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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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  • Meet Vanessa
    • Featured

December 2, 2011

Welcome to Inspiration Friday No. 43!

Can you believe it is the first weekend in December? We are so excited for the month ahead which will be filled with lots of great ideas, recipes and fantastic giveaways!

Thank you so much for coming over and partying with us last weekend. We know it was a busy time for everyone but we sure do appreciate those of you who joined in!

Before we jump into the party this week, we want to take a minute and introduce you to our newest sponsors here at the Fence. The talent among this group is incredible and we feel honored to be partnering with them!

junksposition

At juNxtaposition you can find the coolest typeset necklaces, tags and prints! I know my tween would love one of these cool necklaces!
We’re also happy to be working with Chatty Chics!

She has such a darling new blog full of great ideas, projects and giveaways! Be sure to stop by and tell her the gals At The Picket Fence sent ya!
We also want to remind you again of what will be happening around here next week. There is a flurry of activity going on in our homes as we get ready for this fun event!
Are you ready for it?
christmasblockpartyfinal

And a little birdie told us there would be some AMAZING GIVEAWAYS going on during the party….cause it’s not Christmas without GIFTS…and who better to shower gifts on then the best bloggers around!! Wondering what we’ll all be giving away?!
Well you’ll have to check in on each party to see what you can WIN!!

Whether you join one party or all 9 of them, we know you will have a great time sharing your creativity with us and hopefully getting lots of fabulous inspiration as well!
We asked our friends on Facebook to share any other parties we should know about.  We wanted to let you know about some other fabulous parties going on during December here in Blogland!
First we are excited to be participating in Before Meets After’s 12 Crafty Days of Christmas

Crafty Christmas
Starting on the 5th through the 20th Lisa will be featuring some amazing bloggers sharing their Christmas Crafts…and we are honored to be among them! We’ll be sharing our crafts on December 14th…and of course with us gals you get two for the price of one! Now that’s a bargain…Winking smile

We love this next one…it’s like 12 days of gifts for you! A Simply Klassic Home is throwing a 12 Days of Printables Party! How awesome is that?!

Today you can find the first printable over at this lovely blog, a gorgeous JOY printable, and she’s kicking off the party with a GIVEAWAY! Be sure to bookmark this and check in each day for a new holiday printable.

The gals at Uncommon are hosting a  Home for the Holidays Link Party every Wednesday all month!

Click on the button below to go to our link party!
Kissed By A Frog (isn’t that an adorable name?!) is letting us link up our Christmas Wish Lists all month! She shares her amazing wish list and you can share yours as well!

Natasha at Keeping the Christmas Alive, 365 is hosting her “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” Link Party on December 12th!

Our friend Roeshel at The DIY Showoff is hosting a month of Holiday Highlights where you can link up your Holiday Projects!

The DIY Show Off

Our friend Lynn, over at Blue Skies, is hosting a linky party of a different sort.  Every Friday in December she is asking readers to share the moments during this sometimes crazy holiday season, where we stopped to take “good care of” the moment we are in.  What is she talking about you ask? 

a little blue skies

Read Lynn’s beautiful post where she shares the thought behind this special party and be sure to visit Lynn starting tomorrow to link up your posts, where you share your “moments”.

Our sweetheart of a friend Pamela, from My Front Porch To Yours, is hosting a Mantel Party on December 5th!

And last but most definitely not least, the Fab Four (they are fabulous, aren’t they!) are hosting their annual Linky Party!

Holiday_Home_Banner_2011-1
Are you hosting a Holiday Party this month?  If so let us know in the comments and we’ll be sure to share it on our Facebook Page, with our Facebook Friends!

Whew! Are you tuckered out yet? Well perk up because it’s time for the Features from last week’s party!

picketfence_20010_thumb[18]

Grace at Sense and Simplicity shared this absolutely clever idea for creating this birch log gift packaging out of a recycled Pringles Chips container! Aren’t those darling?

