Now that Spring is in the Air and I got all of the Winter Decor tucked away in Storage again for another Season, it was time to begin working on Springtime Vignettes.
I always start with the Fireplace Mantle... because even if things end up getting so hectic that I don't get all of my Seasonal Decorating and Styling Projects done that I wanted to, if the Mantle is Decorated for the Season, I feel somewhat Accomplished! *LOL*
And even one small area dedicated to the Season and upcoming Holiday ushers in the Essence of that time of Year for me... right now it's all about Easter... about God... about what our Spirituality and Belief is based upon... Jesus Christ.
And yes, I mix it up a bit with random elements that probably don't evoke a particular sense of Spring or Spirituality to everyone... I'm not so 'deep' about my Decor that I don't have some Fun with it all and just Style to please myself Visually and with a dose of Whimsey thrown in to just bring Smiles. I was particularly pleased to 'Score' these Blue and Gold Scrabble Tiles in a Limited Edition Anniversary Addition of the Game during a Goodwill Hunting Forray this Winter for only a couple of bucks.
And an enormous bag full of these plastic colorful Easter Eggs with Crochet and Satin Ribbon encasing each one... various sizes from Jumbo to Small.
This Spring I decided to Decorate with several of my Vintage Pottery Birds... some are hollow Planters...
And some are Vintage Salt and Pepper Shakers or Pie Steamers...
I might spend days adding to the Vignettes or taking things away until it looks right to me... so its not really a static Display... it's constantly Evolving.
Like when I 'Scored' some Fab 1950's Vintage Millinery Florals at Work just before my Shift from a New Dealer for just a few Dollars! My Heart skipped a beat to see Old Stock Yellowed Cellophane Bags of Velvet Rosebud Bouquets...
And Corsage Sprays... some still sporting their Original Price Tags... Macy's Nine Cents!!! LOVE IT when things have original Packaging and/or Price Tags!
And Vivid Hued Velvet Roses... Vintage Millinery is definitely a Weakness of mine... I can never pass it up... nor part with most of my Collection of it. I'm probably more Attached to my Bits and Bobs than to Valuable or Larger Items... and since they take up little space then I don't often feel compelled to Edit or Purge my little Hoards of them! *Winks*
I was going to bring in real Flowering Bulbs, but our temps are already well into the Eighties and though they do okay outside, they don't fare so well inside and so I opted instead for Faux Silk Florals and Vintage Millinery Florals this Year. Not to mention my Bird Planters don't really have much room to tuck in a real Plant and are much too Old to risk damaging with Water and Soil and then attempting to remove it all... and I'm opting for a Simplified Version of Styling this Year and beyond.
So Quick, Inexpensive and Easy were my Mantras to Work by.
Mostly using what I already have with a few recent Bargains thrown in... the whole Mantle Vignette took only Minutes with a little Tweaking over the coarse of the next few days until it felt just right.
I was Happy to 'Score' a Beautiful Old Violin and Bow for my Fav Antique Violin Case with Aqua Velvet Lining. It came with it's own Antique Case which is nice... but I haven't decided yet whether I'll keep it or flip it? After all... the Instrument and Case were an inexpensive Goodwill Hunting Score and I really only wanted the Instrument for my existing Case... and Selling off the other Case would recoup what I paid for the Fav Case AND the Instrument... making it all FREE and with some Profit! *Winks*
Had to get my Velvet 'Paradise Lost' Vintage Book in the Vignette... it's been Patiently waiting since I 'Scored' it at The Sweet January Event.
And you can't Style with Birds without at least one Bird's Nest now can you?! *Winks* My Birds don't lay Eggs, they lay Bohemian Bling and Chandie Crystals! Don't yours?! *LOL*
I think I'm finally done with it and I don't really feel compelled to Decorate very much more since the Great Edit and Purge is still in full swing... and so various piles of Treasures are making their way out the door to Charity Shops or the Showroom. Some rooms I'm just Enjoying being cleared out, Clutter Free and not Styled for any particular Season or Holiday for a while.
I used to think I had to Decorate and Style the entire House inside and out for every Season and Holiday... now... not so much. Simplifying... it's coming with advanced Maturity... where the Aging Process causes you to have to slow down as a Metamorphosis takes place during this Season of Life. I'm Embracing it... fully... because actually its Mellowed me considerably and I like that... things just don't have the same sense of Urgency or Importance that might have once been placed upon them. My Focus has Shifted to the Simple Enjoyable Calmer things Life has to offer... a much more Laid Back Easy Approach and a Detachment of sorts.
There are probably even some things that I wouldn't be doing at all if I weren't still Raising a Family of Little Ones. But I must say, it is still Fun to Create Easter Baskets for the G-Kid Force... this is Prince R's... I ADORED the layers of Hues of this big Old Basket that had obviously been painted several times and is well worn and Loved. I always try to find Easter Containers that I'll want to keep afterwards for myself since the Kiddos lose Interest once the Candy and Toys are gone! *LOL*
And so I went with a Home-Made Rustic Box made of Salvaged Lumber and Hardware that I 'Scored' from my Friend Pamela's Showroom for Princess T's Easter Basket. It was less expensive than most large Baskets and I was totally diggin' it so this was a handy Excuse to justify getting it! *Winks*
Since I had fallen in Lust with it ever since I first laid eyes upon it... but not having a handy enough Excuse yet to get another random container! *LOL* I Loved that it had been made with Salvaged Old Lumber and pieced together by someone.
Even the Interior Wood boards were Delightfully painted and worn! And so... after 'Scoring' Prince R's Lovely Big Old Basket so easily and cheaply for this Easter... and then not being able to find anything appropriate nor affordable for the Princess... I had an Epiphany! That Cool Old Box in Pamela's Showroom would make a Perfect Easter Container! *Happy Dance!* Dontcha just Love it when things work out like that?!? *Smiles*
I always make up an Easter Basket for The Man too... but I haven't pulled his together just yet... and he's not into making Baskets or Holiday Prepping... and so I always just buy something I just want for myself and call it an Easter Gift! *LOL* This Easter it was this... Pamela saw it first in our Friend Shelly's Showcase and passed on it... I would have been disappointed if she hadn't because inside the Old Box with Great Old Graphics was...
The precursor to Scrabble by Milton Bradley and stating boldly on the Box that it is the Original Game Of Words And Sentences *LOL* ... and better yet, in my FAVORITE Vintage Hue of Vivid 1930's Era Seafoam Green with Black Letters!!! Almost 300 Old Wooden Letter and Anagram Tiles! Yes, you probably noticed I already used some for my Spring Easter Vignette on the Mantle. I Collect Letter Tiles for Styling and Artistic Projects and I'm always on The Hunt for Unusual Colors and this is the first time I'd ever seen this particular Game.
And along with the Great Packaging in very good Condition given it's Age... it still had the Original Price Tag... Fifty Cents from Fifth Street Store... LOVE IT!!! I'm Guessing that back in the day that was a fair amount of change to spend on a Toy or Game... and since I've never seen one like this you know what Mike on 'American Pickers' always says, "The best time to buy something you've never seen before is when you see it!" I agree...
Blessings and Happy Spring from the Arizona Desert... Dawn... The Bohemian