Oval Love

Recently, my friend over at Brock Street did a wonderful post featuring his antique oval ironstone plates. I mentioned to him that our everyday dishes happened to be oval (that was the clue from the last post!) restaurant ware plates and he said he'd like to see pictures sometimes...he also said that none of his matched but that "they all liked hanging out together"! All of a sudden I realized that I had an oval party going on at my house too and even though they were all different, they got along famously and really enjoyed hanging out together! A new post had been born...thanks B!

I believe my love of all things oval began at the age of twenty when I was gifted a large set of restaurant ware dishes...eight of everything and then some, including the ovals plates. Little did I know at the time how much I would come to appreciate their particular shape not only in the kitchen and dining room, but also in my decor...but that's for another post.

The ovals quickly became the most used and most treasured out of all of dishes. Tough as nails, they've survived many a dinner party along with the daily use. They ended up being packed away for two years while we built our house (the first time - have to get to that soon) and we missed them terribly, we were spoiled by all that ovalness...round just didn't do it for us anymore. The image above is from our previous home, the one we had to tear down to build 24C...it was a fifties rambler...hence the pine cupboards.

These oval gratin dishes were part of the R.W. collection also. They're all packed away still except for one, who will be introduced to you in a bit.

Most in this oval grouping are out of storage now . The old house as you can see had white Formica counters...these guys didn't mind though, it reminded them of their youth.

Here's a few of them today...hanging out together in their new home, happy as can be!

Eventually some oval ironstone started joining the family...and even though they are era's apart, they all get along just fine.

Another type of restaurant ware I became enamoured with was from the Fire-King Jadeite line. This was right before Martha got the whole nation obsessed with it and I was fortunate enough to gather quite a lot of it before it became as expensive as gold. I loved the heaviness and the simplicity of it, and these two ovals that you see are my absolute favorite. They're called breakfast dishes and we use them pretty much every day.

Below are another favorite I started adding to the R.W. collection...also heavy and durable. The two top ovals are Buffalo China and the bottom platter is Homer Laughlin. I love the black scalloped detailing and ended up purchasing a few pieces on ebay several years ago, mostly in the Buffalo. Platters, soup plates, and berry bowls...these we use daily too.

The oval trio are the work horses of the bunch and continually hang out by the stove, ready to help at a moments notice when the cooking begins. They're my right hand ovals...they keep the 'mise en place' in place and also keep the marble counters safe from messy, gooey, and dangerous utensils...such as the lemon juice reamer.

Above are some chicken pot pie fixins ready to go!

Ovals also not only hang out near the stove, but on and above too...like the super heavy Le Creuset French oven that I use for pot roasts, beer braised briskets, and my mom's delicious German rouladen recipe.

Above is one of those little oval gratin dishes I showed you earlier which has now become the perfect spoon rest and next to it, is one of several Shenango China R.W. mini ovals that have been designated as S & P holders

Some of you might remember the tea cupboard post...well, the ovals have been mingling quite happily in there also!

An old mini ironstone oval holds the cream & sugar, a non pottery oval holds tea bags and another Jadeite R.W. oval holds the honey....I think it's their skinniness (funny looking word) that makes them so usable...ovals fit so much easier into smaller spaces that circles do!

There are serving pieces...

A couple of old ironstone vegetable bowls...

Remember the platters from the previous post...much better picture this time around...no Photoshop finagling either! The newer and the older vintages are mixing nicely here.

Another oval ironstone tureen...this one holding napkin rings and a bottle cork. This photo was taken when I was 'messing around' for the last post....see Pam's little beehive pots in the background...the ovals even play well with the non-ovals, they're sweet like that!

So after putting this post together...I happily realized that unknowingly, I'd been collecting ovals all these years. I knew I had always liked them and that I'd been drawn to them, but never fully realize that I had also been collecting them...now I know!

I can't wait to see the ones that have been packed away these past five years...it will be like an oval Christmas when those boxes get opened.... but for now, I'll enjoy the ones we have set free and in turn watch them...enjoy each others company!

