Getting It All Straight

I was asked this before in a comment, but it only occured to me now to post about it. (I'm a little slow sometimes... I admit it... "Brain" is not proud, but there you are.)

I don't own a home yet so this bulging collection is always in danger of damage, loss or being scrapped. The latter will never happen so in order for the dh to be pacified, I find ways to store them carefully without taking over the whole place.

But how to do that?

First, it would be a fair warning to say that since all of my dishes, outside of my fine china, are chosen to coordinate because setting up for the holidays can be a little daunting.

Also, each holiday is pretty much the same every year, in exception to Easter which can either fall in March or April. So, to get everything straight, I have these to go by.

1. The solids and patterns are lined up in their own shelf or shelves. This makes it easy to mix and match. For the solids, do the rainbow pattern to grade the shades so it's easier to find.

2. If sets have to be in a box, take a picture and record name of pattern. Slap info on the box for easy tracking.

3. Decide on the next two holidays and keep those patterns and colors in the hutch or shelf; both to prepare and to refresh the look of the dining room.

4. Keeping small spaces in mind, choose colors that can be multi-purpose:

Blue- good for 4th of July, summer and winter parties, Americana Christmas or New Year's Eve tables. And all surprise celebrations

White- is good for all holidays and "Just Because" moments

Yellows and Oranges- good for Summer and Autumn tables

Burgundy and Rust and Sage- are all good colors for the country theme and classic Christmas and Thanksgiving

Black- good for Halloween, Modern and Fun Teenage themed tables

Greens- St. Pat's, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Garden or Summer themes

Red and Pinks- Valentine's Day, Tea parties, Any Ladies' club or girls' party themes. Christmas, Independence Day and Easter can also be good for these colors.

Gold & Platinum- Best if kept simple and matched and highlighted with candlelight.

5. I don't buy patterns that I can't imagine my other plates fitting in with it. Also, chargers are dinnerware bling.

6. I only buy plates on clearance of 40% off or more.

7. Because I practice Feng Shui, my tables are focused on balance, symmetry and color harmony. For example, my last Valentine's Day was mainly Red and Black, but I laid it all on white tablecloth, bowls and cake stands to neutralize both strong colors and lighten the look.

I hope you find my tips helpful. It took years to finesse while not letting my obssessions get the best of me. I truly love collecting dishes and I'm glad that my budget is never big enough to get out of control. I'm just glad that I haven't traded any of my kids for a set of dinnerware. (I don't think the DH would like that... What do you think? ;-D)

Crystal Shine

Hosted by "The Gypsy's Corner"

I turned off my word verification so all can comment now. Thank you!

This is my second Three or More Tuesday and I'm so excited to participate again! Thanks, Gypsy!

Ever since seeing Cinderella's glass slippers when I was a kid, I've always been fascinated with crystals. When I look around a store, I find myself looking at crystal vases, candleholders and goblets.
I am a big fan of Lenox and Mikasa.

TABLESCAPING IDEAS: (Sometimes, I even amaze myself! This is such a great idea!) Break out your fine crystal goblets and candleholders. On a white tablecloth, use silver chargers, a platinum rimmed solid white fine china and a clear glass salad plate. For the candleholders, use white taper or votive candles and gather them all in a nice grouping in the middle of the table. Use a white napkin with carved glass or crystal napkin rings. Fill up the crystal goblets with room temperature water, only a little over halfway. Use polished chrome utensils and throw some opalescent flat glass pebbles and scatter them around the candleholders and in between. From the chandelier, hang some opalescent bead strings and then turn off the lights but one that reflects off the table. Take a picture on slower frame and capture all the shine!- Sidenote: you can use this as a sophisticated Mardigras tablescape. Just add silver masks on each plate and "voila!" a festivity right in your own dining room!

The following are only three styles in my collection. Enjoy the peeking!


