Dishing with CaraFaye

New Toys to play with

2011-12-29T04:47:00.000-05:00

A tablescape means more to me when there's some story or meaning to the pieces on my table, so I was really looking forward to using this lovely old Crown Ducal teapot and teacups on the table. They were a gift from my dish friend, Angela in a Secret Santa exchange. She knew the deco look would grab me, and the colors match my vintage Fiesta perfectly. I chose vintage red Fiesta dinner plates and forest green bread plates, and a Post86 marigold buffet plate. The cobalt Ralston all-gone bunny bowls add a whimsical touch, and these amazingly hard to find treasures showed up on eBay within a day of each other this month, and I put in one bid on each of these, never imagining I'd win them both. They bring happy thoughts of Becky to mind, since she had the first blue bunny bowls I had ever seen. Usually, I see this Ralston bowl in ivory and green, The lovely napkins were linen treasures from another dear dish friend, Kathy and brought all the colors together so nicely on the table. The flatware is vintage Bakelite, a gift from Dori. All these ladies are scattered coast to coast, but it's almost like getting to sit down with them, having them represented at the table. You can't beat a good meal, surrounded by old (and new) friends.

Flamingo Holidays

2011-12-22T08:21:00.001-05:00

I'm a sucker for flamingos... there's just something cheerful and quirky and elegant about them. Naturally, I couldn't resist the chance to put them on my holiday table. A friend gave me the tablecloth this summer, and I've been struggling to find just the right dinnerware to put on it.

I was astonished when I found these Homer Laughlin Eggshell Nautilus pieces on eBay recently, because they have a gorgeous flamingo decoration that's normally seen on HALL China...not HLC!
My surprise quickly turned to delight when I realized that these plates were perfect for my summer linen gift...

I chose to mix Fiesta (both vintage and P86), as well as the matching Fiesta flatware by Cambridge. Be sure and take a look at the new Fiesta latte mugs...they're exclusive to Kohl's for now and have only been available for about a month. The little vintage shrimp boats by Cardinal China will be perfect for holding dipping sauce. The napkins are Tammis Keefe, and while they actually match some different place mats, I thought they worked fine with this grouping. The spiral candle holder is Metlox, and the flamingos have migrated to my house from a number of different places...and I'm always looking to increase the flock!

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Table

2011-12-20T10:05:00.000-05:00

Today's table features a vintage California Hand Prints Deco Reindeer cloth in green. A mix of vintage and Post 86 Fiesta dinnerware and flatware were used, along with a mix of decorative trees in shades of silver and ivory.

Halloweenscape

2011-10-21T16:07:00.000-04:00

I love this vintage Martex linen cloth... and thought I'd post at least one Halloweenscape before I head out of town. The dishes are of course vintage and P86 Fiesta, the flatware is Bakelite, and the glassware is Anchor Hocking Banded Rings. My sneaky pumpkin is an old Hallmark friend, and the napkin rings are from Kohl's last year.

On the table today... Ken Scott

2011-10-17T15:14:00.001-04:00

The vintage cloth on today's table is a Ken Scott "Bouillabaisse" by Leacock in a Red colorway. I had such fun choosing Fiesta colors for this table, since in my mind, none of those colors "go" together! Where else can you see lilac and plum cavorting with scarlet,persimmon, marigold, tangerine, and sunflower?

My camera battery pooped out after four pics, so I am going to post one photo now, and maybe I can add a few more once the battery is all recharged!

My friend Daphne, at Tabletop Time has this same cloth, but in a beautiful blue,chartreuse, purple colorway. Have a peek at her Bouillabaisse table .

A milestone achieved

2011-10-16T08:20:00.001-04:00

Recently, my friend Kari helped me complete one of my collecting goals: acquiring a vintage Fiesta figure 8 tray in turquoise. She attended an auction where one was to be sold, and agreed to bid on it for me! Usually the vintage figure 8 tray was dipped in cobalt, and both cream and sugar bowls and lid were yellow, and they are fairly easy to find, but there was also a more unusual color combination: turquoise tray, red creamer, and yellow sugar bowl and lid.

I really loved the more unusual set, of course. I knew from the beginning that it would be somewhat difficult to assemble, but that was part of the appeal for me. I love the hunt! I didn't have much trouble at all finding the cream and sugar bowl in great condition, but the figure 8 tray proved elusive. I've seen them sell for quite a bit more than my budget allows. I've seen damaged pieces out there, but I wanted to wait for the right piece. When Kari called to tell me that we had won it in the auction, I was delighted! Best of all, she delivered it in person when we got together at the Homer Laughlin tent sale this past week. Thanks, Kari! Dish friends really ARE the best!

Here's a peek at my treasure:

Nasturtiums for the Lady in Red

2011-08-29T16:11:00.001-04:00

My friend Becky and I bonded over dishes and linens. We cheered each other's "finds", and enabled each other constantly. Our dishes and linens travelled between Virginia and Alabama, and we enjoyed visiting via message board, phone, and in person too.

This hard to find vintage cloth was made by Prints Charming and features Nasturtiums on a trellis. Becky and I both loved this cloth, and we had hoped to add other colorways to our collections. Since my cloth was primarily turquoise, I chose scarlet, turquoise and red stripe Fiesta, vintage Tiffin goblets, and contemporary Martha Stewart polka dot napkins to accent the colors in the cloth.

Here's a bit closer peek:

Today would have been Becky's birthday, and I just couldn't resist sharing one of our favorites with you.

A very happy un-birthday to Daphne!

2011-08-16T10:12:00.002-04:00

Last week, my friend Daphne had a birthday, and I missed it!! I had every intention of doing a tablescape on the big day, but somehow it just slipped in there and before I knew it, the day had arrived. (I did manage to get her card and a little gift in the mail on time, though!) So, Rebecca and I decided that we'd just do unbirthday tablescapes celebrating Daphne today!

Be sure and stop in at Rebecca's blog for her unbirthday tribute to diva Daphne!

For some reason, one of the colors I always associate with Daphne is yellow. She collects Homer Laughlin Harlequin in yellow. Her living room is a beautiful rich marigold yellow, so it seemed appropriate to do a table for her in lots of shades of yellow. The cloth is vintage, with Hummel children around the edge. The flatware is Cambridge Fiesta in marigold and sunflower. There are wonderful smelling Peace roses in an 8" Fiesta vase in Marigold, and the pyramid candleholders are Marigold, too. Other Fiesta colors are vintage yellow and antique gold, and P86 sunflower, pale yellow, and marigold. The 22 oz pitcher and tiny nut dishes holding votives are from Homer Laughlin's Harlequin line.

Happy unbirthday, Daphne... we love you!

Belated HLCCA Conference Report

2011-08-11T09:58:00.002-04:00

I look forward each year to attending the Homer Laughlin China Collectors Association (HLCCA) conference in July. It is held in Pittsburgh, PA every other year, because the Homer Laughlin factory is within a 30 minute drive and members can tour the factory and shop in the outlet there. On the alternating years, the conference travels to other cities in the U.S. This year was a Pittsburgh year, and our host hotel was the Embassy Suites in Coraopolis. Super nice facility, and the staff there made all the dish folks feel right at home.

There are always lots of activities: a mixer,exhibits, a show and sale, a couple of auctions, a business meeting, seminars, tours, shopping, and a banquet. Usually, I participate by doing a floral display in that competition, or a table setting in the tablescape competition. This year, I got a little deeper into things: I helped during the mixer, did my usual tablesetting for that competition, AND did an actual exhibit with Jerry Lefever, one of the other members who shares my passion for the Clematis aka Red Beauty decoration.

My Clematis is usually displayed in the china cabinet on the right, and it's pretty full...

We both brought pieces from our personal collections, and combined them into one BIG exhibit. I packed up and travelled with SIX TOTES of dishes and Jerry had as many boxes as I did! In fact, there were so many dishes, that I made a trip up there in June just to take my totes of Clematis and stored them at Sid and Maryann's warehouse because I wasn't sure that I could bring all the dishes in the same load as three women and their luggage for a week at conference time! I was a total ditz because I didn't take a SINGLE picture during the exhibits, nor during the banquet that night!!!

The banquet is always held on Saturday night, and the centerpieces this year were spectacular: 75th anniversary soup tureens and limited edition pyramid candleholders! My friend, Susan won the tureen at our table, and I was lucky enough to bring home the candleholders!

I got a bit of a shock this year at the banquet... Each year there are awards presented and I was honored to have been chosen for a very special award. It's called the Homer and Shakespeare Award and the member who won the preceding year chooses the winner for that year. It's given to someone "who works behind the scenes, creatively furthering the efforts of collecting Homer Laughlin dinnerware". Saarin Schwartz was last year's winner, and I was speechless when she called my name!
The award was beautiful...a shamrock green carafe decorated in gold, with Homer and Shakespeare Award on it. Saarin also gave me my very own Dish Fairy, holding a tiny green carafe! I was touched and stunned...and totally, totally, delighted!

and then, the night got even BETTER!! There's an award called The Raspberry Award, given to a member with an innate sense of fun. I was absolutely thrilled to bring that home with me as well. The actual award for that is something made especially for the winner. It's always something one of a kind. In my case, it was a disk pitcher with a very, very special decal. David Schaefer, the editor of the Dish collaborated with Judi Noble, the art director at HLC (and a truly wonderful lady!!) and they really outdid themselves this year!! Remember my post from a few months ago about tattoos, linens, and odd coincidences? well... check out the artwork on my pitcher!!!!! How wonderful is that????

My friend Daphne, from Tabletop Time instituted a policy long ago, that you must take a picture when you get home from any event, documenting what you got there. She trained me well when Rebecca and I visited her for Brimfield last year, so naturally I had to take a photo of all my treasures from this year's HLCCA conference. Some were gifts, some were prizes, and some pieces were purchased treasures from shopping jaunts during the trip:

As much fun as all the activities are, the real draw for me is the chance to see and visit with dish friends I've gotten to know over the years, and get to know other new folks who share the dish fever. It's like a massive family reunion. I end up getting up early, staying up late, and talking pretty much non-stop! It's no wonder that I'm already looking forward to Kansas City next year!

Remembering Becky

2011-08-05T01:00:00.053-04:00

There is often comfort in doing familiar things...like setting a table.   Today's table is in memory of my friend Becky, who passed away last week. I wanted to share how much she meant to me, but I've written, erased, and rewritten, and I suppose its all too new, because nothing sounds right to me. I just don't have words. Maybe that's ok. Sometimes there just aren't words.    Instead, I cleaned off the dining room table, opened up the linen cabinet, and got to work.

I chose a vintage cloth, edged in her favorite shade of blue. (She always called it Harlequin blue, others call it mauve blue. For me, it's just "Becky blue".) The flowers decorating the cloth are pansies, which Victorians used in their bouquets to signify remembrance.   On the table is a mix of Fiesta: vintage cobalt, contemporary scarlet and marigold, and Becky's beloved Homer Laughlin Harlequin in "her" hue. The flatware was a gift from a dish fairy. A Hall coffeelator pot is serving as an ice bucket for Becky's Prosecco. We spent some happy times, chatting and sipping Prosecco.

The wine glasses are etched with the Fiesta Dancing Lady and the Homer Laughlin China Collectors Association logos, in honor of Fiesta's 75th birthday, and the little marigold demitasse cups and saucers are special items given to those of us attending the HLCCA conference week before last. The marigold pyramid candle holders were part of the centerpiece on the banquet tables at conference, and I was delighted to win the set on my table.

I won't pretend to have any skill at arranging flowers. My "method" is to jam flowers into the vase until I can't get more in there, but in this arrangement the five red roses tucked into the bouquet represent each of the tablescape divas: Becky, Daphne, Candy, Rebecca, and myself. I've enjoyed all our tablescape collaborations so much, and it's hard, knowing that our Deco Lady isn't here to join in the fun this time.   I'm linking with others' tributes to Becky, via Daphne's Tabletop Time
.

Love and good thoughts to Mike, Abbey and Donnie, Tori, and all of Becky's family and friends.
I miss her, too.