A Grumble & A Hint

There's a certain post I've been trying to take pictures for but my new camera has not been cooperating *at-all*...so I'm going to start all over again with my old camera and hope for the best. I think I might have accidentally hit a button that wasn't supposed to be hit while using the new camera...and since I'm not a very good manual reader, it's going to take me a bit to figure out what happened. In the mean time...

This picture came out alright after a lot of finagling on Photoshop AND...it's now going to be a CLUE as to what the new post is about (because I need a break from taking more pictures at the moment)...ideas anyone??

This image has nothing to do with the upcoming post, I was just messing around...but it came out alright too and I kind of like it - so here it is! The cute little beehive cups are a treasure I found at Red Ticking...I think they'll make sweet little vases and I can't wait to put some spring blossoms in them. I also love that they remind me of Pam and her beautiful escape of a shop, just thinking about it puts me in a dreamy state...must be time for another visit!

Have a lovely weekend everyone...may it be filled with sunshine, warmth and most of all - spring!

Bloomless In Seattle

I'd like you to meet Lydia...one of my cherished African Violets. This is what she looked like exactly one year ago when we were living in a little cottage that was our temporary home while 24C was being built. She bloomed continuously the two years we lived there, literally non-stop....she was a very happy lady, which made me very happy.

This is what she looks like today, not happy.

Green yes...blooming with dainty little purple and lavender flowers...no.

Even though surrounded by windows...there hasn't been enough light to spark that sweet bit of miraculousness needed to produce her delicate blossoms.

Then there is Kimberly...she usually has intensely dark, strong, and extremely long lasting aubergine florets.

And finally there is Edith, Jane's particular favorite. She usually has large soft pink blooms and she is quite old...over twenty actually, and as you can see...

she too has windows galore that offer every chance of being bathed in sunlight...but the light coming in through these windows has been a continually gray one, not the best at bringing forth the much desired botanical prettiness that these ladies are capable of!

So today I realized that I wasn't the only one desperately waiting for a serious dose of sunshine...we all are waiting...we're at the edge of waiting, so much so that once the sun does decide to stay for more that a day or two, we're going to be so full of bloomage that we won't know what to do with ourselves...it will be the best kind of dilemma - ever!

A Fool's Delight

If April Fools Day was as celebrated as other holidays are...and lunches and brunches were thrown in it's honor...then I think these lovely little plates from Anthropologie would be the perfect choice for surprising your guests with an extra helping of the unexpected.

Imagine you've got a nice little piece of quiche on your plate next to some delicious fruit and as you start eating, all of a sudden there's a chameleon eyeball staring at you from underneath your honeydew...or maybe even a water beetle...perfect no?!

This gorgeous guest thinks so!

Wishing you all wonderfully happy and foolish first day of April!!!

And the Winners Are...

So I did the Random Number Generator thing yesterday which I must confess was just as easy as my sister-in-law said it was going to be...and had to chuckle out loud when the first winning number *20* popped up, because it belonged to my very special friend BrockStreet...who also happened to be my very first follower!

I had been so amazed a year ago when his little follow-face showed up because at the time, all 24 C consisted of was the header, the little picture of the house, and a very minimal profile blurb...there wasn't even a post! Needless to say I was thrilled...but I remember thinking "What have I gotten myself into? I have no idea what I'm doing!". It was that first bit of support though that helped to nudge 24C forward, and it meant a lot! So thank you B, you've been the best...your heartfelt, encouraging comments and your incredible blog have been a continual inspiration as well as the means for meeting some very sweet 'others'...b-mo included!

The second winner was number *7*...and it belongs to a very recent acquaintance and follower...the lovely Andie of Divine Theater! I just recently discovered her beautiful blog and have been completely enamoured with her treasure hunting skills, the amazing antiques she finds on those hunts (which I have to say bring out the covetousness in me), her love of history, and also, her tremendous efforts and huge heart towards rescuing animals in need...a girl after my own heart! I'm looking forward to seeing many more finds that make my jaw drop and to seeing many more adorable and loving animals get the opportunity to be adopted into their forever homes because of her care and the attention to their plights...such noble efforts!

I have to say that Brockstreet and Divine Theater weren't the only winners this week...everyone in the Seattle area, including Miss. Ginger and I...were serious winners due to the astonishingly beautiful, sunny weather that finally decided to come out of hiding and hang out with us.

