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Monday, May 28, 2012

Weekend Finds


One of the gaps in my ironstone collection has been these bread and butter size cafe plates. I was lucky enough to find some in two different places this weekend. It's funny how what may be prevalent in one market, or part of the country, is rare as hen's teeth in another. Vintage ironstone plates and bowls don't turn up here much. But platters seem to be plentiful. Here the plates are displayed on an iris motif fifties print tablecloth in pale pinks and greens. These colors have been turning up a lot for me this season.




I paid four dollars each for a matching set of four, and then found two others at one dollar each. Good enough! We use our ironstone everyday and six small plates will round things out nicely.




In addition, I picked up a set of six plain new salad/luncheon size cafe plates at Williams-Sonoma. You can see how shiny they are in comparison. I just love the soft matte surface that the vintage ones have. And for everyday use you will never find anything more durable. They may break if they are dropped from a height onto a brick floor, but they will almost never chip in regular use as your average china does. They make a nice ringing sound when washing up too! (I hand wash dishes.)





It's easy to dress up plain dishes by mixing in your other collections. Two of my favorite platters are stacked up here. World Market had this India pink wrapping paper and raffia that I found irresistible.
















Everything is corralled in a vintage market basket on my dining room table for a cheery, arty, and very temporary vignette. I have to find a place for my new plates in my eensy kitchen!



































So that's what's on my tabletop. What's on yours?
(I've been working harder at keeping mine cleared off and nice looking.)
I hope you're all rested up for the week ahead, my friends.

Jacqueline






22 comments:

  1. Hi Jacqueline: What's on my tabletop right now is things that need to be put into my kitchen cupboards. Hopefully soon. I love the older ironstone too, and know what you mean about the mellowness of it, but we use everyday dishes from restaurant supply store. Look like ironstone and wear like ironstone, but no substitute for the real thing..Hope you are having a good weekend..Judy

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  2. Lovely post Jacqueline. I only have one butter plate in the ironstone. It was probably a plate from a restaurant. Hope you have a nice week.
    ~Clara

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  3. Glad u found something you have been looking for. Of course I am checking out the hydrangea in the McCoy pot in the background!

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  4. Oh! Love, love, love the basket, and the dishes, and the tablecloth!!! All things I have a thing for! Lucky you, finding the dishes like that. I, too, have an eensy kitchen and wonder all the time where to put more pretties. Have a lovely week!Kay

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  5. What pretty vignettes you gifted us with...love the mixture of pink and white, so pretty.

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  6. I also love platters...it seems to enhance the presentation of whatever you put on it...
    Love your wire basket..
    and the hydrangea is to die for...

    Lovely....

    Cheers
    Linda :o)

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  7. Hi Jacqueline! What's on my table right now is a mess of fabric strips from a lamp project I just finished. I love your dishes! White is so versatile. I hand wash my dishes, too. I actually find it relaxing and I think they come out cleaner.

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  8. I love the vignette, albeit temporaray, on your table! It's nice to find more dishes to match your ironstone. My table tops haven't changed much since early spring as I am awaiting the painters to come and will have to put everything away!! Then I can put out my summer theme things. Pamela

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  9. Love your finds! I bought W&S ironstone dishes in 1988 and have used them every day since. Only one has a small chip, after dropping it on a tile floor! A good investment I'd say.

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  10. May-be the reason we hang plates on the wall is because there is no room left in the kitchen. On my table top at the moment is chairs, paint brushes and rollers sighhhh...So I am going to escape with a cuppa and look at more neater ones.

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  11. Great finds. I usually only find the platters, too or a few dinner plates.

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  12. I LOVE the pink floral dish...and the white ones.
    I often find myself gravitating towards white.
    But I love all my vintage dishes too...so you are right, it is fun to layer them.

    I hand wash dishes too
    do. not. have a dishwasher

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  13. Ironstone and pink-always my favorite. Your blog always makes me smile:)

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  14. Hi Jacqueline

    You are a true dish lover who even hears the music they make when washing - I love how your display them in the wire basket

    Helenx

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  15. Those plates are so earthy looking. Love that look,chunky and durable.
    I have my new/vintage cloth with the purple flowers and organza edging on my table today. A large blue and white bowl with fruit,and a tray with a vintage embroidered cloth and my cottage tea set. I hope you enjoy your week.x jeanetteann

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  16. i love the soft patina ironstone has,too:) pretty floral plate, and i love the hydrangea and wire basket!

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  17. I love your finds. Soft Pink floral plates I can't get enough.
    Come and see me when you have time. Still trying to build my blog would love your visit.
    Cindy

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  18. Lovely finds Jaqueline,
    I love the little cafe plates with the roses, they go very nicely with your white ironstone.
    At the moment my patio table has a little centre cloth a bowl of my roses , ceramic wine and snack dish made here at our local pottery shop.. looks nice.
    I keep it pretty much the same.
    enjoyed your post..always nice to pass by
    happy tuesday
    val

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  19. My table is empty apart from alarge wooden bowl and a green candle - that's because I've just put away all the family history stuff that was spread all over it earlier:)
    One of the reasons that I don't have more dishes is that I have nowhere to store them:(

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  20. oh i love your ironstone plates!! You could never have enough of them! They look so pretty with your pink plates.

    Kathy

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  21. Jacqueline,
    What a find! I agree, that some things are at a randsom...I have a difficult time finding oval serving platters! Perhaps that's what keeps the hunt alive? Your ironstone looks great in the vintage basket. Lately, I've kept my sage green dinnerware set out on the built~in buffet stacked on my two ~ tier plate rack. That post will be coming in this next week! I just pulled the Memorial Day settings off the table and right now it's bare, except for the cloche. Which means tomorrow after work.. . a new tablescape will be in progress! Have a marvelous week, dear friend!
    Fondly,
    Pat
    P.S. I adore the vintage tablecloth!!!

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  22. What a wonderful find, Jacqueline. The first two sets of dishes I bought as a young woman were white ironstone and I still use them (many years later!) all the time, mixing them with other china I have. And I wash my dishes by hand, too! In fact I had the dishwasher that came with the cottage taken out of my kitchen when I moved in.

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