What's a Vignette?

source: www.allaboutvignettes.blogspot.com

I was lamenting the current lack of Vignettes in the house following my recent de-cluttering exploits, to which my Husband said "What the flip is a Vignette?". "Oh you know, those little arrangements of bits and bobs that I used have around the place". "Ah those", he says.

There's much talk of Vignettes all over the Blogosphere at the moment, not to mention the popular #7Vignettes meme happening over on Instagram. Although I have a general aversion to clutter and knick knacks stemming from my dislike of dusting, the odd snippet of nature making it's way inside onto the windowsill or mantle appeals to me.

However, we have had very minimal success with Vignettes in this house.

It goes a bit like this:

"OK, anyone seen my antler?"
"Where's my other pine cone?"
"Who took the feather"
"Can I have my birds nest back?"
"That piece of driftwood is not a sword!"

The Vignette just doesn't seem to work here.

It's also causing confusion amongst the Kidlets. Why am I allowed to have antlers and a collection of beach pebbles but they are not allowed sticks, stones, bones and rocks inside? Fair point.

So I educated the Kids about the Vignette and my love of bringing a little bit of the outdoors inside. But all I did was create a monster because then everyday they would come inside bearing gifts of said nature.

"Here Mum, more feathers for your collection".
"Look Mum, another 27 pine cones for your Vinaigrette!".

Bless their cotton socks.

With feathers strewn across the house from one end to the other and baskets overflowing with pine cones, after a few months the house was starting to look a little too au naturelle. Then there was the occasional midnight torture that comes with stepping on a delinquent pine cone, which is almost as painful as stepping on lego I should add. Almost.

We stopped the Vignettes inside.

And so the Boys started their own Vignettes outside. Right beside the front door. Sigh.

At Christmas time I thought it would be OK to attempt to decorate the bare mantlepiece and arrange a few Vignettes . But just a few days later, the glass vase on the mantlepiece was smashed to smithereens by a wayward Nerf Gun bullet.

That's when I gave up on the Vignettes altogether. Too hard. Just not the right time. Maybe in 100 years when the Kids have left home...

However, I'm now de-cluttering the kitchen and found my collection of glass domes/cloches that I've picked up at Op-Shops over the years. I'm wondering whether they would be a good option for "containing" my little bits and pieces. Perhaps placed high up on the bookshelf where there is less chance of them coming into the path of projectile objects? Is this a good idea?

How do you go with Vignettes in your household? I'd love to know.