Moving on and memories.....

So I recently moved into an apartment. As the hard times descended, I found myself relenting to the inevitable and changing up my life...a lot.  It's not easy to have a home one minute and finally give in to giving up the next.  I have found, however, that a side benefit (if you must force yourself to find the silver lining in things) of moving is being forced to downsize, minimize and theorize that it is all for the best. 
I find myself giving stuff away.  My plaid sofa, french chair and heavy oak tables is going to a niece who will soon be moving to her own place as she is expecting to be a mom pretty soon. I have a sister who needed some furniture for an rental home she moved into when she relocated here from Colorado and could not bring her own things with her.  I gave my mother some lovely framed traditional wall pictures that she was admiring.
My apartment kitchen is tiny to say the least, and I could not possibly bring all of my vintage kitchen wares, so they will go into boxes and be stored. While I hate to give away and stow away (because I like to see the things I have that make me happy right there in front of me), I know that a happy life is not about our accumulations of the things we can touch. It is much more about the things we cannot...such as the birth of our first child, many Merry Christmas days, picnics at the metro park or an awesome fireworks display watched by all of your family on a breezy summer night under the stars.  We are fortunate to be able to pull up all of that in our brains file cabinet. So what if I cannot have my collection of cake plates in a nearby cabinet or heavy furniture that will eventually end up at the Salvation Army anyway?  Perhaps its time for all of us to downsize. Maybe we could find that the least we live with in material things, opens up a path to a life that is more meaningful and focused on the things that really matter.
I am sharing some pictures of my collections here, all of them important, but not more important than my life, my family, and most of all, my memories made here on earth that keep me moving forward through the toughest of economic times.  I wish you all well my friends.  May you all find the strength and wisdom to move forward as well.  Be blessed and make it a great day every day!

                          My Alexander, Mackenzie and Elizabeth under the Christmas Tree, 1999

Here's my little buddies, Maximus (looking up) and Kozm..checking out a squirrel in the yard most likely!

                                    First day of school 2004 in the house I have left behind..

                                          Christmas 2011...just the way I always wanted it...

My Special Little Buddy, Maximus....R.I.P. May 4th, 2012

Yes, it has been a long time since my last post.  I was quite busy, getting a temporary job.  It is an administrative position.  I love to be working and I love my job, but I miss my blog writing.  Sharing my insights and a little bit of myself with all of you while I painstakingly searched for a job kept my mind busy, my heart in good form, and freed me from the negative thoughts that so often crept in as I went from interview to interview.  This drama, while full of disappointment and despair some of the time, was probably one of the most emotional experiences (aside from the birth of my three children) I have ever had and without this page to cheer me I don't know where I would be today.

Being able to share photographs of the things I love and to talk about them straight from my heart kept me balanced and focused on what is important in life.  There are memories and happy thoughts that came to mind with each item I photographed and wrote about here.  Sometimes its the little things in our past when things were more stable that move me to keep trying.  This post today is about the things in our (vintage) house that keep us focused on the important happy times and provide the escape we need to bear the burden of difficult times, be it financial or otherwise.

Last week, my Westie Maximus died.  He had been with me since the fall of 2002, purchased from a breeder in Bridgeport.  I remember so vividly the day I picked him up and fell in love immediately.  He was so little, his big ears perched on his tiny head, everything puppy!  The gentleman I bought him from warned me to bring the money to pay him because he knew I would want Maximus (named after the Gladiator in the Russel Crowe movie).  Anyway, I have had him all this time when suddenly Maximus had begun to slow down and breathe heavy about four months ago.  He seemed to have to keep looking up at the high walls of my house in order to breathe.  The vet, after taking a blood sample and performing an X-ray, said that Max had an enlarged heart and liver and that his white blood cell count was high.  I asked about the pain level that Max was experiencing and the vet did not know how to measure that. As you may have heard, dogs do not always show they are in pain, they barely wimper.  It is a tough thing to gauge.  I was provided with pain pills, a steroid for inflammation (which may or may not work, but certainly cannot hurt) and an antibiotic to address the high white bc.  Cancer had crept into the conversation, but unless I was willing to open up Maximus and get to see his insides, there was no way to tell if that was the issue.

