When creating a table top vignette,
where do you begin, and where do you stop?
When is the vignette the final version?
Finishing a centerpiece is often the hardest part.
What recently began in my mind as a white vignette
turned into a purple one as seen in The Color of Easter.
Yet, I still had a white centerpiece forming in my mind
because white has been enticing me, calling to me as a siren.
However, blue, beloved bleu, continues also to call to me.
Since I've been collecting blue for many years,
many beautiful blue things have found a home with me.
B L U E
symbolizes
trust,
loyalty,
and
confidence.
When I survey my mind trying to recognize
what are the things I value, hold dear, and seek,
trust and loyalty are at the top of the list.
My deepest sorrows have been caused by people
who broke their trust with me
and who were not loyal.
Yes, I love bleu for how beautiful it looks to me,
but I also love bleu for its symbolism.
So, as I rearranged the kitchen counter,
a blue and white grouping took the place of the purple setting on the island.
Not a hard thing to do, just move pretty blue things together like...
the kitchen towel with the blue bunnies,
a clear vase with blue speckled eggs,
and a tiny little frosty blue bunny.
The dear little bunny came from Goodwill
and sits someplace visible all year,
moving from spot to spot.
As much as I enjoyed the blue and white,
an all-white grouping kept nagging at me.
The only way to quiet a nagging is
to do something about the reason for the nagging.
Out came the white pitcher, the white creamer, and
a smiling white iron doorstop bunny holding a basket.
The basket holds flowers, not eggs.
Four-inch bedding plants surrounded by preserved moss
add height and a touch of nature.
A little touch of bleu speckled eggs just had to fill the creamer.
A white cotton hand towel with embroidery rounds out the white grouping.
Five items inside the white wicker basket.
So, is it finished now?
Not exactly.
The redbud branches still have a few days of beauty left in them.
The white vignette will truly become all white
(almost white except blue eggs)
when the redbud blooms die.
Then, it will be finished.
How did I know when to stop adding items to the grouping?
The question is answered by what went into the grouping.
1. Texture - White wicker basket, preserved moss, hand towel
2. Movement - Tall flowers, medium height bunny, low creamer
3. Theme - bunny, eggs for the season
4. Color - shades of white, monochromatic scheme
5. Number of items - an odd number
6. Focal point - bunny: focus created by central place,
pitchers pointing toward bunny, oblong flower vase
angled behind bunny, towel leads to bunny
Once I had all six of these elements,
I knew the grouping was completed.
See Vignette Designs Series #1 for the first
in a series of five posts with detailed analyses
of how to create vignettes.
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Good morning dear Judith! I too asked this question this glorious week, as I stayed home on Spring Break. I played and painted furniture, arranged and rearranged and had so much fun. I finally decided on a very simple design given that we don't entertain on Easter and that it's only ONE DAY....though bunnies are a spring icon and I think I can at least leave mine up all of April. I have one vintage white chippy rabbit on my gray entrance table with two others sitting on silver trays with moss. I'm happy with that.
ReplyDeleteYour blues are on my mind too; I want to go out and get a bouquet of grape hyacinth for BLUE is such a soothing color that will go beautiful with my white and gray décor!
HAVE FUN mon amie! Anita
Sending you bunny kisses and joyous Easter wishes Judith. Like you I don't ever think I am ever done tweaking seasonal vignettes. I really enjoyed reading your design thoughts on adding components to the vignette and yes textures, color and height is so very important. Love your White with touches of Bleu. You have the most adorable bunny collection and I am in awe of all your linens. BTW in our kitchen redo I am adding glorious touches of Bleu.
ReplyDeletePretty, pretty post.
xo,
Vera
Color calls you?
ReplyDeleteIs it YOU that forwards those calls to me?
I think so.
I may be a but late, but I always answer the call!
Your vignettes are beautiful styled with any color. However I am never disappointed when you transition back to bleu!
Happy Easter!
~Lynne
w/L
Judith, it's the evolving vignettes that keep us happy. Like you, I like to tweak and change things a bit. I've been doing just that this evening. I found a new piece at Round Top, a bamboo bookcase. It was delivered this morning, so I've been adding things to the shelves. I'm giving it a bit of an Easter theme for the first round, adding a few bunnies and a few eggs within the vignettes. That will give me a good excuse to play again very soon, creating some new vignettes.
ReplyDeleteEach rendition of your kitchen island vignette is charming, but the bleu version is my favorite. The darling kitchen towel, the GW bunny, and the speckled eggs are the perfect touch and shades of blue.
Enjoy your Easter weekend!
You always create the most beautiful vignettes, Judith! I didn't know there were 6 elements involved! I will need to think about these the next time I wish to group things together.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely Easter!
xo,
Lin
Love the blue and white! It is ever present in my home, too, along with yellow. It's sunshine and blue skies all the way! Your vignette is gorgeous! Have a blessed Easter!
ReplyDeleteI love this and I like the way you think - logically - as to how to arrange something or to know when it is finished. My stopping point is when my husband walks by and says, "how much more stuff are you going to add on that tray?" At that point, I'm done. I will, however, sit for an hour obsessing over the placement of one egg. Have a wonderful Easter Judith! HUGS!!!
ReplyDeleteSuch a beautiful vignette ... I love your smiling bunny and the pops of Spring color you have around him! Happy Spring!
ReplyDelete