. . . the lovely things I have in my house!
Many thanks for all the comments on my last post. I was surprised to see that so many mentioned my pretty plates. It's all "Haddon Hall" china made by Minton. I've collected it for about fifty years, since I was a teenager and I still love it. At first I had just a cup, a saucer and a side plate but now I use it all the time and it still gives me great pleasure.
I am always surprised when people say "things" mean very little to them. I suppose what they are saying is that people are more important than possessions and I would have to agree, but many of the lovely things I have carry deep meaning for me. In my sitting room there is a chest of drawers which belonged in turn to me great grandmother, my grandmother and my mother. I have a Pembroke table passed down from my grandmother via my mother and my sister. There's an Arts & Crafts chair given me by friends. These are all of monetary value but it is the associations they carry which are more important than £sd.
I think that is one of the joys of growing older. As far as I can I follow William Morris's advice and try to make sure I believe my possessions beautiful and/or know them to be useful. I am no longer interested in things which are just "cute". I don't have to buy the cheapest of anything but I can afford the time and the cash to buy good design - I've just replaced my vegetable peeling knife and my new one certainly isn't cheap but it is well designed and will last me many years (as did the previous one).
It makes it so hard to 'declutter' when things have precious memories attached to them. I have a little Minton dish in your pattern that was my mother's and I treasure it.
ReplyDeleteWhen my Mom and Dad passed away I asked for and got most of the things that really meant something to me. I pull them out and relive the memories when things get me down.
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
Your china is a beautiful pattern, and a lovely thing to collect over 50 years. My favorite things in my house are also things with a story, like paintings from my childhood home, and an exact replica George Washington sword my dad had. Your furniture from your great grandmother are family treasures.
ReplyDeleteThat really is lovely patterned china so good to enjoy it everyday
ReplyDeleteI love that China. It is so cheery. I agree with you about things associated with people or experiences are important. Maybe you would like to share a phot of the furniture you mention.
ReplyDeleteIt is lovely to have memories associated with possessions isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI have my grandparents' tea set, a wedding gift to them in 1933. I have never used it, in fact I never saw them use it either, but it lived in a glass-fronted cabinet and I was allowed to take it out and play with it (carefully!) when I was a very small child. I think you have inspired me to bring it down from the loft and use it. x
ReplyDeletePretty dishes and coloured glass (plus books) are my weakness - and your set is delightful.
ReplyDeleteI like to think that I'm working on having a good balance of things in my life. I want to be able to enjoy the things that are important to me but don't want to feel overwhelmed by items that are just "stuff" - things that I've somehow accumulated without really thinking about it. They crowd out the things i love and that's what I want to avoid. Sounds as though that is what you are working towards.