In Praise of Everyday Dishes

For this week's Let's Dish party at Cuisine Kathleen, I thought I'd show you my everyday dishes -- all three sets.  When I was a bride-to-be almost forty (yikes!) years ago, I chose two patterns -- one for everyday and one for my formal china.  Some brides also chose "in between" dishes.  I guess I have always gone for color -- no plain-but-elegant white plates for me!  Here's my first everyday pattern, Royal Doulton's Fireglow. Isn't it cheery?  I thought it had a warm, "kitchen-y" feel.  It was well-priced at the time, so I received many placesettings as wedding gifts. I kept 12 and traded the others for some of my good china and crystal.  I've posted several tablescapes with this pattern, and you can see two of them here and here.

Fireglow was an early freezer-to-oven-to-table pattern, and it included some fun pieces like these cute ramekins.  I used these everyday dishes for 25 years, then decided I needed some new ones as a reward for sticking with Mr. D&D all those years!

I looked for new everyday dishes I loved for nearly two years before finding Mikasa's Windsor Park in an outlet store while visiting Oregon.  I loved its bright colors, so I had it shipped home.  In the tablescape below, I highlighted the orange fruit in the pattern.

I've enjoyed using these dishes with yellow and blue accent pieces, too. Here's one of those tablescapes.

That pattern kept me happy for another dozen years or so, but about a year ago, I was browsing in Chicago's Bloomingdale's Home store and was drawn to some dishes that were on sale.  I decided it was time for a third set of everyday dishes!  This Dansk pattern -- Kristina & Florencia -- isn't quite as colorful as my first two patterns, but I love its simpler style.  It made its blog debut in this post.

All three of these patterns have been used day in and day out to serve family meals -- the true workhorses in my ever-growing dish collection.  What's your favorite everyday pattern?  Have you had more than three sets (so far)?  Thanks for visiting today, and please stop by Cuisine Kathleen to see other fun dish posts!

Sunday Lunch

Today's tablescape was inspired by these yellow spray roses. My flower source is generally HEB, the famed Texas grocery store chain, where flowers are $4 a bunch, and my husband is usually the one who brings them home.  He does all the grocery shopping (and cooking -- yes, I'm completely spoiled), so when he asks me what I want to add to the list, I often ask for flowers.  I asked for yellow tulips this week, but they didn't have any, so he improvised.  The little blue pitcher used to be in my mother-in-law's kitchen, and it was the perfect size for this mini-bouquet.

The bright yellow of the roses seemed to dictate using similarly bright placemats. The placesetting also includes some cute little heart-shaped covered ramekins, our everyday dishes and glasses and flatware, and blue-checked napkins.

Here's a view of the table, looking toward the living room.  Very simple -- set for Sunday lunch.  Since the pitcher was so small, I elevated it with a wooden candlestand and added some yellow votive holders.

Here's a closer look at the very bright, colorful pattern of the dishes.  I chose this Mikasa pattern after using our first set of everyday dishes for 25 years.  These dishes are still going strong after 13 years!

 When I chose this pattern, I was looking for one featuring blue, but I also love the bright fruit pattern.

Here's a view from the opposite side of the table, showing the baker's rack newly decorated with blue and white. 

The details:
Dishes:  Mikasa Windsor Park (discontinued)
Glassware:  Villeroy & Boch My Garden
Flatware:  Towle Beaded Antique
Covered ramekins:  Le Creuset outlet
Votive holders:  Sur la Table
Wooden candleholder:  Pottery Barn outlet

Thank you for visiting my table this week!  I hope you will leave a comment before you leave to visit all the wonderful tablescapes at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch!

Thank you, Marigene!

This week's table features some pretty blue glasses that Marigene of In the Middle of Nowhere sent me as a gift.  I was very touched when she offered to send me some of these glasses after I admired them on her table!  I love the ribbed design and the soft shade of blue.  The pattern is called Sirrus Blue, by Libbey, and Marigene insists they are all over the place in her part of the country.

The glasses are great with my everyday dishes, Windsor Park (Mikasa - discontinued).  The placesetting also includes blue placemats (Walmart), orange napkins (Crate & Barrel), and my silver, Belvedere (Lunt).  I love using orange and blue together this time of year, especially.

We are in the kitchen again this week, and I've pulled the pumpkin bought at HEB back in early October in from the entryway table to serve as a centerpiece, along with a wreath of faux fall berries and pine cones.

Here's a look at the tabletop.

Here's a better look at the Windsor Park pattern.  I am still not tired of these bright colors!

 Here's the whole table. . .

 And a view toward the baker's rack.  Maybe you can spot the small Pilgrim couple I bought at a craft show many years ago?

Thank you again, Marigene!  You're a sweetie to send me these pretty glasses!  Thanks, too, to my visitors this week!  I hope you will leave a comment before you check out the rest of the tablescapes set for this Tablescape Thursday at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch!

Blue + White + Yellow

Since it was so hot when I set up the blue and white tablescape for last week's Tablescape Thursday, I decided to get a little more mileage out of it by adding a new color to the mix.

I used the same tablecloth, dinner plates, silver, and glasses, but added yellow spider mums to the cobalt blue bottles and lemons to the blue footed dish.

Yellow napkins edged with orange, plus salad plates and salt and pepper shakers from my everyday dishes, Mikasa Windsor Park, added more color.

I've had these dishes for at least twelve years, but I still love the cheerful pattern and colors.

Here's another view of the table.

Lemons make such an easy splash of color!

Stay cool, y'all!

Thanks for stopping by, and don't forget to check out all the other tablescapes at Susan's Between Naps on the Porch!