Happy Dots

2011-08-03T12:47:00.003-04:00

We finally got a bit of a break from the HEAT in southwestern Virginia today. The sky is overcast and I have a wonderfully nice breeze fluttering the curtains. It was a good morning to play with dishes. I had been working on something special the last few days, to be shared here on Friday morning, and that's all set, so I wanted to see something simple but cheery on the table. Here's what I chose:

The tablecloth is vintage, the dinnerware is contemporary Fiesta (the polka dot salad plates are limited edition HLCCA exclusives) and the bowl is the brand new rice bowl, exclusive to Dillard's . The tumblers are Tervis, officially licensed Fiesta, and the flatware is Cambridge Masquerade, another Fiesta go-along). I'll be joining Between Naps on The Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Do stop in there!

Sometimes, a little quiet reflection is good.

2011-07-29T19:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome Summer!!

2011-06-21T08:30:00.001-04:00

I've been a bit of a slacker the last week or so. I haven't posted anything, and have been really busy trying to get packed for the Homer Laughlin China Collectors Conference I'll be attending next month. Those of you who know me well are probably re-reading right now to be sure that I said I was packing now. I am a chronic last-minute packer, except that this time, I really can't be, because I am doing an exhibit, and am taking my dishes up early, so... that means I am, indeed, packing NOW. No worries, I'll be back to my old habits when it comes to packing my clothing and sundries! I have a few other surprises and hopefully some new treasures to share this week, so do peek back in!

I did manage to slip outside and take a few photos in the yard to share as I join Candy at TLRT for This Week in My Garden.

The flowers in bloom are a nice mix of old friends like the butterfly bush, Joe Pye weed and coreopsis and newcomers Echinacea 'Hot Papaya' and coreopsis 'Lightning Flash'. 'Lightning Flash' is a little different than other coreopsis, because its known more for it's bright upper foliage than for the bloom. The other echinaceas haven't opened up, although I think several will be blooming by next week. The real "star" blossoming this week though isn't one of my flowers! It's the giant pumpkin in my son's garden, and the bloom is BIGGER than my entire hand!

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) 'Royal Red'


Joe Pye Weed


Coreopsis 'Zagreb'

Coreopsis 'Lightning Flash'

Echinacea 'Hot Papaya'

Massive Pumpkin blossom in my son's veggie garden!

Estate Auctions are all kinds of HOT fun!

2011-06-11T07:00:00.004-04:00

One of my guilty pleasures is attending estate/personal property auctions. I absolutely love spending the day out in the country, listening to the cadence of the auctioneers, watching the people around me, and seeing what treasures are unearthed. I don't even have to buy anything to have fun. Of course, part of the fun IS The Hunt. There is a huge adrenalin rush when I spot something interesting, and there's a delicate balance in looking very carefully for flaws and trying to avoid having dealers or others be able to tell that there's something I want. The auctioneers in my part of the country are pretty well-informed, but they're not infallible. Lots of times they'll point out as they sell that something is Roseville or Fostoria or a particular type of wood, or that it's a rare antique toy or collector's item. After all, they make money depending on how much money an item brings. Often, there's no rhyme or reason for what brings big money, and what sells for a dollar.

The weather was scorching hot, but thankfully the auctioneers had put up a giant tent with lots of folding chairs. I always keep a folding chair in the back of my SUV, because sometimes you have to bring your own chair if you want seating. Over time, I've gotten to know several of the "regular" auction attendees. Some, like me, are individual collectors, looking for specific items. Others have stores, or booths in antique malls. There are always new or different people that attend, too. Lots of times there will be friends/family members of the sellers (so, I'd be very quiet about any comments about the "stuff" you see. You never know who will be sitting near you!) or sometimes people come to bid on one specific thing.

Even watching the way people bid can be entertaining. Some are very direct and shove their bid card HIGH in the air (remember that kid in 2nd grade that always knew the answer when the teacher asked? THAT's exactly how it looks. Some flap their arm around, like they're on a float in the Rose Parade. Some barely flick their head. Others point or tap their hat brim. Sometimes they're so subtle, I can't tell from where I'm sitting who actually bid. One gentleman says, "HUP!" very loudly on his first bid and then waggles a finger when he raises the bid. Me? I sorta flick my bid card forward on the first bid and either nod or shake my head after that.

I had the pleasure of attending a huge sale this week... I've never ever seen so many items in a single estate. I can't even begin to fathom where they kept all the stuff. I came home with a few treasures: some silverplate, a couple of McCoy pieces, a box of linens, and an antique end chair that MATCHES my dining room chairs! The needlepoint seat is different, but I don't mind that!

There are all sorts of sales, too. I've attended everything from very high-end antique sales with glossy catalogs to truck overstocks to plain old country estate auctions. I have to admit, though... I really do love the old country estate sales most of all . There's a HUGE mix of items, literally anything someone could have in their house, and the mix of people is just as wide. I took a couple of quick pictures with my phone and meant to take more, but well...I got distracted looking at "stuff". These photos are from one side of the house, and there were three more sides, just as full as this!

This week in the garden, better late than never!

2011-06-10T12:52:00.001-04:00

I've had some trouble getting out into the garden to take pictures this week, but finally weather is cooperating, and I'm home to take photos! The oak leaf hydrangea is putting on a show, and the little peachy threadleaf coreopsis (Sienna sunset) is full of blooms as well. My excitement comes from something else in the garden: my berries are starting to ripen! Nothing in the world tastes like black raspberries, right off the bush, warm from the sunshine! My red currants look like tiny rubies, shining in the morning light. It has been so very unseasonably HOT, I'm really surprised to have much of anything looking good. We did finally get some rain last night, albeit accompanied by a hailstorm, but I guess beggars can't be choosers, right?

I'm joining Candy at The Little Round Table for This Week in the Garden. I hope she doesn't mind that I'm a little late to the party!

Wonderful Wedding Wishes for Abbey and Donnie

2011-06-08T00:20:00.004-04:00

Happy Wedding Day, Abbey and Donnie!

My dear friend Becky's daughter is getting married today at the most magical place on earth! Since the rest of us couldn't be there with Becky and family, the dish and tablecloth ladies (Becky, Candy, Daphne, Rebecca, and I) thought we'd celebrate in our own way, by doing special tablescapes in the happy couple's honor! OH, and Becky enabled us a bit, by sharing some of the favours that will be used for Abbey and Donnie's reception: ivory Fiesta vases and tumblers customized for the happy couple with a magical castle on one side, and their names and wedding date on the other.

I decided on a theme of Lovebirds, using a wonderful California Handprints Wedding tablecloth from Becky. The dinnerware is vintage Vistosa, by Taylor, Smith, and Taylor, with a few Fiesta accent pieces. The birdhouse was a birthday gift made especially for me by my friend Doris's husband, Shep a few years ago. The little bird salt and pepper shakers came from Tuesday Mornings. I plucked the buttercups from the edge of my pond early this morning. Did you know that in Victorian times buttercups symbolized cheerfulness and childlike wonder... and I hope that Abbey and Donnie bring both of those traits to their new life together!

I hope you'll visit all the Dish Diva's tables, and share in our happiness for Abbey and Donnie. You'll find the magic linky at the end of this post. (Thanks to Candy for all her support and wonderful technical skills. We'd be lost without her!) =) I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, and Jenny Matlock for AlphabeThursday, as well. The letter this week is H, which for me with this listing is for Hope you Have a Happy life together, Abbey and Donnie.

Congratulations and Best Wishes for a long and Happy life together, Abbey and Donnie!

California Dreaming...

2011-06-05T15:41:00.000-04:00

Some of my favorite dish folks are getting together this weekend in California, and it seemed like the ideal time to share this beautiful California souvenir tablecloth. Usually, California souvenir cloths have a southwestern "feel". They often have bright primary colors and are decorated with Mexican pots and bright flowers. I had seen this cloth in a couple of other colorways, but those always seemed to sell WAY out of my tablecloth budget. I was thrilled when I found this cloth, and it just called for vintage Fiesta colors: rose, yellow, turquoise, chartreuse, and/or turf green.

This one's for you, California dish friends...enjoy your weekend!

Iris 'Happy Birthday'

2011-05-27T17:00:00.003-04:00

This week's big thrill for me is the bloom of my German iris, 'Happy Birthday'. When I was a little girl, I loved anything PINK, and when my parents bought their first home in 1970, I was given a PINK iris, all of my own for mom's iris bed. I'm not sure now whether it was the color, or the name that I loved most, but I waited for it's bloom each spring for many, many years before it finally died out. A few years ago, I started searching for a piece of that iris, and a very, very kind member of the Historic Iris Preservation Society gave me a piece from his own garden! Perfect for joining Pink Saturdays third birthday party, don't you think?

This week in the garden May 24-Jack

2011-05-24T11:37:00.003-04:00

Thanks to Candy at The Little Round Table for hosting This Week in the Garden. We've had lots of rain this past week, which makes taking photos a bit of a challenge. So, I thought I might share one of my all-time favorite plants: Jack in the Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum). It's an easy perennial, and can provide a pretty dramatic display in late spring/early summer. I love all the shades of green, from the lightest chartreuse to a medium true green... I'd like to add another variety or two...maybe one of the purple or dark brown cultivars.

Rednesday puzzle

2011-05-23T15:00:00.001-04:00

Back in January, my friends M and C came to visit. While I was at the train station, awaiting their arrival, i noticed this really nifty building across the street and snapped some photos. Just for fun, I thought I'd share a puzzle I made at jigidi.com from this photo taken in Staunton, VA that day:

Ok, so you've seen the photo. Here's the puzzle! Good luck and Happy Rednesday! Be sure to stop in at Sue's Very Cherry World for other Rednesday blogs!

Pink Saturday Porcelier Tea Set

2011-05-21T13:19:00.001-04:00

I'm joining Beverly for Pink Saturday with a little photo of a super sweet vintage tea set made by Porcelier decorated with pink flamingos. No lid for the sugar, but that's ok... I use it for packets anyway!

Dots-n-Cherries

2011-05-19T12:12:00.000-04:00

It's awfully dreary outside, so why don't we try to brighten the day from the inside out? I pulled out a new-to-me vintage tablecloth with matching napkins, just covered in polka dots, and knew right away which dishes I needed to use with it. Fiesta, of course. The dinner plates are Fiesta Polka Dots (red on white), the luncheon plates are black with the Wild Cherries design, salad plates are either solid red or Polka dots (white on red), and I topped it off with little Fiesta tripod bowls in black. Flatware is also Fiesta, and the glassware is vintage red and white stripe. I'm sharing my Dots-n-Cherries tablescape with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch, and the colors made for a perfect addition to Rednesday!

This week in the garden. Week 2, May 17

2011-05-17T11:43:00.006-04:00

It's amazing how much can change in just a few days. The antique rose bush from last week's bloom is now covered in blossoms, and the antique cameo pink climbing rose that Mom and I started from a clipping 20 years ago (from a bush belonging to Mrs. P.H. Zirkle) is starting to bloom as well. We think it's likely a variety called New Dawn, which was the first plant to be patented in the US. Blooms are small to medium, and the fragrance is just delightful, but wow...it grows FAST! The hybrid tea climber 'Peace' has one bloom and several buds, and is trying to overtake my spirea bush. There are more clematis blooming, more peonies, several spiderworts, and some other little treats, as well. I hope you enjoy my garden, and will visit Candy at The Little Round Table, as she hosts This Week in My Garden each week, and add your own garden pictures to the party, as well! I also joined Jean at It's Bloomin' Tuesday! Stop in and smell the roses!

'Niobe'

'Belle of Woking'

Viburnum 'Blueberry Muffin' (and just wait til you see the berries later!)

Peonies 'Raspberry Sundae' and 'Bowl of Beauty'

Peony 'Karl Rosenfield'

Peony 'Sarah Bernhardt'

Thalictrum aquilegifolium (Meadow Rue, columbine leaf variety)

Tradescantia (Spiderwort) 'Lilac Frost'

Tradescantia (Spiderwort) 'Concord Grape'

Mixed Spiderworts

Baptisia australis (False Indigo)

Digitalis (Foxglove 'Foxy')

Happy Monday

2011-05-16T17:13:00.001-04:00

All the foliage around my garden's little firefighter is so pretty, but just wait until it blooms. It's a Peruvian Alstroemeria, and the blooms on mine are a deep gold. He's going to look like he's surrounded by flames. How nifty will THAT be??

This week in my garden, a first peek

2011-05-10T06:37:00.009-04:00

I'm finally able to get into my garden to do some weeding and spring cleanup... and there were lots of lovely plants blooming to make all the work more pleasant. Thanks to Candy at The Little Round Table for being our garden walk hostess today via her new party, This Week in My Garden.

