Staffordshire

As I briefly mentioned in this post my camera is a little under the weather...so I've been playing around with Bill's camera.

My camera is a pretty nice, little, point & shoot and Bill's is big Digital SLR. There's a good bit of difference between the two!  I have to say I really like the DSLR...and I like the photos that it takes. And these are on the automatic setting. I can't wait to see what I can do when I know what I'm doing!!  : )

Of course it helps to be taking pictures of something pretty...like this piece of Staffordshire. Isn't it beautiful!  This belonged to Bill's mom and it traveled from Florida to Maryland, wrapped up in kraft paper, tucked inside a big box with a lot of other breakable things.  It made it in one lovely piece!

Not a petal out of place. Not a chip or crack. The colors are so pretty and vibrant.  It's so totally not me...but I love it!   It lives inside the dining room cabinet along side the Candlewick dishes that travelled in the same box!

I wish I knew more about this...even knowing exactly what it's called would be nice.  Maybe someone reading this will know a bit about it.  I think the piece is older based on a couple things I've managed to find out. But I'm really not sure.  Back into the cabinet it goes...where it's safe and sound.

Raggedies

Here's another peek inside that cabinet I mentioned in yesterday's post.....I know...it's a totally different look from the images I shared in that post.  Many different things appeal to me.  This cabinet is where I keep all those things I love that don't have a home anywhere else right now.

I love these Raggedies...they have the best faces!!   The rectangular platter in the back was given to me by my dear friend Gail and the little strawberry girl was painted by my friend Anita's daughter.  I met both Gail and Anita during the years I was part owner of a little shop called Agape' Gifts & Crafts.  What a blessing to still have them in my life over eight years after the shop closed.

The "strawberry soda" bottle cap, doily and angel cut-out picture all came from thrift stores and the strawberry pin cushion was a gift I bought for myself at the York Folk Art show several years ago.  The tin of Ginger belonged to my mom...she gave it to me when she moved.  It's white with red & green graphics, so it's perfect for my home.  Finally, that block with the letter "E", it was an ornament. It has graphics of vintage toys on four sides and on the remaining side it has the letter "R".  Two letters important to my family....I was delighted to find it a couple years after Bill married me (then mother of Kevin & Joe).  The perfect ornament for our family with two last names.

Candlewick

These salad plates belonged to my mother-in-law....now they belong to me. The pattern is Candlewick-Clear by Imperial Glass Ohio.  They're so pretty and delicate and sparkly.  Unfortunately their beauty stays tucked inside my glass front cabinet.  Candlewick is characterized by distinctive bead work - the "beads" can be different sizes on different pieces.  I love to look at them....but I worry that I might break one of those beads off.  The cabinet is next to my patio doors so the sun shines into it most afternoons....I love the sparkle that creates.  I think the cabinet is probably a good home for these dishes!  Beside they offer a very pretty spot for the little Josef Originals figurine ~ a sweet thrift store find.