Miss. Ginger (the little pink blob at the bottom of the pictures) still needed her sweater as the wind was a bit chilly by the water, but none the less... the sun felt so good!

And despite a crazy rainstorm that blew through last night...we're on day three of this long awaited, much needed dose of sunshine and I'm really hoping it decides to stay around for a while!

Thank you to everyone for the wonderful well wishes, and again...for a most fascinating and delightful year. I had no idea that blogging would ever be such a blessing...but it is, and I'm so grateful, you're all amazing!

Brock and Divine...we'll be in touch! ♥

A Beautiful Year

Today is 24 C's one year anniversary (this completely amazes me)...and from the bottom of my heart I want to thank each and every one of you for visiting, leaving comments, following, and mostly...for offering your friendships in such genuine, warm, caring, and thoughtful ways. You have all *beautifully mattered* to me this past year, and have blessed me to no end...I'm so grateful.
This song is a gift to you...a thank you for all the beauty and inspiration that you and your blogs have given to me, and also, for allowing me to share what I believe to be beautiful with you.

This song was written by Sara Groves when she was questioning her artistry and her love of all things beautiful, wondering if it truly mattered or if it was all just a shallow waste of time. Then she learned of Vedran Smailovic, a cellist who after the the siege of Sarajevo would bring his cello out amongst the rubble of what once was a beautiful city park, sit near a fountain that had somehow remained unscathed....and he would play. The beauty of his music it turned out mattered greatly...it broke through the despair and destruction that lay all around him and conquered it in it's own very powerful, lovely, and meaningful way.

Beauty does matter...it can feed the soul, bring pure joy and delight, offer comfort, and wonderfully connect people in a very strong and understanding way who otherwise may never have met. The beauty of your blogs and what you choose to share does matter...greatly...please always remember that, they and you...are a beautiful gift.

One of my most popular posts this past year happened to be the one where I showcased my mother Gitzi's art. I had fallen in love with this floral series of hers and it seems that many of you did too given the amount of comments it received. So as another way to say thank you, I've made up two sets of note cards depicting these images and would love to give them away to two of you.

Please just leave a comment...two if you're a follower, by Wednesday the 23rd. I'll be randomly picking the winners (using that number generator thing - for the first time) and announce who they are on Friday the 25th.

You all meant a great deal to me...thank you so much for a very beautiful and very special year.
xo Jessica

Hearts Towards Japan

The beautiful nation of Japan has been a very special destination in our classes over the years...

one that the students have continually enjoyed visiting, learning about, and becoming a part of through their creations.

A few years ago I had the honor of getting to know several Japanese people...their sweet natures and kind spirits ended up claiming residence in my heart....

and their lovely, unique culture was one I came to admire and love.

Some of you might remember this sushi loving cat from a previous post ...

well that was my version... these are the students', their creativity always delights and inspires me.

Now with heavy yet purposeful hearts, we will once again be focusing on Japan and it's people, but in a different way. The children want to help somehow...so we are going to try to find a way to maybe send some love through their art, and by doing so, hopefully bring a little smile or a bit of comfort to them from abroad.

I know everyone is keeping Japan in their thoughts and prayers. Please continue to do so in the days to come as the devastating effects of the earthquake and tsunami become more and more a reality for these dear people.

(foursquare relief organization)

A Delicate First

And so it begins...

The first planting in the tea cup garden has been established!

I am so delighted to be the caretaker now of this lovely, well used and obviously well loved Limoges tea cup which is so fine and delicate that I honestly don't know how anyone ever had the nerve to use it...but used it has been, and often.

The markings, which I checked for authenticity, indicate that it was made by the Tressemanes & Vogt Pottery at the turn of the century in Limoges, France, sometime between 1892 and 1907. The hand painted flowers look like Carnations, but they might be Pinks (Dianthus), which were very popular during that era. And yes...in case you were wondering, it was an ebay win...which I am thrilled to say was won for only ten dollars, a fact that still amazes me.

I wonder what the home looked like in which this set resided for most of it's life...I can only imagine it was beautiful, and maybe just a bit fancy.