Thursday, September 13, 2007

I'm Sorry, Mom



I love the look of tarnished silver. Sorry, mom. I know just what you would say: "Stop being so lazy and polish your silver!" My mother kept a spotless house. A piece of tarnished silver was, in her eyes, a mortal sin. Dust on the furniture? Two Hail Marys. Dirt on top of the fridge? A rosary. Tarnished silver? You're going straight to hell. On the Hell Express.

Now, don't get me wrong; shining silver is beautiful, but it's all about the surface. It's all reflections. And, for me, it's sometimes just a little too much bling. Tarnished silver has age, and depth, and a mystery to it. (Like a woman of a certain age, no?)



It's been around the block. Or stuffed into the back of a cupboard. It's dull, and soft, and a little knocked up. It's endearing.




It looks fabulous with brown transferware.




Or holding a few green apples.



Or stuffed with late summer blooms.



I just love tarnished silver. Sorry, mom.














13 comments:

  1. I love that brown Spode plate. I keep thinking I will give up on blue&white and start on brown&white, but somehow I never do. Creatures of habit aren't we?
    Janet

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  2. You mean silver isn't SUPPOSED to look like that? LOL Your pictures are gorgeous.....love the arrangements!
    Blessings,
    -Robin

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  3. Lovely photos. You always get tarnished silver at my house! I like the completely tarnished look you show. Thanks for coming by my blog. I wish I'd talked to you before I got the generator. Hopefully now I have it I won't need it too. Hopefully the maintenance won't be too expensive-It's about $120 if the furnace guy does it. Keeping fingers crossed here. Stephanie

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  4. I love it too! And I really like the beadboard in your photos too!!

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  5. Welcome to Blog land. I have just found you via Sophie Honeysuckle. You have a lovely house and garden. I hope you enjoy the blogging as much as I and my daughter do. Mary

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  6. I adore the brown transferware! I have a few pieces of brown in my living room. Love it. And I too love tarnished, been around the block silver and pewter.
    Your pictures are just gorgeous. You have such an eye for design.

    Your home is so lovely. I am betting your Mom would agree! Tarnish and all.

    I remember once when my Mom saw some tea dyed tings I had on my sofa in VA. Oh my. She thought I had lost my mind! Now she likes such things...

    Hugs,
    Sue

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  7. I agree. Sometimes the polished stuff looks...well...fake. These pieces have character. Love your home!

    Love,
    Julie

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  8. I love the patina of unpolished vintage silver! Beautiful photos.
    Penny

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  9. Thanks, everybody! I was afraid, when I posted the photos, that people would think I was a lunatic! LOL Nice to know I'm not...
    Mary

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  10. Tarnished silver makes me lonesome to see my mother again because she, too, loved it and her's was never shiny. Beautiful photos, Mary.
    bj

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  11. Wonderful pictures! Love all of your collections! You brought back memories of my sister & I standing in the confession line on Saturday mornings...thinking of what we could come up once it was our turn (just how many 'bad things' do little girls do:) Our favorite line is that we might as well just start the Hail Mary's now cause you know they're coming!

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  12. These are such beautiful photos Mary. I love the brown transferware plate with the tarnished silver.

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  13. This made me laugh! I was raised in the same house. Any day of the week that silver was shiny...

    It is a good thing my Mom left the big tea service to my sister!

    Love your blog. I'll be back~ if I can find my way =D

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