Friday, February 6, 2015

"Everyday" silver


My great grandmother had two sets of sterling silverware.

One was for fancy occasions and the other was for everyday life.

Sadly, the everyday silverware sat in a cabinet unused, because I was only using the special silver during the holidays.

It does look sad, doesn't it?


Poor things.

One day, when I was looking at my stainless steel flatware, I thought it might be time for a change.

After all, my daughter would be moving out soon and would need something to eat with, right? 
I'd be giving it to her eventually, so why not shine up that old "everyday" set and use it like my great grandmother did.

So, I went to work....


and shine it did!

Doesn't it look happier?


The pattern is Lotus by Wallace and was made in 1933.

Now it sits in its new home, ready to use.


I don't know if it's my imagination or not, but I think the food tastes better now.

My philosophy has always been....
use things the way they were meant to be used. 

This was just another step in the right direction ;)

xo
rue

53 comments:

  1. I have always said on my blog: Don't store things away for a special day. Every day is special. So use the good china. Use the good silverware. Use those quilts. No one knows when they will no longer be on this earth. So treat EVERY day as a special day. Good for you!
    Brenda

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  2. Love that pattern and yes it should be used!!
    hugs,
    Linda

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  3. You have inspired me to pull out a set of vintage silverware I found this pass summer. I'll clean them up and start using. Thanks for inspiring me....

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  4. Your great-grandmother would be so proud of you and pleased that her lovely Lotus was being used daily. I do like that pattern. My wedding silver is also by Wallace, La Reine, and too ornate if I could choose over again. Isn't there such satisfaction in seeing the difference after time spent polishing silver? Once I get started I enjoy it. But to use it daily as you plan to is so much better for the patina.

    I have a thing for those soup spoons, or are they bouillon spoons, I'm never sure? Soup definitely tastes better out of silver than stainless! I also adore silver ladles, from small to large.

    I have an alternative world I slip into when life gets too stressful. I call it my Little Switzerland life, after my favorite NC hamlet. I plan my small cottage there in my mind when the world is too much with me. And in the kitchen cupboards are only my best china and silver and crystal and linens. No glasses from the grocery store, no Fiesta that we use daily now. I'm pretty good about using my nice dishes but In Little Switzerland that is all that would be in the house!

    I am fascinated that you are putting these old-fashioned ideas into practice, Rue.

    Dewena

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    1. I really hope she would be proud. I treasure everything that was passed down to me from her. She was quite a gal. I named my daughter after her :)

      Your La Reine, almost looks like my Buttercup by Gorham.

      I agree there is a lot of satisfaction in polishing silver, but getting started on it when it's been neglected is quite a project! I'm glad I did it though :)

      I looked up those round spoons and apparently they're called a "round bowl soup spoon". At first I thought it was funny, because most soup bowls are round, but then I realized they meant the roundness of the actual spoon lol

      I love that idea of having a little Switzerland. Now that my kids are grown I'm trying my best to use all the things that I was afraid to use when they were small, but sometimes it's hard, because I worry about breakage. I'm a well known klutz and wine glasses are the first thing I break.

      I've always been this way. Most people think it's odd, but I don't care :)

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  5. I love that pattern and yes, I use my silver every day. If you actually use it, it doesn't needed to be polished as often.

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    1. That's what I've been told! I'm hoping it's true :)
      xo

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  6. How lovely! I have good silver, for special occasions and stainless for everyday. I would love to use the good silver everyday, but don't want to have to wash and dry it by hand.

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    1. I am the dishwasher! LOL Unless the boyfriend is over and then he washes it ;)

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  7. What beautiful silverware and how lucky you are to have inherited it! Did you know there's an easier (and non-toxic) way to clean silver? It only involves foil, baking soda, and salt...you can Google it. There's a lot of web sites out there that explain exactly how to do it and the exact measurements. Have a great weekend, Rue!

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    1. I've tried it several times, but it never totally cleans it, when it's as bad as this was. Maybe if I just used it for maintenance it would. I'll try it again when it comes time :)

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  8. Just a little elbow grease and grandmother's silver looks beautiful - love the pattern!