Here in southwestern Virginia,temperatures are mild, and we've had a lovely mix of rain and sun. My very favorite peony, Coral Charm, had a number of blooms. They start out a vibrant coral, fading to a soft rosy ivory in just a matter of days.

I was delighted to see Red Charm opening up... this is the first time I've gotten to see it bloom! I'm so glad you could join me! (and yes, it really is a deep dark true red!)

The Jackmanii clematis were also showing off a bit...

Even the chives make a pretty show... some 2nd year transplanted lupines are in the background.

This old rose hasn't shared her name with me, but she's going to put on quite a show when all those buds burst into bloom.

Bronze Fennel and varigated Solomon's Seal have filled in under the old treehouse and maple tree. All those greens and browns make for such a serene setting.

Happy Monday

2011-05-09T20:31:00.000-04:00

No sign of Jack in the Pulpit yet this spring, but check back tomorrow to see what's blooming this week...

Happy Cinco de Mayo

2011-05-05T11:58:00.001-04:00

I actually used this setting last fall, but thought it was perfect for Cinco de Mayo!

The glassware is Mexican Confetti glass. Flatware is by Cambridge, a Fiesta go-along. Dinnerware is a mix of vintage and Post 86 Fiesta, as well as a Harlequin creamer. The tablecloth is vintage Startex, which also comes in other colorways. Napkins and napkin rings are from Pier One.

What's on the table today?

2011-05-04T11:19:00.000-04:00

Think Pink-- April 30th

2011-04-30T14:54:00.000-04:00

The clematis next to my front porch is in enthusiastic bloom this weekend. Usually, it eases me into the bloomfest...one bud then another... This year it happened suddenly...several big, happy blooms all at once! Seems like a terrific way to celebrate Pink Saturday over at Beverly's, doesn't it?

Clematis "Asao"

May Day

2011-04-30T14:40:00.003-04:00

Do you ever plan a tablescape, and have it not quite look the way it did in your head? I had decided on a May Day theme, complete with maypole and little pottery boats filled with a votive and flowers... a mix of fiesta and a fussy square painted plate....and used a California Handprints tablecloth with happy little pansies decorating it as the base for my inspiration... It's pretty, but i think I needed a type of pansy called "Antique Shades" to really set off the cloth...the yellow and purple violas seemed to compete for attention, didn't they? Maybe next time, I'll try a sweet white basket filled with pansies as a centerpiece. What do you think?

...and for some other lovely May Day offerings, you might want to peek and see what the other divas are doing this lovely MayDay: Daphne at Tabletop Time, Candy at The Little Round Table,

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T15:09:00.002-04:00

Happy Easter! The pink dogwood tree in my front yard is in full bloom today. It's absolutely beautiful. This tree was planted by the original owners of my house, Mr. and Mrs. Waddy, back in the 1940's, and I look very forward each year to its blooms. Old stories link the Dogwood to Jesus' crucifixion, since the tree's flower petals are cross shaped with pierced rust colored tips, and has a thorny crown in the center of the bloom.
I'm sharing my tree at the Pink Saturday linky party, hosted by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound. Do stop in over there!

The Legend of the Dogwood
(author unknown)
In Jesus’ time,
the dogwood grew
to a stately size
and a lovely hue.
‘Twas strong and firm
it’s branches interwoven,
for the cross of Christ
its timbers were chosen.
Seeing the distress
at this use of their wood
Christ made a promise
which still holds good:
“Never again shall the dogwood grow
Large enough to be used so.
Slender and twisted it shall be
with blossoms like the cross for all to see.
As blood stains the petals marked in brown,
the blossom’s center wears a thorny crown.
All who see it will remember Me
crucified on a cross
from the dogwood tree.
Cherished and protected,
this tree shall be.
A reminder to all of my agony.”

It's almost like MAGIC

2011-04-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

I was thinking about my friend Yvonne the other day... We live very far apart--she's in Toronto, Canada, and I'm all the way down here in Virginia. It's almost a 12 hour drive, so most of the time we choose somewhere midway and have a dishing and thrifting girl trip. A while back though, Y came down to visit, and one of the fun things we did was to do some tablescaping. We chose a tablecloth, and each of us set the table...it was amazing how different the tables looked, and I thought maybe today would be a nice day to share. After all, Susan is hosting Tablescape Thursday over at Between Naps on the Porch ,

That was so much fun, we did it again, this time with a Wilendur daisy cloth... Amazing how different the cloth looks, isn't it?

Here's a closeup of those place settings:

A is for Aquilegia

2011-04-21T10:58:00.001-04:00

I'm joining Jenny over at Jenny Matlock for this week's round of AlphabeThursday . If you haven't joined before, come on over! It's lots of fun, and your timing is just right because we're starting over with the letter A! This week my A is for Aquilegia, also known as Columbine. This particular plant has some special meaning for me... It came from my grandmother, who got the seed originally from HER mother's flower garden. It's not as big, bright and showy as some other varieties, but this little buttery yellow is my favorite, just because it was Gran's. I'm also joining in over at Mellow Yellow Monday, just for fun.

World's Fair 1939 and Original Six

2011-04-14T15:27:00.001-04:00

Many collectors of Homer Laughlin China (including Fiesta) have a soft spot for items from the 1939-1940 World's Fair in New York. HLC along with a few other potteries built a demonstration kiln and made pottery at that fair. The fair itself was massive--over 1200 acres divided into different zones. More than 200,000 people attended opening day, and totals exceeding 44 million people attended over the life of the fair. Today's tablecloth is a souvenir of that fair and depicts a map of the grounds. Vintage Fiesta in colors from that time period was used, along with striped Anchor Hocking dessert cups, and primary colored napkins, also from that era. (I did cheat and use contemporary flatware, though!) Who would think that linens and dishes would look so wonderful more than 70 years later?

Welcome to the Fair!

Choosing Colors for the table:

Ready, Set, Go!!!

Thanks for visiting!This is my first visit with Suzanne for Vintage Thingie Thursday, and I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch and celebrating with Jenny Matlock for AlphabeThursday. Jenny's having alphabet soup today, and we're bringing the letter F for Fair and for Fiesta! Head on over there with me!

Mustard, Ketchup, and Calaprint

2011-04-06T15:05:00.003-04:00

Recently, my friend Pam mentioned that her daughter had made an observation about her Scarlet Fiesta when paired with the 2011 color, Marigold: "uh, it looks like mustard and ketchup." and I don't think it was said with enthusiasm, either...

So, when this beautiful Calaprint tablecloth arrived, mustard and ketchup were on my mind. I used Post 86 Fiesta in scarlet and Polka dots, vintage Fiesta in yellow to substitute for the yet-to-be-released Marigold, and HLC Ballet, with a Target melmac tiny dotted bread plate, topped with a Pearl Gray Fiesta tripod bowl. The flatware is Masquerade, the egg cup/candleholder is Vistosa by Taylor, Smith, & Taylor. The glasses are vintage Anchor Hocking Rhumba. The napkins were my grandmother's. The Fiesta shakers were a gift from a wonderful dish friend.

I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday, as usual. Be sure and drop by.

My favorite Cabinet

2011-04-05T09:02:00.001-04:00

Today I'm joining Shelia at Note Songs for her "Heart of the Home-Cabinets" Linky Party. Come on over!

My house is an old 1940's Cape Cod, and as much as I love the style AND my house, I have to admit that storage hasn't been ideal, especially in my tiny kitchen and dining room. There was a pantry, but it was deep and very hard to see into. There were three cabinets for dishes, which I suppose would be adequate IF I didn't collect dishes.... So, this past year for Christmas, my mom and brother arrranged the ultimate gift for a dish collector: a new giant cabinet built into my dining room!

It pairs nicely with the vintage walnut cabinet that was my great, great grandmother's to hold a decent bit of my Fiesta collection.

If we peek around the corner into the hallway, we can see the new shallow shelves to show off other pretties!

Kitchen Color

2011-04-04T13:39:00.000-04:00

We've had some cold and dreary days lately here in the Blue Ridge. It's a good thing that it's always bright and colorful inside my house, especially in the kitchen. On one wall, I have vintage red mug rack holding a few of my contemporary Fiesta mugs. It's surrounded by a mix of reproduction and original can labels.

Recently we did a bit of renovation, changing my inaccessible pantry into something more user friendly. The contractor also added a custom spice rack, and reinforced my shelving since the Fiesta is fairly heavy.

Even peeking out the window over the kitchen sink is colorful, despite the weather!

The red countertops came with the house when we bought it more than 20 years ago. I keep talking about replacing them, but it's hard to envision my kitchen without them. (and no, I didn't keep both Fiesta knife blocks... the solid black set is now living at my friend JJ's house in Lansing, Michigan!)

I recently decided to change out the flatware I use. Here's the old flatware, all washed up. Now if I can just get motivated enough to list it for sale somewhere. Anyone need flatware?

Y is for YELLOW

2011-03-30T20:30:00.000-04:00

...and I just couldn't resist this golden opportunity to share some of my favorite pottery in shades of yellow. Come on over to Jenny Matlock's for AlphabeThursday

From L to R the teapots and pitchers are vintage HLC Fiesta, TS&T Vistosa, and HLC Riviera. The vase holding the (yes fake) tulips and ball candleholders are contemporary HLC Fiesta. The dinner plates and tiny eggcup/votive holder are Vistosa. The individual salad bowls and the utility tray in the center of the table is vintage Fiesta. The flatware is Cambridge Fiesta. The tablecloth is vintage, and the napkins are reproduction Vera Neuman (and are a favorite gift from a dish fairy friend!)

I hope you enjoy the ode to yellow!

A Birthdayscape for the Queen of the Tropics

2011-03-30T13:59:00.001-04:00

I'm joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday with a table celebrating my dear friend Rebecca's birthday! (We won't tell which one, since I'm still older than she is...!!) I used a vintage tablecloth covered with stargazer lilies. My dinnerware is a mixture of vintage Fiesta, Vistosa by Taylor, Smith and Taylor, banded rings sherbet, and contemporary glassware. The candleholders are La Rose by Roseville. The vase is blue Leaves and Berries by McCoy. The napkin rings are from Tuesday Morning, and always remind me of Rebecca and her love of things that sparkle.

The birthday cupcake is dark chocolate with an icing lily decorating the top, and was made by a local bakery. Please visit the other tablescape divas as they celebrate Rebecca, queen of all things tropical!

Candy at The Little Round Table
Becky at Random Musings of a Deco Lady
Daphne at Tabletop Time

Love ya, and Happy Birthday, Rebecca !!

W is for Wilendur

2011-03-17T09:09:00.004-04:00

Today, I'm joining Jenny Matlock for AlphabeThursday one more visit with the letter W and Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday. Today's Word is Wilendur (or Wilendure or Weil&Durrse) representing one of my very favorite vintage tablecloth makers. The company made table linens for over sixty years. One particular design, the Wilendur Lobsters is fairly hard to find, and has special meaning for me because the hunt for that cloth was the catalyst for starting a wonderful friendship with another dish and linen collector, Daphne, and me. We shared the search for the cloth, and she located both cloths within just a couple of weeks of one another. Later, other collector friends shared their visions of a "lobsterscape" as well. The story of the search, and the tablescapes we each created using our vintage Homer Laughlin dinnerware was featured in an edition of the Homer Laughlin China Collector's quarterly magazine, The Dish.

Be sure to stop by Daphne's Tabletop Time . Our friends Candy, at The Little Round Table and Becky at Random Musings of a Deco Lady did other wonderful lobsterscapes that just shouldn't be missed, either!

Daphne and I wanted to share those tablescapes from The Dish this week with you. In this set of photos, I used a mix of vintage and Post 86 Fiesta. The salt and pepper are vintage Cronin Sevilla and they're tucked in next to a prototype for the Fiesta jam jar.

and here are a few more pictures with some other Homer Laughlin dinnerware. This time I used a mix of Post86 Fiesta and vintage Fiesta in Scarlet and Gray. The glassware is Martha Stewart. It amazes me how different a table setting can look with just a change in dinnerware.

Wee glimpse of the fair isle

2011-03-16T15:00:00.019-04:00

I'll be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday and Jenny Matlock for AlphabeThursday this week with a little vignette for St. Patrick's day...