Gorham- "Flowering Meadow" Platinum band (2009)- $5 at Tuesday Morning; these will be for my daughter's Cotillion Banquet when she turns 18.

Mikasa-Roxborough Gold Rim - I got it after I got married

Lenox- "Debut Gold"; Wedding crystal (2 goblets and 2 flutes)- Gifts from my boss (1996)
I enjoyed sharing these with all of you. Thanks for visiting! Make sure to stop by Gypsy's blog to see what others chose for their Three or More Tuesday!

See you all tomorrow for Outdoors Wednesday!

Looking at my Stash

I didn't realize how much TABLE GOODIES I have already! And I've acquired all of them at a great price or they were given to me.

Sa-weet! Hope you enjoy looking at them as much as I do! These are just some... On the sidebar, you'll see a little bit more. Also, those you've seen from my other posts. I even amazed myself!

("Brain", remind me to give my hubby a big kiss tomorrow for letting me have this much fun with our tables!)

I guess eleven years of collecting + 4 years of storing dating crystal will give you a sizeable stash. Yay, me!!!

75% off retail- Ross. These two square Tuscan platters were Ross finds. I needed them for a church function and when I got them, they were slashed down to half off the Ross price tag. So my total savings from retail was 75% off! It's actually greener up close...

50% off- Target. These are Target's Holiday '08 line called "Snowfall Splendor" in gold. It also came in platinum. I waited after Christmas and snagged 8 for the price of 4!

FREE- It was gifted to me before we left California. This is from Montgomery Ward, I think it's called "Autumn Foliage", I'm not sure. The dinnerware set that came with this, all had heat cracks and I had to give them to a friend of mine who loved them despite the crack. I handwash this every time I use it. I don't want to damage it in anyway.

66% off- Tuesday Morning. I found these Gorham "Flowering Meadow" flutes (I got water goblets, too) at Tuesday Morning that just opened up near us this month. $5 a piece instead of $15.

50% off- Ross. These are my Blossom china. I don't know what they are called. The dinner plate (behind pitcher) are so big that they could pass for chargers, but they only had two, so I only grabbed one because I wanted at least one of all the different pieces. I just recently found others they made and they are just as beautiful, but Ross acquired them in small quantities and "lookie-loos" managed to crack and ding them.

80% off- Target. I found these originally at $2.50, but since I was the only one who was lucky enough to find the only 12 good ones, the manager sold it to me for 50 cents each!
FREE- 1st wedding anniversary- Costco, 1997. My second Noritake dinnerware after my wedding china; I forgot the series name, but this also comes in blue floral.

FREE- A gift before we left California. These are called "White Christmas" done exclusively for Montgomery Ward; and the glasses were gifts from my MIL the following year. Not of the same line, but very complimentary (ha, complimentary design for a complimentary (aka FREE) set of glasses! I made a joke!)

90% off- Fry's Grocery store. These were called "Swirls" and I found them during a clearance stumble. I paid 50 cents each.

50% off retail- Sears. Oneida "Katrina"- These were promotional silverware. San Jose, CA 1995

FREE- This is a gift from my husband, while we were dating. It is a bud vase crystal from a local florist in San Jose, CA 1993

FREE- Gift. My mother-in-law (MIL) gave me these as part of my Christmas service silverware back in San Jose, California.

50% off- LNT. Just for the serving pieces. These were from LNT during a special clearance closeout to make room for the Christmas dinnerware stock; Gilbert, AZ

75% off- Kitchen, Etc. I found these in an outlet mall in Mesa, AZ. They only had 9, I was going to take them all, but the last one had a noticeable crack and damage on the rim.

FREE-My wedding china. Noritake "Halls of Ivy" (darkened so you can see the embossed ivy leaves) My boss back in 1996 got us two place settings for our wedding reception.

I am so glad that I have them! But I'm more glad that I got them for a great price or FREE!

I love every piece I own, and I can't stand that many of them are in storage, far from our home!