He lost about a pound a month. He continued to play, albeit at a slower pace, and he continued to eat and wag his tail.  While he never was really good about jumping up on the furniture without help from me, he continued to try to do it himself.  I knew that if one day he just refused to do any of these things, then it would be time to take him for his last visit to see the vet.

He was a great dog!  I would have him on my lap and rub his soft ears and whisper, Maximus...I love you!" and he let me.  He snapped at others if they got too close, but not me!  And he played with his buddy Kozmo, my other Westie, brought into the family two years after Max.  They were great playmates, and even though at the beginning Max was suspicious and standoffish with Kozmo, they eventually became joined at the hip, literally as I took them both for a walk and they trotted along. 

Max slept allot in his cage at night with Kozmo, but near the end, I eventually began letting the two of them sleep in my bed.  They were so well trained to trot into their cage as they heard the click of the TV remote signaling the end of the day.  But I decided I wanted to be close to Max as the end drew near and sort of wish I had let him have this sooner.  I took him to an All Dogs Playgroup through a Meet Up club and he ran around with other dogs and never became threatening or difficult to handle.  He stayed near me all the time in my house and always seemed to be looking up at me for something and I always addressed it.   He took off on me a few times out the door and down the street to the hole in the fence by the river nearby and would come home long after I had accepted that he ran away, his fur full of burrs and wet from walking around in the river.  But he always came home.

After what had to be a difficult four months, his heart, I am sure, finally gave out.  I miss him terribly but have plenty of photographs to share of him and memories of him and my children to last  me a long time.  I do not know if I will ever replace him.  I couldn't find another dog just like him with his soft and gentle demeanor, at least I don't think so from here.  For now, I will enjoy the company of his "brother" and buddy Kozmo and smile when see him running around, fake growling at his play buddy Dakota (a black lab that came into my house a year or so ago via the kids father) and just be glad I had Maximus for the time that I did.

Who brings you joy in your vintage home?  Is it a small dog, or a big dog?  Is it a bird or other type of pet?  Pets are a part of the fabric of families and life.  They help us to forget the tough times and are there for us when we are joyful as well.  They add a warm fuzzy flavor to our household and watch us when we forget to watch ourselves.  They ask so little and get so little in return sometimes. They love us unconditionally without negotiation or strings attached. 

If you do not have a pet and want t add something that will love you forever to your life, then adopt a pet.  There are so many homeless and wonderful animals in shelters now that need us and whether you admit it or not...you need them also!  Think about it and let me know what you did today to make this something you will do.  I want to know if you took my advice and are happy or are considering adopting a pet and are ready to make it a reality. 

Bye for now. 

One of the most enjoyable things that I do is visit flea markets, thrift stores and estate sale basements to find neat and undiscovered treasures, that most time, the seller has no real knowledge of.  I don't mean to say that I take advantage of the sellers, but I always say, if you are going to deal in antiques or vintage items of any kind, best to know what the value is. Most of the time, I find cool stuff that really just appeals to me for being beautiful and those are the things that I buy to look at and treasure for myself.  I happened upon such a find just the other day at the Royal Oak Farmer's Market in Royal Oak, Michigan.

I looked and looked. I was hoping to find that nice lady who had the vintage draperies and rods the last time I was there three weeks prior. I looked for the man selling the trinket box made that jewelry company that starts with the letter M.  Well, I could not find either of them there so just enjoyed checking out the other things that the other sellers had. On my way out, I happened upon a gentleman who had a curious glass bowl on display. There was no price on it, but something told me it was expensive. I inquired anyway.

"That's a Heisley glass bowl in the Orchid Pattern," he said. I picked it up and it was just the most beautiful pattern I had ever seen etched onto glass. It was footed and fanned out from the center like a lotus flower. "Remember that name, Liz" I instructed my daughter. "I have nothing to write this down and I want to remember it so I can look it up when I get home."

