Now I Can't Stop Thinking About Dishes

Well that was fun.  Thanks for your input. 

I'm all for purging, and for passing things along to others who have need, but I think I may have to draw the line at my wedding china.  What if my daughter expressed regret someday that I hadn't given it to her?  It's only two boxes full, anyway, and I suppose that's what an attic is for.

Anyway, my mother-in-law sent me an e-mail saying that if I sold it, she was going to buy it from me herself and give to Corrie someday.  *grin*  So that's that! 

Reading all your comments got me thinking about the other dishes floating around my house.  So, quick--grab your camera!  It's time for the Rocks In My Dryer Spur-Of-The-Moment Dish Carnival! 

I hauled out the china in question to show you.  Got them all set out on the table and thought to myself, "Geez Louise, these gorgeous.  Why aren't I using them?'  So maybe, just maybe, the Dryer family will be eating on fine china tonight.

My absolute favorite dishes ever in the whole wide world are Blue Danube (right).  This is what my grandmother used for her every day dishes, and she left her collection to me.  Although she had a very wide assortment of serving pieces, unfortunately the collection of "practical" pieces (dinner plates) dwindled over the years, so I don't have enough to consistently use them.  I keep saying that I'll finish out the collection one of these days.  Not only are they beautiful, but they make me think of my grandmother.  I adore them.

Two years ago I bought twelve--count 'em, TWELVE--five-piece place settings of the Christmas dishes pictured at left.  For $40.  Total.  At Wal Mart.  That's American capitalism at it's finest, right there.  Say what you will about the vast coporate greed of Wal Mart, but they are deckin' my halls at always low prices.  Love it.

I was going to take a picture of my everyday dishes, but they're so plain jane, I'm not even sure it's worth the effort to get up from my computer.  They are white.  And round.  And they have a bunch of scrape marks on them.  I think your imagination can handle this one.

This last shot is one of the more important dish collections in my house:  the box of unused party plates in the garage, which I pull out whenever everything is dirty.  You know what's really fun?  Try serving a nine-year-old boy a PB&J on a Sleeping Beauty plate.  Yep, good times.

Feel like posting a picture of a dish or two or twelve?  I'd love to see them.  Enter a link to your post below.

1. Muddy 2. Stretch Mark Mama (Holy 90s, Batman) 3. a musing mom 4. We are THAT family (Let\'s Dish) 5. Barb (transferware) 6. Butterbean 7. Coffee Tea Books & Me 8. Maggie - Christmas Dishes 9. Britni (Dishes with food) 10. Alaina 11. Edi 12. Erica (A Yankee In Jawja) 13. Musings of a Housewife 14. Heather 15. Cheryl 16. Ann\'Re 17. Mary B 18. Musings from Inside the Hobbit Door 19. laura boggess 20. Anna 21. Sherida 22. Kimi@blessed beyond belief(got married in December, look what people got us!) 23. Krista 24. Rookie Mom 101 (My Cabinet 3 Collections) 25. Beth (three sets of dishes) 26. southern 27. southern( this is #27- I boobooed) 28. Katie (Snow men in July?) 29. LeeAnn (aka FrazzMom) 30. Heidi @ GGIP 31. Kristin

32. Catherine 33. Natalie 34. Linda Sue Buhl 35. Proverbs 31 (my rose dish dilemma) 36. Distybug 37. Ronnica (young and single = random dishes!) 38. Amy (Diligent Joy!) 39. La Moglie 40. Bitsy 41. Robin (PENSIEVE) :) (Gold rimmed, inherited from my mom) 42. Amanda at Baby Bangs 43. Crazy Daisy 44. Beth 45. Jamie B 46. Pam 47. Jennifer T. 48. Christine @ Serenity How? 49. Blogaroni and Dees 50. Ewokgirl (eating pretty) 51. Nancy 52. Lori (my first carnival) 53. Reformed Grits prepare to be jealous 54. Becca Mae 55. Andrea@Braun Family Circus 56. ceekay 57. Sue 58. a musing mom 59. CheriBeri from Multiply 60. sahmqueen 61. mckay dishes about dishes

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Comments

[Leslie]

You can totally put that Lenox in the dishwasher. I have the Eternal pattern (same but with gold band) I put it in the dishwasher every time I use it. In fact this is copied right from the Lenox site....
All Lenox fine china is dishwasher-safe. When washing Lenox china in the dishwasher, use a mild liquid or powder detergent. Load china securely on racks so that the pieces do not touch, and so they won't be dislodged by water action. Ensure that the dishwasher is in good working condition and has no exposed metal racks. Also ensure that metal objects (pots, pans, utensils) do not come in contact with the china. Use a mild wash cycle, and let pieces cool before removing.
So use that stuff!

[Mummymac]

Hey Shannon

can we see a pic of your pampered chef stone!

[Stretch Mark Mama]

I rescind my previous comment. That China is BEAUTIFUL. Stunning. KEEP IT.

Our rule is to keep only what is "useful or beautiful."

My husband is always afeared he will get tossed out in the trash.

Pfffft.

I'd take him to Goodwill instead. I'm not completely without mercy.

[Rebecca]

Oooh, I'm going to join in when I get home. I just got a couple of new plates!

