at 12:43 PM

    This is the neatest! Those teacups with the flowers are just stunning!

    Reply
  25. Wendy says

    August 12, 2011 at 12:50 PM

    Can’t wait to see more of the tea party details!

    Thanks for hosting the party!

    Reply
  26. Stuff and Nonsense says

    August 12, 2011 at 1:10 PM

    i had a tea party birthday for my daughter’s 5th and it was so sweet and fun…since then we’ve had a few holiday tea parties just for fun and they’re always a hit…all linked up for the week!

    alison

    Reply
  27. stefanie says

    August 12, 2011 at 3:39 PM

    so many pretty links….thanks!

    Reply
  28. Kathy says

    August 12, 2011 at 3:47 PM

    Marvelous teacup! With the silk flowers and the beautiful paper – it makes a gorgeous vignette!
    Thank you for hosting this fun party,
    Kathy

    Reply
  29. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage.com says

    August 12, 2011 at 3:51 PM

    I love a tea party… thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  30. Petie@inspirednesting.com says

    August 12, 2011 at 4:07 PM

    How cute! I love that your 4yo wanted a tea party bday. That scrap paper is perfect, always amazed at the choices of papers out there. My 4yo had a Mardi Gras party/parade and she was the queen…..6 years ago!

    Tks for hosting a great party 🙂 Enjoy the sunshine…

    Reply
  31. Christine @ Stonehouse Living says

    August 12, 2011 at 4:24 PM

    Hi Vanessa & Heather,

    Love the old fashioned tea party theme…so sweet!! What a great keepsake the invitations are! I thought I would drop by with this garden tour, that My Husband and I went on. Thank you for your such a lovely party. Have a great weekend!!
    All the Best,
    Christine

    Reply
  32. Karena says

    August 12, 2011 at 5:41 PM

    Your party invitations and favors are so perfect!! I love all of the creativity and artistry here!! Will be back!

    xoxo
    Karena

    Art by Karena

    Reply
  33. Carrie's The Created Home says

    August 12, 2011 at 10:41 PM

    Hi! Love your blog! I am a new follower and decided to link up! Stop by and say hi sometime! Happy Friday!

    Reply
  34. A Cozy Cottage in the City says

    August 13, 2011 at 12:53 AM

    Thank you once again for hosting. This is my 2nd time linking up with you guys. I look forward to visiting the other blogs on here! 🙂 Have a great weekend!

    Best,
    Jessie

    Reply
  35. Sue says

    August 13, 2011 at 3:04 AM

    Can’t wait to see the rest of the fabulous tea party!
    Happy Weekend you two!

    Reply
  36. Charlotte says

    August 13, 2011 at 6:01 AM

    Great idea! Very colorful and so lovely. The card paper is perfect!

    Charlotte

    Reply
  37. laxsupermom says

    August 13, 2011 at 10:55 AM

    Terrific features! Those calla lily sandwiches are so creative! Thanks for sharing and for hosting this party each week.

    Reply
  38. Suzy says

    August 13, 2011 at 11:26 AM

    Oh my goodness! I’m a little behind on reading my fav blogs because I am sitting at the very beach house that you featured here on your blog. Thank you so, so much!!!! Being a newbie blogger, this is such a thrill for me! I am proud to display your button on my sidebar.

    Reply
  39. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    August 13, 2011 at 4:07 PM

    Your tea party invitations are really wonderful and creative! Love the oversized tea cups, too!

    Reply
  40. Sarah @ Modern Country Style says

    August 14, 2011 at 2:24 PM

    Hi lovely girls, thank you SO much for featuring my Annie Sloan adventures, and my dining room table makeover. You’ve really and truly put a biiiig smile on my face. Sarahxx

    Reply
  41. Design Dork says

    August 14, 2011 at 7:45 PM

    Those teacups are adorable! Wish we had a marshalls here!

    Reply

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Front door wreath….✔️ The very last Christmas dec Front door wreath….✔️

The very last Christmas decorating to be completed and one of the most important since there’s nothing I love more than welcoming people into our home this season.

I bought the wreath for $15 from a wonderful local vendor, reused my favorite bells and added a velvet bow in the color I’m carrying throughout the house this year.

Do you buy a fresh wreath each year or do you use a faux wreath on your front door? 

#frontdoorwreath #christmaswreath #christmasporch
The first day of December and the first Sunday of The first day of December and the first Sunday of advent. As we enter into a month that can be filled with stress, anxiety, worry and even sadness, let us turn our hearts towards the ONE who came as the ultimate, undeserved gift. Because it’s all about Him. 

“Who can add to Christmas? The perfect motive is that God so loved the world. The perfect gift is that He gave His only Son. The only requirement is to believe in Him. The reward of faith is that you shall have everlasting life.” (Corrie Ten Boom)
“I would maintain that thanks are the highest form “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” ~ G.K. Chesterton

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours dear friends! 🍂
Its that time of year again. I share this recipe e Its that time of year again. I share this recipe every November because it’s JUST.THAT.GOOD! 

