Melamine ~ Hideous Except When It's Beautiful!

I put it down to having been raised in the 50's. I just don't have a thing for Melamine. It kindah creeps me out.

Have you ever noticed the instant you make a deep pronouncement, the next day you are eating your words? Yah, me too! A while ago, I chanced upon a church rummage sale. Mostly I avoid them but I'm glad I dropped in. I bought two things and got out of there for under $20. The first was a fantastic kneeling camel which I use in my guest bath to hold Q-tips. Niiiice.

 

The other was a pair of over-sized Melamine leaves in a very nice creamy white.

FAN TAS TIC!

Not only are they completely beautiful and in immaculate condition, but they look amazing on the table. I picked them up immediately.

 

Fast forward. Last summer, I was helping out a friend who has a shop in Old Bellevue. I was walking around to familiarize myself with her stock when . . . whoa! Porcelain leave trays. First cousins to my large Melamine trays at ten times to price. Sure, the porcelain leaves were wonderful, but were they 10 times more wonderful?

No, they weren't.

Every time I use my lovely Melamine leaves, I'm reminded of their rich porcelain cousins who probably live in the Hamptons when they aren't vacationing in BVI and are not nearly as astonishingly beautiful as my little church rummage sale find.

There's a lesson there. Keep your eyes open (oh, and, Heidi? Stop making pronouncements!)

Is this a great country or what!

At Your Fingertips ~ Luxury for the Everyday

Maybe you are like me: you have darling things you've bought on trips when they caught your eye. They come home to live with you and often don't see the light of day ever again.

Many years ago, I made the commitment to use what I have ~ maybe not in the way it was originally intended but, if I liked it enough to buy it, I really want to make good use of it.

I'm soooo not interested in providing job security for dust. Just what we busy people don't need ~ more work.

Several years ago, I found this astonishing camel at a church bazaar. it's heavier than hell. I have no idea what it was originally for. It appears to have a place for something carved into its saddle. I think I paid $10 for it. When I got it home, I found a glass bowl (probably candy bowl missing its lid.) Sheesh, talk about a perfect fit! I filled the bowl with q-tips and the darling camel kneels in the family bath ready to be of service.

One of the things I am a sucker for is the small silver urns from the 30's and 40's when everyone smoked and it was considered polite to have a container of cigarettes on your coffee table for guests or at each plate for coffee and cigarettes after dinner. Creeps me out just thinking about it. But, it wasn't the fault of the little urns that they were used for that job.

I've given mine new jobs. In my bathroom, I use one to hold my q-tips. It looks pretty, clean and happy. Certainly happier than when it was forced into tobacco servitude.

Because I've got the world's smallest bathroom, storage is a problem, so, for things that need to stay out, I try to find nice solutions. I found the mouthwash dispenser in the scratch and dent table for $4 (though I didn't find either dents or scratches.) I had the one-off handsome liqueur glass. Perfect little combo.

As I may have mentioned, I don't worry about whether my silverware is polished. I use it and enjoy it every day. Sure, if President Obama were coming over for coffee and a chat, I'd stay up half the night shining the silver, but since that is not likely, I don't sweat it. I'd rather treat myself nicely every day by using it than by cursing it on holidays when I feel compelled either not to use it because it's tarnished or work for hours shining it. With that as an attitude, no wonder people think silver is not worth the hassle.

Lately, I've been having friends over on a more regular basis. It was feeling a little cloistered around here ~ and, not in a good way. After dinner, I like to serve coffee and tea as we sit around the table and visit.

Again, my little silver urns come into play. None of them match but they are so spunky and friendly ~ who cares? I predict there isn't a second hand store in the US that doesn't have at least one. They are very reasonably priced; available in silver and silver plate. For my coffee service, I like to provide raw sugar crystals and sweetener for my guests (yes, I do think artificial sweeteners are poison, but . . .) The darling creamer was also second-hand. All these things on a tray with a French press full of freshly ground coffee add an element of luxury to an everyday occasion.

Day 10 Everyday Grateful ~ a lovely sunny day made more wonderful

because my Logan is in town for an audition. Heaven!