Spur of the moment, surely?

A carnival I can join in with, though, yay!

[dcrmom]

Totally fun!! Mine are boring, though. White for everyday. Cream with gold Lenox for fancy. And my grandmother's china, which is gorgeous, but packed away. As is my Christmas china. I'll see how industrious I get, perhaps I'll dig them out and photograph them later today.

[Barb]

A couple day I just began a series on my favorite things, including my dishes which I so lovingly collected from ebay over a six year period.

[Kristen @ We are THAT family]

I"m ALL ABOUT SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT-CARNIVALS, especially if there's cotton candy! I'll settle for an empty dish-less calories. Thanks, it was better than fixing my kids breakfast!

[Tammy]

We have no china at our house and we use Corelle -talk about excitement.

I never bought or have wanted chrystal.My sister out of the blue sent me chrystal that used to be our parents.It is still in the box that she sent it in but like you I can't get rid of it.I may start pulling some of it out and use it all of the tie.Save some for my son and daughter,this way they will have somthing that was their grandparents,my mom died when I was 5 and my dad passed away in 1990 so of couse the grandparents are unknown to them.

[sweethomealagirl]

I only have one set of dishes, but we did get "good" glassware. Since the kids came along, we'd relegated it to the back of the shelf, but last new years, I made a resolution to use it. It's not doing any good just taking up space in the back of a cabinet, and why not have my sweet tea or ice cold milk in a pretty glass? :)

[Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooks&Me]

I have always loved pretty dishes. Definitely keep the wedding china, life goes by so fast and children do (eventually) want precious items from parents.

[Carol ~ I Throw Like A Girl]

My MIL was horrified that I sold my china on Ebay. But she still loves me. She's a GREAT MIL (not just because she loves me) but she did not understand the depths of it's hideousness. It had to go. I did keep the husband, her son. That has to count for something.

[Renee]

My mother is the queen of "dishes desirement" even with her cupboard busting open. She found a great solution! She keeps buying more and more, but has given them away for gifts to married couples now. So her shopping can continue in earnst, and others are blessed (?) with them. I know for myself, if I get "blessed" with any more from her, I'm just not sure what I'll do with them because my cupboards are full, full, full. Purge? Uh yes! How about Ebay? LOL How about finding a newlywed couple? LOL Lovely dishes by the way, I especially love your blue and white ones.

[Maggie]

Cool Carnival! I posed my Christmas dishes. I have a set of Pfaltsgraph white dishes, but we use Luncheon plates from Tupperwear or the 4 Melamime seasonal plates most of hte time. I like the smaller plates.

[Richelle F]

I say use that gorgeous china! My mom always used China every Sunday dinner. It made it more of a special dinner for us. We put our China in the dishwasher, too, just set them in nicely so you don't chip the edges.

[Liz]

oooh, sounds fun, I'll take pictures when I get home. We have some dishes from Chris's grandma

[Melanie]

I am so glad you are keeping your dishes (one way or the other) for your daughter!!! YEAHHH!!

Blue Danube. We are kindred spirits.

[Heather]

Definitely keep the china! It's a timeless classic that your daughter or even future grandkids can use without being dated. I get to look forward to inheriting cream, brown, and orange-flowered dishes. Lucky me!

[sandy]

Great post, Shannon! I finally got rid of my Disney character plates that the kids ate on when they were little. Now we all eat on the same ol' white William & Sonoma dishes. I have a space issue, so I only have a few sets of dishes. No Christmas ones :)
Happy Weekend!

[Andi]

*whew*

So glad you're saving it for your daughter. I was really worried some yahoo on the internet was going to get something that I promise that later she'll treasure!

[lomagirl]

Good decision. I realized my post about thinking what you could do with $200 was a little stark, and I wanted to say that I think you are already doing a lot to help people in the world, and I don't think money is the only way to do that. Giving of your time and your heart goes a lot further than 200 dollars can.

[Deb Capone]

I wish i could find those $40 Christmas plates....my daughter's birthday is Dec. 26th and is very into Christmas and her birthday. I now have more Christmas stuff than I ever imagined. Not that I am Scrooge, but before she joined me thru adoption from China, i had a great dinner party every Christmas Eve (the traditional Italian fish dinner-complete with champagne) and then take down my tree while I watched midnight mass on tv. On Christmas day i went to the movies....

Much as i love seeing my daughter enjoying herself, I would be lying if i said I didn't miss those simpler times...less stress, but a big hangover.
deb

[Anna]

I'll upload my dishes in a minute, but I have to say that Blue Willow is a favorite of mine.

[LeeAnn (AKA FrazzMom)]

Oh boy! I can't even remember the last time I went to an impromptu dish carnival! I'll be back after I drive Young Son's carpool...

[Mary B]

This was fun! I just joined the carnival. My very first.

[Stacie]

I love dishes! My husband is constantly telling me "No more dishes!" I always use real dishes--and I don't have a dishwasher. Good thing I have a lot because I really hate to wash dishes, but I feel more "green" by not using paper. ;-p One of these days I will get china but I want to wait until I find the "right" set (i.e. vintage, fun pattern, cheap).