And of course we would be remiss if we didn’t also share her amazing recipe for Chocolate Chunk Cookies. She says they would make the perfect gifts for neighbors but we aren’t sure they would actually make it out of our own homes! Winking smile

Kelly at The Essence of Home revealed her gorgeous revamped Family room and we just love how it exudes a warm and cozy feeling while still being so light and bright. Well done Kelly!

We haven’t ever take on the challenge of gilding ,so we loved this tutorial from Relics of Witney Limited on how to gild!

They demonstrated different gilding techniques in their How To Gild Series! So beautiful!

We love all of the “nature inspired” Christmas decor this year, and this DIY wreath from Shabby Love is no exception.  

We think this is the cutest DIY gift giving idea and so inexpensive! Crazy Wonderful shows us how to create these custom magnets yourseof..the ideas could be endless!

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 code located in on our Buttons Page found under our header!

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:



stuffandnonsense
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 (MANDATORY) and not just your url (main blog address)
  • Please post our button (code on our Buttons Page found at top of blog) or a text link on your blog so others can join in the fun! Tutorial on how to link up a button: Blogging 101
  • 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 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!

Are you new to linky parties and kinda confused how they work? Have you wondered if you’re following “linky party etiquette”? We invite you to pay Donna at Funky Junk Interiors a visit and follow her great Linky Party Series! 


This Inspiration Friday is sponsored by:

There is still time to enter the fabulous giveaway going on for her handmade burlap stockings! Just scroll down to the next post for details!


60 Comments Filed Under: Inspiration Friday

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. ℳartina @ Northern Nesting says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:01 PM

    Thanks for hosting girls! Have a great weekend, Martina

    Reply
  2. Melissa says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:02 PM

    Thank you so much for featuring my nature inspired wreath!! What an honor and a great surprise!! And thank you for hosting! I look forward to your party every week!!!

    Reply
  3. Calypso In The Country says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:03 PM

    I love the features again! Thanks for hosting!
    -Shelley

    Reply
  4. Shenita @ Embellishments by SLR says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:06 PM

    I love all of these features! Thanks so much for hosting this great party each week! Glad to link up! Have a great week!

    Reply
  5. Lynn at Cottage and Creek says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:17 PM

    Your features are great! I love the idea of reusing the Pringles can. So clever. And the cookies look delish! Thanks for hosting, girls. Your hard work is appreciated.
    Lynn

    Reply
  6. marty (A Stroll Thru Life) says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:19 PM

    Wonderful features. Thanks so much for hosting such a fun party. Hugs, Marty

    Reply
  7. Ruby Jean says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:21 PM

    Loving that DIY Cookie Canister… Great idea… 🙂 Have a Great week!!

    Reply
  8. Laurel says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:32 PM

    Hello ladies…all linked up again! Thanks for hosting 🙂 Laurel

    Reply
  9. Kim @ Savvy Southern Style says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:35 PM

    Thanks for hosting, girls!

    Reply
  10. Jacqueline says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:36 PM

    Thanks so much for hosting this great party! Although I had trouble with the link tool somehow I linked up twice for both of my projects sorry.

    Reply
  11. Honey at 2805 says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    Fun features, ladies, and a very informative post! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  12. Honey at 2805 says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:47 PM

    Fun features, ladies, and a very informative post! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  13. Debbiedoo's blogging and blabbing says

    December 1, 2011 at 9:59 PM

    Thanks for hosting, can’t wait til Monday!

    Reply
  14. Kelly says

    December 1, 2011 at 10:20 PM

    Thanks so much for featuring me from my post last week! I was tickled to see that. I grabbed your button and added it to my blog. I’ve linked up another post to your party this week too. Thanks so much for hosting!

    Reply
  15. stefanie says

    December 1, 2011 at 10:54 PM

    so many good ideas!

