Curated Spring Vignette

We are in the middle of an endless winter measured in feet of snow and temperatures below zero for days (we got down to -31 last week). Another 8 inches of snow is predicted over the next day or so and then we will see some warmer temps. I have been in deep hibernation mode, not leaving the house often. But, when I have been venturing out, I have been all about curating SPRING decor for both the pop-up shop and my home. 

I styled some of my favorite finds to create a spring vignette. Keep reading for the tips and details. This vignette started with an embroidered runner or dresser scarf. The orange and green is perfect for spring.

Vintage art always helps to set the tone in any vignette that I create. Four different pieces of art are displayed in this vignette. The larger, vintage, oil, floral, still life is a lovely way to include the yellow, green and orange colors repeated in the display. The fabric mat was water stained and couldn't be cleaned so I painted it a flat maize color. The print with a textured finish is a humble Woolworth piece from the fifties. By tucking it behind items, it is not the focal point, but it adds color and pattern.

A small, oak, side table acts as a shelf and draws the eye upward. The warm, organic texture grounds the vignette. On top of the table sits a white, ceramic bird that is a chopstick holder. I put some moss in it. A yellow vessel (that came with a cork lid) holds faux snowdrops--often some of the first flowers to bloom in the spring or late winter. 

An oil painting of a Rome cathedral, which reminds me of Easter, is the third item on top of the oak table. It sits in an old, metal, industrial clamp.

Under the table on the rung sits a nest.

A vintage, signed, duckling print, a wood bowl with a yellow flowers and a green book, and vintage, jadeite salt and pepper shakers repeat the vignette colors.

This spring vignette exemplifies the same "rules" that I have shared before: repeated colors, textures, and materials, varying heights, odd numbers, layers, and utilizing objects with a common theme that I love. 

And while it blizzards outside, I will continue to dream of warmer, spring days. Are you ready for spring?

I recently sourced some lovely, vintage items and I thought I'd share a few.

A Munising wood bowl, a Steiff pewter ink well, a 1966 duck print, and a Greek, copper peppermill add warmth and texture to any home. The hand carved wood box cribbage set is beautiful.

    A leather correspondence folder is definitely a nod to the past when we would write and keep letters. the pinecone engravings on it are perfect for a Montana home or cabin.

And, vintage, Dutch, wood candy or marzipan molds will add character and warm wood texture to any kitchen.

See anything you love?

A Lovely Vintage Curated Vignette

If you saw my vignette post a week and a half ago, you might have read that I LOVE creating vignettes (you can see that post HERE). I also love giving my readers tips and hints on how to create their own visually appealing displays. So, here I am again, with another vignette and more tip sharing.

Please keep reading for the tips and to see how I put these thrift store finds together and why.

Let's start with TIP #1, which is to have a focal point or visual centerpiece. Oh, and what a center of attention this vignette has in this Victorian style, vintage, dried flower art. This piece was thrifted, but came in a cheesy, thin frame with a plastic bag over the top of it.

I cut it down, because it had too much white background, to fit in this thrifted frame. I got this frame for a great price because of the chipped area on the bottom. I simply used antique gold Rub-n-Buff to cover the chipped part and to tone down the shiny gold on the frame. There was an oil still life that came with the frame. I will sell it unframed as it is an amateur painting and I like the casual, less important style that leaving a canvas unframed speaks to. I used glass from another thrift store frame. 

Tip #2--repeat colors and materials. The green is repeated in the candle, the velvet interior of the jewelry box, the moss, the green in the round frame, and the green glass. Gold is repeated in the frame, the oval planter, and the gold roses on the front of the box. Vintage lace is in the artwork, draped on the lid of the box, and under the other objects. Tip #3, remember asymmetry, odd numbers, and triangles are more pleasing to look at and displaying the repeated elements this way is helpful. 

Tip #4, to help curated items from looking too cluttered or disjointed, create mini vignettes within the larger display. 

Tip #5 Don't place everything at an angle. One corner of a rectangular space is great with an angled display, but then use a more square or straight on placement on the other corner. Also, don't just place items in the middle of the display space or an even number of items in the middle. The green glass sits on a leather bound book for more height.

Tip #6 is to juxtapose different themes or eras. Don't decorate too matchy, matchy. The Victorian art and old lace could have gone over the top really quickly with other frilly, gilded, flowery items. The rustic barnwood and chippy metal shelf grounds this vignette. Simple tulips rather than something more complicated compliment the dried flowers rather than compete with them. The greenery in the glass jar is funky. The jewelry box is from the sixties rather than the Victorian age.

