The Ultimate Beachy Table Accessory!

Sometimes it pays to reach 'way up high on your shelves. . . .

I'm popping back into the distant past -- exactly 2 years ago --

and I hope you enjoy the ride in the Time Machine!

************************************************

(July 31, 2009) The other day I was rummaging through my old kitchen cupboard shelves, looking for a misplaced cell phone charger,

and I reached up and took this chubby little guy down from the top shelf:

I think he is silver plate, but he's quite tarnished -- in finish, if not in reputation.  He's even got a dent or two, poor dear.

He belonged to my mother, one of her many yard-sale and church bazaar finds.

I am not sure if he is an open sugar bowl, or maybe . . .

a spooner.

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between the sugar and the spooner in an old tea set,

but -- no matter. What is interesting about this little fellow is what I found inside him:

Can you guess what they are?

They are hand-carved.

And very, very old.

They were used every day by my grandparents.

Yes, these are Mother of Pearl napkin rings, and belonged to my grandparents.

They loved all things to do with the sea, the original beachy-look fans!

Years ago, napkin rings were not just decorative items for table settings; laundry was no easy matter,

so you used your napkin for more than one meal, sometimes for a whole week,
and your own ring identified your napkin as yours.

I remember these on the sideboard at Grandma's house; I always loved them.

Last year, when we were clearing things from my parents' beach house, I found these on a kitchen shelf and,

wanting to make sure they were safe, I brought them home -- inside my Mom's little silver plated bowl.

And forgot about them.

They are in perfect condition, if you look past some schmutz.

I'm a little afraid to clean them. What is safe to use on shells?

Or should I leave more than a hundred years of schmutz right where it is?

And ... anyone have a suggestion for a good, mild silver cleaner?

Friar Tuck here needs a little help:

******************************************

Two Linky Parties on this sunny last-day-of-July Sunday.

Sunday Favorites, hosted by Chari at Happy To Design.  Click here!

and

Seasonal Sunday, hosted by The Tablescaper.  Click here!

What have you got planned for your blog this week?

I'll be sharing my latest Goodwill finds from this weekend,
including one that will make you scratch your head and say, "Huh?"

And tomorrow I hope to have my demitasse cup project ready to show off to you! Action shots, and all.

Enjoy this last July day; summer just races past, doesn't it?  -- Cass

Goodwill Goodies Galore

My sweet little friend Emily (and I can say "little" even though she is a grownup married lady, because I used to be her Sunday School teacher, and I am 482 years older than she), alerted me to a most wondrous bit of news:

There's a new Goodwill store coming to the area,

into a big empty Saturn car dealership.

And the people shall rejoice!

Emily says that she is going to try and get there before I do, before I snatch up the best stuff.

I say, The game's afoot!  I know a challenge when I -- well, when I know one.

*************************************

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, I had a pretty good time at our little local Goodwill.

Yesterday I teased you with a glimpse of what I bought, but today -- the Big Reveal.

First, a silverplated tray.

It's got these really cute little footies:

 Good shine, no wear-through, although of course it needs a detail polishing.

 I think this is a Chippendale edge on this tray.  Anyone?

There's a date engraved on the front; June 22, 1966 had special meaning for someone.

Now . . . remember what our mothers taught us?

You can never have too many pedestal cake plates!

 And so another one came home with me from Goodwill.

It's a two-piece-r.

 And . . . the pieces don't match.

 But who cares?  They are blue and white, and that's enough for me.

I love the leaping mountain goat, or whatever the heck this fella is:

 Made in China.

The plate says "Not For Food."  Well of course not!  Who would eat it anyway?  Sheesh . . . .

 Love the designs on the base:

 It's also a China import, not familiar with either of these companies.

 But it can multi-task!

It can hold cake, and it can also hold a bag full of other stuff that I got at Goodwill.  More on those later.

By the way, green tags were 50-percent off that day,
so I paid just under $5 for both blue & white pieces.

*************************************

And . . . another pedestal cake plate!

 But this one looks oddly familiar.

I reach a milk glass pedestal down from the old cupboard's shelves and put them together.

 Well look at that, now, will you?

Our milk glass beauty now has a poor relation!

 Even their footies look alike.

 But while our milk-glass honey is all of a piece, no seams, no bolts --- our pretender to the throne

has its base haphazardly screwed on . . . and will need an adjustment to boot!

 See?

 There's a difference in the finish, the glaze, the design, too.

Our pretender is less crisp, more flat, and rather dull.  He also doesn't weigh as much,

but don't tell that to our Genuine Article, as she may hold the land record for heaviest cake plate evah!

 Our Genuine Article's lines are well defined and glossy, and very very white..

 But one thing our Pretender has is an appealing handpainted design.  Pretty well done, too, and kind of fun.

We forgive him for not being a genuine milk glass beauty worth loads of money.  He's cute, and now he's ours, and he'll join the rest of the cake pedestals as soon as he's had a good shower and shave.

 He, too, can multi-task.

And with the help of his step-sister, they are also holding up the mystery package of Goodwill goodies.

*****************************************

So what's in the bag?

 Demi-tasse cups!

Eleven sets, and all for $4.49, as the green tags were 1/2 off that day.  

As I've said before -- you get your best bargains on odd numbered sets.

People pay more for sets of 4 or 6 or 8 or 12 than they do for sets of 7 or 9 . . . or 11.

But since I'm not planning on using these for drinking teeny cups of cafe au lait -- as we

used to do when I was a kid -- I don't mind the odd number at all.

These guys are destined for greater things.

Involving one of these:

And one of these:

In the dining room at That Old House.

I'm following up on a three-year-old inspiration from another blog, but that's
blog fodder for another day, as is the project itself.

I hope you got a kick out of my new Goodwill finds!
The blue & white cake pedestal joins
my family of blue & white china:

And I am joining a few Linky Parties this pretty Tuesday!
Someday I will be organized and get my posts done the night before, and link up early.
But don't hold your breath.  -- Cass


Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays ... hop on over to Coastal Charm.  Click here!
At House of Grace, it's Twice Owned Queen on this Tuesday.  Click here! 
A new link party, for this week only, at Privet & Holly blog -- show off your collections!  Click here!