Fairy Godmother

What fun I had playing the fairy godmother in Sharon's School of Dance "A Cinderella Story" in their 43rd Annual Recital on June 3, 2018. The dress was amazing and I added the lighted wand and wig. Thanks again for choosing me to be the fairy godmother and selecting the wonderful dress.

How to Roast Sugar Pumpkin to Make Fresh Pumpkin Puree

• Choose a small 2-3 pound sugar pumpkin(s)
• Slice stem off before slcing in half so you don't have to slice through the stem. Cut pumpkin in half.
• With a sharp-edged spoon, scoop out the seeds and guts.

• Brush inside with oil  and place face down on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. I roasted three sugar pumpkins since they are so tiny and could all fit on my pan.
• Preheat oven and roast pumpkins at 350F for about 45-50 minutes. The exact time will vary depending on the size of the pumpkin(s)so you may need more time. The skin will be slightly darker and you should be able to poke a fork quite easily through.
• Let the pumpkin cool for 10 minutes before handling. Grab a large spoon and peel away the very thin skin. It comes off almost effortlessly. At this point, you can use the flesh in all kinds of dishes.

Pfaltzgraff Winterberry With Bright Holly Berries

It is amazing what goodies that can be found at Goodwill. My friend's holiday pattern is Winterberry by Pfaltzgraff and I found a new in the box 8-Inch Stoneware Trivet and eight 7” plates that could be used as a ‘bread', 'dessert', 'piece of fruit', or the 'sneaking a snack' plate.

Pfaltzgraff’s Winterberry has been a holiday classic for over 20 years with it’s bright holly berries, embossed accents and tree-green banding, on glossy white. One nice feature about the Winterberry collection is that although holiday related it can be used before and after Christmas since it doesn't have a Christmas tree on it. Winterberry is a beautiful design and possibly the best-loved holiday pattern and makes a festive companion to any holiday table.

Pfaltzgraff Christmas Heritage Pattern

Pfaltzgraff introduced the Christmas Heritage pattern in 1981. The Pfaltzgraff Christmas Heritage is a delightful Christmas version of the more traditional, white Pfaltzgraff Heritage pattern that can be used together. The festive accent of the Christmas tree wonderfully decorated is the heart of this classic pattern. The pattern features a toy village and train set spread out beneath the ornament-laden boughs of a Christmas tree. A tiny, simple band of Christmas green provides a finishing touch along the edges of each piece. The Christmas Heritage collection is made from durable, chip-resistant stoneware and is microwave and dishwasher safe. This casual stoneware brightens meals on a daily basis throughout the holiday season.

Pfaltzgraff retired the Christmas Heritage pattern on December 31, 1996.

Table and china hutch decorated with Christmas Heritage 

Snow Bear - A Whimsical Pfaltzgraff Pattern

You never know what you will find when you are shopping for costumes at Goodwill – two plates in my Pfaltzgraff Snow Bear pattern for $.50 each! Now if I can only find a replacement for the square luncheon plate with the skating Snow Bear that Spencer broke.

Snow Bear is a Pfaltzgraff pattern with the delightful fun of a winter day Seasonal motifs, holiday colors and a big, cuddly polar bear will bring this heart-warming feeling to a dinner table all winter.  I love the square luncheon plates. This hand-painted earthenware plate makes a charming addition to my Snow Bear dinnerware. Trudging through the snow, the cuddly white polar bear on the plate is carrying an evergreen bough over its shoulder. The scarf around the bears neck is echoed in the plates red-plaid border with folded corners that resemble those of a green woolen blanket.

Pfaltzgraff Snow Bear was first introduced in 2001 and made in the US until October 2005.  Sadly this pattern was retired December 31, 2006.

Little Orphan Annie "Tomorrow" Collector's Plate

I received this porcelain Annie collector's plate for Christmas this year. This plate is a Limited Edition of "Tomorrow" and is the fifth Issue in the Annie Collector's Plate Series painted by William T. Chambers. It is issued Exclusively for Columbia Pictures by the Knowles China Company Copyright 1983 Tribune Co. Syndicate, INC  Columbia Pictures Industries, INC.  The Little Orphan Annie Plate Measures 8 1/2 inches in diameter and includes the certificate to go with it.

