Vintage Winter Vignettes

I love creating vignettes and seasonal ones are especially fun. But, I can’t find enough hours in the day and I am a little under the weather. Thankfully the lovely Amber from Follow the Yellow Brick Home and one of your TFT party hostesses, has graciously accepted my invitation to be my guest today. She fills her beautiful winter scenes with treasures from long ago, giving new life to her carefully curated pieces.  She adds silver aged with a beautiful patina and vintage accessories and linens all help her to create her vision of  vintage winter vignettes. It’s a pleasure to have her here sharing with us today.

Hello everyone! I am so honored to be invited by Katherine to guest post on her blog today! As a lover of all things vintage and winter, I wanted to share some ideas of how I have created vintage winter vignettes over the years that reflect the beauty of the season. With January coming to a close, it won’t be long until we all are craving some spring greenery and flowers, but for now I am still loving all the whites and neutrals that reflect the stillness of winter. Vintage winter vignettes are easy to create by simply borrowing some cues from nature and using some items you may already have in your home. It’s all about simplicity after the hustle and bustle of the holidays.

Several years ago I created a vintage winter vignette on my winter mantel using many of the same items I used this year in my winter decor. Woodland deer, stacks of ironstone, tarnished silver-plate and a small, snow flocked tree just seemed to come together to form a magical winter scene. A small vintage winter transferware plate is used in different ways year after year in my vintage winter vignettes.

The next year I styled my antique buffet with several small winter vignettes. The little plate with the snow scene was tucked inside a small salvaged jewelry amoire drawer filled with vintage children’s knitted mittens.

Vintage hand crocheted snowflakes were scattered along the buffet.

 Ironstone and silver-plate is on display on shelves and in cabinets year round, but every January I set the table with those pieces to create a “Silver White Winter” tablescape. One year I used lots of vintage lace remnants as bowl fillers to add vintage farmhouse style and to have within easy reach as I hand-stitched shabby chic hearts for Valentine’s Day.

This year I created a silver white winter tea theme using stacks of ironstone dishes topped with teacups, vintage silver-plate teapots, utensils and trays.

This year’s vintage winter vignette on the mantel is a made up of a couple of Belsnickel Santas in ivory cloaks (I call them “Old Man Winter” figures after Christmas) some old clocks (time seems to stand still on Snowy January days), one of my sweet deer figures, a chippy candlestick topped by a shabby glittery snowball, and a woodsy winter votive holder.

My shabby chic faux fireplace mantel in the dining room is filled with little treasures that I have used to create vintage winter vignettes.

Little vintage woodland friends come out to play in the winter time.

A salvaged vintage doll head becomes a winter snow princess with a beautiful silvery-icy brooch and a snow ball tree above her head (a bouquet of cotton stems).

I keep my collection of vintage silverplate items on an old shabby chic secretary in the dining room. It is perfect for creating more silver white winter vignettes. A vintage crystal door knob and other glass pieces are a nod to frozen icy lakes. A vintage Currier and Ives tin is a reminder that sleigh rides aren’t just for Christmas time, but can be enjoyed all winter long!

If it must be winter, let it snow!

Creating winter vignettes is sometimes as simple as adding a hat or scarf to an old doll, dress form or antique jewelry bust as I have done here. Salvaged chair spindles take the place of birch logs alongside large pine cones.

An antique pair of gloves is on display “drying” from a day of snow play.

Preserved juniper lends a fragrant and fresh winter scent to the foyer.

Last year I styled a silverplate tray on my coffee table with a simple winter vignette. I used sprigs of juniper in a small ironstone pitcher, a demijohn filled with eucalyptus and a beautiful winter snow globe that was a dear Christmas gift from my youngest son. A metal basket full of antlers and a rustic candlestick and birch logs reflect the winter woods outside our window.

Years ago I styled my antique buffet with several small winter vignettes. The little plate with the snow scene was tucked inside a small salvaged jewelry amoire drawer filled with vintage children’s knitted mittens. Hand crocheted snowflakes lend a dusting of snow to a burlap runner.

A vintage sled with ice skates next to a small evergreen tree reminds the young and old that no matter how bitter cold the weather may be, a fun day of sledding outside in the crisp air is one of the greatest gifts of winter!

As you can see, creating vintage winter vignettes is as easy as using whatever white, ivory, silver, neutrals, natural elements, and evergreens you may have around. While you are out treasure hunting in the year ahead, keep your eyes open for silverplate, ironstone and little woodland animals you can use to create snowy cloche displays and winter scenes. Old books with wintry illustrations or vintage paintings with winter scenes can also be used to create lovely vintage winter vignettes. Pour yourself a nice hot cup of tea, coffee or cocoa and explore your favorite blogs and decorating magazines for more vintage winter vignettes inspiration.

If you would like to see even more of my winter decorating, be sure to check out my Cozy Neutral Winter Home Tour and my Thursday Favorite Things features from this week, Winter Decorating Ideas. If you enjoy vintage style, be sure to subscribe by email too. I have a lot of fun vintage themed posts coming up in the year ahead!

Thank you so much Katherine for having me today.

Have a wonderful white winter everyone!
Amber

What a pleasure to have Amber as my guest and to see all of the lovely vintage winter vignettes she so beautifully created by.

Which vintage winter vignette is your favorite?

You can still link share and discover at yesterday’s TFT party until Saturday at midnight.

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“May the Lord bless you and keep you; may He let His grace shine upon you and be gracious to you; may the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-6:26 NIV