W is Jenny's letter this week, and we'll call today's post a Wee taste of Ireland. I didn't actually finish this tablescape, because when I set out my few Homer Laughlin Trellis plates, Teapot, and sugar bowl, along with the vintage Fiesta syrup and contemporary Fiesta utility crock serving as a vase for my oh-so-fake tulip bouquet, it all looked so pretty I just took photos as is, with a closer peek at my shabby vintage St. Patrick's day tablecloth. Thanks for stopping by!

Tablescape Thursday Modern Sea Tones

2011-03-10T10:04:00.003-05:00

Today I'm visiting with Susan over at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.

I thought I'd share something simple this week, and use mostly contemporary pieces. The placemats are from Kohls, the runner is a gift from my friend Melissa, the dinnerware, napkins and flatware are contemporary Fiesta. I did use vintage Rhumba pitcher and glasses, because I thought the cobalt made everything else POP more! Thanks for dropping by!

Here's a little closer view:

V is for Vintage

2011-03-09T15:30:00.002-05:00

I'm joining Jenny over at Jenny Matlock for Alphabe-Thursday for the first time! I just couldn't resist joining in... After all V is for so many near and dear things to me...

V is for Virginia, my home state

V is for Vintage, which encompasses so many of my favorite treasures

vintage linens

vintage dishes

vintage photos

and we can't forget linens by Vera!

Tattoos and linens. ohmy.

2011-03-09T08:02:00.001-05:00

I have a tattoo. Just one. It sits on the lateral side of my thigh and unless I'm wearing shorts or a swimsuit, you'd never know it was there. It was my 35th birthday gift from my husband, who passed away the next year, so there's a good bit of sentiment attached to it.

Hank had three tattoos. I had always gone with him when he got his ink, and entertained myself by looking at flash (tattoo designs), talking to the artists, and watching the people that came in for tattoos or piercings. The very first time we were at the shop, I saw a photo of a small tattoo and for some reason the design had impact for me. It was very simple, just a small black ribbon that curled into the shape of a small bird, a dove. There was no way to know who had drawn the original art, but there was something that really called to me and I never forgot the picture.

Over the course of several years, we stopped in at the shop probably a dozen times, and in all that time, I never saw another design that I liked as much and when Hank suggested a tattoo as my gift for 1999, I knew right away what I wanted to do. When we went by to talk to the artist, he remembered the picture, and drew up a variation for me, adding a small heart. A couple of weeks later, I got the tattoo, and Hank added his last tattoo: a tribal band around his upper arm.

Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago. I've been collecting dishes for a lot of years, but linens are a fairly recent hobby. I've only been actively collecting tablecloths a couple of years, and there are certain makers and artists that I look for. eBay is a favorite haunt, as is Etsy, and it's not unusual for me to key "tablecloth" and "Tammis Keefe" or "Wilendur" or "Calaprint" in hopes of finding some new treasure. I do have one Tammis Keefe tablecloth, a lovely linen with baskets of cherries in shades of aqua, heather, and rose,

I forgot to put "tablecloth" in my search a couple of weeks ago, just searching "Tammis Keefe" on eBay. She was a fairly prolific textile design artist in the 1940's and 1950's. She was probably best known for her handkerchiefs, with wonderfully whimsical designs, but her work appears on a variety of linens. I don't collect hankies, so it was odd when a lot showing an angel caught my eye. There was something familiar about the angel.

An odd thought occurred to me, and I thought to myself, "oh, no way...", but I couldn't resist looking, just in case. I went to Google Images,and pecked " Tammis Keefe dove" into the search engine. The first two images confirmed my suspicion: the inspiration for MY TATTOO had to have been Tammis Keefe lovebirds. How ironic is it that the design that grabbed me all those years ago turned out to be based on a drawing by a textile design artist, fifty or more years ago!

I shared this story on the message board for The Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club and asked for their help in locating one of those Tammis Keefe hankies to purchase. That same night, I received a note from one of the ladies, asking for my mailing address. That sweet lady HAD the hanky, loved the story, and wanted to send it to me, as a gift. I was completely blown away.
It arrived in the mail yesterday, and I am so thrilled to have it. Thank you, Hankie Fairy!

Wilendur PA Dutch tablescape

2011-03-08T19:40:00.000-05:00

Recently, the Vintage Tablecloth Lovers Club held a tablescape contest and I thought I'd share my entry. The tablescapes had to have something pink in them, and I ended up with several rosy elements.

The tablecloth is Wilendur, and comes in several different colorways. The glassware is vintage depression glass, no idea what the pattern name is, though. The napkins were a yard sale find, and the flatware was a gift from a Dish Fairy friend. The dinnerware is a mix of vintage and post 86 Fiesta in rose, ivory, chartreuse, and sapphire

The whole table was fairly simple, but I thought all the colors worked very well together.

Songbird at 21

2011-03-04T08:27:00.000-05:00

When I started writing this morning, I had a different sort of post in mind... and I'll get around to sharing my latest auction treasures soon. I usually have music in the background, and today I had opened the new CD from the very young (to me, 22 is very young, anyway) Adele Adkins.

I had been looking very forward to this release. It always seems a bit of a tease, waiting on a performer's second CD, especially after the first one was so well received.(ok, so maybe I understated a bit, but two GRAMMY awards qualifies as well received, right??) I had pretty high hopes for this release, especially after I caught a bit of her on Letterman the other night. If you haven't heard her, Adele is worth a listen.
Click HERE to hear a bit of that performance on Letterman via youtube.

It's a good month for auctions...

2011-02-24T13:10:00.000-05:00

I had the good fortune to be able to attend another estate auction yesterday. I had glanced at the email from the auctioneer, and didn't really see anything that made me yearn to attend, but so often the real treasures are the hidden ones. I always wonder how people decide what to include when they turn an estate over for auction, sometimes I think there's literally nothing held back. It turned out to be that sort of sale. It wasn't quite everything and the kitchen sink, but they did have the bathroom sink...two of them, in fact.

Two brand new pedestal sinks were the first things I saw when I came through the doors of the auction site. There were like new kitchen appliances, a huge mishmash of furniture items, and dozens of tables of assorted household items, collectibles, jewelry, as well as coins and currency and dozens of curiosities. For me, a curiosity is anything that I can't immediately put a name to. There were eight boxes of household linens, and my hopes were dashed when i couldn't find a single tablecloth, much less a vintage one. I did find a treasure... a whole box of vintage Christmas ornaments, carefully wrapped singly in layers of tissue and newsprint. I was a little disappointed when i unwrapped a few ornaments and found just plain colored glass balls, but then I started seeing vintage Shiny Brites, both flocked and different indents and shapes. Quickly I rewrapped them, placing the plain ones back on top.

Another thing that always catches my eye is wicker. Of course, the fact that this wicker was painted peach made it even more, uh... eye-catching. Not in a good way, either. There was a desk and matching stool, two book cases and a huge basket. The pieces were all in great condition, making me flag them in the "potential" column in my mental list, despite their fruit-hued cover. I saw a couple of really nice sets of TV trays that looked interesting, too.

There were a few pieces of pottery that made my mental short list: some Roseville, a few primitive pieces of yellowware, and a very old set of nested bowls. There was one piece of Fiesta: a Post86 covered casserole. Everything else would just depend on how the prices ran during the sale. Sometimes, nearly everything is expensive. Sometimes the auctioneer practically has to give it away.

So... what did I come home with? All the peach wicker, for a very very good price. Even if I factor in how much paint it's going to take to cover up the peach, it was a good price. I also bought a nice La-Z-boy recliner ($20) and a food dehydrator ($1) for my mom, a 1930's roast pan and accessories in like new condition ($5), and a truly delicious bowl of banana pudding from the food vendor.

Oh, and my ornaments? Did I win the real treasure of the day? No, I did not. They disappeared before they could come up for auction. I guess someone else realized what a treasure they were, and did the five fingered mambo out the door with them. It nearly ruined my day, until I saw how pleased my mom was with her treasures. Best of all, there's going to be a whopper of a sale NEXT week. I can't wait.

Auctions and yard sales and thrifts, ohmy

2011-02-12T14:50:00.002-05:00

Who would ever have thought that bringing a few colored plates into the house would have started the avalanche that my collecting has become? Once upon a time, I thought the ideal vacation was spent lazing by a pool, or listening to the surf... That's still fun, but it's not always easy to take a trip to the beach. So, I take little mini vacations. For me, it's just as relaxing to spend a couple of hours rummaging through an antique mall or sitting at an old estate auction. The people-watching alone is worth the trip. It's enormous fun, seeing who buys what. The prices some objects command is intriguing. Sometimes, there's even a treasure or two or three that catch my eye to add some excitement to the day.

Sometimes my buys are sentimental. I bought eight Jefferson Cups with the original papers because they reminded me of my godmother, Marjorie. She's been gone several years now, but I can still remember being a tiny little girl and having her special breakfast drink, made from orange juice, bananas, and crushed ice. I think the adults had a slightly different version, but she was making smoothies before there WERE smoothies. She always served them in Jefferson cups, and I can still see those frosty pewter cups full of frosty cold breakfast smoothies.

I'm not actually all that convinced that I like having all the stuff I have. It's more fun finding a deal... Like, last week I went to an estate sale and came home with my SUV stuffed to the top.. I bought a table, a bunch of old glass (some Fostoria, some Heisey, and a pile of Imperial Cape Cod.), as well as a couple of boxes of Christmas ornaments. Who buys Christmas ornaments in February? I do, when there are old Shiny Brites in the box!

Sometimes I luck into Fiesta or a box of old tablecloths... If I'm REALLY lucky, no one else is interested. It doesn't happen often, but just enough to keep me hopeful... Can't ask for more fun than that. Here's a bit of my Cape Cod from last week's sale.

2011 Colors of Love...

2011-02-09T09:53:00.009-05:00

I'm delighted to be a part of the inaugural Coast to Coast linky party with my dish and tablescape friends, affectionately known as the Dish Divas, and occasionally known as Dish or Tablescape Fairies, as a result of enabling or encouraging other friends by sending tablescaping treats.

Divas participating in today's event:
Candy @ The Little Round Table, our delightful hostess
Daphne @ Tabletop Time
Becky@ Random Musings of a Deco Lady

We're all excited about seeing your tables join ours at Coast to Coast! I hope you'll join the fun! There are no real rules, other than to link back to The Little Round Table! We'll also be joining Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday

Welcome to Southwestern Virginia where the color of love appears to be... green?? I love red, and pink and white, the more traditional colors for Valentines Day as much as anyone else, but the weather here has been so cold that I'm longing for something different. By February, I'm almost always wishing for spring and hints of new life. Inspiration for my tablescape hit when I found this tablecloth and matching napkins at my friend Penny's antique shop (The Curiosity Shop, in Christiansburg, Virginia).

The Wilendur tablecloth is called Lilac Time and can be found in several colorways, including a gorgeous Valentine red, but I loved the quiet elegance of the parchment background. The lilac, in Victorian times represented the first emotion of love, or youthful innocence depending on the color of the flower, so it seemed even more perfect for a Valentine's table.

I used a mix of vintage and contemporary Fiesta to set my table. The glassware was a yard sale find, and my flatware was a gift from the flatware fairy. My wine bucket is a base to a contemporary Fiesta canister.

As I finished taking pictures for this post, I happened to glance at my new china cabinet where the sun was teasing my dishes... They're really all the colors of love, aren't they?

Looking back...

2011-02-07T10:45:00.002-05:00

I can blame some of my best (or worst) traits on genetics. I'm descended from a long line of pack rats... This lovely little girl is Miss Georgia Eileen Pepper (yes, she's related to the original Dr. Pepper) She also happens to be my great great grandmother. I am blessed to have some bits and pieces that belonged to her, including the little bracelet on her wrist, which my grandmother gave me when i was five or six years old. I have proof that my love of collecting goes back to her, and to her sister, too. They collected post cards and correspondence, and kept photos as well as fabric trimmings, silk ribbon flowers, and kept the family bible up to date. They were as interested in their ancestry as I am in mine. I suppose I could probably update and use their application for the Daughters of the American Revolution as a springboard for sending in one of my own, but I think maybe Miss Georgia and Miss Alma were likely a bit more organized than I am.

Here's another photo of the girls with their mother, from the 1890's and another family picture. I wish I knew where the last one was taken.

