A Roseville Mantel

I received my first piece of Roseville about 25 years ago as a birthday gift.  It was my one and only “perfect” piece as I continued to receive Roseville gifts through the years.  I’m very happy with pieces that have a small chip or crack because I know they were displayed and loved by someone.  Unfortunately, last Christmas I dropped and completely shattered my perfect little vase and replaced it last summer with one that has a chip or two.  The pattern is Bushberry.

I received two more beautiful pieces of Roseville this Christmas, a Columbine ewer and a Water Lily vase…

…and thought it might be a good time to get out all of the treasures and place them on the mantel before beginning my post-Christmas display.

In addition to the three pieces above, there are 3 candle holders (Snowberry, Primrose and Magnolia)…

…two large vases (Hibiscus)…

…a large vase and a bookend (Freesia)…

…a console, a sconce shell and a creamer (White Rose, Magnolia and Zephyr Lily).

I love having these beautiful pieces to display throughout my home at different seasons of the year.  I enjoy this collection particularly because it is a product of Ohio.  The company was in business from 1890 to 1954, starting in Roseville, Ohio and moving to Zanesville, Ohio in 1898.  I’m also attracted by the 1930s-40s style and muted colors.

The Robert Fabe signed print over the mantel is called March Morning and shows a street in the Mt. Adams suburb of Cincinnati.  (Click picture for close-up)  It’s not where I lived as a child but looks very much like my old neighborhood.  I sure hope we don’t have that much snow this year in March.

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Pause and Remember – 5/25/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

An old friend is back on the mantel

Last January when I was taking down Christmas decorations and putting up my old treasures, I dropped a Roseville Brownberry vase and shattered it beyond repair.  I was especially upset because my daughter had given it to me as a birthday gift 25 years ago.   I’ve been looking for a replacement since then and finally found one on eBay.  The original was in perfect condition, but this one has a small chip which made it affordable.  I love to look up at the mantel and see my old friend again.

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Antique Store Finds – 4/22/2012

I love Roseville pottery but I’m not willing to pay the high prices the pieces bring.  I am willing to buy a piece with a chip which makes it much more affordable and I don’t mind the imperfections.  This Roseville Freesia #15 bookend has a chip at the top and I was able to buy it for $26.

I don’t really collect salt and pepper shakers, but I liked this one, marked “Made in Japan” on the bottom, because of the Dutch theme and because the colors match my kitchen.  It’s also interesting that they are joined with salt on one side and pepper on the other.  This piece was just $9.50.

I had a good day at the antique store.

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Time for Easter in my April Kitchen

I’m lucky to have a lot of display areas in my kitchen.  I have one large primitive shelf…

…four window sills…

…two small corner shelves ….

…and a small decorative cabinet.

There’s a place to hang a handmade bunny dishtowel….

…and to display a 1970s cottage cheese container.  Yes, we did love our shades of orange back in the ‘70s.

One item I’m going to be displaying for all of the Easters to come is this wonderful spring-like picture of my youngest granddaughter.  The pink is just so perfect.

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Marshmallow Popcorn Balls and Pastel Milk Punch – 1940s Recipes

One of my Christmas gifts this year was a small 4-½ x 6 inch leather bound book engraved “Cooking Recipes”, purchased at an antique mall in Sugar Creek, Ohio.  The pages are edged in gold and there are 10 index tabs for food categories.  

The real gold in this book, though, is the collection of handwritten recipes.  There aren’t a lot of recipes – just 25, 22 of which are desserts.  The book itself could have been from the 1930s, but I believe the recipes are from the 1945-1950 era.  This is based on a lot of recipes calling for shortening, for using the word “oleo” rather than margarine in most recipes and the attention given to oven temperatures.  I believe it’s post-World War II because of all of the sugar-laden desserts.

The handwriting is clear and ingredients are listed correctly, although most of the recipes give no idea of how the item is to be prepared, what kind of pan to use or how long to bake.  That’s why I’ve decided to make each of the recipes, using the products specified, and adding my own instructions.  I like to think that the woman from the 1940s kitchen (who would have been about my mother’s age) would enjoy having someone fuss around with these recipes again and turn out some delicious food for the family.

For my version of these two recipes, I used ¼ of the ingredients to make smaller amounts.  The popcorn balls are easy and a good buttery snack.  My only change was to substitute butter for oleo (margarine) and a dash of salt.

The Pastel Milk Punch is somewhat like a smoothie and I used the modern convenience of a blender rather than stirring as the 1940s cook did.  I also used frozen strawberries and omitted the sugar.  The only mint ice cream I could find had very fine chocolate chips in it which didn’t do any harm except for clogging the straws occasionally.

Both items, like the other recipes in the book, are rather mild.  My daughter wasn’t feeling well and drank two large glasses of the punch, saying that it settled her stomach.

MARSHMALLOW POP CORN BALLS

*4 cups of popped corn (about 2 Tblsp. unpopped corn)
*2 Tblsp. butter
*10 regular size marshmallows
*Dash of salt

In a large pan, melt the butter over low heat.  Add the marshmallows and salt.  Cook, stirring constantly, until marshmallows have melted.

Add popcorn to marshmallow mixture and stir to combine.  As soon as the popcorn has cooled down enough to handle (don’t let it cool completely), butter the palms of your hands and form balls of the mixture.  I chose to make 10 snack-size two-inch balls.  Any spare kernels that can’t be formed into balls can be a snack for the cook.

PASTEL MILK PUNCH

*¾ cup frozen strawberries, slightly thawed
*Dash of salt
*2 cups cold milk
*1 cup (½ pint) strawberry ice cream, softened
*1 cup (½ pint) mint ice cream, softened

Place slightly thawed berries in a blender.  Add salt, milk and ice cream.  Blend until smooth.

Serve immediately.

Yield:  3-4 servings, depending on size

This little planter (marked Japan on the bottom) was always in my Grandma Helen’s living room in the 1940s and until I inherited it in 1978.

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Pause and Remember – 2/10/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Roseville White Rose

Because I don’t mind a chip hidden in the back, I have a bargain-priced Roseville console.

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Pause and Remember – 1/6/2012

On Friday, I pause and remember a single, wordless moment from the past week – inspired by The Warden’s Log.

Roseville Clematis Vase – a Christmas Gift

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