It's the small things

I've promised to post on details this year. It has fallen a bit wayside since we had some large things to take care of... but it always has a special place in my heart. 
This  Sunday is gray and cool and sprinkled with rain, it's the perfect time to muddle around the house and play with details...

I like to create small vignettes, they never last long but give me us pleasure for sometimes a day or two, sometimes for a few weeks. 
The rhododendron is starting to bloom, a time of year which I adore around the house and garden and today I snipped off a small branch and transferred it into a bud vase, filled with florist's foam and a little fresh moss from the garden. 

I soaked the foam for about 10 minutes and it holds enough water to sustain the branch for a day, then I fill in a little more water. I use the foam, because the single branch sits secure without tipping over or out!

On my window ledge I filled an up-cycled milk bottle (spray painted white last year) with all, what my garden has to offer right now: azaleas, honey suckle and lilac. One of the bows from my daughter's gifts for her birthday ended up around it and it resides in a small copper tray, which also holds some stone - a drill core from the works on our walk way a few weeks ago - perfectly round and smooth, two stone hearts given to me by my sisters and a broken cordial glass up side down, covering two turtle doves, old x-mas ornaments from a flea market....

There is also a lock, which I found in the woods and a small votive candle, we have had since I moved first to Manhattan 17 years ago!

All these pieces hold memories, it is that what makes vignettes meaningful. I can only encourage you to do this, your  history comes to live and I for once feel the love of my family and vice versa!
It's a great conversation starter as well...
Near my desk I have a shelf since a few weeks back, which holds my art/design books and my small, but treasured collection of Bjoern Wiinblad ceramics. They sit in perfect harmony with one of my paintings and every time I see it it gives me enormous pleasure. I love the colors and the shapes.

Not far away rests a mask, my youngest son made in fourth grade, I love these colors too! 

In the book shelves in the family room is always space for a small grouping of things from my collections: Small vintage vases and books.

 A tiny angel resting next to gold leaved antique books I found in Brooklyn last year...

And the wicker cloche, laced with tulle used outdoors to protect edible goods from insects rests atop our floor lamp....The rain would ruin it and people who know my house understand that there is little space elsewhere....

It's adorned with a small glass ornament, which I bought from a woman in Jamaica, VT.
She has the most amazing glass blowing shop there. 
Hot Glass Works! Stop by when you happen to find yourself nearby! It's close to Stratton,VT! A great ski resort!

I am sure when you look around your home, you will find many things worthy a little display spot for a while or your latest treasured finds from the garden, a walk in the woods, the flea market last Sunday or a gift to pretty to be stashed away!
There are so many possibilities: glass, drift wood, small collections of every possible things, costume jewelry, silver ware, miniature paintings, pictures or frames...
Fill in the blanks!
This is the sunshine from the inside out! It's all in the details....


Happy Sunday and a sunny week ahead!


xx
Victoria






All pictures by V.Zlotkowski.