The first item is a little painted cast iron Amish couple sitting on a bench that I bought from an estate auction of my dear Aunt Louise. (Being given the middle name Louise, I was always told I was her namesake......so this sweet lady has a dear spot in my heart though she's long gone from this earth.) I can remember these little people sitting on a shelf in her house and as a little girl thinking they were so cute. They are only about 3 inches tall, but they make me smile as I see them on the shelf keeping watch over us in our dining room.
This tea cup is from a china set that at one time belonged to my husband's grandmother. It comes from occupied Japan during WWII. In fact, the only thing stamped on the bottom are the words, "Made in occupied Japan".
I love the roses that decorate each dish. There is a general pattern followed, but each dish is unique in it's own way. For example, all of the tea cups have the little cluster of roses painted on one side (as is pictured above), but three of the teacups also have a single rose painted in the very bottom of the cup -- each of them turned a little differently -- to delight the drinker when he/she tips a near-empty cup.
The set was passed along to us about 10 years ago and it has been mostly hidden safely away. We have three boys and I just wasn't brave enough to put it in front of them very often. Recently, though, I've been thinking that I really ought to use these pretty things and they are now are within easy reach in my china cabinet. I display this china with other glass dishes (mostly pink and green plates) and again....I smile every time I look at it all.
A little touch of dainty in this testosterone-saturated house. Helps me feel just a little refined. ;^)