The Edwin C Knowles China Company Annie Collector's Plate Series is a 1982 Tribune Company Syndicate production. This collections has a set of 6 Limited Edition Plates:

• Plate 1. Annie and Sandy (1st Issue 1982) 
• Plate 2. Daddy Warbucks (2nd Issue 1982) 
• Plate 3. Annie and Grace (3rd Issue 1983)
• Plate 4. Annie andThe Orphans (4th Issue 1984)
• Plate 5. Tomorrow (5th Issue 1985) 
• Plate 6. Annie and Miss Hannigan (6th Issue 1986) 

Anchor Hocking Deviled Egg Plate and Relish Plate

Vintage Fire King Deviled Egg Plate

This is a wonderful deviled egg plate in white milk glass from Anchor-Hocking Fire King manufactured during the 1950s. It measures 10" and is trimmed in gold gilt.  The underside of the plate with its  ridges is as attractive as the front. This 10" snow-white plate cradles a dozen yummy deviled trimmed all around in bright gold. There's a flat area in the center of the plate to place an appetizer such as pickles or mixed nuts. It is Just lovely serving deviled eggs from this vintage milk glass plate. 

Vintage Fire King Three Part Milk White Relish Plate

This is a Fire King by Anchor Hocking relish dish with three sections. It is white milk glass with gold accented edges. The underside has ridges in design and is  9 3/4 " in diameter and 1" deep. An impressive companion piece to the matching deviled egg plate.

Anchor Hocking White Grape Footed Bowl

Bowl showing octagonal foot

Purchased this lovely shallow bowl today at a consignment shop. The bowl is on an octagonal foot and is decorated with a raised grape and leaves pattern on the inside of the bowl. This amazing fruit bowl made by Anchor Hocking is rimmed with 22 karat gold. The bowl measures just over approximately 8" across (10" with handles) x 2½" tall. it is in perfect condition with no chips or cracks and is an unsigned Anchor Hocking bowl. This will make a great companion piece to my egg plate and relish dish with the same gold rim pattern.

Top view showing raised grape and leaf pattern

Moonstone Opalescent Hobnail Open Sugar Bowl

Moonstone Glass Sugar Bowl With a Pedestal Base

This vintage hobnail open sugar bowl belonged to my grandmother Miller. The Moonstone glass sugar bowl has a pedestal base with a white frosted top edge and two large "ear" handles This style glass was manufactured by several different companies during the 1940's and 1950's and is referred to by different names. Anchor Hocking called it "Moonstone”, a lovely blue glow, just like the moonstone it was named after. Fenton called it French Opalescence Hobnail. The opalescence has a beautiful bronze depth when viewed in the light. It is made using clear glass and bone ash is thrown into the mix to give that white opal coloring. This sugar bowl is about 4 inches wide from handle to handle, 2-1/2 inches deep and about 2 inches tall. I do not have the glass companion creamer and not sure if this is an Anchor Hocking or Fenton sugar bowl. Only she would know where she purchased the bowl or if it was a gift.

Open Hobnail Sugar Bowl

"Antique Grape" by Metlox Potteries

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"Antique Grape" was produced by Metlox Potteries, California, in the Poppytrail Division. Metlox Potteries was established in 1927 in Manhattan Beach, California. The company began making dinnerware in 1931. After Evan K. Shaw purchased the company in 1946,  the number of patterns were expanded. Metlox Potteries closed in 1989.

The "Antique Grape"  pattern has a traditional shape and is one of the more popular sculptured grape designs.  This pattern has a scalloped rim with a raised embossed grape design on an off white background. "Antique Grape"  was produced from 1964 to 1984 and then discontinued.

My Mother and I both collected this pattern. I now have all of her "Antique Grape" pottery in addition to what I have collected.

Blue Ridge Pottery "Yellow Nocturne" Pattern

Yellow Nocturne platter, dessert plate, and cups and saucers

Like many people in the southern mountains, I grew up eating off Blue 

Ridge pottery dinnerware everyday. Who would have thought that this Blue Ridge dishware would now be so collectable? The pattern my Mother used was “Yellow Nocturne” from Blue Ridge and Southern Potteries. Southern Potteries of Erwin, Tennessee, produced Blue Ridge Dinnerware Pottery and China  from the late 1930's until closing in mid-1957.

Yellow Nocturne dinner plate

The "Yellow Nocturne" pattern has a bright yellow petal flower with a brown center, lovely green leaves and a thin yellow line on the outside edge on a white background. The pattern is in the Colonial shape and each piece is slightly different since they are hand painted. All her dishes have chips but are still usable but the serving pieces she had are now broken. I have been collecting extra dishes, cups and saucers, and platters.