Do You Feel Like a Bull in a China Shop?

Or are you at ease with human-made items of beauty?

I recently heard a story about a woman with her future groom registering for their wedding. They exclaimed over the price of a stainless steel flatware place setting to the salesperson.

“Forty-four dollars? How many people can eat with this setting?”

“One.”

“One!?” And they walked away shaking their heads.

Now, I am sure there were a number of facets involved in their decision. And my point in telling this story is not to debate purchasing items for your tabletop when world hunger is not yet solved or child labor is used for imported American goods. I also know a home is not built on what one possesses. But I tell the story because my heart was saddened that they held no vision for the value of gathering beautiful items. After all, why purchase less of quality (or ask your friends to) when one can buy enough to overfill the silverware drawer for the same price?

Why indeed? Here are four reasons Tea Party Girl suggests choosing quality over quantity when it comes to gathering items for dressing your table:

1. Price is often connected to artistry. Who made the item? Is it stamped “Made in China” or from a company steeped in tradition and family history of artistry? I suggest it is worth owning one of the latter (and better for the environment on so many levels) than clutter from the former.
2. Items that are well-made and taken care of help build your family’s history. When I set a table for tea, I can choose from the cups given to me of my great-aunt, my husband’s great-aunt, my husband’s grandmothers, and my grandmother. My children hear the stories of the women behind these cups. We eat off the plates chosen for our wedding. We only own six, but they add to the history of our family the well-set table represents. And when the heartbreaking day comes when my mother passes away, she will leave me items that will add to the table, tangible memories of her style and the many meals she prepared and served us over the years.
3. Beautiful items can bless others. Do you ever host meals for those who do not sleep under your roof? Did you use paper plates and serve microwaved pizza? Hopefully, you didn’t. Now, don’t misunderstand me. I believe there is a place for casual dining. People need us to focus on them first and not the “doings” of entertaining. But it’s a fine line to walk as a hostess, and we so easily choose casualness over care. Laying a table of your best is an act of love and respect for your guests. When I’ve been invited somewhere and I walk in to a set table, it communicates to me preparation and welcome. Why not gather items of beauty for these opportunities?
4. Beautiful items can bless YOU. How much emotional investment do you place on the kitchen item you picked up at your local Big Box store? Probably not a lot. And many items in our homes are used for utilitarian purposes. Why NOT pick-up the inexpensive option? But what if we took the time to learn what we love and use our purchasing choices to build an expression of our unique creativity; slowly gather the items for our homes that communicate beauty to us? This can be difficult to do with the options at Stuff-Mart. Thankfully, thrift stores and eBay allow some of us to make our choices at more reasonable prices. It takes more time often to find what you want, but how rewarding once you do! In other words, don’t always be blinded by the price of something so you ultimately reject its possible value. Ask questions, find out why something costs what it does, and be open to learning something new.

Are you inspired to gather items for a beautifully set table? Need more information? Here are a few books I recommend to add to your library for reference:

• Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook: The Essential Guide to Caring for Everything in Your Home
• Mrs. Dunwoody’s Excellent Instructions for Homekeeping: Timeless Wisdom and Practical Advice
• The Art of the Table: A Complete Guide to Table Setting, Table Manners, and Tableware

Bon Appetit!

1 comment March 4th, 2008

Tea Party Girl’s Sunday Surfing Sightings

You DO know cupcakes have become very popular, don’t you? And wouldn’t they be a fabulous addition to a tea party? I sure think so. I enjoyed finding the photo-rich blog, Cupcakes Take the Cake, filled with inspiration for these diverse little cakes. It amazes me how creative and beautiful some turn out. I especially enjoyed finding these pirate (for girl and boy mateys) and Alice-in-Wonderland themed cakes. Through the cupcake blog, I learned about this article, listing the eleven best cupcake bakeries in the country. Do you live near one?

Another source of inspiration I visit includes the Hostess with the Mostess blog, especially this entry Asian Affair. All one needs to add to the peach fans and pastel-dipped fortune cookies is some well-brewed loose leaf green tea served in handle-less white cups. Darling!

In fact, I feel so inspired I’m considering hosting an Asian Affair with green tea and cupcakes (maybe even green tea cupcakes!)while I participate in Risa’s First Day of Spring Tea Party. I would love to invite you all! Instead, we have to settle with a virtual gathering for that day. Would you like to join the party? Visit The Partea Planner blog for all the details.

Lastly, is it time to invest in a new tea cup for yourself or as a gift to someone else? The eBay store Teacup by Teacup lists 74 options today to choose from. I personally like this yellow Cauldon. I plan to write a china primer soon, but for now if you’re not familiar with purchasing china, know that you want to look at the bottom of a saucer before you purchase. This eBay store provided the right picture for me to see. A handwritten number with a Made in England stamp shows that is not a recent copy Made in China, as many in the gift stores currently are.

*Tea Party Girl’s Sunday Surfing Soundtrack included Handel’s Water Music and the lovely soundtrack to the recently released DVD Becoming Jane.

5 comments March 2nd, 2008