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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

September 3, 2011

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 30!

Inspiration Friday Graphic1
30 weeks!!
How did that happen??
We can’t believe how much fun these last 30 weeks have been partying with you all and we feel so blessed to have watched this little ol’ blog grow and change. We cannot tell you how much it means to us to be apart of this wonderful community.

Among the many incredible things that have happened since starting our journey with you, has been the opportunity to work with our amazing Sponsors.
We thought this would be a great time to take a moment and officially introduce you to them!
We started working with this awesome company shortly after we launched and we think they are just fabulous!
Simple Stencil
The Simple Stencil has the most incredible stencils…truly something for everyone!
simple stencil 1  simple stencil 2

both of us have used their stencils several times and we are so pleased with their product! If you’re looking for some great lettering for your walls or projects please check out The Simple Stencil!

Our next sponsor is so talented, but not only is Andrea from Signs by Andrea talented she’s a sweetheart too!

Signs by Andrea
When Heather admired a sign that Andrea had linked up to Inspiration Friday..Andrea sent it to her!! Um, hello…how sweet is that! Andrea has a sign to fit any need or budget and can even customize a sign for you.
firstnames3ftcollage
kidarrowscollagecustomcollage
We will be sharing more of Andrea’s beautiful signs coming up soon…where YOU might win one…stay tuned. Winking smile Until then, At The Picket Fence friends can get $5 off a sign right now by entering FENCES at checkout! Thanks Andrea!
Our next two sponsors have the most fabulous Etsy Shops!

unexpected Elegance
Unexpected Elegance specializes in vintage or antique items and create one of a kind pieces from the “unexpected!” Angela always has beautiful and “unexpected” items for sale in her shop.
h a n d m a d e  Enamel Numbered Tags    h a n d m a d e  Birch Napkin Rings with Metal Numbered Plaques


Wouldn’t these tags and napkin rings be beautiful for fall? Visit Unexpected Elegance for even more lovely and unexpected items!

 
If you love all things vintage you’ll love The Old Block House Vintage Home Décor

 

 
We just love these numbers and the beautiful grain sacks!
 
Vintage Numbers Stitched on Wool Circle  
 
You can find many more vintage items at Vintage Home Décor!
 
We were excited about the opportunity to work with two of our favorite online stores!

Joss & Main     Dresses from Shabby Apple
If you are not a member of either of these fabulous retailers we invite you to visit them through our links in our sidebar under sponsors! We are so grateful for the privilege of not only working with these incredible companies but also for the friendships which have developed with them as a result.
Please pay these talented folks a visit and let them know the girls from the fence sent you!
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of At The Picket Fence we’d love to have you as part of our team! Since there is still one more week of summer…and we’re going to cherish each day….we are offering our summer buy one get one advertising special for one more week! For more information you can visit our Advertise With Us page or email us for specifics!
picketfence_20010
Let’s get to our Features, shall we?
Now, we promise we aren’t featuring this adorable Vintage Circus Birthday Party from Blog 5 to 9 just because Vanessa was so thrilled to find someone else in blogland named Vanessa!
Really!
Obviously we are featuring this because it is just so beyond creative and darling and we totally flipped out when we saw it.

 
 
You must go over and see all of the details to fully appreciate just how fantastic this is!
 
Pallets, pallets everywhere! Pallets are all the rage right now and Inspiration Friday is no exception…
 
Now, to know Debbie of Debbiedoo’s Blogging and Blabbing is to love her!
Not only do we consider her the official driver of the Blogging Welcome Wagon, but she is seriously creative to boot! So we shouldn’t have been surprised when she took a free wood pallet from Lowes and transformed it into this….
 
 
But, we were! Because Debbie is full of surprises and her talent knows no bounds. If you don’t know Debbie yet, you are seriously missing out so get on over and pay her a visit. You’ll be glad you did!

Alicia from La Famille took pallets in a whole other direction when she made this fabulous pallet bed for her sunroom!
 

Her sunroom redo is fabulous and this pallet bed…well, we just LOVE it!
 
We also love how Happily Home…After used a trick of the eye to make the most of her beautiful bedroom.  It proves that with a little ingenuity and creativity, you can work within the existing footprint of a space and maximize it’s potential!
 
 
 

With only one more week of summer left, we wanted to leave you with two delicious recipes that would be perfect for Labor Day!
Jennifer from Jane Deere shared this mouth watering BBQ Grilled Shrimp Tostadas…um yep making these for sure!
and Yummy Mummy shared these decadent and beautiful Mini Mud Pies as a special tribute…

Please visit Yummy Mummy to read more about the significance behind these tiny little pies.
  
