Dishes
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Dolls
Floor
Autumn Leaf
Jewel Tea
These dishes, created by Hall Pottery, once graced my Grandmother's dining room table. Though she used them as everyday dishes, to me they conjure up memories of Thanksgiving at Grandpa & Gramma's. She would be busy in the kitchen while my Grandfather listened to his Ham Radio in the dining room. I remember sneaking a few black olives off the set table as I contributed my part in the festivities--setting out the special silverware that was stored in a cherry box in the sideboard. Now these dishes have become the centerpiece of my kitchen. They are synonymous with the comforts of childhood.
This is Raggedy Ann and Raggedy Andy. Mom would read about their adventures for bedtime stories. Grandmother made these for my brother, Doug, and myself one Christmas. One Halloween mom dressed Doug and I in Raggedy Ann & Andy costumes she created, and we drove up to Grandpa & Gramma's Long Beach home to surprise them as Trick-or Treaters.
This is the tiled floor in my kitchen. My sister, Linda, is an accomplished China Painter, and had such great success at hand-painting tiles for her bathroom she drove down to help with mine. Linda drew the Autumn Leaf design free-hand. We then traced the pattern on the tiles, painted them, and fired them in her kiln. It was quite an experience laying this flooring down. I followed the instructions in a do-it-yourself book on decorating... from tearing up the old linoleum, leveling the floor, nailing down the luan, plumbing and cementing the tile, and finally the grouting. I couldn't squeeze my hands for a week!
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