    Reply
  16. Natasha in Oz says

    December 1, 2011 at 11:22 PM

    Happy Friday! Thanks so much for having me today and for always being such a sweet hostesses. I have linked up a couple of posts today, one from my Pinterest link up and one from my Christmas Blog. I am hosting a 12 Days of Christmas Series and today’s post is full of Candy Cane inspiration! I hope you might be able to pop by some time!

    Have a happy weekend!

    Best wishes,
    Natasha.

    Reply
  17. Kristin says

    December 1, 2011 at 11:25 PM

    Thank you ladies for featuring my printables party!!!

    Reply
  18. Debbie refresh restyle says

    December 1, 2011 at 11:55 PM

    Thanks for hosting and providing all the party info. Kelly’s room is gorgeous! I must go visit her!
    Debbie

    Reply
  19. A Vintage Vine says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:06 AM

    Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  20. Amanda says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:12 AM

    Thank you SO much for hosting, ladies! Have a wonderful evening!
    Best Wishes and Blessings,
    Amanda

    Reply
  21. Gwen @ The Bold Abode says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:16 AM

    Hey girlies! I am so excited to link up today! Thanks for hosting.

    Yall pop over and play Christmas Mad libs with me! I need some wordy-words!!!

    Reply
  22. Debra @ Common Ground says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:36 AM

    Great features, and thanks for the party news! just linked up, xoxo

    Reply
  23. Martha says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:37 AM

    Wow lots of Christmas fun going on! Thanks for hosting!

    Reply
  24. Debbie says

    December 2, 2011 at 12:42 AM

    I feel as if I don’t have five minutes to sit and enjoy blogs, and there you go… whetting the appetite for about five different blogs. I love that family room!

    Reply
  25. Lakeshore Cottage Living says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    All of the food pics are making me soooooo hungry…and I am trying to lose weight so it is hard…definitely NOT clicking on those links lol. They look yummy. I really like the cork wreath you featured…so different. And thank you for posting the links to the other parties..that is very helpful. Vanessa, I know I have said it before, but thank you so much for your very encouraging comments that you leave more me!

    Reply
  26. Katie says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:30 AM

    Thanks for hosting Ladies! Have a great weekend!

    Reply
  27. Alicia @ Sweet Ava Kate says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:42 AM

    Thanks for hosting! Just linked up! Have a great weekend! 🙂

    Reply
  28. Shelley says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:43 AM

    What a treat and an honor to see my magnets featured here!!! Thank you so much! Hope you have a fabulous remainder of the week 🙂

    Reply
  29. AshTreeCottage says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:44 AM

    Hey you two ~ thanks for hosting!

    Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

    Reply
  30. Pamela says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:54 AM

    I just came to party and OMG!! Thanx for the shout out gals for my Holiday Mantel party on the 5th!!! That was super sweet of ya!!!

    Reply
  31. Kerry Rossow says

    December 2, 2011 at 2:03 AM

    Holy buckets! What a great list of holiday parties! Thank you for sharing! I love the supportive blogging community!
    Thank you for hosting!
    Kerry at HouseTalkN

    Reply
  32. Lisa @ Before Meets After says

    December 2, 2011 at 2:16 AM

    Thanks for hosting! I always look forward to your weekly link ups 🙂 I can’t wait to see what crafts you come up with!

    Reply
  33. Youaretalkingtoomuch.com says

    December 2, 2011 at 2:39 AM

    Sorry I’m late! I came in with a bang and posted three of this weeks projects : ) Thank you for hosting! Love, Me http://www.youaretalkingtoomuch.com

    Reply
  34. Shelia says

    December 2, 2011 at 3:09 AM

    Hi ladies! Oh, the parties this month! Now I’ll be attending some and just hope they’ll have some tasty refreshments! 😉
    Thank you two for hosting.
    Be a couple of sweeties,
    Shelia 😉

    Reply
  35. Jennifer @ Town and Country Living says

    December 2, 2011 at 4:07 AM

    Lovin’ Kelly’s family room. Great choice! Thanks for hosting.

