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iris lilies
11-18-21, 12:16pm
Here, I am vowing not to load up my condo with a bunch of crap I don’t like.


My ideal for it is that everything in it will be carefully considered. Every object is there for function or form, and all must “spark joy” as Marie
Kondo suggests. I will prefer used products, but there’s a certain number of things I have
to buy “new. “

The kitchen isn’t even done and it’s already apparent that I have more cabinets than I need, so I’m glad I deleted one of them from the plan. More empty space is restful. DH with his little squirrel-like brain is still unhappy that I eliminated one base cabinet and two small wall cabinets over the sink. His brain works in “more is better! “ mode.

For dishes I’m using my fine China that sits on the shelf nearly all of the time. But now it will be used more often, yet because it has gold trim it cannot go in the dishwasher and cannot go in the microwave. So that is a PITA. I’m also going to be using sterling silverware which can go in the dishwasher, according to my friend who ran a bed and breakfast for years.

One of my friends gave me her mom’s heavy iron skillet, so that’s my one iron skillet that I need for this condo. I’m going to wait a while to buy other pots and pans I think. I have to figure out what I really need.

I may ask your advice here about cooking with copper. I know somebody here has high-end copper cookware. I’m not sure if I want that and would I have to keep it clean? That’s not something I want to do but I’m very attracted to the idea of copper cookware.

So todayI’m going to hit thrift stores for plates and bowls that I can use in the microwave. I will also be on the lookout for matching mugs, but that’s hard to find in thrift stores. I really want a set of 4 - 6 blue coffee mugs. The thrift stores are jammed full of coffee mugs but seldom can you find sets. I’ll probably have to buy that new.

Teacher Terry
11-18-21, 1:46pm
For coffee mugs look at Pioneer Women collection from Walmart. She uses blue a lot and online her collection is bigger. I definitely was careful not to overload my condo when I moved. Despite having only 30 plastic bins I ended up getting rid of 4 of them after moving in. I am using my Polish pottery dishes everyday.

mschrisgo2
11-18-21, 11:44pm
Hopefully you found some nice smallish Pyrex “casserole” bowls at a reasonable price. I’ve had mine for, oh, let’s just say, LOTS of years. Microwave well, put the lid back on, leftovers go right into the fridge. The glass lids are great small trays to microwave on as well. Oh, and I love the green and white floral pattern, I know they made them in a nice blue as well.

happystuff
11-19-21, 1:18pm
I believe I posted elsewhere that I'm just not a "decorator". Everything in my house is pretty mix rather than match. LOL.

For the mugs, why not thrift store various blue mugs? Match the color, but mix in style. Just a thought.

razz
11-19-21, 1:31pm
Have fun with this effort, IL. I am too white in dishes, cups etc., with neutral furniture and you enjoy lots of colour. I add vivd colour in placemats. Please share your end result.

iris lilies
11-19-21, 2:36pm
At the thrift stores yesterday I got a big, white, crockpot and I’m testing it out right now. I prefer the ones with no design or writing on them at all. But as I think about it I probably should’ve got one of the smaller sizes oh well.


I also bought four plain white mugs that will work until I find blue mugs I really like.

TT you are right, I really like the colors and patterns of the Pioneer’s Woman’s collection. Those are cute. Maybe they would fit better into my cottage decor In the other house. It’s nice to see some color in home decor! I have a lot to say about that, another post probably.

JaneV2.0
11-19-21, 3:29pm
I don't know if Ree What's Her Name actually designs the Pioneer Woman collection; if she does, my hat's off to her. She has a cast iron pumpkin casserole that's to die for, her Instant Pots are some of the prettiest kitchen appliances I've seen, and her multi-pattern ceramic ware is so cute I came within inches of buying a couple of sets.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Pioneer-Woman-3-5-Quart-Enamel-on-Cast-Iron-Pumpkin-Dutch-Oven-Orange/823935372?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222000000000&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=823935372_0&wl14=pioneer%20woman%20pumpkin%20casserole%20pot&veh=sem&msclkid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclsrc=3p.ds

iris lilies
11-19-21, 3:45pm
I don't know if Ree What's Her Name actually designs the Pioneer Woman collection; if she does, my hat's off to her. She has a cast iron pumpkin casserole that's to die for, her Instant Pots are some of the prettiest kitchen appliances I've seen, and her multi-pattern ceramic ware is so cute I came within inches of buying a couple of sets.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Pioneer-Woman-3-5-Quart-Enamel-on-Cast-Iron-Pumpkin-Dutch-Oven-Orange/823935372?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222000000000&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=823935372_0&wl14=pioneer%20woman%20pumpkin%20casserole%20pot&veh=sem&msclkid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclsrc=3p.ds

Oh my you are right that pumpkin casserole dish is super cute!