I looked it up on the different sites that deal in antique glass. It turns out that this Orchid pattern is one of the most coveted of the patterns by this manufacturer. Surprise!  A.H. Heisey company produced glassware from 1896 to 1957 in Newark Ohio.  The glassware was not cheap when it was produced and was the pride of many a new bride's first bridal registry pick. They began working with pressed glass using molds, and then moved on to the delicate etched patterns that look so much like crystal that we know today.    Sometimes you can find sets of glasses, water, flutes and the like in sets of 6. When you find them, grab them because if you want to collect them, the Orchid pattern is the most popular.  

 I think I would like to keep my dish and add some serving pieces to it.  I cannot think of a better table setting than one that includes daily shabby chic plates and mismatched teacups and saucers...and here and there, a sprinkling of beautiful Orchid patterned Heisey glassware!       

I will let you know when I find a set and will share a photo. Until then, I am off...on another buying trip and find another cherished treasure to display here!  Bye all!

that look

My Favorite Things....all the elements of decorating for the holidays!

       It is now nearing the new years holiday and I am reflecting on my 51st Christmas.  Even though it has been many years, I still find myself  trying to remember the details of the earliest Christmas in my life..the one I had when I was 3 or four years old.  I remember the baby doll and bassinet I received from Santa.  I can feel my forehead wrinkling as I try to recall other details of my childhood Christmas holiday, and they are more detailed the older I became.  Some of the things that help these memories emerge are things like large old fashioned Xmas lights, silver and gold tinsel, silver aluminum artificial trees, red and green plastic wall hangings, and the sight of one of those cardboard fireplaces with the rotating colored disk in front of a light bulb imitating a roaring fire.  I do not put tinsel on my tree these days and I have reverted to an artificial one now. However, the Christmas tree in my house is just as beautiful and make just as grand of memories each year, although they are getting a bit more lean and simple.

        This year I enjoyed setting up the tree with clear lights.  I like that they don't compete with all the pretty ornaments I have.  I have acquired, over the years, a nice collection of "Shiny Brite" mercury ornaments. I can see all of the ornaments more clearly on the tree and it just looks neater.

        Over the years I have collected some beautiful bulbs and trinkets for the tree..some of which are mementos of trips or other things. The New York Taxi ornament reminds me of the trip my kids and I went on to NY over 10 years ago. That was the best trip, we all agree!  The over sized lolli pop ornament is one I bought at one of those after Christmas sales and would not have been able to buy ordinarily!
And then, adorning my tree are a myriad of other beautiful bulbs and what not, including an ornaments made by my children through their elementary school years...like this Styrofoam cup covered with glitter...bell!

       Others may cover their tree with ornaments costing so much more, but at this stage in my life, I just do not have the space to keep on buying new ones every year and adding more when I do not really need to.  I have enough extra to change up how the family tree looks year after year. Each one conjures up memories of Christmases past.

      I have not even touched on the beautiful things one can do with Christmas presents!  I used to professionally wrap gifts as a home based business and enjoyed what I could create from basic dollar store paper and inexpensive tie-ons.  I will share them with you on my holiday blog next year. I can't share all of my secrets in one blog after all!  :)


        I love to build my room around the tree with my furnishings and such.   Take this tree skirt for instance. I found it at an after Christmas sale for 90% off of it's original $360 + price tag. What made it special to me is the petite point Santas and the silken brocade material that unifies it all into a beautiful circular skirt.  Made in Italy.

This holiday vignette created for the coffee table combines a
gold velvet lined and glass topped jewel box with a tall clear vase filled with shiny red and gold bulbs and a family member's photograph.  In the background, you can see one of my favorite striped silk pillows settled on the couch, while the tree lights flank the left side.











