Interesting Additions to my "Hope Chest"
Perhaps I should back up here before I begin and say that the most interesting thing about my hope chest is that I don't have one. Susan says she's run out of hope; I say I've never had any! But lately I've picked up a few interesting things to add to my stash located throughout my room in various forms of boxes, drawers, and vinyl zipper bags.
Item number one is one of those big foldy-downy boxes that are made to transport wedding cakes in. Last June a friend of mine got married, and on the Sunday following his family gave us some leftover wedding cake in the big aforementioned box. I told my mom that I wanted to keep the box when we finished the cake, and she asked how I intended to store it. Well, it unfolds out flat, into a big rectangle. *lightbulb* "I can fit it behind my tall dresser, against the wall!" So there it is, to this day, and maybe if I decide to make my own wedding cake (?) I'll already have one box ready. : )
Item number two I bought at Goodwill for a whopping, gargantuan, death-to-the-bank-account sum of... $2.00. Any guesses what it might be? A hint: A quick price check revealed that similar items go for anywhere between $50-$60+ (on ebay!). No idea? It's a beautiful, near-perfect quality, A-line crinoline that fits me perfectly! Storage for this one was an easily-overcome challenge. I folded it up as best I could, shoved the bundle into a gallon freezer bag, sat on it to push out all the air, and sealed it up. Now this nice little bundle fits quite easily into a dresser drawer, and I didn't even have to buy a SpaceBag!
Item(s) number three I picked up a couple of years ago- guess where? At a yardsale- on the side of the highway- in West Virginia- of all places! We were travelling up to Pennsylvania and happened to stop here to stretch and look around. Much to my delight I came across a whole boxload of these dishes
, with no price attached. I asked the lady what she would take for them, and with a shrug, she replied, "Oh, $15.00?" I snatched them up right away for that price! They were in almost perfect condition. Later my stepmom helped me get some more pieces from ebay to add to the collection, and now I have service for at least 10, although exact numbers escape me for the moment. The pattern is "Honorine" by Arcopal, which is unfortunately discontinued. But people are still selling pieces on ebay so, for now at least, I am still able to get more pieces.
The dishes look like real china, but they are actually like Corelle in weight. They're so pretty! I love blue and white kitchen decor, with yellow walls and white cabinetry...
These dishes are stored, layered between fabric scraps, paper towels, potholders, and bubble wrap, in an otherwise empty drawer in another dresser. (I have two large dressers in my room that were my mom's when she was a child. I don't have near enough clothes to fill them all up, so I use them for lots of other things too. I think a good three drawers alone are dedicated to "hope chest" purposes.)
Let's hear from you! What interesting finds are/were in your "hope chest"?? If you don't have a real hope chest, what do you use instead?
Item number one is one of those big foldy-downy boxes that are made to transport wedding cakes in. Last June a friend of mine got married, and on the Sunday following his family gave us some leftover wedding cake in the big aforementioned box. I told my mom that I wanted to keep the box when we finished the cake, and she asked how I intended to store it. Well, it unfolds out flat, into a big rectangle. *lightbulb* "I can fit it behind my tall dresser, against the wall!" So there it is, to this day, and maybe if I decide to make my own wedding cake (?) I'll already have one box ready. : )
Item number two I bought at Goodwill for a whopping, gargantuan, death-to-the-bank-account sum of... $2.00. Any guesses what it might be? A hint: A quick price check revealed that similar items go for anywhere between $50-$60+ (on ebay!). No idea? It's a beautiful, near-perfect quality, A-line crinoline that fits me perfectly! Storage for this one was an easily-overcome challenge. I folded it up as best I could, shoved the bundle into a gallon freezer bag, sat on it to push out all the air, and sealed it up. Now this nice little bundle fits quite easily into a dresser drawer, and I didn't even have to buy a SpaceBag!
Item(s) number three I picked up a couple of years ago- guess where? At a yardsale- on the side of the highway- in West Virginia- of all places! We were travelling up to Pennsylvania and happened to stop here to stretch and look around. Much to my delight I came across a whole boxload of these dishes
, with no price attached. I asked the lady what she would take for them, and with a shrug, she replied, "Oh, $15.00?" I snatched them up right away for that price! They were in almost perfect condition. Later my stepmom helped me get some more pieces from ebay to add to the collection, and now I have service for at least 10, although exact numbers escape me for the moment. The pattern is "Honorine" by Arcopal, which is unfortunately discontinued. But people are still selling pieces on ebay so, for now at least, I am still able to get more pieces.The dishes look like real china, but they are actually like Corelle in weight. They're so pretty! I love blue and white kitchen decor, with yellow walls and white cabinetry...
These dishes are stored, layered between fabric scraps, paper towels, potholders, and bubble wrap, in an otherwise empty drawer in another dresser. (I have two large dressers in my room that were my mom's when she was a child. I don't have near enough clothes to fill them all up, so I use them for lots of other things too. I think a good three drawers alone are dedicated to "hope chest" purposes.)
Let's hear from you! What interesting finds are/were in your "hope chest"?? If you don't have a real hope chest, what do you use instead?
7 Comments:
Oh, that dish is so pretty! I love the design. I hadn't thought about looking on Ebay to complete a set. I found a place setting for 8 of a pretty blue-green china pattern at a thrift store a few years ago. It was in very good condition and had the dinner plates, bowls, salad/dessert plates, two serving dishes, and the saucers, but not the teacups :(. I wonder if I could find those online. . .
It's so fun to find items at yard sales or thrift stores! Sometimes you can find really high quality items for a song.
You proabably could find them online. Do you know the company and pattern? If not, this site (located about 40 miles from my house!) can help a lot. Just browse through the brand names (I'm sure that at least is on the back of the plates). Then just start browsing patterns to see if yours is there.
Good luck hunting!
Sorry, that first link is broken.
Here it is:
Replacements, Ltd.
Jessica, whenever I think of you and Susan, the term "unclaimed treasures" comes to mind, like Sarah's aunts in the movie 'Sarah, Plain and Tall'. But I hope you 2 won't remain unclaimed!
I love the blue dishes. Are they resistant to breaking like Corelle, too?
It is Crown Ming china, and I looked at patterns online and found that it is the Princess pattern. Then I registered at Replacements, Ltd, to be notified if they have lone teacups come up for sale. . . Then I read your response, Jessie! It was funny that you recommended what I had just done :). They have some of the pattern online, but not teacups. I'd also love a teapot, creamer, and sugar bowl, but I'm not sure how much I'm willing to spend. I'll have to think on that. . .
Sabine,
You are so sweet! I certainly don't deserve the label "treasure," but thank you just the same. I do hope and pray that Jessie and I will each find a man who will treasure us :).
What's a hope chest?
Hey everybody! I'm happy to see so many people on my blog. It makes me feel good : )
Dear Sabine, thank you for your bit of encouragement. Pray for us, that Susan and I might be claimed soon, in God's will! As far as I know, these Arcopal dishes will have the same break-resistability as Corelle, though I haven't tried it ; ) They're a little nicer IMO than Corelle, because they actually have some a bit of a translucent quality, more like real china/porcelain.
Susan, that is really funny that you were doing what I was telling you to, before I told you! We really are kindred spirits! I went to replacements.com and found your pattern- it's really pretty! What a find!
JM, A hope chest is traditionally a large trunk (like a blanket chest), usually made from cedar or some other wood. An unmarried girl would store in her hope chest linens, dishes, toys from her childhood, baby clothes, and other things she might use as a married woman.
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