Monday, January 21, 2008

My Obsession


If you've been visiting here for any appreciable amount of time, you'll know that I have a thing for china. I love milk glass. I adore transferware. I set the table for fun. I have a slight problem passing up a good buy when it comes to anything dish-related.






I need therapy.






Of course, as I point out to my dear husband, I never ask for jewelry, or furs, or designer handbags. I don't want to go on a cruise, or vacation in Gstaad. I'm not even perfectly sure where Gstaad is. Or how to pronounce it.





I just like dishes.





So sue me.

39 comments:

  1. My sister has a similar "affliction" LOL! At least your "habit" is not life threatening ;o) You have a beautiful collection. We all need something, right? Happy week ((HUGS))

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  2. Let me know when you find a good therapist, I'll go there too! I am drooling over your dishes, love the one with a dragonfly on it but would fight you at a yard sale for any of them...I am coveting your stash...must go repent now:>)

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  3. I am sooo happy that I found your blog!!..I have the same 'affliction'...(I like that word!!!)...I too, collect milk glass, transferware, iron stone...you name it...I collect it!!!.I usually collect 12 place settings, though!!...every Sunday, we have our 2 married kids & 4 grandsons for Sunday dinner..so, that's 10 place settings!!..I love to create different table settings each week..& I love to display them when I'm not using them!!!...it's fun!!!..my family enjoys them, too...thanks for sharing your beautiful collection!!!..you're so right...who needs diamonds??..Lacy

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  4. Love, love, love the photo at the top!

    I just said almost exactly the same words to my husband on Saturday afternoon (after a wonderful trip to TJ Maxx where I found seven gorgeous china or crystal doodads I just couldn't live without). "I'm not really scrapbooking anymore, I don't sew, I download about three songs a year from Itunes... but I love china things and they make me happy and I'm going to rearrange the furnace room so I can get to them!"

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  5. Honey im right there with you! If it is glass and has shine...or a fancy design im all up on it lol.Never know where to put it,but I HAVE to get it.I like you love nice things,but designer means nothing to me. There is always a version that looks like it=)Have a great day.

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  6. And, what a fine collection of dishes you have, Mary!
    hugs, bj

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  7. I enjoy living vicariously through your obsession, so please keep it up ... just for me, if nothing else.

    And as for suing you ... we could get our lawyers to arm wrestle or something.

    It might be fun.

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  8. Lovely, as always! I love dishes too and setting tablescapes with mismatched pieces. I'm sure you have "orphan" collections. I have a large collection of orphan creamers who have lost their sugar bowls.

    Mary - I'd love to see you create a tablescape and photograph it simply for our enjoyment!

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  9. I love all of your beautiful dishes! Keep showing us!
    Hugs,
    Donna

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  10. I have enjoying reading your blog. Thanks for sharing with us! I love dishes as well, but have tried to limit myself, as I only have so much room.

    Is that Beleek in your group? I have a lovely harp that my Meme' got in Ireland on a trip there years ago. I LOVE it. It looks similar to what you have in your collection.

    --Ali

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  11. Mary, I know when visiting you, I will walk away with a smile, an idea and having been able to see some pretties. Thanks for sharing your obsession with us!

    Michelle

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  12. Hi Ali,
    Thanks! The vase in the second picture is genuine Beleek. The saucer and sugar and creamer in the fourth and fifth pictures are not. They belonged to my mother, and I'm not sure where she got them. Some of the pieces are marked on the bottom: "Chikaramachi Handpainted, Made in Japan." They are very delicate and beautifuly glazed -- actually finer than the Beleek. Is that heresy? :)
    xoxo,
    Mary

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  13. I just love all your dishes. Keep collecting. It's A GOOD THING!!! hehehe. Enjoy your posts everyday. Enjoy your day , Janie

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  14. Mary,

    Your photos are beautiful as always. I too have the same issues, but I refuse treatment, I am having too much fun. My only problem is that I run out of space to put all of my finds.

    Take care,
    Connie

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  15. LOL Mary, I'm with you. Who needs high fashion when there is milkglass and transferware? I'm running out of cupboard space and to me, THAT is a serious problem!

    Happy Monday!

    Hugs,
    Dena

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  16. It's not an affliction - it's a calling!

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  17. Mary--your collections are great, and the beauty of it is it's really for the whole family to enjoy! Havea great day!

