Damn Right. . . I Got the Blues
07/08/2011
You guessed it. . . Project Spectrum. . . July. . . brought to you by the color BLUE.
Hit it, Buddy.
I'll be singin' the blues this month!
And to start things off, I'll tell you a story. A blues story!
When I was a very little girl, I had a tiny blue willow china tea set. I think (I need to check with my mom on this one) the tiny blue willow china tea set was a "big sister gift" when my sister was born. There are some family stories about how I jammed one of her tiny baby hands into my tiny tea cup. (I mean, really. Can you blame me? They told me I'd have a new sister to PLAY with.)
Anyway. Being a very little girl, who tried to play nice. . . but didn't always manage to. . .the tiny blue willow china tea set didn't make it out of my childhood. But I remember it well. In fact, it is deeply embedded in my psyche.
I have been piecing the tiny blue willow china tea set back together. . . from various antique stores. . . through the years. I almost have the entire set assembled once again. (I'm always on the lookout for additional pieces.)
I love it!
The charm of that tiny blue willow china tea set stayed with me. Now, as an adult, I have an ongoing, all-encompassing "thing" for blue transferware.
You can find pieces of blue transferware all over my house. On side tables. . .
as centerpieces. . .
on the walls. . .
at tea time. . .
and, prominently, in my china cabinet.
Because it seems kind of inevitable. . . that a little girl with a cherished tiny blue willow china tea set would grow up to be a woman with big blue transferware china tea set!
Yeah. Damn right. . . I got the blues! They're everywhere!
And excellent blues they are! :)
and such a lovely story too.
Posted by: Rachel | 07/08/2011 at 09:41 AM
I have one piece of blue transferware, a large blue serving bowl. It was a wedding gift and I love it, although it did get a big chip mysteriously a few years ago. How come now that blue is the color for the month I'm seeing all GREEN in my world??
Posted by: Carole | 07/08/2011 at 09:45 AM
Your blue china collection is darling (and impressive). Every time I see china blue tea ware I want to buy a piece, but never do. Maybe just one cup...
Posted by: margene | 07/08/2011 at 11:13 AM
Ah, yes. I love blue transferware, too. And brown.
Years ago I gave that very tea set to my sister-in-law, who was just a bit older than my oldest son. Her mom made her take such good care of it she still had it in the box as an adult. I know the price had significantly appreciated by then!
Posted by: Kay - From the Back Yard | 07/08/2011 at 04:35 PM
Wonderful post! Doesn't everyone have at thing for blue and white china at some point?
xo
Posted by: Cookie | 07/08/2011 at 04:42 PM
Hi Kym,
gardengate from Ravelry here.
I wanted to let you know that you have been linked. ;o)
Enjoy visiting you!
Posted by: Chiko -gardenkeeper | 07/10/2011 at 03:06 PM
Great story; great photos; and beautiful china!!!
Posted by: Sara | 07/16/2011 at 08:14 PM
Amazing how the little things from childhood imprint themselves deep in our psyche. Beautiful collection!
Posted by: kmkat | 07/22/2011 at 10:11 AM