Never Enough Blue and White

When Analise announced china was the topic for this Sunday's Show and Tell I knew I'd be busy with the camera --and what you're seeing is only a small portion of my blue and white collection. What better accent for blue and white china than heirloom pink roses and sunshine? I was lucky enough to have both today. This is a rare instance of another color mixing with my pure blue and white palette, but I loved the combination of the pink plaid and the blue squiggles on these spice jars. My family members are all too familiar with my blue and white obsession. One of the best birthday presents I ever received was from my brother on my 40th birthday when he gave me The Blue Room collection of plates from Spode. To add interest in this plate rack, I mixed in some Spode spice containers. The one old piece in this gathering is the lid (bottom center) I found at an antiques market. With blue and white, all ages seem to mingle well. These Blue Willow spice containers were another present from my brother, who also loves old things. I believe my love of blue and white began when I was a girl and a kind neighbor gave me a Blue Willow plate and told me the pattern's romantic story of forbidden love and transformation. Spice containers are some of my very favorite items because I love the lettering on them just as much as the designs. The plate was given to me by a friend who found it at a garage sale. I like the little flying bird and the verse which is a verse also found on two other things I have collected--samplers and autograph albums. The cup is one of my more valuable pieces. It's a Clarice Cliff version of the pattern "Tonquin." Its beautiful scene is one that I'd love to be able to walk into. Pieces with a Dutch influence also appeal to me. The little children depicted on the silver purse seemed right at home among the blue and white windmills. I have some pieces of the Blue Onion pattern displayed on a Victorian bamboo shelf that I am in the process of restoring. The round object on the left is an egg poacher. I have so much blue and white that I now try to limit myself to buying unique pieces. At my informal house, the plates are more likely to be hung on the wall and the cups turned into a lamp than to be arranged in a proper place setting on a fancy tablecloth! In fact, this vignette on top of the kitchen pantry is as close as these odds and ends will probably ever come to the table. They do get attention though, as this is my seasonal display area. The rose plate stays for the spring and summer and is replaced with a blue and white turkey plate and dried leaves, small pumpkins or bittersweet in the fall and a blue and white holly-rimmed snow scene plate and evergreens in the winter. I won't blog much in the next few days as I'm driving to Minnesota to get my son registered for his first year of college. I promise to try (emphasis on try) not to buy any more blue and white along the way! If you know of any good spots for vintage shopping in the St. Cloud or Minneapolis/St. Paul area please let me know in a comment or e-mail. Thanks again to Analise of Sugar*Sugar and Cerri at Little Pink Studio for getting us all together.