Monday, November 28, 2011

They Started It

       Here's hoping everyone had a nice family oriented Thanksgiving!! Now, onto decking the halls!!

I've always been a very visual person..........if I see something that calms me or brings me pleasure just looking at it, I'm very likely to copycat the same look in my home.  A decorator I am not, and that's probably another reason why certain images stay with me.  Case in point: Some years ago (9? it's been awhile), the December issue of Country Living Magazine did an article on a farmhouse in New York State.  It was done up in a simple holiday style, very homey and comfy.  What I really noticed and immediately fell for was a picture of a cupboard with a collection of Red Transfer ware china............boy, did I ever............here's the picture:




It looked amazing to me in the cupboard, and I had to find out more about it.  The article said it was called "Home Sweet Home" An American Subject from Currier and Ives by Homer Laughlin.  I went straight to work..........and back then it meant I went to ebay



This beautiful china was full of different scenes based on the well known prints of Currier and Ives, that fabulous collection that was so popular around the turn of the century.  Some of the different pieces included


                                                   Georgia Washington on the teapot




                                                             Old Homesteads...........


           
                                                       Some fabulous farming scenes
                                                      

                                                   

                                                 



                                                         Clipper ships and paddle boats




                                                     




                             Patriotic- That's Ben Franklin flying his kite on the sugar bowl


                            Well known locations, this one is called "Harper's Ferry Virginia",
                            there's bread plates showing the Hudson River and the Paddle Boat
                                                berry dish is called "On the Mississippi"



                                      a beautiful action scene of riders on the hunt..........



                            (the horse lover in me is particularly fond of that one :)



                      And just pretty pastoral scenes of what America probably looked like over 100 years ago. Little by little I started collecting.........a plate here, a cup and saucer there............and just loving every piece for not only looking so pretty as red and white transfer ware always does, but for having those little pictures on them.  Here's some of the detail




                                          and a demitasse cup and saucer ............




                          Some of you may remember when I moved out the sideboard earlier this fall and moved an old pine hutch in the dining room. This opened up some serious display opportunities!!  I was envisioning those red plates at Christmastime in the cupboard, just waiting to get them out of their current storage place in the side cabinet




    After everything was cleaned up Thursday evening, I moved into the dining room and got to work.......




I picked up some cypress boughs that I bought at the nursery when we bought the tree, sprayed them with a preservative, and tucked them in-between the china



                                                 added some sparkly touches too



                   It's been a long time since I first saw that picture in Country Living,
                                the one that started a whole new collection for me.....
                  had never really looked at transfer ware before I saw that photo.  And
                             now that I have a set for 8, it really makes it so much more
                               enjoyable to be able to display it like this at Christmastime..........



It's still under construction, needs more greens and I plan to put my weather vane horse on top.  Only thing was, when I pulled all that china out of the cabinent, it looked really really sad and empty!  Never fear, i just threw in everything else that was lying around needing a place, until I can tackle another display!!
  




                                  
                          more on that next time! Enjoy your day and come see me again!!

                                                                          devon :)

14 comments:

  1. Beautiful job, Dev!
    This looks SO PRETTY!
    I collect all sorts of vintage patterns and this color combo is one of my favorites (brown Transferware is my ultimate fav).
    I owe you a LONG email...so much is happening with the holidays approaching, and I'm so busy "creating" (I'll have lots to show you soon.... :)
    Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving....
    I'm taping my mouth shut until Christmas. LOL
    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh it looks great! That's quite a collection. My best friend has a smaller collection of red and white transferware and I love it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That looks fantastic! Yours looks every bit as good as the Southern Living picture. I think you should leave it like this all the time. Change out the cypress boughs for some silver hearts for Valentines, then some touches of blue will carry you through Memorial Day, 4th of July and even Labor day (if you can stand it that long.)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Devon
    What a special collection. You've displayed it beautifully! I'm not sure I could ever hide it away again-it's so unique.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your transferware is beautiful! So nicely displayed also!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ah yes! Transferware!! And love the red against the robin's egg blue!!! I can totally see why you fell in love after seeing the CL picture! And now you have that look too! Well done Devon!!!!

    BTW - wanted to let you know that today you won the Liebster Award! Be sure and check it out here: http://confessionsofajunkyardcat.blogspot.com/2011/11/blog-love.html

    Have a great week!

    Romeo and "her"

    ReplyDelete
  7. Devon,
    your collection is gorgeous and looks wonderful in your cabinet! Interesting what we come across that gives us the bug! LOL! Red and white transferware is so perfect for the holidays!
    Rebecca

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love this stuff - when we moved into This Old House I found a complete set of red Mason Vistaware and we use it daily.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Oh what a beautiful display you have done! You are so lucky to have found all that wonderful china! So perfect for this time of year!Just lovely!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Love your china...looks AMAZING ! Love that it tells of America's History , what a great way to share our past. Beautiful Blog....

    ReplyDelete
  11. A beautiful Christmas collection, Americana style! andrea@townandprairie

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hey Devon!
    This looks gorgeous! You def created a happy moment with your china. I'm still on the hunt for a big display cabinet for all my transferware. I collect brown. I love the historical aspect of yours. Glad to be home and catching up with everyone!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I've never seen such beautiful and artistic china before. You have a amazing collection Devon.

    -Zane of ontario honey

    ReplyDelete