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  18. You're in good company! There are a lot of us with the need for the same therapy. But I really think we want help! Your china is gorgeous. I get tired of my family asking, "But what will you do with it?" Don't worry - I'll figure it out. ~Adrienne~

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  19. LOVE the new header! And your dishes..well they are like gold! Yep...I think I'm headed in that direction to, somebody stop me!

    Rose

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  20. I don't think you need therapy...LOL..I like you just the way you are...there's worse things to be addicted to!
    Blessings,
    Robin

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  21. You can't stop now even if you wanted to. You have gotten us addicted to the pictures of your finds and we don't want therapy, nor can many of us afford it right now!
    Janet

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  22. Good Afternoon Mary,
    I think it is wonderful 'habit' and it could be much worse.. you could collect diamonds or dogs or something! ;) Dishes are not nearly as expensive or messy! My hubby and I actually have a huge antique glass bottle collection.. but I'm thinkin' your collection is much prettier!
    Have a fabulous week!

    Abbie

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  23. I love dishes too. And so did my mom and her mom! And then there's my vintage linen obsession too. There's just too many beautiful things to be found and loved out there!

    I love all your dishes and I love the mixture of them all together!

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  24. Hi Mary. I'm with you. I love dishes, old, new ,chipped, handpainted, plain and fancy. I love them all! I like the different shapes: plates, pitchers, reapot, casseroles.. I like to use dishes in my decor and on our table. Some day I think I'll count how many plates I have hanging on the walls and talk about it on my blog.
    Are you getting this cold weather up in NJ too. It's freezing here in NC. Rhondi

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  25. Love your collection! Please do not seek a therapist ;-)!!

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  26. Mary,

    Yours is a wonderful obsession though. When you find a beautiful dish a the thrift shop, isn't it fun to wonder who loved it before you? And the new ones are devine too! I love the transferware also.
    Keep showing us your treaures, we love them! We can call them "big girls toys" right?

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  27. Well, okay. I'm going to sue you. And when I win ('cause gosh, I'm SURE to win, right?), part of the settlement to me will be for you to give me all your lovely dishes. lol

    Great collection...er, I mean, obsession!

    Kari

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  28. I have a feeling that your dishes are better therapy and less expensive. Go for it! :)

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  29. A girl can never have too much china.... where do you store it all when not on display? I love love seeing all your beautiful pieces.
    Linda

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  30. Maybe we need to form a 'therapy group' for dish-a-holics.......I would certainly qualify for membership....Betty

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  31. ditto--I claim to be infected by the ghost of the second owner of this house. She loved dishes so much she built a secret room with shelves and a storage shed full of them. Unfortunatley I came to the house after her son had had yard sales, and split the stuff up to different antique stores.

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  32. My mom has been collecting Milk Glass pieces for me for years. In every "Care Package" for Christmas, birthdays or whatever, there was always pieces of White Milk Glass. After some 38 years, I have quite a collection. She lives in the States and we live in Canada. I posted some of the pictures on my blog. I think it's under "Older Posts". I think my favorite is the Goblets with the grapes on them that one used to get peanut butter in, years ago. They have a special meaning to me because of how they were used before being used a goblets.

    I think that plates on the walls is a lovely way to display your china too. I think I have an addiction too. But it has sure made our home more unique. Whats a Vignett without a plate or two included??

    Hugs,
    Jan

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  33. I know what you mean. I would spend any free funds on china. I amke a decision that I will not buy any more dishes because of having plenty enough, and then suddenly I snap up something that just seems irrisistible.
    Carrie

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  34. I, too, have a thing for dishes. I switch them out by the seasons, & even my children look forward to that. (I loved all your Belleek!...isn't it just beautiful?)

    sincerely-
    Brenda

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  35. I do so love Irish Beleek or however you spell it. As always your photos are superb!

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  36. Mary- I have the same "affliction" you do, I love dishes! What's so wrong with that? We could love things a whole lot more costly, fattening or expensive, so...I think we are doing ok! Love that cabbage tureen too!Hmm...the wheels are spinning, the GPS is now narrowing in on all thrift, TJ MAXX and Marshall's in a 50 mile radius. Oh no! I've been afflicted yet again.....see ya there! Race you to the transferware!

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  37. mwahahhahahah you're so funny!!!! and fun

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  38. So glad I found your blog (through Garden Web holiday decorating forum post) I share your "affliction" - what fun! You have have some lovely pieces. Thanks for sharing!
    LeJardin

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