August is high time for fruits we love, and dinnerware patterns that feature these fall fruits are in season all year round. On my list of favorite fruits: apples, peaches, pears, grapes and plums. Dishes that feature these motifs catch my eye when I’m out scouting for dinnerware and glassware, just as their inspirations are […]
Yard sale signs are popping up faster than dandelions. Are you ready to start shopping for those vintage dishes that you’ve been looking for? I’ve made lists before, though it may seem unnecessary. This is not the grocery store, where you can expect certain inventory to be in stock. Why write a list when you’re […]
How much fun it is to create a one-of-a-kind Easter basket for someone who loves vintage dinnerware! If you frequent thrift stores, you know the feeling. How can you leave that one cute plate or glass behind? Now you can assemble them into something lovely for special occasions, as gifts or décor. Once you collect […]
I added a candle holder in the Cheyenne pattern by Hartstone to my collection this week. I was almost jumping when I saw it on the thrift store shelf. Hartstone Pottery is heavy, durable stoneware, made in the USA. You never know what you will find on a day of thrift store shopping. I was […]
Lovers of Fiesta china color were getting their fix at the Homer Laughlin tent sale this past weekend. The company holds an annual tent sale at the factory in Newell, West Virginia. Fiesta collectors come from far and near to get pieces in their chosen colors. Table setting with Fiesta offers thousands of possibilities with […]
Colorful Halloween dessert plates by Sakura are one example of the cutest Halloween dinnerware. Designed by Debbie Mumm, they have special, spooky charm. The Haunted House pattern dates from around 2000, before purple and lime green had gained so much popularity as colors for Halloween decorating. My favorite Poultrygeist mug was made more recently, and […]
Vintage and new dinnerware sets show the long-term appeal of apple china patterns! Some patterns go with red, as you’d expect. Others focus on green apples. And there are versions that have both red and green pieces to mix and match in your table setting. One example, the Apple Pie pattern by Franciscan (see thumbnail […]
Your china collection doesn’t have to be limited to pieces for the table top. Vintage kitchen prayer plates, designed for display on the wall, offer charm and inspiration. These were made for decorating a kitchen or dining room, especially those in styles based on traditional or country themes. Big ones, small ones, souvenir versions, with […]
If you’re a coffee drinker, can you ever have too many china coffee mugs? I’m thinking about the stoneware kind, though there are lots of other kinds to use, to enjoy your cup of Joe. I like tea and coffee. It depends on the menu, and the situation. Yesterday was National Coffee Day, but who […]
This harvest season, serve jam in style, whether you made it yourself, found it at a local farm market, or enjoy the products of your favorite commercial maker. Glass jam jars are pretty to use for serving jelly and honey, too. These are making a comeback on home breakfast and dinner tables, as people do […]
One of a kind dinnerware pieces can inspire an entire table setting theme, or even a whole room’s decor. If you love it, there will be ways to fit that piece into your china collection, to use and joy the unique piece. Scouting last week, I found a darling china dinner plate in the Strawberry […]
Finding special vintage dishes is fun! See what I brought home with me in recent weeks, including some extra special items.
My dishie antennae perk up when I see pieces of Mikasa’s Mediterrania line in my shopping travels. The patterns are so retro. Many of them show the best of modern style from the 1970s. The shapes are simple and sleek. The colors and motifs just work for me. I think Blue Bird is probably my […]