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  9. I love silverware. I have 3 sets from my grandmother (one is probably my great grandmothers), plus any time I find some at an auction or estate sale I grab it. We use it everyday.

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    1. Three sets? Wow! I'm so glad you use it everyday :)

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  10. It is a lovely pattern! My mother just gave me hers, and I have a little helper anxious to polish it! My little one really wants to use them. Thank you for the inspiration to bring them out, rather than staying old and tarnished, and for the visit! :)

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    1. You're welcome and thank you for the visit! I'm so glad you'll be using yours :)

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  11. Your grandmother's silverware looks beautiful, Rue! Quality lasts forever!

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  12. You have inspired me to dig out the family silver and use it.

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  13. That pattern is really lovely...I'm sure your great grandmother would be proud. They just might make your food taste better too! ;)

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    1. I hope she is :)

      I really do think it makes the food taste better!

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  14. I love old silverware! I have my grandmothers and even some of her steak knives. I can remember using it when I was little, so it's ancient! She taught me how to polish it when I was probably 4, and I always did it when I went to her house. I also think the food tastes better!

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    1. Steak knives? Wow! I would love to have a full set with steak knives. That's really neat :)

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  15. I did a similar thing. I gave my son all of my daily silverware and pulled out the everyday silver for me. Yes, it does taste better, look better and I feel like it is having a much better life being used by me than sitting in the box. So, well done. Love the things you have and only have the things you Love.

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  16. Love it, Rue....and I think they have a dip of some kind that cleans and polishes silver like magic....
    My grandmothers and great-grandmothers were so so poor...they were lucky to have even a fork to eat with, much less SILVER. I am so thrilled that you have these sets from your g=grandmother.

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    1. I'll have to check the dip out. Thank you, bj :)

      I think my grandparents were the first ones to have nice things like the silver, because they both came from really poor immigrants families. I do count myself very lucky.

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  17. It looks so pretty all shined up. I know you will enjoy using it.

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  18. I do love the look of polished silver! Since I'm knee deep in snow probably a good time to bring out my pieces and give them a good cleaning! I was lucky enough to get my MIL's tea service when she passed. She had purchased it as a young girl as part of her trousseau.
    Jeannette

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    1. I'm glad I inspired you to do that, Jen :)

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  19. How I do love silver! All I have from my grandmother is an ornate set of spoons, but I do love them. Hmnmmm, perhaps I should polish them up for use on Valentine's Day. Thanks for the idea! ;-)

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  20. It's so pretty. You are fortunate to have your grandmother's. I have some that I found at vintage shop, and I can't believe people don't want it or had no body to gift it to.

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    1. Thank you :)

      I think it's strange too. Even odder still is when you see old photographs. How could anyone just give them away?

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  21. Much better to use such pretty things and enjoy them than have them languishing and never seeing the light of day - that is what I think! Your cutlery is so pretty and deserves to be used and enjoyed! xx

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  22. What a difference, Rue! I need to do the same thing...I found some pieces that DH took to the barn, and they are in need of some TLC and silver polish. :-)

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  23. My motto is to use everything, every day...I never save things for "best" as it may never get used. I love the simplicity of your beautiful flatware.
    Enjoy the rest of your weekend, Rue!

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  24. This silver is lovely! How beautiful the set looks after being polished! What a wonderful idea to use this set everyday!

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  25. Such a lovely gift from your grandmother. I am a BIG believer in using everything in my home - I live in a tiny bungalow and have no room for "show and stow" items. When my mother was alive, she freaked when she found out that I use daily some "fine china" that she eventually gave to me after I discovered it stowed away as a young adult and couldn't believe that I never had seen it before - because she was "saving it" for a special day! I couldn't believe she had this china and I never once saw it until I was in my early 30's. I think I made a secret promise to myself then not to ever treasure items in such a way that I never enjoy them. Thanks for sharing.

    big hugs
    elizabeth

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    1. I'm always amazed when I hear stories like that. I'm glad you're finally using it :)

      ((hugs))

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  26. Your silver is gorgeous. And, yes! Use it, use it!

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  27. What did you use to shine it. Thanks. Yours looks great. I have some that is tarnished and I would love to.

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  28. It's called Wright's Silver Cream :)

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