Liberty Blue Dinnerware

I just love the history behind this pattern. The Benjamin Franklin Federal Savings bank, established in 1925, commissioned the Enoch Wedgwood company, in Staffordshire England, to make special dinnerware to commemorate their 50 year anniversary. The result was Liberty Blue, made exclusively for the bank in 1975 and 1976. New account holders who made a deposit of $50 were offered a four-piece place setting. After the bank ended their promotion, grocery stores allowed customers to buy pieces with their grocery purchases.

Liberty Blue is a great addition to my china wardrobe as it pairs well with my red, white, and blue china pieces. The blue and white is timeless and classic and the scenes.

Liberty Dinnerware pieces:
~Teacup, Paul Revere
~Saucer, Old North Church
~Covered Sugar Bowl, Betsy Ross, Sewing the Flag
~Creamer, Paul Revere's Ride
~Teapot, Minutemen 
~Coffee Mug, Monticello
~Dinner Plate, 10", Independence Hall
~Luncheon Plate, 9", Washington at Valley Forge
~Dessert Plate 7", Washington Leaving Christ Church
~Platter, 12", Governor's House at Williamsburg
~Platter, 14", Washington Crossing the Delaware
~Platter, 18" and 20", Declaration of Independence
~Round Vegetable Bowl, Frances Tavern, Scene of Washington's Farewell to the Continental Army
~Oval Vegetable Bowl, Minutemen 
~Salt and Pepper Shakers, Paul Revere's Ride
~Butter Dish, Lafayette Landing at West Point
~Bread and Butter Plate 6", Monticello Thomas Jefferson's Home
~Fruit Bowl, Betsy Ross, Sewing the Flag
~Cereal Bowl, Mt. Vernon, George Washington's Home
~Soup Tureen, Minutemen
~Soup Tureen Lid, Boston Tea Party
~Soup Ladle, Solid White
~Soup Bowl, Old North Church
~Covered Vegetable, Boston Tea Party
~Covered Vegetable Lid, Lafayette Landing 
~Gravy Boat, Lafayette Landing 
~Gravy Boat Stand, Governor's House at Williamsburg
~Coasters/Ashtrays, Independence Hall, Valley Forge, Old North Church
~Pitcher, Old North Church
~Placecards, American Eagle

I'm always on the lookout for new pieces to add to my collection!  The Liberty Blue Dinnerware book includes photos and illustrations of the extensive variety of all the pieces of the collection. 

 This book is available in my Amazon storefront at amazon.com/shop/missjanice_14.

Remembering Jane Austen

Jane Austen, born Dec. 16, 1775, died July 18, 1817


I love all things Jane Austen and today I remembering her with a Breakfast Tea, from the book Tea with Jane Austen.  This book shares the secret of one of her favorite rituals--teatime. Each chapter includes a ritual of how tea was taken at a particular time of day, along with the history, recipes, and excerpts from Austen's novels. 

Jane Austen novels pair well with tea and tea is frequently mentioned in her work.  Jane was the keeper and maker of tea in her family and was in charge of making her family's breakfast at 9 am every morning.

This book begins with tea drinking in the morning and ends with tea in the evening--at balls and other gatherings.

This morning we are enjoying a "Grand Breakfast with the Austens at Stoneleigh Abbey."

Menu
Pound Cake
Toast
Butter
Raspberry Jam
Orange Juice
Tea



I think Jane Austen would have loved setting her table with blue and white china.


Jane loved Twinings tea and this morning we had their English Breakfast Tea...a great tea to start the day!  Twining's founder Thomas Twining opened Britain's first known tearoom in 1706 at 216 Strand, London, where it still operates today.  The business started as Tom's Coffee House, where men (not women) would gather to drink, gossip, and do business.  Thomas Twining decided to turn his love of tea into a business going against the existing coffee trend.  He came up against great opposition in the way of ridiculous taxes, thus being a beverage only the upper class could afford.  His passion and dedication would turn a little-known drink into the nations "cure all" beverage of all time. 


The loose tea is steeped in the teapot and then poured through the tea strainer, which is then placed on top of the tiny silver strainer base.  Milk and sugar may be added to a black tea. 

 

 

 

"But indeed I would rather have nothing but tea."
~Jane Austen

 

 

 

 

Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato Salad

I love the classic BLT Salad*.  Today I prepared one with low fat dressing and low sodium bacon....it was delicious y'all!

It has lettuce and tomatoes, so that makes it a little bit healthy!

I prepared it on a Spode Blue Italian English bread and butter plate, 11" in diameter and available at Wayfair. This bread and butter plate is meant to be a service plate for a bread loaf.  I love it as a salad plate...just the right size and pretty, too!

This is the Spode Blue Italian salad plate, 7 1/2" diameter and available at Replacements, Ltd.

Recipe for the BLT Salad:

Wedge of iceburg lettuce
Low-fat Blue Cheese Dressing
6 cherry tomatoes, chopped, strained, and sprinkled with garlic salt
3 strips low-sodium bacon, chopped

Pour the dressing over the lettuce wedge and sprinkle with the chopped bacon and tomatoes.

Thank you for visiting with me today!

Are China Cabinets Out of Style?

I grew up in a home with a china cabinet displaying Mama's pretty china and glassware.  Since the day I was married and had my own home, I have always had a china cabinet.  But now I'm wondering...Are they out of style?  Are they "little old lady looking?"

Years ago when I worked in the Bridal Department at Dillard's, I notice very few brides-to-be registered for fine china/glassware/flatware.  They were more interested in the high-end kitchen gadgets.  I can also remember many, many years ago when you could go into the china department at stores and see tablescapes of couples' china, glassware, and flatware.  There was always a place card with the name and date of their wedding.

Well, even if fine china is not the must-have gift of couples today, the china cabinet is still a great piece to display your silver, porcelain figurines, books, and other collectibles.  I bought this 'Maison' china cabinet and buffet from Ethan Allen several years ago and totally loved it then.  Although I still love the style, I wish I had gone with the gardenia wood instead of the darker wood.  But anyway...I usually keep my Lenox 'Eternal' china and Waterford 'Alana' glassware on display, but I do like to change it up every now and then.

I switched it up a couple of weeks ago and added my blue and white china.  I think it adds a bit more color to the cabinet.


I also keep my tea accoutrements in the cabinet with the blue and white tea service.


These are a few of my favorite china cabinets I've seen on Instagram...I would love to paint mine, but I just don't have the nerve.

I LOVE this one painted a vibrant color of green.


How cute is this cabinet painted pink?!  Tempting...very tempting!


This blue cabinet is the perfect place to display blue and white dinnerware!


I got my love of china from my Mama.  We both have a ridiculous collection of china and since I live close to her now, I can store my excess at her house!

Just curious, did you register for china before you were married and do you have a china cabinet?  Do you think china cabinets are out of style?