As soon as I walked into the Carriage House in Senoia, Ga. on Friday, my eye was drawn to this sweet set of violet dishes, artfully displayed in a vintage suitcase and simply begging to be the star attraction of some future tea party.
Isn't the Carriage House pretty? It's one of the first antique shops I "bonded" with when I moved here to Coweta County after college. For those readers who don't live locally, the Carriage House is in Senoia, a town not far from the county seat of Newnan, where I live. If you are from here, or just want to act like you are, you pronounce it "Suh-noy," to rhyme with "boy." If you're not from here, you pronounce it "Suh-noy-uh." Named in honor of an Indian princess, the town has a delightful and rich history, which history-loving Nancy Roy of the Carriage House will be happy to share with you, I'm sure!
Friday turned out to be a very fruitful shopping afternoon, since I stopped in Sharpsburg as well as at the new shops in downtown Senoia. Don't you love to come home with a bunch of pretty gift bags? I always feel guilty when they doll things up after I've spent just a few pennies. Still ...
My biggest bag held this set of violet dishes, and I am really smitten with violets anyway. In my desk at work, I have some violet-flavored mints, and they are yummy. In the language of flowers, violets indicate watchfulness, faithfulness, modesty and humility, I'm told, all of them character qualities I could stand to improve upon.
Never underestimate the power of a pretty shopping bag! Nancy carefully wrapped all my pieces in that nice, thick, spongey wrapping stuff, but then she bagged them in these sacks imprinted with a design of old newsprint. Now don't you know an old newspaper gal just LOVES getting something tucked inside these bags?
Violets are also, it turns out, the birth month flower for February. That's the month of my sister and daddy's birthdays, as well as that of my late mother-in-law. I never knew her, but I'm sure glad I know her son! (And that he doesn't have a spell when I bring home more dishes.)
I love your new violet dishes! In Christian art, the violet symbolizes the Virgin Mary's humility. In the painting "Madonna of Humility"
ReplyDelete(1435) by Sienese artist Giovanni Paolo, you can make out tiny violets in the foreground.
The blues/browns in your renovated living room will be beautiful with these dishes too! Have you chosen your paint color yet?
The dishes are beautiful. They really would be perfect for a spring/summer tea party. I must plan a trip to Senoia to explore the Carriage House. How nice that your husband doesn't mind your love of collecting - some guys just don't get it.
ReplyDeleteI recently purchased four more Portmeirion "Botanic" Garden cup and saucers. (On clearance at Marshalls, of course.) The lovely spring flowers on each of them were irresistible. Now, where to put them.
Gee Angela, I just had a thought! You know, those dishes were displayed in a vintage suitcase...hmmm...do you have one of those? A FUN idea for an opening round on these beauties...pack the suitcase with dishes, have a basket of treats and stuff for tea...a nice old quilt, etc. Have a portable outdoor picnic tea either in the park, some special place, or even "the green, green, grass of home" (which hopefully will be arriving soon!)
ReplyDeleteI love the set. You made a great find. I would have bought them too. They are absolutely gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThat is such a pretty set. I couldn't have resisted it either. What tea will serve with it first?
ReplyDeleteJulie for Bigelow Tea
Angela,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for the kind words, and am so blessed to have made a friend of you so many years ago.The dishes with the violet pattern made a beautiful picture in your tea blog and thanks for sharing with your tea friends. So glad you are happy with the purchase. Here's to a cup of tea,
which we all always enjoy so much; however, you are so much more a purist than I will ever be.
Nancy
I loved those dishes. They are so sweet with the violets and will be beautiful on a table. You were so fortunate to be able to find so many of them at one time. I would have snagged them too.
ReplyDeleteVery cute shop....I will have to look on the map to see where in the world that town is. Now I am curious. HA!
Be blessed!!