around the house: for the love of fiestaware
Happy 2013! I hope each and every one of you had lovely holidays. We had my parents and sister down for a few days over Christmas and had a great time (though a bit squished with five adults and a large dog in our tiny house!). I’m very excited about 2013 and was not in the least bit sad to see 2012 close. Last year was so full of various downs (SH’s 11th hour deployment, Maverick being so ill right after we adopted him, my mom’s cancer diagnosis, and feeling plagued by things breaking down all year…), but I’m hopeful for this year. Especially since Miss Blueberry will make her debut in less than 3 months!
I have been fascinated by Fiestaware since I was about 8 or 10. I don’t remember where I first saw it: whether it was in a collectables magazine or at an antique store (one of our favorite rainy-day activities when I was growing up was to go to the local antiques mall. I was a lucky child! lol.). But the bright colors and vintage shapes caught my eye even at that young age! I don’t know why I didn’t have the foresight to start requesting place settings as gifts years ago, or even to have it on the wedding registry when SH and I got married (I was going through a weird, “I want to be modern” phase and we ended up with square plates that I think are ugly at this point–not to mention don’t fit in any microwave we’ve ever owned!). But our everyday dinnerware is starting to chip (I am not happy with that after only four years of use!), and we needed to start thinking about replacement. (Especially before I “accidentally” break another piece… Oops!)
Which has brought me back to Fiestaware! I’ve been scheming over colors for the past week, after I got a little Christmas spending money that was burning a hole in my pocket. hehe! I’m sticking to brand new pieces, since not only are the real-deal vintage pieces collectable (and therefore pricy), but there is also the issue of various colors being radioactive. The newer line (reintroduced in 1986) is of course devoid of the glaze problems and is also lead-free, and even a 5-piece place setting isn’t hugely unreasonable. After some consultation with my decorating-partner-in-crime (aka my mom!), I decided to go with two settings in Peacock (a bright blue) and two in Sunflower (a gorgeous yellow). (If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen that I originally purchased the Scarlet colorway instead of Sunflower, but decided after seeing everything in my kitchen that I liked the yellow better!)
The best prices I found online were either directly through Homer Laughlin’s website (I only wish their factory store in West Virginia was a closer drive!) or various department stores hosting after-Christmas sales (I ended up going with the department store option because I wouldn’t have to pay shipping). But the Homer Laughlin site has some great deals that I’m going to keep my eye on. Because now I need some serving pieces, salt and pepper shakers, and of course the iconic pitcher. I can’t wait to reshuffled my cabinets, say goodbye to the old (square and chipping) dinnerware, and add some Fiesta color to my kitchen!
I’m sure there are lots of other Fiestaware admirers and collectors who read this blog! I’d love to know what your favorite colors are; do you stick to just one or collect whatever catches you eye? (I have a feeling I’m going to end up in the latter category… hehe!)
