Hot summer weather seems made for ice cream sodas and root beer floats.
A scoop of vanilla ice cream, some good root beer (favorites are Stewart’s and IBC at this house) and you are in business. Just be sure to make them right before you’re going to enjoy them.
In Michigan we also have a Boston cooler, [...]

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It is so nice to hear customer stories about how much they are enjoying the vintage dinnerware we helped them find. Sometimes they are finding the pieces to complete a collection. Other times, to start a new one.

A box of vintage dishes in the Blue Orchard pattern went on its way this week, to charm [...]

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My Christmas shopping goes all year round. When the summer garage sale “hunting season” comes around, it’s time to check my list for the things I’ll need for the fall and winter holidays.
One of those items on the shopping list is the 12 Days of Christmas dinnerware set, designed by Debbie Mumm for Sakura. This [...]

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Souvenirs can come from many places, and be just about anything that brings back sweet memories from our travels.
I’ve got some Irish pottery mugs that do that for me. I like to get out my collectibles and enjoy them. Mugs are practical, small to pack, and easy to use.
In 2005, I made my first visit [...]

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Fiesta by Homer Laughlin: What better dinnerware can you bring out to use for your Cinco de Mayo party? Or any party, for that matter.
Fiesta means party in Spanish.
Introduced in 1936, this dinnerware is a perennial favorite, with many fans and collectors. It was grandma’s china, or even great grandma’s china.
When it first came into [...]

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Enjoying china has one downside: It can be difficult to choose one pattern to be your own. If you love them all, how do you choose?
Eventually Summer Chintz by Johnson Brothers became my everyday contemporary china.
This dinnerware was made for more than 20 years, and there are many pieces to add to this collection, including [...]

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Mix and match dinnerware has lots of interesting possibilities. Charming and creative table settings are often born when different patterns are combined. Same holds true for glass.
Yesterday I saw a blog post today about creating collections of mixed glassware. Oh yes, a vintage lover after my own heart wrote this, and chose the glass.
The post [...]

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Many of my dishie friends love glass as well. Then the challenge comes up: identifying glass. Most glass is not marked.
Learning the makers and patterns takes time and experience. There are many wonderful books, but they will only get you part of the way.
We are fortunate here to have our local Great Lakes Depression Glass [...]

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Arabia is made in Finland…go figure. And whether you pronounce it ah-RAY-be-ah - or ah-RAB-e-ah - it is beautiful stoneware, often with a retro look and feel.
The first time I saw this china, I’d never heard of it, but liked it. I found the blue striped Uhtua pattern. It was so unfamiliar that I [...]

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Our next guest post is from an online colleague, Wanda Fitzgerald, who has a great passion and knowledge about charms. I’ve admired many of the beautiful sterling silver, enameled and gold charms that I’ve seen in her stores over the years. I can relate…they are so pretty, just like the dishes I love!
By Wanda Fitzgerald
I’ve [...]

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