New dishes for the lake house--again

   

I really didn't need new dishes for our lake home, but when I saw these (above), I knew they'd be perfect in the blue and white kitchen with pink touches.  They are Keltcraft (Noritake label made in Ireland), and so far, the most expensive I've had at the lake, $95 for about 50 pieces. As I recall, I originally had blue and white Currier and Ives dishes from the 1950s, free from my friend Adrienne which she was getting rid of when she remodeled her kitchen in the late 80s. Many years later a neighbor on Oak Avenue had a set of blue and white Pfaltzgraff Yorktowne put out for a yard sale.  They didn't sell, so she put a price of $10 on the set and that included the laundry basket they were in, and she enlisted her kids to carry them to our cottage. After a few years I gave the Currier and Ives to a friend who was moving and needed a set of dishes.  

Years before at another yard sale I bought some white china with delicate blue and pink flowers and platinum trim that were going for $25 due to a divorce. They had been a wedding gift and had all the serving pieces and even a tea pot.  I put those aside for "special" times. Then about 8 years ago I found a lovely set of white on white china, International Wakefield 364, about 7 place settings, for $5 at the Lakeside Heritage Society Labor Day sale, and I couldn't pass those up.  I put the Pfaltzgraff in a neighbor's sale and then had two sets of china--neither of which could be used in the microwave, so I had to pick up some pottery for cereal bowls and serving.  Then last summer I found a wonderful hand painted set about 70 years old, Mountain Ivy from Blue Ridge Southern Pottery. at the Lakeside archives sale store.  I love them. I think the set was $25, and they delivered them to the house.

  

My plan is to keep a few pieces of the blue and pink on white floral china for us to use at home, and donate the rest.  As I recall, I have either 10 or 12 place settings, more than we ever could use at the lake. Even if I keep 2 or 4 place settings, there is still a lot to donate.  And now Bob will be able to cook his oatmeal in a nice bowl that matches the plates. 

Mountain Ivy Blue Ridge dishes

I couldn't resist. The next time you come for dinner or dessert, we'll be eating on vintage (< 1947) Mountain Ivy Blue Ridge Southern Pottery hand painted dishes with underglaze, displaying leaves and purple and gray berries (looks blue to me, my primary kitchen color), all with candlewick edges . It has approximately 7 place settings, except cups and saucers are 8, and usually those are the missing pieces, and I never use them. Meat platter and oval vegetable bowl, sugar/creamer (also don't use these). Now I have some rearranging and packing up to do to move some things to Columbus. History of the company, Erwin, TN 1917-1957. http://www.blueridge-spi.com/pottery/rap1997/history.html

Friday family photo, memorabilia and memories

I don't remember the exact date, maybe 1970. My dishes were new then. I thought I had given them away about 40 years ago, but found one piece this week while rearranging the cupboards to fit my new crock pot (which I think will go to basement storage due to space problems). Enjoying white tea and memories with this little sweetie.   

I think the first time I used these dishes was the visit of my sister-in-law Jeanne with her mom and two daughters, Julie and Joanie, and they got lost in Columbus. (Three weeks ago Joan and husband Dan came for an R & R visit with us.) The three hour trip (from Indianapolis) became five hours.  They finally called us and Bob went to get them so they could follow him to our house. We lived on the northwest side on Abington Rd., and there was another Abington on the northeast side.  Julie immediately jumped in our car and said, "I'm riding with Uncle Bob." Then in browsing our photo album of the 1960s and 1970s, I spotted a photo of a festive reception in our dining room with these dishes and the dining set.

The table and chairs are now one of the most expensive items in our home after 50 years of use.  It's been in the dining room (108 E. White, Champaign, Charles St. in Champaign, Abington Rd. in Columbus, and our condo where we live now), the kitchen, the family room and at our daughter's home for awhile. Mid-century modern is very "hot" right now, and this little Paul McCobb set is popular.  So popular in fact, I can't afford to buy two more chairs if I decide to move the set back to the dining  room.

Photo album from the 1960s and earlier

Ready for dinner, tonight and tomorrow

We're having a casual Christmas Eve dinner before church. So I decided to set the table in the kitchen and then also set the table in the dining room for tomorrow. It will be a little cramped, but I can put all the food on the counter.  I have two sets of Christmas dishes and am using them both.  Unfortunately, they don't have serving pieces, so I have to do a work around. This Paul McCobb mid-century modern set was our original dining room table (has 2 leaves) with a matching china cabinet, and we purchased it in 1964 when we had a very small dining room (house on White St. in Champaign, IL). The house originally had a very large dining room, and we built a wall down the middle to make two rooms.  When I say "we," you know who did the work. In the mid-90s this set resided for awhile in our daughter's home until she bought a dining room set.  Recently I checked on buying two additional chairs thinking I'd move it back to the dining room, but it appears it is now the most expensive furniture in the house.  Two additional chairs would be about $3,000. All the tree lights, inside and out, are ready.