a pirate's life fer me

So ... my rearranging/decorating a go-go extended to many different rooms in the house. Take this guest bathroom for instance. It was the recipient of a new floor and a new rug, but then I started gathering what turned out to be a plethora of sailing memorabilia and put it all together in this teeny-weeny room.

The framed pictures have not been seen on my walls since we lived in the Speilberg House* but I uncovered them in an upstairs closet. The middle platter on the wall was last seen above my kitchen table, and I don't know where the heck that top plate came from, but apparently I own it.

My little sailor friend is part of my nesting doll collection ... and yes ... that sailor houses two more sailors inside of him. I am pretty certain that I have felt a wee bit of the scurvy while sitting in that room.

And I mean that in a good way.

*For six years in the 80's, we lived in the home that Steven Speilberg grew up in. Someday I will tell the tales from that adventure.

Mom ... and quite possibly Apple Pie

So ... I have already introduced you to my obsession with blue and white plates. I hang them everywhere and ... odd as it may seem ... we eat off of them too. But all of my plates are not blue and white.

Take the plates pictured above. I inherited 4 place settings from my mom after she and my dad had both passed away. Just as my mom had kept them in a cupboard ... high in a cupboard ... I put them neatly into my china cabinet and have never used them. (I have just a couple of memories of using the set as a child and ... pretty much feeling like a princess as a result.) Because my childhood family had seven in it and mine had six ... and keeps growing, there never seemed to be a good opportunity to set the table with them.

Then, a couple of years ago, my sister was visiting and we were perusing antique stores as usual. She came across this stack of 10 desert plates and I bought them on the spot.

Then I forgot about those also.

So ... the purpose of this post is to remind myself (and to tell Mrs. Gee to remind me because my mind is a sieve) to use them this Thanksgiving to put our pie on. It will feel regal, I'm sure. They are Franciscan China in the "Fremont" pattern. Does anyone else have memories of them ... I would love to hear. Would you also remind me to use them at Thanksgiving?

Because my mind is a sieve, I tell you, a sieve.

Blue Plate Special

So ... in the interest of Collections ... I offer the following:

Plates
Blue and White Plates
Pretty much ... everywhere.


On the wall in the dining room ...

Above the bay window in the kitchen ...

Over an arched doorway in my bathroom ...

PDaddy once commented that his cause of death could possibly read, "Hit on the head by a plate. A Blue and White plate." He really needn't worry. I am quite the expert on hanging my plates. I am never going to put one of my precious plates in danger!

Just kidding, PDaddy. I promise to save you first.

So ... what ARE your collections?