        I call the chair below my "holiday chair".  It is an antique store find, made around the '40's (one of my favorite era's for home furnishings). I got it for way less than the posted price after a little bit of clever bargaining with the seller at an antique mall.  The accompanying pillow is of silk, down filled and another garage sale find (it helps to assist others in setting up their sales...you get first pick of all the good stuff.)  FYI:  It cost me only $2.00!  I have learned since then that the style of the chair is referred to as "bergere". 

         In a few days, New Years will be upon us and sadly, the tree will come down the following week. Even if I have to take over three days to re-pack and put away the myriad of baubles and bling that I put out,   I, for one, will miss is greatly as it has filled a space in my living room and in my family's heart, with all that is shiny,  beautiful and smile producing. Fortunate for all of us, though...with the passage of the winter holidays comes the promise of spring and beginning for the new year!

     Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year folks.  And may  God Bless us....everyone!

Identifying Fine China and Determining its Value

I just acquired a new set of china today!  I was so excited when I first saw it because of the beautiful pattern and design. But I knew I needed to determine the value before I paid the asking price obviously.  

It is important to know the value of what you are thinking of purchasing.  Whether you are buying it for investment or for enjoyment research must be done. Gather all the background you can about the item via books on the subject of the maker of the piece and the Internet using keywords. Finding out who made the china can be determined through research on the Internet, but you may be wondering where to start.  Here are a few ideas to get you started.

If you acquire china from a family member  you can ask them about what they remember about the pieces. Sometimes information will narrow down the country and date of creation. Once you have recorded all the verbal information, try to verify it. Second, observe any signatures or names of countries of origins that may be included in the back stamp.  In the USA, markings became law in 1890, anything earlier and you will have to rev up your research.  Different types of markings include stamped marked, impressed marks, handwritten marks, sticker or paper marks.  Handwritten marks are usually a logo or symbol but can be written in any language.  Sticker  or paper markings were glued or shellacked to the china.  Export markings are added to china that is transported from its country of origin to another destination.  You may see two different markings on china.

Determining the origin of your china is exciting, especially if it is what you deem a lucky find or a family heirloom. It is wise to remember, however,  that your china may have a higher sentimental value than a monetary one. While my new china was discontinued in 1917 and in excellent condition, it really is only worth what the market will bear.  

I have some lovely Crown Ducal China that I purchased from a friend. At the time of purchase, I did not have the advantage of the Internet, but now from my research of the back stamp bearing the maker, I was able to learn the china pattern and when it was manufactured.  I didn't know till I learned this information that I have china that is worth quite a bit more when I decide whether or not to sell it for profit.

Here are some dating markings guidelines to help you:


Royal Arms marks date back to the 19th or 20th century.  
When the printed mark has the name of the pattern, it can be dated after 1810
Marks that included the word "limited" or the abbreviations "LTD or LD" can be dated after 1861.
Marks that include the words "Trade Mark" denotes a date after 1862
Take pictures with a digital camera and then take the pictures to an expert if you are unsure of whether or not to buy the china or want to know about something you already own.. You can also use the photos to track down the markings on the Internet or in reference books at a library or really good bookstore.

Other important to remembers:

Check for imperfections.  This is an extremely important step if you intend to use your china acquisitions for investing or making a profit selling antique china.  With a magnifying glass and a black light, check the piece for chips, scratches, smudges, cracks and stains. A black light is great for helping you spot repairs. Under regular light, a piece of china may look flawless; however, under a black light, repairs will show.  You should know this because of the obvious decrease in value of the piece for every repair that is made on it..  You will want to insure that you are getting just what you think you are paying for, whether you are collecting antique china for investing or for yourself.  


Now that you know how to identify fine antique china, maybe you want to learn more about antique china values?  Go to Antiquing Authority.com for more information!

Care and Cleaning of Fine China

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Now I have been away for a while, taking care of business as one usually says. However, I have not forgotten that my last post stated that in this series I am blogging about  fine china and said that I would talk about how to care for it.  It is so important that if you take the time to choose a china pattern or are given a beautiful set, that you know how to keep from damaging it.  Damage can very well occur if you don't know the do's and don'ts of it.   Certainly, if you take a good long look at Grandma's set, you will see the evidence of damage occurring over the years and wonder how it could have been avoided.
Many fine china manufacturers have different suggestions for caring for china and the same goes for solutions to addressing the damage.  Lenox china, being one of the premier china manufacturers shares the following information to help you preserve your fine china dinnerware.  I have included a few of my own tips here as well.