We also want to let you know about our newest Friday Party Friend, Honey from 2805!
Be sure to hop on over and join her brand new Linky Party where you will find a veritable “Potpourri” of inspiring ideas and creativity. We’ll see you there!
 

And thank you to all of our features this week as well as to all of you who share your amazing ideas, projects and inspiration with us each and every week! 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

The gracious Debra from Common Ground

vif187


And our newest Friday Party Friend, Honey from 2805


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?”

39 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday, Sponsors

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Previous Post: « Have your cake…and your veggies too…Chocolate Zucchini Espresso Cake
Next Post: Simply Sunday…Oh How He Loves Us! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Michelle Paige says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:15 PM

    Always love your picks! Thanks for hosting such an inspiring linky party!

    Reply
  2. Michell @ Girl In Air says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:20 PM

    Thank you for hosting!! Love your awesome sponsors! I’m going to check them out:-)

    Have a fabulous weekend!

    Reply
  3. Honey at 2805 says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    Thanks for being gracious hostesses and good friends! I appreciate you!

    Reply
  4. Richella says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:26 PM

    What a lovely group of features! Isn’t it fun to see the products of such amazing talent and creativity?

    I’m linking up a tiny little project–$1.99 and a little work–but I’m happy with the way it turned out! Thanks for welcoming entries large and small!

    Hope y’all have a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

    Reply
  5. Catie @ Catie's Corner says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:35 PM

    Happy nearly Friday ladies! Thanks, once again, for hosting. Some really great picks from last week. Can’t wait to see the links this week. : )
    ~ Catie

    Reply
  6. Pam - diy Design Fanatic says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:38 PM

    Such great projects! Love them all!

    Reply
  7. Brandi says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    Thanks for hosting, ladies!
    Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  8. Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:40 PM

    Thanks for hosting, ladies! : ) This is perfect ~ I need little number tags for small metal pails I have. I’ve been wanting to do, basically, a copy of pails I see people have gotten at TJ Maxx, but I already have the pails, just need the numbers.

    Reply
  9. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    September 1, 2011 at 8:50 PM

    Those little mini mud pies are calling my name. Great features and thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  10. The Summer Porch says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:21 PM

    The featured blogs are beautiful. I’m always in for chocolate!
    Thank you Ladies for hosting once again.
    Have a great weekend,
    Rosemary…

    Reply
  11. Stuff and Nonsense says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:22 PM

    ah…no same features this week…although i nearly featured alicia’s pallet daybed…gorgeous…all linked up!

    alison

    Reply
  12. Sherry says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:31 PM

    Wonderful features. The chocolate looks amazing! Thanks for having us over!
    Sherry

    Reply
  13. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:46 PM

    Great features. There’s always so much inspiration to see. Thanks for hosting such a fun party. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  14. Tres Chere says

    September 1, 2011 at 9:57 PM

    Awesome features this week! Love the pallet shelf. Thank yu for hosting! Have a fabulous weekend!

    Reply
  15. Lakeshore Cottage Living says

    September 1, 2011 at 10:10 PM

    Thanks for hosting you two sweeties! Ok…I linked up two today and if that is not ok I can come back and delete one. Have a great weekend. Thought of you Vanessa today as I had a melt down at breakfast this morning…and then I made myself have an attitude adjustment…lol.

    Reply
  16. Debra @ Common Ground says

    September 1, 2011 at 10:12 PM

    Hey Girlies, Happy big 30!! Love being part of the fun over here!
    xoxo!

    Reply
  17. Sonya@Beyond the Screen Door says

    September 1, 2011 at 10:25 PM

    Hey, Girls! Sorry for linking up twice. Had a slight glitch with the linky photo. Thanks for the party!

    Reply
  18. Lounging with a Latte says

    September 1, 2011 at 10:45 PM

    Thanks for hosting Inspirational Friday, lots of lovely things to view.

    Reply
  19. Sue says

    September 1, 2011 at 11:06 PM

    Great selection of featured bloggers, girls! I had the opportunity to meet Angela when she was at Horton’s Flea Market. She is a sweetheart. I hope to see her again at an upcoming show. 🙂 Always a pleasure to be here. Hope to have more yard updates soon. The crew did awesome work this week. xo Sue

    Reply
  20. Katie says

    September 1, 2011 at 11:54 PM

    Thanks so much for hosting!!!

