posted 12-27-2008 01:56 PM            

OK, I'll confess...I'm stealing Robert's message in the Holiday thread, because it's a good one and might get lost under the 'Holiday' label.

He said: "I have one "fun" question: What pieces did you use over the holidays for purposes other than what the were intended? I used my sugar shells for dips, flat-handled butter spreaders for mustards and mayo and my sherbets for tealight holders. "

My contribution: I use children's mugs for nuts. And I sometimes place small butter dishes above each place setting for a special-looking chocolate, a sort of post-dessert amuse-bouche.

posted 12-27-2008 10:40 PM            

I used a flat asparagus server on the turkey burger platter I brought to Christmas dinner. Also works well for french toast.

posted 12-27-2008 11:09 PM            

Not very creative, but the exciting part was that this was the first occasion on which we've really used most of the silver since I got interested in it last year. I set the table the night before because it was such a pleasure to see. I washed the serving pieces promptly after our guest left, but have yet to put them away because I love looking at them.

posted 12-28-2008 10:14 AM            

I have just one question: what is a sucket fork?

Ellebee, did you take a picture of your table setting? If so, I would love to see it. I had but my 2yo cousin got ahold of the camera and erased everything. Live and learn LOL

posted 12-28-2008 04:14 PM            

1. I used my James Tufts bride's basket to hold spare Christmas balls;

   

2. I used my pair of sweetmeat trays for holding chocolates;

3. I used my collection of hand hammered silver plated pitchers to hold holly on the mantle;

4. I too used a fish slice to serve dessert (which gave me the idea for the next piece I need to search for, a good pastry server).

posted 12-29-2008 12:27 PM            

We didn't really do much for Christmas, steak, salad and potatoes at the boyfriend's on the 24th; shrimp, crudites, sweet potatoes and leftover steak at Mom's on the 25th. Have been known to use those cute little cigarette urns as individual vases, and the ubiquitous silver-rimmed glass coasters that keep finding their way into my home for pennies have been used as nut dishes and for candles, usually small pillars, but one year filled rocks glasses with cranberries to hold tapers (Mom suggested that cored-apple candleholders would also look nice). An old silverplate crumber has been used for years to serve baked fish and enchiladas, and since I don't have a tureen, a small punch bowl was used for my cheesy chicken corn chowder one year, causing my visiting brother to ask why not the nice piece in the living room - but, ummm, really have to draw the line at using a covered chamber-pot to serve food (even if it is the most gorgeous Staffordshire polychrome transferware).

posted 12-29-2008 09:20 PM            

We loved the story about your brother and the cheesy chicken corn chowder in a chamber pot(try saying that fast 3 times). It was one of the best laughs we have had.

posted 12-30-2008 09:27 PM            

Wassail!

That's a dazzling nog setup.

posted 12-31-2008 03:24 PM            

This is without some of the greenery, and of course without any of the food that made it especially festive. It gives a pretty good view of the pomegranates, which were elsewhere during the actual event. And here are the implements of destruction:

The pastry server is my acquisition, a coin 'Kings' retailed by Conrad Bard & Son of Philadelphia (when Bard was probably no longer making much); the rest are from my great-grandmother and her eccentric sister Bertha. The vegetable spoon on the right, which is just about my most treasured piece, was a gift from Philadelphia friends on the occasion of the sisters' departure (my widowed great-great-grandmother was moving back here to her hometown). It was a piece the givers already owned and used -- the monogram is theirs; on the back is 'For Bertha' in script engraving.

posted 12-31-2008 08:21 PM            

What is that wicked looking serving piece second from the right? Looks like it could inflect some serious damage if ever needed!

Bascall,

What are the handles made of on the bowl?

posted 01-04-2009 10:19 PM            

quote:

---

Originally posted by chase33:
Bascall,

What are the handles made of on the bowl?

Robert

---

Just going by the color, ebony maybe, but that's just a guess.

posted 04-16-2022 02:07 PM            

As a result, I'm gathering up cobalt carnival glass to use for vanity items:

--Drinking glasses for drinking (duh!)
--Hatpin holder for toothbrushes (although that didn't pan out due to a dishonest giant auction seller, so now it's a tall & narrow stemmed lily-of-the-valley glass)
--Covered rectangular candy dish for q-tip storage
--Covered candy? dish or jam pot for circular cosmetic cotton pads or cotton balls
--Nappy for a soap dish
--Small footed compote (is that redundant?) for a catch-all
--Large rose bowl for toothpaste, hair brush, combs, etc.

I've also got some iridescent and cobalt-colored glass oil lamps to put on the shelf in the shower to carry over the theme. And I even just found an awesome satin-metalic cobalt-blue hairbrush!

Mr. Lycoris and I are both ADHD folks, so I have a large aqua-based carnival glass compote for his keys, wallet, badge, pocket knife, change, etc.

He just empties his pockets into it every evening, and it saves him from the frustration of spending 30 minutes searching for everything in the morning, and I think it makes him feel a little special to have a pretty thing to hold his stuff. I'm blessed that he puts up with my propensity toward all things Victorian/pre-War!