Homefront: Accessorizing with Vignettes

I'm sure most everyone has seen a version of the "Home Rules". I loved this little vintage plaque of them I found thrifting and had to bring it home.

To me, I see things for more than what they are; the search of finding that little treasure and bringing pieces together to tell a story. The antique mattress spring I found at my favorite antique mall, the vintage leather gloves with the pearl buttons, and my favorite little brass owl family I found at a garage sale for $1. I see these owl families for sale on Etsy very often.

It looks so nice in my little vignette here. This is the reason I love shutters. They can be used anywhere (even propped on wall to hide outlets and plugs). But for vignettes, it creates that height it needs to create balance, otherwise it's just a bunch of stuff on a flat surface. Well, many people probably still think it is that too.

 Also, with larger accessries, like the ones on top of my hutch, it creates a little background for depth.

Basically, when creating a vignette, things to consider are angles, varying heights and groups of at least 3. Staggering the items, creating layers and playing with different textures are also essential. And for good measure, throwing in a touch of nature helps bring beauty and life. That can be accomplished with pinecones, acorns, seeds, dried leaves, flowers, branches, feathers, driftwood, wheat, potted grasses or sprouts, birds eggs, nests...

Try and avoid having an "Accessories on Parade" as penned by designer, JoAnne Lenart-Weary.
 It means to avoid the urge of stacking up all your favorite pieces and crated a 'parade' or straight line of them. Read how to break up the parade on The Nester. You will notice I break the rule of having 3 items, but one's got to live a little. I like to work in a triangle, a larger item in the back that acts as a spring board to branch out accessories in front and to the side.
 

My mom's little ice cream dish, makes a great notions holder. Old wooden spools, laundry clips and skeleton keys are the perfect size to hold small lengths of pretties. You never know when you will need a touch of lace, baker's twine, vintage seam binding or a dash of sequins to, tie on a necklace, wrap around silverware for a dessert party, wrap around your wrist, add to an accessory add to a giftwrap. You can read all about the use of goodies in my packaging series.

Part 1: Artful Giving
Part 2: Artful Tagging
Part 3: Artful Embellishing.