For the last month, I don't think my house has stayed the same from one day to the next. I have moved entire vignettes from one spot to another. I have experimented with different pieces and different colors and different styles.
One vignette that has gone through several moves this month, is the toy vignette. I have a bunch of toys from when I was little - most are about half a century old! I enjoy getting them out each Christmas and setting them up to look a bit festive. They would look at home under the old fashioned tree I set up for my darling hubby, but they would be at risk of becoming a chew toy at the paws of our furry family members. So I try to find them a safe spot up high. The tree, by the way, was improved a little by being put in a big washtub - see this post.
This year, the toys started out on top of an old wardrobe in out family room.
One vignette that has gone through several moves this month, is the toy vignette. I have a bunch of toys from when I was little - most are about half a century old! I enjoy getting them out each Christmas and setting them up to look a bit festive. They would look at home under the old fashioned tree I set up for my darling hubby, but they would be at risk of becoming a chew toy at the paws of our furry family members. So I try to find them a safe spot up high. The tree, by the way, was improved a little by being put in a big washtub - see this post.
This year, the toys started out on top of an old wardrobe in out family room.
For a little extra color, I included a painting I'd done years ago. It was supposed to look all folk-arty and colorful. My darling husband has no appreciation for my fine artistic talents. He thinks it looks like some sort of racing sign. He cracks jokes about it every time he sees it. The jokes can be pretty funny, but don't tell him that. Even my mother's old doll disapproves of my display. She keeled over in disgust.
The folk-art tree painting got packed away when I had the brilliant idea to incorporate a pair of shutters I had stashed away. Alas! (said with great drama)... they were all wrong with the toys.
At this point, I no longer am enjoying seeing the toys. I had become completely smitten by silver and white and burlap. Those shutters may not work with the toys, but I suspected they'd look wonderful with the silver-white-burlap things! The toys had to be moved. The perfect new spot would be in the foyer on top of the Hoosier. But what could I use as the background piece?
Before moving in the toys, a screen door picture was there along with a few other things I moved before thinking about taking photos. My first thought was to use a wonderful old beveled mirror in a great frame I had in the attic. It's super heavy, but I lugged it down and heaved it up on the Hoosier. It didn't look right and even worse, it seemed like an accident waiting to happen. Finally, a better idea came to mind - our old carom board. It belongs with toys.
With every move, I swear, all the dolls were giving me disapproving looks.
Is it just me or do Barbies all seem to look a little disdainful?
The grainy photo above shows the toys in their final location. I should have gone back to take more photos when the light was better. I also should have gone back and tweaked the arrangement. But truthfully --- I am tired of these toys! They'll be the first thing I pack up this year. I may not even get them out next year - maybe they need a year or two off. Time off for bad behavior.
The silver look was more fun to play with, but I wasn't any more successful arranging them. I already posted about playing with the silver setup on my kitchen counter. I enjoyed seeing the sparkle in the evenings when I turned on the lights, but they really didn't belong there.
Once the toys were moved off the wardrobe, I decided that would be a good spot to arrange the silver - in front of the white shutters I was dying to make work.
It's OK, but not swoon-worthy at all. This display is fairly near to my hubby's old fashioned colorful tree. The mix of the two very different styles in the same room is all wrong. Maybe next year, I just need to go all out with the colorful look for my hubby. He can have December, but the other 11 months of decor will be mine. Better yet, maybe I need to take the colorful tree and set it up in his barn! Oh, I like that idea!!!
Finally, the Christmas Decor Shuffle game is over. The next move these decorations will make will be when they are packed away!
Be sure to check out the latest RE- Party!
We RE-do, RE-decorate, RE-organize, RE-pair, RE-upholster,
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!
RE-member, RE-finish, RE-purpose, and of course, we love to RE-lax!
This party celebrates ALL the RE-'s in our lives!
I'm linking this post with -
- All Things Merry and Bright at All Things Heart and Home
- White Wednesday at Faded Charm Cottage
- Sunday Scoop at I Heart Naptime