Preparing to wash your fine china dinnerware.

First, remember to never purposely scrape your away remaining scraps of food from your china, especially with a metal utensil like a fork or knife. Rinsing the dish off shortly after eating with warm water before the food has time to stick is a good rule of thumb.You will want to avoid letting highly acidic foods like spaghetti sauce sit on the surface for too long as it may stain. You will want to have a rubber mat lining the interior of your sink to prevent china from getting scratched and dinged.  Never stack your china in the sink. Wash one piece at a time. This will prevent them from hitting one another.

Washing your fine china dinnerware

Use only mild detergents – do not use abrasive or harsh cleaning agents.  This is why hand washing is suggested, as dishwasher detergent is especially harsh and not recommended for china or crystal or silverware.  Use a soft sponge and be careful that no residue from a previous use exists on the sponge. Even the tiniest microscopic grains in a sponge can leave fine scratches on the surface of china, leaving it open to future crazing. Use only warm water.  The hottest water is not necessary and as you know, if you have ever taken a crystal glass out of really hot water, breakage can be the result. Slide the china into the water to allow time for the temperature to distribute evenly. Temperature changes can also crack or break fine china. It is important to remember that china with metal trim is especially susceptible to damage as the hot water will cause the metal to flake away. And never ever rub any detergent on the metal trim which can also cause it to flake.

Protecting your fine china dinnerware from stains 

Remember, to rinse shortly after use.Tea or coffee cups can be cleaned using a solution of one part hydrogen peroxide, three parts water, with just a drop of clear household ammonia, shortly after use to help aid in preventing the build up of stains. Rinse with clear, warm water. 

Tips for treating stains that are already present on your fine china dinnerware

 A few instances where rubbing when cleaning china is allowed:
 Use a small dab of baking soda to gently rub away the stains. Sprinkle the stains with salt and gently rub away the stains. A small amount of cream of tartar on a damp sponge will remove stains. Gray stains can be removed by rubbing with a small amount of toothpaste on a soft cloth. Stain from hard water or lime can be removed by soaking the china in warm water with citrus rinds such as lemon, grapefruit, or orange, overnight.


Not only is cleaning your china important, caring for it in general requires knowing the following:

Most of us think air drying is best.  I am here to tell you that to avoid spots, it is best to always hand dry with a soft non abrasive clean dish cloth.  I know people who dry their china with cloth diapers. Do not stack too many china plates one on top of another. When you stack, it is best to place a paper doily, or a rubber jar ring between each plate to avoid scratching, or cut out circles of a lightweight cardboard works just as well. If you do stack your china plates, lift them off when ready to use instead of sliding. Stacking teacups, or placing items inside another piece as they dry is inviting damage and so  is a huge no-no.  Doing so leaves teacups vulnerable to tipping over and can nick the handles and edges of other pieces such as casserole lids and creamers. Regarding teacups,  you may be surprised to learn that it unwise to hang the teacups by hooks or pegs.  What this does is result in weakening the handles over time. So, just put your teacups side by side on a shelf instead. Keep your fine china dinnerware at moderate room temperatures. Extreme temperatures can cause your china to crack or break Do not place china in a box in a cold basement or store tightly together in containers in a cold place such as a garage or basement, or for that matter, in a hot place such as an attic. Now you know why your neighbor who hardly ever uses their china has it displayed in a china cabinet. The cabinet may take up allot of room, but if it adds to the lifespan of the china you have, then it is worth it!

When serving on your china, warm the dishes at room temperature so that any hot food placed on it will not "shock" it. Extreme quick changes in temperature can damage it.   When serving anything in a lidded dish with handles, never actually hold the dish by the handles when serving. Most of the time, the handles on such serving pieces are for decoration and not to be used literally as carrying handles.

