Show us your life - china patterns, hosted by kellyskornerblog.com

Today I'm participating for the first time in Kelly's Show Us Your Life Fridays!   This week's topic is one of my favorites -- China (or in my case, "dish") patterns.

I have three sets of dishes.  First off is my Franciscan English Ivy (above) that was started for me by my great Aunt Winnie.  What she didn't buy, my Mother did.  Even though this isn't china, it is what I used for years when "company came".  I love this pattern.  Special memory related to this set of dishes:  The first time I used them was Thanksgiving of 1990 and my daughter dropped and shattered one of the dinner plates. 
Not a problem, called replacements.com!


About 20 years ago, I decided I wanted some dishes that matched EVERYTHING and could be used for casual and also could be dressed up!  So I had a garage sale and went straight to the store that carried these dishes.  The pattern is Wedgwood Queen's Plain.  We use this when its just the two (or few) of us.  I still love the simpleness of this set of dishes.  Special memory related to this set of dishes:  Wow, that was a GREAT garage sale because Wedgwood isn't cheap!!!

And last but not least, when my (new) husband and I bought a (new) house, I decided that we needed our "own" set of (new) dishes.  I looked for weeks and months and finally decided on the Demdaco Chocolate Berries collection.  It was actually already discontinued (for at least a while, I was told), but I was able to get 99% of the entire set.  I started with a 12 pc place setting, but wanted to be able to serve up to 16 (large blended family), so that is what my kids and parents bought me this past Christmas...MORE dishes.  I love this pattern, I love the colors, its my favorite.  I have glass front kitchen cabinets, and it looks so beautiful behind them.  Special memory related to this set of dishes:  We hosted the Landrum family Christmas our first Christmas in our new house.  I told my husband we weren't going to use the new dishes yet.  So he proceeds to give one of the coffee mugs to his brother, Mark, who immediately whacks it on the side of the granite counter top, and the handle was broken off.  Not a problem, I glued it back together and put it in the back of the cabinet.

This is a charger, dinner plate, and salad plate.

I was in our local Card and Party Factory last week and I found these wonderful matching napkins.  I bought every package they had and asked them to call me when more come in.

I display some of the serving pieces in different areas of my home.

Well, that completes my post.  I hope I'm able to link this post over to Kelly's blog!