The vintage art decoupaged on a simple piece of plywood doesn't take your eye away from the ornate, gold frame, but rather harmonizes with the rustic wood shelf and the flowers repeated in the art. Tip #7--do something a little unexpected or out of the norm and HAVE FUN! The round frame with only the green background paper that came with it is a little unusual. But add color and a layers and height without being distracting. 

As I started, I so enjoy curating beautiful and vintage items and putting them together to create vignettes. I do not keep most of these that I share in my home, but rather use them to share newly thrifted items that will be for sale in my pop-up shop. I am proud to say that EVERYTHING you see in this display I sourced second hand. 

Which tip helps you or do you love?

Thrift Store Valentine's Day Tablescape

The word tablescape has been trending for the past few years, but setting a pretty and visually appealing table has been around since the Renaissance period. I have always loved a "decorated" table and find it fun to do a little extra for holidays. Of course, I headed to the thrift store to find items to create a Valentine's Day tablescape perfect for a couples' dinner.

Keep reading to see what is from the thrift store and to get some tips for creating your own beautifully set table. one item I was on the hunt for was tablecloth or table runner. After my third or fourth trip around the thrift store, I found these heart shaped placemats and even though they were a little rough, I decided I could work with them.

I asked on social media which way I should arrange the placemats, long as a runner,

or in a clover pattern.

The opinions on Facebook and Instagram ended up being about 50-50. I chose the long runner because I have a leaf in my table right now and it is oval shaped. If the leaf was out, I would have chosen the cloverleaf design. I sewed the placemats together, also sewing a few frayed edges. I sponge cleaned the placemats and sprayed them with Lysol,

The white plates, from World Market, and the silverware were purchased brand new. Everything else is from a thrift store. 

Tip one--if you aren't using a tablecloth, be sure to set plates on a placemats, chargers, old books, picture frames, something to ground them. I used rattan chargers that add texture and warm color.

The red, heart plates were a great, thrift store find. I always use cloth napkins, even daily because they are better for the environment. These hand embroidered ones came in a bag with 20+ other vintage linens. They were washed with Lysol laundry sanitizer. I set them in the stemless glasses so that I didn't cover up the heart.  Tip two is use cloth napkins, the thrift stores have lots of them. 

Tip three, remember to set the silverware "correctly", forks on the left, knives on the right next to the plate, blade in towards the plate, spoon next to the knife. 

I used vintage style valentines for placecards. I don't always use placecards, but I thought these were a fun touch.

A simple centerpiece stays on the table even when the table is not set. Tip #4 is to incorporate a centerpiece that fits your theme and helps to set a mood, one preferably with candles and plant life or flowers. 

I created this one using a basket for the base (so I can easily remove it for big dinners), a brown dripware pitcher that I used for fall and Christmas got some red, thrift store flowers and were placed on a couple small, red, vintage books. A wood candlestick adds height and seed pods incorporate texture and organic elements. Remember to repeat colors or textures or materials.

A driftwood heart replaced the vintage, winter painting that was sitting on the windowsill. 

And the final tip is to not take yourself too seriously. Enjoy hunting for new to you decorating finds and try something unexpected.

An Antique Framed Floral Paint By Number

I found three unframed, paint-by-numbers at the thrift store today. They are painted on canvas and I think are newer art pieces, but I loved them and knew that I had the perfect frame for the floral one.

I've had this frame for a long time and it had a photo of a couple in it. The glass was broken so someone was giving it away free at a garage sale. 

I had another thrifted frame that had the right sized glass so I married the three separately sourced items together. I think the paint by number is beautiful and elevated in this antique frame.

A few other recently thrifted items are helping me to think spring in the middle of a cold, white winter. This 1956 book has 400 full paged, color, drawings of North American wildflowers. It is fun propped open behind a vintage, Wallace China, disc pitcher full of faux lavender.

I am so happy that the paint-by-number was the right size for this antique frame. I haven't decided yet if this is a keeper or will be for sale. If I find a spot for it, it will probably live with me for awhile.

Vintage Finds Vignette

I think if I could find a way to get paid well to create vignettes ALL day long, I would. I love putting together vintage finds and personal items to create visually appealing displays. Vignettes are 3D "art installations". 