China is bound to show some cracks or crazing over time. I always say that it is better to use the china even if you fear damage so that you can make some great family dinner memories.  Using it every day if it is not heirloom quality is not such a bad thing.  If you do notice fine spidery surface cracks,  you can usually repair these by placing the china in a pan of warm milk for around 30 minutes. If the cracks are only surface deep, they should vanish.

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Why own fine china at all?

Like anything else you have in your life that you love and enjoy, fine china deserves to be respected!  Someone once asked me why anyone would register for fine china when they were getting married since it never gets used in most cases. I remember answering them by saying that having fine china in your house is like having a memory album.  If you have it, you should use it often for all special occasions, including Mother's Day lunches, tea parties with the ladies from your church or quilting group, and even, yes, for special birthday dinners for everyone in the family.  China is meant to be used so that when you pass it along through the ages, stories can be told of where it came from, who was at the special dinners where it was laid out, and what was the funniest story ever told over that special dinner.

So enjoy your china, take good care of it, and it will help to create more special memories than one can imagine!

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Fine china...pulling out your "someday best"

All of my life I have loved pretty things. These things usually revolved around ceramics, pottery and china objects.  I have a few odd china plates that just appealed to me and china cups that maybe I got for a gift and really did not appreciate them till long after they sat in a box in storage. Lately, I have come to love china dishes.  I find beauty and want to have it around me in my everyday life.  The best way I can think of to integrate this beauty into my everyday life is by owning and using beautiful china for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I am going to educate you about china through this blog in a series of posts. First I will be showing you some of  the china I have collected.  Second,  I will talk about the china markings or backstamps,  how they are used to identify what you have and then I will tell you what I know about determining the value of the china.  Lets start with sharing pictures and short descriptions of what I own. 

Haviland Bavarian China

Years ago, about 20 I think, I saved enough "points" shopping at my local food store to purchase Haviland Bavarian china at a huge discount. In the end I had service for eight in two four-piece sets.  It is vitreous china, so translucent you can see your hand through it when you put it up to the light. I already had silver plated flatware and the platinum trim around the edges of this china coordinated perfectly.  I love the fancy scalloped edging and the footed teacups with the curly Q handles. I had hoped to eventually find and purchase the teapot and sugar/creamer and salt and pepper shakers, and a complete hostess set.  Someday maybe, but for now, I am content with what I have.

Noritake

Since then I acquired other pretty china sets by some of the best china makers.  My vintage Noritake china, made in occupied Japan, has been named through hours of research as "Mystery Pattern #7".  I have service for 12, with all the pieces, the first group of this found at a thrift store, service for eight with almost all the hostess pieces, but no dinner plates for only $40.  I bought an entire set of service for 12  from someone who advertised on EBAY classified. I had to drive to Ohio 3 hours away to get them, but I did, and I did it for a song. Having duplicates of the b & b plates and all the rest is not such a bad thing..I can sell them to finance the deal or have them just for replacements! This china dates back to the 1940 according to Replacements LTD. Its coloring and shape of each of the different pieces identifies it as Noritake, although the blanks for the pieces were historically purchased by other manufacturers and their own designs decorated them.  It would be easy to get them confused without looking at the identifying markings on the bottom.

I think the prettiest thing about Noritake china is the shapes of the vessels.  I absolutely love the fact that each set comes with a tureen or covered casserole and the handles on everything is painted with gold. More recently, the quality of the china is the same, but you simply won't find such ornate decoration, so vivid in color, any longer. Anything pre-dating this set is even more beautiful, and any china made by Noritake before 1950 is hard to find in a complete unblemished set such as this.  I possess actually two sets of Occupied Japan Noritake with all the serving pieces in service for 12.  A wonderful family heirloom that my family can look forward to receiving some day.