And I have a confession ...I’d rather have cranberry sauce smothering the turkey on my plate than gravy any day!! And this, this right here? Well it’s the best (and easiest!) cranberry sauce ever!! I eat on crackers and sandwiches and sometimes just by the spoonful. It’s so yummy! And I’m just so very thankful for all of you that I’m going to leave the recipe right here instead of making you go to the blog to get it. I promise you won’t regret having this on your Thanksgiving menu but be warned...you may find yourself up in the middle of the night sneaking some helpings of this deliciousness. Or maybe that’s just me!

Ingredients:
2 pounds fresh or frozen cranberries
2 oranges
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup white wine.

Instructions:
Wash and pick over berries, removing any that are soft. Peel and dice oranges removing any seeds. Combine all ingredients in a large pot. Bring to a full boil. Reduce heat and continue cooking until cranberries pop open and mixture is thickening.
For best flavor, prepare and let stand for several days before using.

Gobble, gobble!! 🦃
It’s that time of year again!! Chex Mix will be ma It’s that time of year again!! Chex Mix will be made on repeat for the next month and I’ve figured out the secret to getting the BEST flavor.

Want to know what it is? It’s all about being EXTRA! 

Take the base recipe up a notch by using a full stick of butter, extra tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce and an extra 1/2 tablespoon of Lawry’s seasoning salt.

I guarantee you’ll never go back!

You’re welcome. 😉🎄

#chexmix #chexmixupgrade
Happy Friday!! I limped my way to the end of the w Happy Friday!! I limped my way to the end of the week and I’m feeling especially grateful for the twinkling lights around my home which give me so much joy.

The great debate on social media over whether or not Christmas decorations should appear before Thanksgiving is one I just let roll on past me. Because I am so unbelievably thankful for this life, my family, my friends, this country, this home and most of all my Savior. 

Having my home all ready to welcome the next sacred season doesn’t take away one iota from my ability to express gratitude on the official day set aside each year where we do that collectively.

And when the last slice of turkey has been eaten and all of the leftovers put away, I’ll be over here ready to be fully present in the month of December and soak up every bit of it! 🦃🎄
IKEA vs Heirlooms: Why we need family treasures “ IKEA vs Heirlooms: Why we need family treasures

“My children have grown up seeing antique books on a coffee table, vintage toys in their bedrooms and even pieces of furniture that were all passed down from one generation to the next. But as my nest gets closer and closer to being empty, I’m keenly aware of the fact that many of these cherished items might not be as welcome in the homes of future generations.”

*Read the rest over at @cleartruthmedia*
All of my CTM articles are saved in my highlights
Not too long ago, someone told me that they liked Not too long ago, someone told me that they liked it better when I just talked about decorating and didn’t mention anything else. This person preferred me to keep any opinions or convictions to myself and just focus only on content about home decor, crafts and recipes. Aside from the fact that I’m always astonished that people feel so free to say things like that, I do agree that it would be a lot easier and more palatable if I didn’t talk about things like a Biblical Worldview, apologetics and the nature of reality itself. For one thing, Instagram wouldn’t throttle my account with its algorithms that are skewed to diminish voices like mine. It would be much easier to be so tethered to this app that I change everything I post to fit into its preferred framework. I would be asked to be part of influencer groups and activities like I was years ago. But I’m not that person anymore. Yes, the core of this community will always be an emphasis on homemaking which will include decorating and recipes but I can’t separate that from the core of who I am as a follower of Jesus Christ.

It would be so much easier for me to just show you the latest Amazon products I’ve bought and tell you to “comment” to get the links. But I’m not called to take the easy path. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many.”

I truly believe that so many have been lulled into thinking that the narrow gate wasn’t really all that narrow. But, it’s never been more obvious that it really is. And every day I seek to stay on that very narrow way.  More than ever before, I believe that our world needs to know that there is objective truth and a solid foundation to stand upon as we navigate our lives. My role as a homemaker is predicated on that foundation and everything else flows out of it. Talking about these things isn’t going to get me lots of views here. 

But I live for an audience of ONE.
The first time we hosted my in-laws for a meal was The first time we hosted my in-laws for a meal was in 1998. I was a new bride and eager to impress them. It did not go well. Let’s just say there was a bit of a garbage disposal mishap. 

It’s been over 25 years since then and I’ve learned so much about what really matters when it comes to hosting and caring for my family well during the holiday season. 

The peace we long for in our home begins with our hearts. If you want your home to feel more peaceful during the upcoming holiday season, I have five things to consider that will make that not only possible but predictable.

✨ Read the full article over at @club31women ✨

#club31women #wearethehomemakers
Here, in my little corner of social media, you won Here, in my little corner of social media, you won’t find a lot of unboxing of brand new items for Christmas. 

What I’m unboxing are the decorations in the attic that  I’ve had for years and figuring out how to give them a fresh look. I added new lights to an old pre-lit tree that no longer worked because I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. I’m putting out a different set of mugs at the hot cocoa station and the advent candles are arranged with greenery from outside.

As our feeds are filled with so.much.stuff, I want to offer you a reprieve. A place where you will find less emphasis on what’s happening in our homes and more on what’s happening in our hearts.

More than ever before, I can see just how much people are needing the hope found in Christ and that will always be the focus here. 

So, while you may not see me unpacking a massive, new tree or telling you to “comment for the link”, what you will see is encouragement to turn our hearts to what matters the most and let that reflect in every corner of our homes this season and all year long. 🌲

#wearethehomemakers #homemaking #homemakerschristmas #club31women
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