    Reply
  36. Lynn Richards says

    December 2, 2011 at 5:06 AM

    Wow. It’s BUSY in blogland for December!!!! Loved reading through all the inspirational ideas for the holidays. Thanks so, so much for the mention about Fridays over at Blueskies-you two are the BEST.
    xo
    lynn

    Reply
  37. Erin {Lavender and Lemon Drops} says

    December 2, 2011 at 5:52 AM

    Thanks so much for hosting 🙂

    Reply
  38. Cozy Home Scenes says

    December 2, 2011 at 2:16 AM

    Thanks for hosting the party every week. I’ll be adding my posts in a few minutes.

    Just wanted you to know I have a Gingerbread Party and Giveaway going on my blog for the next 12 days. People are welcome to add anything gingerbread related. If you’d like to mention it on Facebook, I’d love the mention.

    Reply
  39. Christie says

    December 2, 2011 at 2:58 AM

    Thank you for all the hot spots to visit and party! Thank you two for hosting! Christie

    Reply
  40. Carrie @ My Favorite Finds says

    December 2, 2011 at 3:38 PM

    Thanks for hosting! I pinned the magnets you featured last week to make for Christmas gifts. Good choice!

    Reply
  41. Christina {Designing by Numbers} says

    December 2, 2011 at 3:56 PM

    Hi Heather and Vanessa! Yowza, this is going to be one busy party month!!!

    Love the features this week too – especially that wreath! I’m so missing my pumpkin pod wreaths now that fall is officially over (in my house anyway!), but this is exactly the kind of alternative I’d love to try!

    This week I’m linking up my custom coloured magnetic chalkboard (link #259). Yeah, not very holiday related, but I feel like it’s taken me forever to get to this project, so now that it’s finally done I’m crazy eager to parade it around (blog)town!

    Hope you gals like it!

    Take care,
    Christina
    http://www.designingbynumbers.com

    Reply
  42. Hollie - TheSevenYearCottage says

    December 2, 2011 at 4:08 PM

    Thank you for hosting!

    Reply
  43. Stuff and Nonsense says

    December 2, 2011 at 4:33 PM

    well
    we only had one feature in common
    so we’re getting better

    love the features
    and all linked up!

    alison

    Reply
  44. Mimi says

    December 2, 2011 at 6:23 PM

    Loved the gilding and the magnet ideas. Both seem like great ideas for holiday giving projects.

    Reply
  45. A Cozy Cottage in the City says

    December 2, 2011 at 7:23 PM

    Thank you for hosting! Every one of your features are just AWESOME!!! Love it all!!! Happy Holidays!

    XO’s,
    Jessie

    Reply
  46. janet says

    December 2, 2011 at 7:37 PM

    Happy Friday Vanessa and Heather!!

    Happy to be joining this week…lots of great links!

    janet xox
    The Empty Nest

    Reply
  47. Shannon says

    December 2, 2011 at 8:07 PM

    Thank you for hosting! This is my first time linking up-I can’t wait to explore the other blogs that have shared.

    Reply
  48. Sherry @ No Minimalist Here says

    December 3, 2011 at 12:17 AM

    I am a little late for the party but I didn’t want to miss it! Thank you both for hosting.
    xo,
    Sherry

    Reply
  49. Courtney ~ French Country Cottage says

    December 2, 2011 at 5:33 PM

    Hi there girls! I thought I was linked already- but I didn’t see it there- so tried it again! Thanks for hosting!! Love that we pick some of the same features each week! 😉

    Reply
  50. Grace @ Sense and Simplicity says

    December 3, 2011 at 4:33 AM

    I was pleased as punch to be featured – thanks so much.

    Reply
  51. CAS says

    December 3, 2011 at 5:09 AM

    Oh, you two are just the best! How sweet to share all the wonderful parties. YIKES, so many parties, so little time….lol!
    CAS

    Reply
  52. Crafty Mischief says

    December 3, 2011 at 6:42 AM

    Thanks for hosting! I’m loving all the holiday ideas!

    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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