Diamond hand painted China

One of the things I love also about vintage china is the pieces it comes with. I just recently came across a set of two handled soup bowls made by Diamond . It is labeled "hand painted" and is also very ornate in its design, footed and with gold leaf accents on the handles.  I decided after finding four of these at a more well known thrift store, all four for $14.99, I would try to find saucers.  I did find a creamer and sugar and four teacup saucers for a song on Ebay.- $14.99.  I have seen complete dish sets also for a very affordable price. But I have self control, and decided to stop at the pieces I have now.  I think I just might serve oatmeal in these on Christmas morning...just for a change of pace and to add some glitz to a special day of the year!

Homer Laughlin

Homer Laughlin made china that was highly regarded and popular for a very long time. I came to know Homer Laughlin china when I came across a set for less than $25 at an antique store. The pattern featured here is referred to as  Eggshell Georgian, and the decoration on it is named Chateau.  It was most popular during the war when American brides could little afford expensive china imported from overseas. The color of this set is the lightest robins egg blue with a floral spray and a delicate braided edging that does not show well in these pictures. This set is in immaculate condition and has a few hostess pieces with it. I have tried to find the tea pot that goes with it, but it is highly collectible, more so than the plates settings and I have seen it on Ebay fetch upwards of $75.  I also have a set of Homer Laughlin in the Aristocrat pattern.  Here is a photo of the sugar bowl which I recently purchased for only $10 on Etsy.com. Recently I sold a set of the Viceroy pattern, service for 4, and I am sharing a photograph of the cup and saucer here.  Homer Laughlin, you may know, is the manufacturer of highly collectible Fiestaware.  If you like vintage china that you can really use every day, check out Homer Laughlin.

Pope Gosser China

Recently, I discovered the beauty of Pope Gosser china.  First thing that came into my ownership was a sugar bowl and creamer, no markings on it to speak of, but beautiful enough and unique in its design. Notice the handle of the sugar bowl is a slanted rose?  The handles on each is so intricate and delicate.  These pieces fit my leanings toward the shabby chic trend. You should see the coffee pot!  I am just a few days away from obtaining that. I plan to stop with just the three pieces..it is all I need to just look at and suddenly get happy when it comes to the pretty things that I have around me in my home.  Now if this were marked on the bottom, it would say "Rosepoint".  This photo of it just doesn't do it justice.  If you like the shabby chic look of this china, go look it up on Ebay and see all the obtainable pieces there. It is bright off white, although you cannot get that from this photo. But I can promise you, --you will fall in love with it if you allow your romantic side to emerge!  Pope Gosser also makes wonderful place settings with beautiful intricate edging on the plates with 22 kt gold trim that is not to be easily dismissed.  I have just started to add to my china hoard (eeek!) with a serving set of the pattern "Florence" which I intend to acquire and give away to one of my family as a gift someday.

There are other china producers that I love. Spode made some wonderful china as does Wedgewood and Waterford, but they can be pretty pricey. I also would like to add to my small set of Royal Doulton china, and recently I bought a couple of smaller odd pieces of Shelly and Aynsley china upon a visit to the RePurpose Warehouse at a 50% off sale.  I have these odd pieces around strictly for their beauty and could not possibly think of adding to these smaller pieces collection but they would come at a very high price. I think I will wait on that for now!  

The point of my sharing this particular information is to show you all the beautiful alternatives to your old beat up Correlle (not to bemoan this fabulous every day kitchen gem), but to make you all think outside the box when it comes to showing off your culinary masterpieces to your family.  There is nothing more exciting to your children, especially to the younger crowd, then setting up the table like it is not just Wednesday, but a holiday and showing off your crystal and china and pulling your wedding flatware out of the box is your gift to your family for the day.  You simply must make memories with your beautiful things. It is a crime to keep it all locked up and demand that no one touch it.  Making memories make for strong families, ...it makes your kids feel even more special because THEY are worth celebrating.  So, open up that china cabinet, pull out the cloth napkins and crystal, and serve your hot dogs and hamburgers on your "someday best".

Love,

Kimberley

Next blog: The care and cleaning of fine china