    Reply
  21. FABBY'S LIVING says

    September 2, 2011 at 12:57 AM

    Nice features. Thank you so much for hosting such great party!! I’m joining you with a fall tablescape I had lots of fun doing. Lots of hugs. FABBY

    Reply
  22. Rosemary@villabarnes says

    September 2, 2011 at 1:02 AM

    Thanks for being such great hosts.

    Reply
  23. Diann says

    September 2, 2011 at 1:34 AM

    Fun Features and sponsors! Thank you for hosting!

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

    September 2, 2011 at 2:04 AM

    Awww…what a pleasant surprise to see my pallet featured. Thank you…all great features. Thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  25. bj says

    September 2, 2011 at 2:07 AM

    Ijust LOVE coming over and getting all fired up and inspired. 🙂
    You young ones work us old ones to death,just trying to stay up with ya. :))
    xo bj

    Reply
  26. Ruby Jean says

    September 2, 2011 at 2:21 AM

    Hello, Hello, Hello… I am so happy to have come across your blog…Through Common Grounds Blog…I just signed up as one of your Newest Happy Picket Fence People… : ) I also just linked up Decorating in Small Spaces…Thank you for hosting a great Linky Party and I am looking forward to joining you again…Have a VERY blessed weekend

    Reply
  27. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    September 1, 2011 at 11:11 PM

    Hey there girls!! Great features this week! It’s not showing my link yet- but I did link up! I’ll stop back by to make sure it shows up a little later! Thanks for hosting! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Kerry Rossow says

    September 2, 2011 at 12:26 PM

    Sorry, I panicked when my post didn’t show up and I posted twice! Rookie alert!
    Thank you for hosting!
    Kerry at housetalkn.blogspot.com

    Reply
  29. Tracy Suzanne says

    September 2, 2011 at 2:21 PM

    Hi, thanks for letting me link up with your party. I’m enjoying your blog so much. I’m your newest subscriber and I’m adding you to my blog post.

    Hugs…Tracy 🙂

    Reply
  30. Upscale Downhome says

    September 2, 2011 at 6:07 PM

    Thanks for hosting the party! Lots of inspiration to get my creativity flowing this weekend. Can’t wait to check out lots of the entries!

    Reply
  31. Robin @ Happily Home, After says

    September 2, 2011 at 6:41 PM

    Heather and Vanessa,

    Thanks for featuring my bedroom / Abracadabra “now you see it, now you don’t” post. This week I don’t have a contribution for the party but I am eager to check out all the ideas already posted. Have a great holiday weekend.

    Robin
    happilyhomeafter.blogspot.com

    Reply
  32. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage.com says

    September 2, 2011 at 7:24 PM

    Thank you for another great party!

    Reply
  33. Dayle says

    September 2, 2011 at 9:12 PM

    The vintage circus birthday party … awesome!

    Thanks for hosting this great party.

    Reply
  34. Natasha in Oz says

    September 2, 2011 at 10:31 PM

    Thanks for having me today! Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

    Best wishes,
    Natasha @ 5 Minutes Just for Me

    Reply
  35. Erin {Lavender and Lemon Drops} says

    September 3, 2011 at 3:16 AM

    Thanks for hosting! Have a great Labor Day weekend 🙂

    Reply
  36. Debbie says

    September 3, 2011 at 12:36 PM

    Your picks are wonderful. I’ve been so hit and miss that I had missed that pallet one at Debbiedos. I happen to have a pallet sitting in my garage right now.

    Reply
  37. Lynn at Cottage and Creek says

    September 3, 2011 at 4:37 PM

    I’m looking forward to visiting all your inspiring participants. Thanks for hosting this fun party.
    ~Lynn

    Reply
  38. Haniela says

    September 5, 2011 at 2:35 AM

    I haven’t had a time to visit in while and I’ve missed to much, thanks for hosting the party, I enjoy seeing new ideas and great picture. Beautiful work!!!

    Reply
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“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 and the principles upon which our country was founded. May we honor their sacrifice by being vigilant too. #memorialday
I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables t I’ve been on the lookout for small side tables to pit next to our outdoor couch and when I spotted these plant stands at @walmart from their @betterhomesandgardens line I knew they would be perfect…and they are!! 👏🏻 This is not a sponsored post. I’m just happily sharing this great find and why we should always be open to thinking outside of the box when it comes finding solutions for our decorating dilemmas.

Now we’re ready to head into this beautiful weekend! ☀️
What do you do when you want to use a bunch of boo What do you do when you want to use a bunch of books in your decorating but it can cost $50 or more for just ONE brand new book? Head to the secondhand bookstore of course! I’m so excited about this new look in my family room and this easy, inexpensive decorating tip I’m bringing to you for this #tiptuesday
Today feels like one of those days that is worthy Today feels like one of those days that is worthy of a chef’s kiss. Blue sky with nary a cloud in sight, perfect mid-70’s temps, a gentle breeze blowing through my hair as I walk around my yard to see the status of my flowering plants.

