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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Seeing in Still Life




You'll have to forgive my nostalgia. It's a nostalgic time of year. And I'm in the very business of nostalgia.

 

 Nostalgia sounds a bit like a malady, like neuralgia. Sometimes it feels that way too!







Sibella Court, the Australian author/shopkeeper whose recent book, ETCETERA, I have pored over page by page, claims she "sees in still life." And I know what she means. She is a crazy collector of textiles, natural history, art, paper, and all forms of interesting objects that all must be gathered and displayed in some appealing and sensible form, much like a paragraph on a page. And, I might add, she is highly successful at it.



Seeing in still life is about relatedness. Understanding connections that aren't at first visible to the naked eye. My simple collection of white is the first grade to Sibella Court's advanced degree, but gives me the same sense of pleasure.



Light is always one of the ingredients in a white vignette, whether on a shelf or an entire room. From bright to a bit nostalgic, light makes the mood.





My arrangement sits on the tray of a vintage high chair in the corner of my dining room. The chair is not one of the few high chairs I had while raising my children. It's prettier. And while it's been useful to have for my grandbabies, it isn't there for that. It's more for holding plants or flowers, linens from the table, a cup or glass, extra napkins. It's for catching light, for seeing in still life, for holding an overflow of nostalgia.


Here's a link for seeing more of Sibella Court.

Thanks so much for stopping by! Always nice to have you!
Ciao! for now!

Jacqueline

 I'm linking up to Kathleen's Faded Charm for White Wednesday!
AND Debra's Common Ground for Vintage Inspiration Friday!



36 comments:

  1. I love the high chair and how you've set it up!

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  2. Beautiful! Lovely photography.

    Happy WW!

    (wildrosevintage)

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  3. It is always so pleasant to stop by here!!

    Sweet day to you,

    Jo

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  4. Hi Jacqueline.. Wonderful!! You make a strinking vignette (much more than first grade whites:-)! Great textures, that is the nubbiest starfish I have ever seen!
    I hope your having a fab night:-)
    Bella

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  5. Love the vintage highchair and vignette. I should get a vintage highchair for my grandbabies. Great idea.

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  6. What an interesting idea -- seeing in still life.

    I think maybe I do that to some degree.

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  7. Beautiful photography! Love the whites and the hi-chair. Cute starfish too.

    Blessings,
    Sandi

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  8. Beautiful still life, vignette. I'm liking calling it still life. It invites us to slow down and take it in.

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  9. What an inspired post, thank you. I followed the links and got so lost in all the creativity I almost couldn't find my way back !

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  10. Beautiful! I love the dried baby's breath (?) !!! Thanks for stopping by! Happy White Wednesday!

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  11. Everything is so feminine and beautiful.

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  12. Your still life vignette is beautiful!
    Blessings,
    Marcia

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  13. Exquisite photos! The high chair was a sweet surprise. ~ Sarah

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  14. Really lovely vignette! Simple and beautiful...

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  15. Love your blog. I'm continually amazed at how reading people's blogs has opened my eyes to look at life differently. You have just done that. Thank you for sharing. I will try to start seeing in "still life".
    Cindy

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  16. so beautiful. I love old highchairs and this is the perfect setting for the ironstone and lace and dried flowers...beautiful.
    gail
    adventuresininnkeeping.blogspot.com

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  17. I love this!
    Absolutely gorgeous images...beautiful vignette.

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  18. Love that precious high chair! You do vignettes and cozy arrangements better than anyone I know.
    Brenda

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  19. Well...your little nostalgia makes my heart smile :-) I hope you keep on going!Stopping by from WW.
    -marie

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  20. I love this!!! It is so pretty and useful! Love the high chair painted white.
    ~ Julie

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  21. Your vignette is absolutely beautiful!! I love that white high chair! My children's high chairs were never this special!
    Lovely post!
    Have a great day.
    Sincerely,
    Melinda

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  22. You have such a lovely blog . . . so inspiring!!! Thanks for stopping by!

    Blessings,
    Janet

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  23. How Pretty ~ Love the Dried Babies Breath & the Star fish that sets off the White!

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  24. I adore these images, so beautiful!

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  25. I love the term "seeing in still life" ... I think you definitely have the gift!

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  26. Hi Jacqueline! Your photos are magazine worthy, you know that?? Just beautiful! Love the way you're using that adorable high chair, too! I know what you mean about seeing everything in still life. I truly believe that blogging brings that out in all of us. Everywhere we look and go, there are the blessings of still lifes all around us and we are driven to capture that moment in time. Beautiful vignette, J! :)

    xoxo laurie

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  27. JQ, I would never have thought of the vignette you came up with in a highchair!! You are the Queen of Gorgeousness! I'm off to check out your link to the book, sounds wonderful. Thanks so much for linking up with VIF!!
    xo,
    Debra

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  28. Seeing in vingettes and in still life is what keeps us inspired and very busy! I love the vintage high chair and the softness of the whites. It's very beautiful.

    hugs
    Sissie

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  29. Love the highchair. Beautiful vignette.

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  30. Beautiful vignettes...love all the white and that highchair is so pretty!
    Tammy :-)

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  31. Fantastic highchair and great vignette.
    Thanks for sharing.
    Michele

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  32. The high chair is such a great idea!! Now you've got our brains thinking!!
    (You've got a beautiful home by the way!!)
    HAve a nice weekend,
    Karla & Karrie

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  33. So late I am! Just catching up on your blog and so many beautiful photos. I went to the Sibella Court site and loved the pic of her bookcase on top of an empire chest, filled with hats, love those hats and am so sad I don't have my mom's and the few my dad had---and the pic below that of a bookcase filled with beach specimens. So cluttered but so lovely. Your photos of the darling white highchair you use for display are absolutely charming! I found a cute, tiny, old doll highchair at a garage sale last week for a quarter! Maybe I'll use it to display something sweet.
    Love,
    Kay

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  34. You are way past first grade! The high chair is arranged so lovely. ♥O

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