Welcome back to The Holiday Home Series.
I have been keeping a secret from my friends and family.
I usually don't tell secrets like this just before a holiday however, this morning I had too much coffee and I can't stop talking.
Promise you won't tell anyone?
My entertaining dishes, silverware and serving pieces all came from thrift shops.
I am not embarrassed. I guess I never tell because it's fun letting my guests think I spent a ton of money on this stuff.
When I go thrifting for dishes and serving pieces, I gravitate towards solid white or cream pieces. Milk glass, ceramic, porcelain and ironstone. This allows me to mix and match styles and era's. It's also great because I can use the same setting for every occasion and holiday.
I found this entire set of white dinnerware for 8 at The Goodwill for $20. One of the plates had a chip in the corner as you can see here.
My rationale is once new dishes enter my home, they will get broke anyway so one little chip didn't bother me. I use them as my everyday dinnerware as well as my formal dinnerware.
I use the chipped dish all the time however, some recommend not using a chipped or cracked piece for eating because of bacteria that can get trapped in the exposed area.
If a piece looks like it is older than 1960, chips and cracks are bad news. Some older pieces may contain a high level of lead which is exposed when there is a crack or chip. I do not recommend using old pieces for eating and never heat food in the microwave on a vintage piece.
This set is brand new and was still in the box. It was probably given to The Goodwill directly from the retailer. Sometimes damaged or overstocked items are donated by big name stores and can be purchased in the original packaging.
The other day, I posted about my centerpieces that were created with goodwill finds. The table runner was a splurge from the Potterybarn outlet. It cost more than the sum of everything else.
The red votive holders were a thrift find given to me. The black buffet was one of the best Goodwill finds ever. You can read about it, here.
My stemware is also from a local thrift shop. Most of the time, I find glassware in sets of four. Therefore, I have an eclectic mix. I like it that way. I think it keeps the look casual and comfortable when things are not perfect.
After purchasing my "new" glasses, I studied up on how to clean stemware properly for maximum shine and spotlessness (did I just make up a word?) You can see what I learned, here.
You may have already seen the bar I put together in the living room bookcase.
If not, you can click here to see how I used thrift store finds to create a makeshift bar for the holidays.
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