The Lost Plates

I mentioned in a previous post that I had some Christmas plates and that I had misplaced them.  I found them in a cabinet in the basement last summer (when I was complaining how hot it was, if only...).  After I wrote the post, I decided to go looking for them.  And they weren't there.  It was obvious that I had brought them upstairs, but for the life of me I couldn't remember where I stashed them.

Of course, something is always in the last place you would think to look which is why I found them in the bar cabinet under the cheese plates.  No idea why or when I did that.  Anyway, here is a pic:

The plates are from Lillian Vernon .  They are labelled Carrigaline Pottery, County Cork, Ireland.  As I recall (go ahead, laugh), I received a free plate after purchasing so many dollars in merchandise.  I will not even attempt to remember what I purchased from her.  I do remember receiving their catalog - long before I had a website to peruse.  And I am guessing that since they are dated 1978 and I put them away in 1980, I must have used them at least twice.

I enjoy having dated items.  My Christmas tree has a dated ornament for every year back to sometime in the 1970's.  I always say I am going to photograph them but then there are so many thing to do that it just doesn't happen.  I did take a few pics this year:

 1983, the influence of children in decorating

Perfect for the family cook

One of several glass ball ornaments that were issued each year.  This one is dated 1994 on the back.  I have seven of these for different years.

These are two from the same year, 1979.  I must have really been in the Christmas spirit.  Son Mark was 2 1/2 and Jason was 1.

Some years I could not find a dated ornament I really liked which is why this little mushroom house says 1978 on the bottom.  And then I have the complete dated Hallmark collection of the rocking horses - all 16 of them plus the special issue in 2013 for 40 years of memories.  Charlie loves rearranging these on the table as I obviously am not doing it right.  More pics when I have the time - lol.
And, I also figured out why the colors on my photos were always 'off'.  It seems that I inadvertently changed the setting a long ways back.  Sometimes I could correct in the editing program, other times I just gave up.  Here is a pic of my front arrangement that is more true to life:

So, Christmas is one week away?  Are you ready?  I always say if something doesn't get done, no one is likely to notice but you.  Then again, my kids asked if I was making my lemon snowball cookies and I said no.  Guess who is baking more cookies later this week.