I came home this afternoon to find a surprise waiting for me. Greg, who has been inspired lately to do some creating of his own, repurposed a seasoned wooden pallet into a couple of attractive boxes. I was thrilled with the result!
Because I enjoy creating vignettes, boxes are like picture frames to me. They frame a subject or a grouping, only in three dimensions instead of two, defining the objects within. These wonderful boxes that Greg made instantly sparked my imagination.
As I completed the day’s work and watered the garden, my artistic self was sorting through ideas for using the boxes, and opening itself to inspiration. The rustic appeal of the aged wood drew me toward creating a very natural vignette.
I found the foundational piece for the larger of the two boxes, in my backyard garden.
I have noticed a little volunteer plant growing cheerfully in a pot of begonias. It is a globe basil plant, named thus due to its compact, round shape. Although the leaves are smaller than a regular basil, it has the distinctive scent, which I love.
As I watered the little plant, I suddenly could “see” it in its own little terra cotta pot, resting in the wooden box. These volunteer plants have inspired me greatly this summer. They are a testament to survival and resourcefulness. It has been at least two years since I had a globe basil plant in the herb garden., which accounts for my surprise when this aromatic herb showed up across the yard, in a flower pot full of annuals. With great care I tranferred the basil into its own clay pot.
I cleared a space in my bedroom, for the larger wooden box. The newly potted basil is my focal point. I gathered other natural elements to group with the plant, creating a simple homey vignette.
A pinecone rests next to a small jar candle with a spicy scent. A carved stone incense burner sits atop a couple of books that repeat the colors of the terra cotta pot. I lit a charcoal brick and burned dried herbs from my garden. And finally a single seashell completes the look, its soft coral color complementing the darker rust hues. The conch shell symbolizes femininity and expansiveness.
I am pleased with how this nature inspired vignette turned out. And, I am grateful to be the recipient of these wooden pallet boxes. I already have ideas for the smaller box as well. Greg has a very artistic soul and a renewed desire to explore his creativity. I am looking forward to seeing where inspiration leads him!