Yesterday I spent quite a large chunk of time marrying thrifted art with vintage frames. This job is never as easy as it would seem. Many of the vintage frames I have do not have glass and they never seem to be standard sizes. Finding backs and matts is always a bit of a puzzle too. I put three of the pieces I framed with some recently curated items to create an interesting vignette.

The three pieces of art I am sharing include "The Wedding Day", a Currier and Ives print, a Millais print of "The Nest" and "Deer Drinking" by Winslow Homer.

I have sourced some great coffee table art books lately and I included two in this display to add height and color. Sitting on top of the books is a wood THING. When I do a google search of this wood item, it comes up as an old farming tool--a seed spreader from India. it has holes in the bottom and sides and I can see it used as a seed spreader. The inside has something that looks like a rotating handle could have been attached to it to turn the seeds. It looks like it has been used or worn. I also se it come up as a candle holder. But, the inside is not a spike or flat at all that would be needed to hold a candle. There is a cow and a goat carved on the base.

A English Majolica pitcher from the early 1900's hold thrifted, faux flowers. The flowers create movement and incorporates nature into the vignette.

The beautiful hand-turned and signed wood bowl, which adds more organic texture, holds keepsake shells and black and white photos of Pompeii from my daughter. Brass candlesticks and a brass Diya India oil lamp repeat the metallic colors in the frame. 

I know I have shared before, but let me repeat some "rules" to creating a visually appealing vignette: 1) vary heights 2) layer objects, and place them so they visually touch 3) repeat colors and textures 4) use objects that you love and are unique 5) Take pictures to see what works and what doesn't 6) have fun--it is not life or death, enjoy the process.

Eclectic International Curated Collection

Today I am sharing more recently sourced and curated finds. I am calling this an Eclectic International Collection (i.e.--stuff that didn't fit in my spring or Montana collections). This collection is mostly art.

Most of these items will be for sale at my upcoming Pop-Up Shops (open date TBD). The small, lap quilt underneath the objects is silk and velvet and would make a perfect throw blanket or wall hanging or table covering.

Two vintage paint-by-numbers are painted in rich colors. The framed Picasso print is one of my favorites--so wonderfully weird!

I am having a tough time finding the origin of these two paintings on canvas. They look African in nature to me, but I am unsure. I love the warm, bright colors in them. They could be framed, but I also love raw art like this tacked to a wall too. The vintage toleware tin is a fun piece for a planter or desk organizer or kitchen utensil holder.

The vintage wood and glass tray is probably from the 40's. It is a great size, not too large. On the tray sits an antique, English Majolica pitcher that would look lovely with dried flowers in it. (I would use a jar of water in it for fresh flowers.) A small, feather art bird and a hand-stitched, leather, thunderbird wall hanging would be great additions to a gallery wall.

The large, vintage print, circa 1940's, is entitle Happy Babies by Chang Shu-Chi. I love its matting and frame. The new candlesticks may be keepers for my home.

See anything you would have picked?

Hand Carved Antique Wood Wall Shelf

Okay, I need your help with this one--what are your thoughts on the age and origin of this rustic, carved, wood shelf?

So, let me tell you a little bit about it first. I bought it at a thrift store and we added the thin wood back to it. It appears very primitively made and is assembled with nails that are rusty. I can't tell if they are square nails.

The carvings across the top look like they are from the Pennsylvania Dutch country. But, they also can be from India. When I do a visual search nothing comes up. Typically, if a piece is from World Market or Pier One, it will come up when searching which leads me to believe that it is not a mass produced item.

The paint and wood color is original--there is a greyish color under the blue and the paint appears to be milk paint. I did shine the shelf up with salve, but the paint was more matte before I conditioned it.

This picture shows the bottom shelf which shows age. It also shows the greyish color that is under the blue. (Plus I am sharing a cute, hand-painted, pottery trinket dish I thrifted.) I do think this bottom shelf did originally have a carved wood strip across the front of it like the other shelves do.

I would love to here your thoughts, but at any rate, I really do love this shelf. It adds interest, warmth, and color to a wall and is a great place to display personal trinkets and curated and quirky items that you love.

Also, an aside--while trends come and go and I absolutely think you should style your home with items you love, a 2025 trend is more color!! Earthy tones and rich jewel colors are hot and ALL white is OUT (too cold and yawn inducing)! But, you do you, just remember to use items and colors that make you smile and that help your home to feel welcoming and cozy.