Hidden Away

 In the bottom of my china cabinet are several things that I don't have room to display on the upper shelves.  The pink depression glass bowl was purchased at an auction in Iowa several years ago.  I bid on and won a box that had a few different glass items in it.  This was one of them. The hob nail with blue edges and handles belonged to your Dad"s gandmother, Lottie. How glass bowls and other items from the early 1900"s have survived without a chip or crack is nothing short of a miracle.  

For the Love of Bowls

This is a beautiful Waterford signed "leaf" bowl, purchased at that auction I like to go to.  It still has the original price tag on the bottom -- I did not give anywhere near that for it, by the way !! It resides on the storage shelves in my china cabinet.  I have no idea its age or history - I just knew that it had to go to my home when it came up for bidding.  Hopefully, I will have occasion to use it one day !! While I have been in the process of "fall house cleaning", it has come to my attention that I have a "thing" about things that start with the letter "B" !!  I have always thought of my "collections" as the Three B's --- bears, boxes, and books ( altered ones, of course) -- it seems there are a few more "B's", one of them being bowls -- we both love them, then there are the butterflies, the bells, the brass, and the bottles (perfumes and a few other vintage ones).  There are butterflies over the front door, on the living area wall, in the upstairs bathroom and a few others "flitting" here and there.  Lovely creatures !!  There are not too many bells -- just a few in the china cabinet.  Fortunately, not a LOT of brass - my favorite piece is the Korean temple bell that sits on top of the china cabinet (12/2/08).  AND, the bottles ??  They are here, there and everywhere -- one just has to turn around, look, and you will probably see one or more !!  So, I guess it has become the "8 B's" !!

Pink Depression Glass

This small pink three footed bowl is similar to the plain pink one I have that was a wedding gift to my Mom and Dad. This was in a box of items I purchased at a farm auction in Iowa a few years ago. I bid on the boxful because of this bowl as it reminded me of the etched one of Mom's which my sister has. AND, we love bowls !! If memory serves me correctly, the bowl Shirley has is a bit more delicate. Right now, this is at home in the storage area of the china cabinet.

Rose Bowl

I have a set of 6 of these pretty little 5" china dessert bowls in my kitchen cabinet. The marking on the bottom says "Germany". Mom had these amongst the truckload of things she brought back to Iowa from Ohio when she helped her sister, Bertha, clean out a barn load of family mementos. So, these once belonged to my G'ma Hanle and possibly belonged to her mother. A complete set of china with this design would be wonderful to have, don't you think ?? I think these were probably just a specialty piece, though. I like using them for sliced fresh fruits or applesauce -- they are just the right size.

Swan Song

I have always considered this "swan bowl" to be my "steal of the century". In the mid- 60's, I visited my very first garage sale held by a neighbor on Marshall St. in Tulsa. There on a table sat this unusual piece of glass. What in the world would I ever do with it ? BUT, it had a tag of 10 cents attached. No way could I NOT buy it !! I have often thought of putting an arrangement of flowers in it for a centerpiece. In the meantime, through the years, it has been home on different shelves and now in my china cabinet. I often see one similar when shopping antique malls, but never for just 10 cents !!

In the Pink

It was difficult to capture the delicate pink of this beautiful depression glass, three footed bowl !! Mom and Dad were gifted 3 pieces of depression glass when they married October 2, 1933 - two pink bowls and a green cake plate. When Mom brought out these 3 pieces to hand down to her 3 children, I knew which piece I REALLY, really wanted. Well, my brother had always given me a bad time about Mom and Dad liking me best (the middle child), and I always got the GOOD stuff (like the butterfly wing tray). The truth is, I was never shy about asking "Can I have that? Mom?" AND, the other truth is, Mom and Dad "liked us all "best", just in different ways" !! This is a quote direct from my Dad in a conversation my brother and I were having with him one day on this particular subject. Anyway, that day, I said to Mom, "Let Shirley and Donny pick first". Was I feeling generous, or was I feeling bad because I really did get all the good stuff ?? Shirley picked the other pink bowl which is similar, but, has some beautiful etching on it. Donny picked the cake plate, and I received this bowl. Not the piece I would have chosen, given first choice, but, it holds a dear and special spot in my heart and in my china cabinet.