There's something comforting about being able to touch my past...and I like the idea of safekeeping those treasured items, adding my own to the group and passing them all along someday to some other little packrat.

Red....

2011-02-04T12:27:00.002-05:00

Red...the color of the day. Glanced through a photo album and cherry picked a just a few favorite images with red. It's everywhere in my house, especially the kitchen. Dishes, tablecloths, flatware, glassware. Hope you enjoy...

Thinking Pink...

2011-01-30T17:34:00.000-05:00

I've been playing with colors lately, trying to come up with something nontraditional for a Valentines tablescape. Today's effort includes a Wilendur tablecloth and a mix of contemporary and vintage Fiesta.

Dreary Outside... Cheery Within!

2011-01-27T01:00:00.001-05:00

Here's my first solo offering for Tablescape Thursday at Between Naps On The Porch!

The weather here in Virginia is pretty nasty today... Wintry mix earlier today put down a nice slushy underlayer outdoors, with a layer of big fluffy snowflakes on top. Everything outside was gray, gray, and more GRAY.

Inside though is a little different story. I chose a Waterlily and pond vintage tablecloth in bright primary colors, added vintage and contemporary Fiesta and floral decalled Newell dinnerware (also by Homer Laughlin, way back in 1908!). The flatware is Masquerade, made to coordinate with Fiesta. Some yellow Alstromeria from my local grocery store added a splash of sunshine to the mix. Thanks so much for stopping in!

Learning as I go...

2011-01-26T14:15:00.000-05:00

My tablescape ladies have a lot of patience, especially Candy of The Little Round Table.
She's answered innumerable questions about "how to" do things on the blog. I'm taking tiny little steps, and I'm enjoying the process as much as the result. Today's lesson is on linking, and I'll admit that seeing my little link actually behave and do what it was supposed to was almost as thrilling as the first time I managed to post a picture on the blog all by myself!

Thank you, Candy!

Winter Colors

2011-01-25T13:59:00.002-05:00

Usually I associate cool colors with this time of year... Whites, grays, and icy blues. Last week, the sun was rising as I left work, and the intense colors were worth the stops to take pictures on the ride home. Cerise, purples, soft reds and blues surely painted the mountains and skies beautifully...no photo editing necessary!

Seeing Spots

2011-01-21T18:01:00.000-05:00

Today is Friday to most people but it is my Monday, so it's usually filled with activities geared toward working the next few nights... doing laundry, making sure the car has gas, and planning what I'm going to eat over the next few days so that I don't actually have to do any cooking.

I got a little distracted this morning when I saw a post over on CMG, Collectible Medium Green, a message board for Homer Laughlin collectors... my very talented friend, David had posted some gorgeous pictures showing off his polka dotted Fiesta in use, and asked other folks to show their dots. Hm.... laundry.... or playing with dishes??? Good thing I have more than 3 sets of scrubs because dishes win that battle EVERY time.

I only have a few pieces of polka dot Fiesta, so I knew I'd have to mix it up with other things... The polka dot pieces are scarlet and white, and while those would be the most obvious colors to mix with, I wanted something a little different....

Here's what I came up with:

Here's just the place setting, layered Polka Dots mixed with vintage Forest and vintage Yellow. The flatware is contemporary Fiesta by Cambridge in Chocolate.

So much for laundry!

Tablescapes and Dish-asters

2011-01-19T18:34:00.000-05:00

Lots of excitement here in the Blue Ridge of late. I've had to pack up a big bunch of my dishes and emptied my pantry and hall shelves in order to start a Project. You know... those things that are only supposed to take three days, and end up taking three weeks.

This Project was a major one: putting in a cabinet in the dining room to hold a Whole LOT of dishes. Yes, I did already have two cabinets in there, but when my Mom came to me and said she knew just what she wanted to give me for Christmas and would I mind if she had a new cabinet put in... well, I didn't actually jump for joy, but i also didn't let any grass grow before voicing immediate agreement! And well, when a couple of friends from Up North mentioned that they wanted to take the train and come down to visit, I just warned them that the house would be in total chaos, but sure, come on down!

Originally, my Project was supposed to be finished up three days before M and DDCG got here, so I was thinking they might not mind helping me put away some of the Dish-tastrophe. They collect Fiesta, just like me, so they'd probably have all kinds of great ideas about how to get things sorted out... and I'm sure they would have, IF we'd gotten to that point. But, since the weather had been crummy, things got a bit behind and instead of staying home and putting away dishes, we had to go ANTIQUING instead.

I'm pretty sure they were crushed to have to see sights, and look for dish treasures instead of washing and putting away my dishes, but they somehow managed to hide the disappointment. We ended up having quite the house party when another Dish Friend came up from North Carolina. The only down side was that I wasn't able to cook here at home. (Ok, maybe that's not all bad... and they didn't seem to mind.) I had to work on planning out a tablescape for a little shared venture with my Tablescape Ladies, so the Dish folks jumped right in and helped me figure out what to use for my part of the quad-tablescape.

Here's what we came up with:

and a little close up of the centerpiece (and yes, that's a miniature of King Triton's castle from The Little Mermaid).

We each have a different colorway in this cloth, so it seemed like fun to each set a table using our cloth. Candy and Daphne hostessed the event, which published today:

Angels among us

2010-11-25T15:48:00.000-05:00

One of the earliest holidays memories I have is from a shopping trip to Roanoke, VA with my grandmother.I was around three, and we were at a department store called Heironimus, and it had a magical display of Christmas ornaments. Gran let me choose one, all of my own, for my tree at home. I chose a tiny angel with a porcelain head and tulle netting body, with little chenille arms,and she was holding a teeny little wand with a star on top. Every year, I placed her on the tree myself. Even now, more than forty years later, she keeps a place of honor among my holiday decorations, mostly because of the tie to my grandmother and those happy memories.

Some people have cookie baking grandmothers, others have storytelling grandmothers, others have far-distant grandmothers, or grandmothers of many other flavors. I was lucky... My Gran lived within a mile of me, and for the first nine years, I was the ONLY grandchild...so for me, she was the ultimate grandmother. I spent almost every weekend with her. She'd pick me up on her way home from work on Fridays, and I went back home sometime Sunday afternoon. Sometimes we cooked, sometimes we did house chores together, and sometimes we shopped or travelled. I went pretty much anywhere she did. We stayed up late, and I was allowed to rummage to my hearts content anywhere in her home. I could dial her phone number all by myself before I was 4 (and did, much to my mother's chagrin, on occasion.) She was my confidante, best friend, and staunchest ally and I learned so very, very much from her. She did things her own way, and on her own schedule. She has always been plain-speaking and direct, with a fiercely independent spirit and an immensely loving heart. She worked hard, and never ever let one of us down. She never broke a promise to me. (How many people can you say that about??) Even after my brother and cousins arrived, she still managed to make each of us feel special. (Don't tell any of them, but I'm still the favorite... or better yet, ask any of them... I'd be willing to bet each of them thinks they held that spot!)

Maya Angelou wrote, “The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.” I think for most of my family, my grandmother has been that "safe place". She's 93 now, and in failing health. The goal now is to take care of her in the way she's taken care of all of us for so long.

Huh? Tablescaping?

2010-09-23T00:36:00.000-04:00

"You're doing whaaaaaaat? What the heck is a tablescape??"

I've heard that question more than once. and yes, I've answered it multiple times as well. My longsuffering son no longer even blinks an eye when he comes in, and the dining room table looks like we're expecting Martha Stewart for dinner, or that I've decided to open a Mexican restaurant, or maybe that it's St. Paddy's Day. In September. It's fun, having the flexibility to create such different scenes, just by changing the dishes and accessories on my table. Flexibility is one of the main reasons Fiesta appeals so much to me. Well, that and the COLOR. I can't draw. I don't sculpt. I can however, take an old tablecloth and use it as a canvas. My dishes and other odds and ends are the paint. Sometimes, my table is utilitarian. Other times, the table is pure whimsy. It can be bold or delicate, simple or complex.

When I was ten, it was an onerous task. I HATED setting the table. Same Corelle dishes. Same placemats. Put ice in the glasses, make sure that the flatware is out and in the right spot. We used paper napkins. I was positive that eventually the drudgery would suck all the life right out of me. Who would ever have dreamed that today it's a form of self-therapy?

Usually, I'll start with the tablecloth. I'll choose by season, or by color, or just because I have one that hasn't been used yet. I'll spend some time, pressing the cloth, getting all the annoying wrinkles out. I'm learning not to do too much preplanning, because often what I "think" will work on a table ends up not suiting me at all. Once I've chosen dish colors, then I can choose napkins, rings, glassware, and other accessories to achieve whatever "look" I'm shooting for. Often, it takes a bit of trial and error before I'm content. On some level, all the activity is relaxing for me. I've never decided whether it's all the decisionmaking or whether it's the creativity that settles me, but in either case, it just works.

Over the last year or so, I've had several opportunities to do tablescapes with friends. What a learning experience! What wonderfully different influences all these ladies have had on me! I found that I approach color very differently than my friend Yvonne. I tend to gravitate toward dominant colors in a tablecloth, while she nearly always chooses subtle blends as a basis for choosing colors to accent. Some friends like their dishes to match, others like to set their tables with settings like mirror images. One friend in particular has this gift for setting the most gloriously welcoming mismatched tables. When I see a photo of hers, I nearly always want to just sit down at her table and just enjoy being there.

This past week, my friend Daphne asked me to do some tablescaping with her.
Sounds simple, until you learn that she's in Boston, and I'm here in Virginia. We've tablescaped in the past. In fact, our friendship started with a shared love for a particularly difficult to find Wilendur tablecloth. We each managed to acquire that cloth within a few weeks of the other. So, it seemed only fair that we each set a table using the cloth. The fun was enhanced when our tables ended up in The Dish, the Fiesta collectors quarterly magazine.

This time, we each have a cloth with fruit and pinecones. The cloths are identical, except that Daphne's cloth is bordered in yellow, mine in a mauve blue. Daphne invited me to be a "guest blogger" on her Tabletop Time site. We didn't discuss what colors we'd use, or even which dishes. It's more fun not to know! You can see the end result of our project at

www.tabletoptime.blogspot.com

Don't Worry...Bee Happy

2010-08-16T12:45:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Jungle!

I'm embarrassed by the shape of my back yard this year...talk about jungle land...whew. The bees, however, are loving it. I was so entertained this morning watching the bumblebees tumble, roll and dive through the passionflowers and wallow in the crepe myrtle pollen that I grabbed the camera.

I was really happy to see a few honeybees--most of the hives around here were decimated by that fungus a few years back. The bumblebees were the most fun to watch. Some passionflower blooms had up to four bees at a time, but they were so busy doing bee gymnastics that I never could get a picture with them all in focus! I'm pretty sure that if any of them got pulled over, most of them would get citations for bee-ing under the influence.

An affair with linens.... AKA Tablecloth Insanity

2010-08-14T15:34:00.000-04:00

So... it's no real secret that I have dishes all over the place in my house. I use my dishes (yes, even the "rare" ones), so it makes sense that I need a tablecloth or two...

I can remember my grandmother always using a tablecloth for family dinners. Mostly it was one big white damask cloth or another, but occasionally she'd use colorful old printed cloths, and I thought even then that there was something special about them. She didn't even care if something got spilled on them. She just worked miracles and got the spots out. Maybe I can blame my fascination with linens on genetics? This is my great-great grandmother...and gee, look at that nice new linen she's propped on... I do have some of her linens, but I don't have that one.

I've found that I really enjoy getting cloths that others have given up on (or never even tried to save) and salvage them. Like my Gran, I've found that I'm fairly good at getting stains out. There's something really satisfying about taking something that someone else didn't think was worth saving and making it useful again. My neighbors likely thought I had lost my mind the day I washed a big lot of old cloths, and put them in the grass to dry in the sun...

I even have a Plan B for those cloths that resist my efforts: They travel cross country to live with my friend R. She sees that they get new life as a bag or some other useful thing.

At any rate, after I started collecting Fiesta, I picked up a cloth or two at estate auctions. I found some other folks online who loved Fiesta and other Homer Laughlin China. I joined HLCCA, and an online messageboard called Collectible Medium Green. Those folks posted pictures. I drooled over those images. Somehow, over the last few years... my one or two tablecloths multiplied and multiplied, and multiplied.