This morning I was running errands and the weight of hard things that are happening in the world, the culture, my own community and even in our circle of friends just felt so heavy.

But, as I was exiting a store, I passed a couple who were in their late 60’s/early 70’s and holding hands as they walked through the parking lot. I happened to glance over just as the husband lifted his wife’s hand up and planted a kiss right on it. It was a moment that reflected such love and tenderness and it was made sweeter by the fact that they weren’t spring chickens. I felt honored that I had been the one to observe and appreciate that moment.

What an incredible thing it is that as humans we are able to hold so many emotions in our souls all at once. To feel sorrow for the pain a friend is enduring, grieve the decline of a culture drifting further from the Lord, ponder how to navigate a challenging school situation, marvel at and enjoy the beauty of creation right outside my door and feel joy at getting to see a tangible example of lasting love while walking through a parking lot.

I truly believe that as we mature in our lives and in our faith, we learn to embrace the tension that comes with the collision of different emotions and recognize that they can all coexist at the same time without one taking something away from another. Simple joys make the hard stuff a bit easier and hard stuff makes us appreciate those simple joys even more.

What’s a simple joy that you are thankful for today?
Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here Oh what an absolutely lovely weekend we had!! Here are some highlights…

*Friday night I joined some wonderful ladies at church for a time of fellowship and yummy desserts. I made a strawberry lemon coffee cake and it was amazing if I do say so myself. ☺️ We are new-ish to this church and have just felt so warmly welcomed and folded in which has been very healing.

*Saturday was filled with getting our outdoor spaces spiffed up and my guys got our new table put together!

*Sitting outside for lunch with a yummy salad and iced tea felt like a little slice of heaven.

*Sunday we went to the iris gardens with my in-laws and then came home for naps and the most mouth watering ribs that my sweet husband had on the smoker all day.

*This glorious weekend ended with some ferocious rounds of UNO-corn (a hilarious version of UNO) and brownies my sweet daughter made for our dessert.

How was your weekend sweet friends? 🌸
I am absolutely and completely a better version of I am absolutely and completely a better version of myself when the sun is shining! Raise your hand if this is true for you too.

And, not only do I feel myself seeming to physically rise up from a slumbered state to greet the sunshine we've been longing for, I find that it seems like my house is rising up too. Every room, every nook and cranny (even though I now see dust bunnies that I missed during my cleaning on the dreary days), every leaf and flower outside...it's all coming to life and breathing fresh hope into my spirit. What a gift it is to be able to enjoy this home in all of the seasons of the year and of our lives. Now, I'm going to head outside and clean our deck and maybe there will be some time leftover for those dust bunnies!
I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispenser I’m slightly obsessed with these glass dispensers! They come with pre-made labels for SO many different options and would make a great Mother’s Day gift! I love how they add a bit of pizzazz to my kitchen. And they go perfectly with some of my antique accessories like the little dish my mother in law gave me for salt and pepper and the tiny toothpick holder which belonged to my great grandmother. 

If you’d like the link to order them, just leave a comment with the word ‘bottles’ and I’ll send it your way. They’re even on sale right now! 🙌🏻
The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This The lilacs are coming! The lilacs are coming! This is what I’m thinking (and sometimes saying out loud) every time I pass my dining room window and see my lilac tree bursting forth. I should probably just go full Paul Revere and ring a bell while I shout the news for all to hear. I’m sure my family would love that!

Lilac season is so bittersweet because it’s over way too soon but, fortunately, I’ve figured out how to capture the deliciousness of the fragrance by making my own lilac scented room spray. It’s SO simple!

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.

This sweet little project was first featured in my book Life in Season and is definitely one of my favorites.

Have the lilacs started blooming where you live?
The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard ar The cherry blossoms on the tree in our backyard are at their peak and I’m here for it!
It’s time for another #tiptuesday! One of the gr It’s time for another #tiptuesday! One of the greatest joys of this stage in my parenting journey is getting to see the results of the years spent pouring into my children. The worry, the sleepless nights, praying, questioning our decisions and learning to trust in the Lord Who loves them even more than we do. We definitely didn’t do everything right, but what an an amazing experience it is to watch them become these incredible teens/young adults. My tip this week might seem simple, but I believe it can make a major difference in the lives of our children, in our homes and maybe, just maybe, in the culture too. 🌸
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