rosarugosa
11-19-21, 6:13pm
I was on the lookout for years for a nice set of blue and white coffee mugs. I finally scored several at Marshall's on clearance a couple of years ago. I think I paid $6.00 each for them. I bought six, but if I only knew what they would go for on the secondary market, I would have combed all the Marshall's and TJ's and bought all their stock:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124927927565?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=124927927565&targetid=1263433206694&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9001919&poi=&campaignid=13917728134&mkgroupid=130189308172&rlsatarget=pla-1263433206694&abcId=9300613&merchantid=8458644&gclid=CjwKCAiAs92MBhAXEiwAXTi255CwqbyB_NdmY8kh_lSH Y386lVpxSb8HXLp4vhTxrpBm9-SWmyjiyRoCeOUQAvD_BwE

rosarugosa
11-19-21, 6:15pm
I don't know if Ree What's Her Name actually designs the Pioneer Woman collection; if she does, my hat's off to her. She has a cast iron pumpkin casserole that's to die for, her Instant Pots are some of the prettiest kitchen appliances I've seen, and her multi-pattern ceramic ware is so cute I came within inches of buying a couple of sets.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/The-Pioneer-Woman-3-5-Quart-Enamel-on-Cast-Iron-Pumpkin-Dutch-Oven-Orange/823935372?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222222000000000&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=e&wl1=s&wl2=c&wl3=10352200394&wl4=pla-1103028060075&wl5=&wl6=&wl7=&wl10=Walmart&wl11=Online&wl12=823935372_0&wl14=pioneer%20woman%20pumpkin%20casserole%20pot&veh=sem&msclkid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclid=6eb4c870b2a511d7d99ba9e748eebbb1&gclsrc=3p.ds

I love it!

ApatheticNoMore
11-19-21, 6:24pm
Seems similar to a much higher end enamaled cast iron pan I saw recently:
https://www.amazon.com/Staub-11124806-Pumpkin-Cocotte-3-5-Quart/dp/B00DQUU0GK/

Ok, I don't mind having a few nice pots and pans, but I don't actually own a $200+ pumpkin. Or really any seasonal kitchenware (well a roasting pan, that's not used other than holidays) or dishware for that matter. My dishware is in the theme of white, it all matches.

JaneV2.0
11-19-21, 7:53pm
Seems similar to a much higher end enamaled cast iron pan I saw recently:
https://www.amazon.com/Staub-11124806-Pumpkin-Cocotte-3-5-Quart/dp/B00DQUU0GK/

Ok, I don't mind having a few nice pots and pans, but I don't actually own a $200+ pumpkin. Or really any seasonal kitchenware (well a roasting pan, that's not used other than holidays) or dishware for that matter. My dishware is in the theme of white, it all matches.

Yikes! The Pioneer Woman one comes in white, too. :D

Tradd
11-20-21, 10:14pm
IL, I saw nice dark blue mugs at Target today and thought of you.

iris lilies
11-20-21, 10:41pm
I was on the lookout for years for a nice set of blue and white coffee mugs. I finally scored several at Marshall's on clearance a couple of years ago. I think I paid $6.00 each for them. I bought six, but if I only knew what they would go for on the secondary market, I would have combed all the Marshall's and TJ's and bought all their stock:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124927927565?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=124927927565&targetid=1263433206694&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9001919&poi=&campaignid=13917728134&mkgroupid=130189308172&rlsatarget=pla-1263433206694&abcId=9300613&merchantid=8458644&gclid=CjwKCAiAs92MBhAXEiwAXTi255CwqbyB_NdmY8kh_lSH Y386lVpxSb8HXLp4vhTxrpBm9-SWmyjiyRoCeOUQAvD_BwE

That’s quite a surprise, the cost of that mug, the asking price anyway. I wonder if they sell many.


Coincidently, I saw two plates from The Pioneer Woman’s collection at the thrift store yesterday. One of them was chipped but if I was collecting that pattern I would’ve grab them anyway. But I’m not collecting it I do like it though.

It was weird that within 24 hours the Salvation Army thrift store had cleaned out all of its plates, I would say they got rid of 75% of what I had seen the day before. They may be doing that periodically, I don’t know. When I went to my favorite Goodwill I saw that they had hardly any plates at all. I know from shopping there often that they do a big clean out at least once a week, so perhaps I got there an hour after the clean out.

iris lilies
11-20-21, 10:43pm
IL, I saw nice dark blue mugs at Target today and thought of you.

I’m going to chill on this for a while until I find some mugs I really like. I almost bought some in a marbled s pattern at Bed Bath and beyond but after going shopping a few places I learned that marble pattern is the latest trend which means it’ll be out in two years.


Maybe I can find some artisan mugs later.

Tradd
11-20-21, 10:47pm
If you like blue and white, you should check out Polish pottery.

JaneV2.0
11-20-21, 11:03pm
I like Ball jars, but that may not be the look you're going for...:~)

iris lilies
11-21-21, 12:19am
I like Ball jars, but that may not be the look you're going for...:~)

umm no, not even for our country cottage.

There’s someone here drinks wine out of them I think I read! To each his own

catherine
11-21-21, 8:48am
Maybe I can find some artisan mugs later.

Yeah, I would check out some well-curated consignment shops and flea markets to avoid falling into the "au Courant" trap.

nswef
11-21-21, 10:50am
IL, I do like blue and I have 2 polish pottery mugs that I LOVE! They feel good on my mouth and in my hands.

JaneV2.0
11-21-21, 1:44pm
umm no, not even for our country cottage.

There’s someone here drinks wine out of them I think I read! To each his own

It's hard to find 32-ounce mugs--unless you're talking tankards. I don't drink wine, so I don't need "elegant."