I really didn't think I had *that* many cloths. They lived in various totes and bags, on shelves in my linen closet, and in a drawer in my dining room. When my son moved into his own place a couple of years ago, I suddenly had room in my house for things. I turned his bedroom into a guest room. One problem: he had left the massive cherry gun cabinet that he made in high school here with me. Inspiration struck, and I put plastic shelving from Wal-mart inside the cabinet and started pulling linens out. I had enormous fun, sorting and folding those cloths. Somehow, they filled the cabinet.

And still, I'd find another one that I "needed", or wanted to rehab. I bought books. I gave cloths as gifts. I even had a booth and sold some this year. I expected that to be hard, but instead it was fun seeing someone else getting excited about a color or pattern. It was even more fun knowing that the cloth would be used, and maybe the person would think of me when they did. And that might even be more fun than actually using the cloth myself.

Kitchen Impossible

2010-05-25T13:25:00.002-04:00

My kitchen is tiny... you can shake a stick in it, but it had better be a small stick, and you probably ought not stand under the ceiling fan while you're shaking. I don't mind because it suits my 1940's Cape Cod house. It's cozy. The walls are white, appliances and the floor are black and white, but pretty much everything else is Technicolor. The countertops are still the original ripe homegrown tomato red that Mrs. Waddy chose. She and Mr. Waddy built my house, and we're only the 3rd family to live here. Mrs W. had beige walls and flooring, and plain chrome hardware on the (tiny) cabinets...but she must have loved color to have chosen that snappy red for the counters. They're nearly worn out, and I've put off choosing something new for ages... I've looked at quartz and Corian and laminate... agonized over colors, and been shocked at some of the prices... Originally I wanted black,or something dark with little chips of Fiesta-ish colors, but it's hard to think about walking into the kitchen and not having my old faithful countertop... Who on earth other than me could get sentimental about laminate??? I mean, really. You can see a snippet of it as a backsplash at the sink and under the window.

Mostly, I don't notice how small my kitchen is, because I'm usually the only one in it. Other people are usually distracted by all the Fiesta, so it's unusual for anyone to mention anything else. I do wish I had more storage, but it's probably better for my wallet that I don't. Besides, I really don't want a recurring guest spot on Hoarders. Really. Don't.

In the garden of weedin'

2010-05-20T07:57:00.000-04:00

One of the problems with loving flowers and deciding to have a big flower garden is that you have to stay on top of all the chores that come along with it. Sure, mulch helps keep the weeds down, and having mostly perennials saves a lot of labor, but gardens require ongoing maintenance...and the last couple of years have been challenging for me. This year, my knee is healed, and hopefully I can get things in better order.

It's hard to know where to start... Should I be methodical? Should I just plan to set the timer and do whatever strikes my fancy for that period of time and assume that eventually I'll get to all of it? Maybe I should just scrap the whole thing, and start over...? Nah. Too many neat things for me to do that! I can see Jack in the Pulpit peeking around the overgrown spirea, and the crocosima has multiplied a lot... there are peonies and roses blooming, iris and columbine, too.

Maybe I should just take the camera out, and show you...

Home Again

2010-05-19T12:51:00.004-04:00

Last week this time, I was wandering the maze of tents known as the Brimfield Antique Show and Flea Market. I knew beforehand that this was a huge event, but somehow I still managed to be amazed at the sheer size. Brimfield is an easy drive from Boston, MA, and my friend D. invited a couple of us to come and stay at her house go with her to the Show. We decided to go Wednesday and Thursday, and the weather was, well... interesting. Wednesday's rain and chill meant we had layers of clothing, as well as rain gear on. Crowds were sparse, and I spent the day taking my gloves off and putting them back on. We all found some treasures and were well-pleased with our treasures. Thursday was sunny and hot,another wonderful dish friend joined us, and the crowds were massive.

Here we are at the start of our Thursday jaunt:

By the end of the day, we were a lot more wilted, but a stop for dinner and then Ben and Jerry's ice cream perked us right up! It's a tradition at my friend's house to pile each day's treasures on the dining room table and take a picture... Lots of goodies to admire.
Day 1:

Day 2:

Itch, itch, itch... add b's as you desire.

2010-04-16T14:37:00.000-04:00

So...just for the record, poison ivy sucks. A lot. It all started a week ago with a tiny little itchy spot inside my wrist... and I hadn't even been out in the yard!!
No clue where I got it, but by Saturday morning, I had multiple dots on my lower arm. Ok, fine... I know what to do. Pharmacy. TecNu, lots of washing, and caladryl is my friend. No big deal. Sooooooooo... by Sunday it was all the way up my arm, two dots on my collarbone, and it's time to get some intervention (prednisone). Usually, that fixes me right up. It's now a WEEK later and I STILL have poison ivy... the old spots are better, but two new ones on my neck and a couple of tiny places on my arm AGAIN. I wore long sleeves to work all weekend last weekend, and will do so again this weekend, which is NOT fun, but it keeps me from messing with it.
I took ALL my laundry to the laundromat today... bed linens, all the towels, all my clothes and rewashed everything at one time. I'm wiping down anything I can think of that I might have touched, and I think maybe I'll ask John to wash the dog. Just in case.

yuk.

On the road... again!

2009-10-12T15:29:00.001-04:00

I'm working on packing to head north for a few days. This Thursday-Saturday is the tent sale at Homer Laughlin China. Usually, I go for all three days of the sale, but I have to work this weekend so this will be a one day deal for me, unfortunately. On the positive side, I am leaving tomorrow and will get to visit with some good friends in the area for a couple of days! I'm planning to take some pictures and do a bit of dishing/antiquing as well. Weather is *not* supposed to be nice, so I'm debating the merits of actually doing my usual thing and camping out on the line to get into the sale the night before. Not sure my knee will want to hang out outdoors in the cold AND rain. ugh.

I was on the road for a VERY quick one day trip last week to pick up some dishes in Maryland. All were HLC, and all had a particular decal that I just love, called Clematis by some collectors and Red Beauty by others. Five hours each way, but the bonus was getting to meet and see the seller's collection. Absolutely awe-inspiring. I wish I had asked to take photos there, but I was so flabbergasted by his collection that it never even occurred to me to ask!

Mondays, Moving, and Making Messes

2009-09-14T12:20:00.001-04:00

I survived working the whole weekend~ yay! I didn't quite make my usual 3 12 hr shifts, but I think working 12 then 8 then 12 was a pretty ambitious start.

This week J starts moving things home, which means that I need to finish (okfine, start AND finish) moving things out of his old/new bedroom. I have gotten all my tablecloths and placemats out of the big cabinet, and as soon as I rest a little while I blog, I'm going to move the fiesta off the six little wall shelves. No clue where/how I'm going to relocate it, but I'm taking this one step at a time. Once J gets here, I'll have him move the totes full of my Universal Woodvine and Paden City Ivy dishes upstairs to the walk-in attic, help me dismantle the full size bed and take it to the bedroom upstairs, and relocate a cabinet from upstairs to the dining room to hold (i hope) all the linens. I'll try and post a few pictures of all this chaos in progress.

I had forgotten how pretty some of my tablecloths really are... I wonder if now's the time to try and take pictures, measure, and catalog my linens...? I know, starting a second big project in the middle of a first huge project might not be the wisest choice. It sounded good, though.

Unempty Nest

2009-09-10T21:51:00.001-04:00

My son is moving back home. He had been renting a house WAY out in the country (the directions include "you turn off the dirt road..."!!) with his buddy Charlie. This summer Charlie was activated and is on his way to the sandbox. John could afford the house on his own, but since he was nearing the end of their lease asked me if I would mind if he moved back home, so that he could put more money aside toward the downpayment on a house. He also offered to share expenses for utilities, etc. Nice offer, I thought. I'm glad to have him back. We get along well, always have, and I like that he's being practical about wanting to save and buy a house. He likes to cook and has surprised me many times in the past by having dinner prepared. We're both blunt, and mostly that's a good thing.

I'm lucky that J has a good job and a good head on his shoulders. He really wants to do things the right way. Not many 22 year olds own their vehicles outright, have no outstanding credit card bills, and have already settled into their dream job. He continues to have at least a couple of good guardian angels looking after him (Thanks Dad and Hank).

I've had people ask me if I worry about J on the job. I guess maybe if I hadn't grown up as a police officer's kid, then became a police officer's wife I might worry more as a police mom.... but the simple truth is that I don't really know any other way of life. J is well-trained, has good people working with him, and looks forward to going to work each day. I am thankful for all those things, and try not to devote any of my energy toward negatives. Sure, bad things happen all the time, but this isn't something I can control. I CAN control my actions/reactions.

Every police family deals with the stress differently. For me, I have a need to leave the scanner on when he's at work. Some police wives/moms/families refuse to even have a scanner at home, and I can understand why they feel that way. It can be intrusive. But for me, it's a security blanket. Knowing is always better than not knowing. Hearing his voice or number as part of my background noise means that things are ok. J and I both work nights, so a lot of the time I'm at work when he is. (also a bonus since we both have to sleep during the day)

There will be a period of adjustment, I'm sure. I'm also pretty sure he still goes through at least a towel a day, and has forgotten how to put the toilet seat down. I'll have to start leaving a robe in the bathroom again, and it's only a few weeks til John and I can start the battle of the thermostat. I wonder if he's learned how to unload a dishwasher in the last year?

Comfort Foods

2009-09-08T18:31:00.002-04:00

I don't know about you, but when I'm feeling bad, often I turn to old favorite foods to help me feel better. No clue how it works or why, but things like this broccoli casserole are on my mental list of Foods That Make Me Feel Better. Others include Potato and Cheese Soup, Pot Roast with Baby Carrots and Potatoes which also means that I can immediately make Vegetable Soup from the leftovers (and sometimes even from the before they ARE leftovers!), Chicken and Dried Beef Bake, Stuffed Peppers, Home made spaghetti sauce like my gran used to make, and Pinto Beans and Cornbread. oh, and can't forget southern style cooked kale. I also love Potatoes au gratin, freshly made rolls, and biscuits and sausage gravy, but as much as I love eating them, I don't love how icky I feel afterwards.

I had such a rough day yesterday that it seemed Broccoli casserole worthy. It hasn't been but a couple of weeks since I last made one, but I had the stuff, and I wanted it. Reason enough.

I love the square fiesta bakers. I have two: cobalt and chocolate. The cobalt was in the dish washer, which made the decision of which to use easy!
I only have one rectangle...might have to rectify that at the tent sale this fall.

Back to work

2009-09-08T18:18:00.003-04:00

So... Sunday was my first night back at work. It's hard to believe that three MONTHS have already passed since the talented Dr. LeBolt took out the icky arthritic knee and put in a shiny new replacement knee. I wish now that I had blogged through the process. I haven't had a day that I've regretted the surgery. Even the bad days are better than the pre-op days.

It was great being back at work. I missed my coworkers, and really, I missed the patients, too. I love what I do, like the pace most of the time. My supervisors at work have been very supportive, and actually scheduled a second person to be with me Sunday night, so that I could better gauge how I was handling the workload, and so that someone else could help with some of the heavy work (trust me, pushing stretchers is VERY heavy work, at times). I did really well for the first eight hours of my normal 12 hour shift... then I started getting knee twinges, which evolved into constant pain, then... well, you get the direction things went from there. By the time I left Monday morning, I was (once again, just like pre-op) dragging my left leg behind me. ugh.

I totally lost yesterday. Normally when I work off a three day stretch, I try to only sleep a few hours in the morning, or stay up so that I can swap and be a "normal" person and sleep that night. I didn't quite manage that yesterday. I took some medicine (first time in weeks that I had to do that) and made it as far as the couch in the living room,got a couple ice packs, propped my leg up and crashed.
I woke up a couple of times, but for the most part I was out the entire day AND night.

I'm on the schedule for my normal 3 12's this weekend. Not so sure I can do that.
Sigh.

Sporadic is one thing...

2009-08-23T20:53:00.002-04:00

...this is something entirely different.

It's been months since I posted, and it's hard to believe that the summer is nearly gone. My summer has been an odd one. I had thought it would drag by, since I had my knee replacement June 1st, and knew I wouldn't be working most all summer. I haven't accomplished any of my wish list of tasks... Most days are fairly predictable. I go to physical therapy 3 days a week, and do home exercises on the off days. I'm hoping to be back at work early in September, but because of the nature of my job duties, it's hard to know how much I'll be able to do, and how quickly I can resume my "old" schedule.

How Many of Me? One's enough, right?

2009-01-29T12:12:00.002-05:00

HowManyOfMe.com

There are
2
people with my name in the U.S.A.

How many have your name?

I thought this one was interesting... Lots of people share my first name, and a pretty fair number share my last name... but only 2 of us share the same combination.
Ok, here's the weird part: I know her, we're not related, and my son actually dated her in high school for a couple of months!

Lunch Dates and Beta Fish

2009-01-28T17:50:00.003-05:00

Today was nice... went to weigh in and had lost 3 pounds this week. Yay me! I got a few house chores done just in time for one of the ER girls to pick me up for a periodic sanity-replenishing-girls-get-together. Today's was at M's house, which although is about 30 mins away is a really pretty drive, which makes the drive time kinda worthwhile. M's daughter is going to be a pampered chef rep, and wanted to try out some recipes on someone who wouldn't be too tough on her before she used them on unsuspecting paying customers... Gotta love being a guinea pig!

She chose a recipe called Jamaican Jerk chicken. Not one I would have tried on my own and I was astounded by how good it was! She also (get this!) made a strawberry devils food cake in a pampered chef bundt pan....IN the microwave! Again, not something I would have ever been likely to try, and it turned out just great. I think I'd probably edit the recipe and use seedless raspberry jam, but it was pretty impressive. Good thing I went to weigh in this morning.

We stopped at Pet Smart on the way home so that J could get some filters for her fish tank and a replacement beta for her daughter. Somehow, I came home with a beta and a new 1.5 gallon tank. I had never seen a truly orange beta... lots of reds, blues, greens and purples, but never orange with black... reminded me of my koi, so... I have an inside fish. No name for him yet, will need to work on that.

We also stopped at the hospital so that we could get our new badges made. We've gone to some sort of uber security system and had to replace our old badges. My new picture is an improvement on the old one. I never like those pictures anyhow... it's like DMV. I'm not sure a police officer would believe it's me.

I am a Snapdragon

2009-01-27T18:05:00.004-05:00

I am a
Snapdragon

What Flower
Are You?

"Mischief is your middle name, but your first is friend. You are quite the prankster that loves to make other people laugh."

I found this little quiz at Becky's blog today...took the test, and turns out we're both (supposedly) snapdragons. Interestingly enough, they're among my favorite flowers. I can remember my mom picking a single bloom from a stem and teaching me how to hold the blossom just right so that I could make the dragon's "jaws" open and shut.

I almost always tuck a few snaps in my gardens... I know they're not perennial, but they're tough little guys and sometimes live over, or reseed. They're not so fussy about water as some plants, and they're unfailingly cheerful. The taller varieties are so regal looking, too. Last summer I taught a friend's daughter how to make the dragons snap...

This is usually the time of year I start yearning for spring. I'm much more likely to buy a bouquet at the store, and I catch myself peeking hopefully into my mailbox, looking for the spring catalogs. Hmmmm....maybe I should go look. Just in case.

I'm baaaaaack

2009-01-27T10:58:00.004-05:00

Ok, so I probably should admit what a ditz I am... I haven't posted anything in a while, not because I didn't have anything to say, cos heaven knows talking is never an issue, but because...
I FORGOT MY PASSWORD.

I had no clue how to fix it, tried for a while initially with no luck, and finally got so frustrated I just gave it up... sleep deprivation might've been part of the problem, but I left it alone for a couple of weeks. This morning, after a really scary number of hours of sleep I felt like trying again, and whew, finally SUCCESS!

I'm dealing with furnace problems... not a massive problem, because I do have space heaters that will "do" until I can get things fixed... I'm glad I have the microfleece sheets on my bed... those things are worth MY weight in gold. I never have that initial OMG THESE SHEETS ARE COLD sensation anymore... I crawl in and it's instant snuggliness. Regular sheets are terrific in the summer... I actually like that blessed instant of cool...but this time of year, I'll just pass on the holycheeetthat'scoldddddd dance, no matter how much it amuses the dog.

Speaking of Sage, I started wondering if dogs have midlife events like people... I say this because she's 9 (do the math...lol) and all of a sudden she's started waking up in the middle of the night, barking a few minutes so that I can share the joy, then she does the circle dance and plunks right back down on her cushion and goes back to sleep. No clue why... I figure it's either dog-opause or maybe we're on the night time prowl path of a skunk or something.

Island of Misfit Dishes?

2009-01-06T06:55:00.000-05:00

I woke up at 3:30 this morning. That's what I get for falling asleep yesterday instead of trying to stay up on a workoff day... lol.

I've accomplished a bit. I got some laundry done, tossed out some boxes, and am meeting my cousin Lisa at Gran's house to start cleaning out closets in the hopes that we can get her home from the rehab by the first of next month. My uncles have begun the process of choosing an in-home caregiver. We'll all pitch in, too. I guess we're pretty lucky that a decent number of us are within an easy commute of Gran's house.

Yesterday was a very nice dish day... My Secret Santa gift arrived from JimmieJames and I was sooooooo pleased. He'd taken the time to find me a vintage cloth, and chose a cobalt square baker, turquoise individual baker, and a sweet pair of dancers christmas ornament to go with it all. I've already started plotting which dishes to use with the cloth... Primary colors are red and blue, but theres enough green that I'm tempted to just use Medium Green dinnerware on it.

The mailman also brought a vintage demitasse pot with a repaired handle that I had purchased on ebay to use as a vase. The seller was wonderfully thorough in describing the damage.

I wonder if it's weird that I don't mind some damage? I kinda think it's like battle scars, and shows that someone used the piece. Seems like a lot of collectors want only mint condition pieces, and while I'm delighted to find those... I like the other pieces, too. The image that comes to mind is like that Island of Misfit Toys from the movie Rudolph the Rednose Reindeer .

Denise and I have been trying to meet for the last six weeks to exchange some Fiesta we've acquired for the other... the weather has NOT been cooperative. I think the dish gods are amused that I'm nervous about taking care of the vintage vases I bought at that auction for her, so they're tossing roadblocks in the path, so that I have to keep the vases longer.

Oh what a beautiful morning...or Talking Trash.

2009-01-05T09:08:00.000-05:00

What an amazing morning. When I left work this morning the temperature outside was 52 degrees. In January. In the mountains. Who'd ever have thought??? The sky was this glowing apricot-raspberry color, and the clouds ranged from amethyst to violet to soft, misty gray. Off in the distance were inky black mountains with wispy swirly clouds. (wow, I sound foo-foo this morning, and I only had 2 cups of coffee with caffeine...I forgot to ask for decaf at breakfast!)

Mondays are my workoff day, and I've gotten to be a bit of a creature of habit. I have breakfast with my cousin after work, come home and take care of Sage, and get my trash out to the curb. I forgot to put out the trash until I heard the garbage truck last week, and decided to just wait til this week rather than do the flight of the bumblebee to catch the garbage truck. Granted, it was mostly to avoid causing serious harm to the garbage dudes... I mean, I'm not a small girl...and running madly after the truck dragging my cans could've caused all sorts of problems. Can't have the garbage dudes falling off the truck, or having the driver get inspiration pneumonia from sucking some of his coffee or soda or whatever down his windpipe.... In this case, laughter would NOT be the best medicine. And that doesnt even begin to factor in the potential whiplash danger for my neighbors. You know. The ones that always "just happen to be looking out the window". I think everyone has one. And if you don't...it's only because you haven't caught them yet.

So anyway... I had a small mountain of stuff to put out today. I'm thinking I probably need to make a batch of Chex Mix or cookies or something... might need to bribe the garbage dudes before the next pick up.

Loss and Life Lessons

2009-01-04T08:45:00.000-05:00

A comment here from my friend Kelly sent my thoughts whirling backwards... It made me rethink some difficult times, and it reminds me of how blessed I've been.

There is a balance in all things.

Death. Life. Grief. Joy. Turbulence. Tranquility.

My husband's death brought a number of "expected" emotions to my world... upheaval, self-doubt, anger, loss. It brought a writhing tumbling mass of tasks to be completed. I was overwhelmed. It also brought some unexpected reactions. I became immensely focused... so many decisions to be made, and my son to be guided/aided through his own maze of loss. I decided, very much against the wishes of nearly all my family and friends to hold two visitations...one for the law enforcement community early in the day, and another more traditional "viewing" later that same day. I was told that it would drain me. Instead, I was given a wonderful gift. People came, shared their stories and told me about how my husband had touched their lives. Funny stories, poignant ones, from every possible time in his life...and from some of the most unlikely sources, including a couple from people he had arrested at one time or other. All of these people shared my loss. With each person, I gained a bit of strength, and a bit of resolve. Several times, well-meaning friends tried to get me to sit, or leave for a while... They didn't understand that this was something tangible I could do for Hank. It felt like Something I could give back to those people who had taken time from their lives to reach out to me. At that point, I'm not sure I understood my motivations... all I knew was that it was helping. Now, I realize that we were celebrating his life, not surrendering to his loss.

Over time, a number of good things happened... I went back to school, and changed careers. I had talked about it for years, but because I made good money at the bank, we had put off my return to school. As a direct result of Hank's death, I began to understand how valuable "today" is. I try very hard not to leave things unsaid, and work to change the things in my life that I don't like. We have to be catalysts in our own lives...not make excuses and wait for that nebulous "someday". Now... works just fine.

My son is grown now... a man we can be proud of. He's independant and caring. He volunteers in the community, has a good job, and still makes time for his family. I used to tease him, telling him he got the worst of his parents "bad" traits (his dad's stubbornness, and my mouth). Now, that tenacity and honesty are tempered for the most part by plain old common sense. The loss of his dad taught him a level of compassion that wasn't there before. The way Hank lived set a standard for John...and nothing pleases John more than to be compared to his dad. Another blessing.

I learned that the only things I can control are my own actions, and my reactions to others. Worry simply robs me of my own time. Anger makes *me* feel bad, not someone else. It's far, far better to spend time looking for the joys in life and spend time seeking out those people and things that make you happy, or feel more fulfilled.

Past December, finally.

2009-01-03T01:14:00.000-05:00

December is always my worst month. Didn't use to be. For most of my life, I looked forward to the holiday season. I was one of those annoying people who started shopping just after one Christmas for the NEXT one. Generally, my shopping was done by September, and everything was wrapped in October so that I could enjoy doing all the baking and just kick back and watch while everyone else scurried around from Black Friday forward. I was chomping at the bit to get my Christmas tree up (although my husband insisted that I wait at LEAST until December.)

All of that changed after December of 2000. My son was 13. I had been married for sixteen and a half years. We celebrated my husband's 45th birthday on the 13th. Good times. Went to several Christmas parties, insulted the 13 y/o by having Grandma come stay with him while we had dinner out and attended one particularly late party the weekend after my husband's birthday. Excellent times...and there are pictures to prove it.

Three days later, everything fell apart. Hank woke me up at 3 am to tell me he wasn't feeling so well and thought he needed to see a doctor. Smart ass that I am... my sleepy reply was, "So, if I make an appointment, are you actually going to GO?" He said, "uhm...I think maybe we need to go to the ER." I promise, those words make you instantly awake. In retrospect, it's weird how organized I was... I managed to call and get someone to cover his call (he volunteered with a rescue squad), called my mom to come stay with our son, got my clothes on and hair brushed, before he finished getting dressed. Weird fact: rescue volunteers never call EMS... It wasn't til we were almost in the hospital parking lot that Hank started describing symptoms. I pulled up to the ambulance bay doors, he went in, and by the time I got parked and came in to registration, he was in a room, hooked up to a zillion beeping things... and they knew he'd already had one MI. (heart attack).

It's odd. so much of the next month is a blur, yet that one day I can give you almost a minute-by-minute rundown of what happened...who was there, what was said... all of it. I won't, cos that's not the point of this.

The cliff notes version is that he had me call Mom to bring our son to the hospital that morning before he was sent to IC. Things never stablilized, so finally we had him transferred to another hospital, and Hank died within 18 hours of waking me up that morning. The cardiothoracic surgeon said that even if he'd been standing next to my husband when the big attack happened, he wouldnt have been able to change the outcome. Most people would have died on the spot. Hank was in such excellent physical condition that he survived, pretty much by will... for nearly a day.

I have been blessed many times over in my life... those hours are one of God's greatest gifts to my son and me. We both know it. We both dread Decembers anyhow.

Friday night..oops Saturday morning

2009-01-03T00:36:00.000-05:00

My friend's hubby had to have some fairly serious surgery this week. It was intricate enough that they had to go to a major medical center a couple of hours from here to have the procedure done. Logistical nightmare for them. Her mom came to stay with the kidlet, and since I was off work, I drove down to the hospital to hang out with my friend during the operation. I was counting on a long day, and it was. I was mostly ready for it. I had brought my kindle and downloaded the new James Patterson novel. I had my little green OCD fiesta bible, and I was planning to do some updating (since god-bless-my-brother got me chocolate fiesta for christmas!) I wasn't counting on having entertainment provided. Well, not that the people providing it were *aware* that they were entertaining...but man, oh man... they were.

I was pretty impressed with the level of organization at the hospital. Everyone had to wear a sticker... It was almost like way back in first grade when you wore a big red construction paper apple with your bus number on it for a couple of days, except well, it wasn't red, nor construction paper...but it did have which waiting room you were supposed to be in on it. Some folks even had some sort of code that showed what wing/floor etc they were visiting. When we got to the waiting room, there was a sweet little volunteer lady there who answered the phone, kept track of who was coming and going, and mangled most peoples names. (that should've been my first clue that entertainment was close at hand). Granted, some names invite mangling... but Jones should be straightforward, right?
"Jo wuhnnnns" Three syllables. wow. They didn't recognize their own names.

We'd just plunked down in the reasonably comfy chairs when a little old man wandered by...passing gas with each step! No kidding. There are probably 20 people scattered around the room...every last one of us trying not to chuckle. Maybe I should have factored in whether I was in the direct flight path to the restrooms before I chose my seat?

After a bit of chitchatting with my friend, it seemed like a good time to pull out the kindle to read. The book was good... you'd think I'd be oblivious to the rest of the world..? Nope. For some reason I managed to look up JUST as a new fella approached the volunteer desk... He leaned forward.... AUGHHHHHHHHHHHH. Six miles of crack appeared. Why is it that it's humanly impossible to look away from something like that? Thankfully he wasn't there long. (Evidently his sticker said he was supposed to be elsewhere?) Back to the Kindle and Alex Cross. Murder, mayhem...

...by now, I should know not to look up. Too late. If you've ever wondered what happened to the model for Wonder Woman in the 40's... I found her. I didn't see a golden lasso or anything, but I'm pretty sure it was her...or at least her bra. I wondered idly if maybe there were fiesta saucers under there to get that level of shelfage...? or maybe enough layers of duck tape will give you the same effect. hm.

Time flew by. There was always something new to look at, or some new accent (or trying to guess what name the volunteer lady was attempting to pronounce.)

oh, and my friend's hubby did really well, too.

Lost the day

2008-12-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

It's nearly 6 pm and I've been awake almost an hour. I'm leaving shortly, heading to work. As much as I love my schedule, sometimes I feel like I've completely "lost" days. I was worn out when I fell into bed this morning around 9. Now I'm up just in time to take care of Sage, get ready and head back to work. I'm looking forward to a few days break to get back into my day routine, then it'll be time to flipflop back to the nightlife. More later.

Christmas Eve

2008-12-24T18:16:00.000-05:00

The day's been full, and I'm hoping the night will be q.... (we never say the q word out loud in the ER, or it's the exact opposite) at work tonight. The doc is one that seems to have annoyed the ER gods at some point, because we always seem to have more patients or more crisis for him to deal with. On the good side, it does make the time fly by... I like the staff that's working tonight--we're fortunate to have such excellent folks in the department.

Usually we have Christmas Eve steak dinners at my mom's but since John and I are both working tonight, we opted for steak luncheons instead. My brother manned the grill, and did a nice job of it. I thought I might sneak a little nap in after lunch, but came home and made some meatballs to take to work tonight for a little snack, workload willing. I'm even hoping to peek into Ebay and see if by chance my long dry search for a fiesta syrup bottle might possibly be over. I spotted a cobalt one the other day that ends tonight... we'll see how things shake out. (yes, I'm a cheapskate.)

The weather is mild here, although the wind is pretty fierce tonight. I don't think I'd trade it for the snow that the folks up north have. I hope there will be a time during the night that I can go outside, peek for the stars and contemplate for just a minute what it might've been like all those years ago... and that one bright star in the East.

Christmas...Time

2008-12-20T13:37:00.000-05:00

Wasn't it just yesterday that I had weeks and weeks before Christmas to do all those things I used to always get done? Maybe it's a case of "the more you have to do, the more you get accomplished..."?? So... here's a list of what used to get done... maybe at the end I'll share what I've actually DONE this year.

1. I always had at least 2 trees up and decorated, sometimes as many as four by the first week of December. This year, I did get my little kitchen/fiesta tree up in October, but so far I haven't been inspired enough to drag all the other stuff out.

2. I made my own gingerbread house and often had parties, doing additional houses with/for other people. I baked multiple types of cookies, had the ingredients and my part of the menu planned for the Christmas meals way in advance. I hosted Christmas Day breakfast for a lot of years after my son was born. This year, I know I'm making lasagnes to send to work with my son Christmas night, and that we're having lunch at my mom's Christmas eve, since John and I are both working. I did make 2 batches of cookies for a cookie exchange, but no other baking at all. Not even Christmas cookies with Zoe.

3. I used to always go all out with lights outside my house (Don't think Griswald). I used to use about 10,000 blue lights on the bushes/trees in front of my house. This year, I have 2 of those triple candelabras in my bay window in the dining room, single candles in the kitchen and living room windows, and put red/white lights on the 2 Christmas tree shaped junipers that flank my front steps. I used the big ole C7 bulbs, rather than the mini lights... just 700. Maybe I'm becoming a minimalist in my old age.

4. We used to have some sort of party/open house during the holidays. You'd think with my work schedule I could at least manage that... I mean, I work Fri, Sat, and Sun nights...12 hour shifts but geesh, I'm off during the week. Back in the days I was in banking I worked 5 days a week, and half a day on some Saturdays.

5. Christmas cards. Always used to be mailed Black Friday weekend... This year? I did manage to get them addressed. Hopefully no one will move and I can send them next year!

6. Shopping was easy back in the day... I started in July, sometimes earlier if I found something "good". I was nearly always finished by the end of October, and wrapping was completed by the end of November. I went out on Black Fridays for entertainment, rather than any need to shop.

7. I used to always get my trees down Christmas night, or the morning of the 26th. This was more necessity than anything because my husband generally left for a week or 10 days at the hunting cabin, so if i wanted help...it had to be then. Decorations and outside stuff waited til he got home after 12th night. Last year, seems like I finally got the tree shoved back up in the attic around the end of January. I'll see how this year goes.... I'm tempted to leave my Fiesta tree up, just cos I like it.

This year, I did manage to get my Fiesta tree up in the kitchen, have a few lights outside, and baked a very few cookies for the cookie exchange. I did a little bit of my holiday shopping back in the summer at the tent sale, and I took care of getting my son's gifts. I cheated with my brother's gift. God bless gift cards. I'm still waiting on the addition to my mom's dish collection to arrive from the Ebay seller (you'd think December 9 would have been plenty early, even with holiday postage woes.) Mom and I got a tiny 3 foot tree and the trimmings to decorate and take to my grandmother's room at the rehab.

I'm going to Mom's today to put the lights on her tree. (Evidently I'm a little OCD about lights on Christmas trees... I like a lot of them, evenly spaced. It drives me bonkers to see the wires when people just toss them on the trees. My brother refuses to put the lights on Mom's tree, cos he knows I'll just pick at it.)

We're planning to do our annual Christmas lights tour one evening before Christmas next week.
We pile in the car, and tour the area, doing (sometimes nice, sometimes not) commentary on everyone's outdoor displays. I've really been tempted a few times over the years to take pictures to send to uglychristmaslights.com. If you've never visited the site, it's worth a peek.
We used to have a bit of an advantage in finding the best/worst displays because my dad was sheriff of this county, and my husband was a police officer for our town. They did a LOT of driving, just in the course of their jobs, and knew where the best/worst displays were.

I'll probably do my wrapping after I get home from work Monday morning...assuming I'm fairly coherant.

Where does all the time go?

Family Dinners, Holidays, and Elvis.

2008-12-18T23:34:00.000-05:00

For every year of my entire life (only 44 of them, despite my son's assertions that I was around for the invention of dirt)... we've spent Christmas Day at my grandmother's house. My mom's parents both died before I was ten, so my memories of them are a little hazy, and my other grandfather died when my dad was five, so no chance for memories there. I never really gave much thought to not having more than one grandparent...Gran more than made up for the other three. Anyhow... she's 92 now, and had a stroke in July. Still rehabbing, and making progress, and we're hoping to have her home by early February, but it means no Christmas at Gran's house this year. Weird. A month or so, one of my uncles emailed and suggested we all have dinner out, and tonight was the night suggested... okay...doable but still.... weird.

So... tonight we went out to eat. The Home Place in the great metropolis of Catawba, Virginia. Fantastic home cooked foods, served homestyle (you know, big bowls that keep miraculously being refilled). I drove down with my mom and my son (I might devote a whole blog page to that little trek). Rain and fog made for an interesting ride. Once we got there, I enjoyed being around my uncles,aunts and cousins... only my brother, one cousin and one cousin's spouse were MIA. Nice night...just not really Christmas, yanno?

Both my son and I are working Christmas Eve, and John also has to work Christmas night. I had been pretty cheerful about the holidays until tonight, and something about this dinner just sucked all the merry right out of me. Maybe I'm just whiny. Time will tell.

There was one little bright spot earlier in the week... One of my nurse friends has the MOST entertaining niece and nephew in the history of the universe. I look forward to seeing her after she's spent some time with them...you just never know what they'll do or say next. This past weekend was a case in point. The kids were at their Grandma's, and Mattie says to her grandmother, "Hey Grandma, we've got to go to the concert this Sunday at 7pm."

Grandma of course has no clue what Mattie's referring to.... and says, "What concert?!".

Mattie's reply took Grandma aback..." ELVIS, GRANDMA! He's gonna be in concert here!"

Grandma (being of a certain generation, ADORES Elvis, and still listens to his music enough that Mattie recognizes him) very gently tries to tell the little girl that Elvis is uhm....dead.

Mattie says, "Well, that might be, but he's gonna be in concert Sunday night at 7pm." Nothing anyone said could sway her, and no one could figure out WHY she was so sure.

Later on, she pointed the sign for the concert out to her mom... Turns out, one of the local churches was having their Christmas pageant that Sunday night... the name of the pageant was

"The King Is Coming To Town".

who knows...maybe Mattie was right? Puts a whole new twist on the Christmas Story doesnt it?

Anyhow, it made me smile.... and i think it made me feel better to share the story.

Blog Names...or Tuesdays aren't conducive to creativity

2008-12-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

So, I decided to try this blogging thing... Who'd have expected writer's block to strike when trying to decide on a blog name??? I puzzled and mused, probably resembling the Grinch when he was puzzling over what terrible, awful thing he could do to all the Who's down in ... well, youknow what I mean...

I wanted something that was chatty (like me...!) and something sort of Southern...also like me...
I wasn't blessed with one of those screamingly southern names like Billie Sue or JoEllen. I'm just Elaine. I collect Fiesta, old linens, Christmas ornaments, and dust bunnies. I've had a whole lot of fun over the years with Fiesta, and have somehow managed to corrupt (infect?) several of my friends along the way, too. A year or two back, I had brought a box of dishes to one of the nurses I work with and she got allll excited over this one piece and squealed, "oooooh is that Cara Faye for me?" Ever since, I have to stop and think before I try to say carafe... or "Cara Fay" is what falls out of MY mouth. So...hm. Cara Faye it is.

Dishing... well.. could be several things... If you aren't a collector, chances are you're thinking of chatting or something verbal. For me, it's a little more active, and a LOT more dusty. Dishing means scouring yard sales, flea markets, antique stores, junk stores, thrift stores... looking for whatever bit of dish flotsam washes up on the retail shores. I go fairly frequently, with mixed results. Sometimes it's a solitary pursuit, sometimes a shared venture. Either way, it's fun.