Tag Archives: A Stitch In Crime

Fiesta Time w/A Stitch in Crime

When friend, Angela McInnis (who crafted the quilt for my book cover), posted a pictorial record of her new Fiesta collection on Facebook, I rushed to check my own kitchen collectables, including vintage Fiesta, partying behind my cupboard doors.

Goodness, but her new Fiesta was charming! Did I like it better than the old? I read that it’s now (& has been) the most popular line of everyday dishes for Macy’s. Unlike the old, the new stuff has added wonderful pastel colors, is microwaveable, & dishwasher safe. Nice. My daughter uses hers daily & her kids love to pick out their own plate colors. (Me, too.)

But my Fiesta is all from the 1930s & ‘40s & must be hand-washed. No microwave use. Yet, has a charm of its own. Unlike some of my collections acquired over many years, picking through antique stores, yard sales, & online, the Fiesta came to me in an unusual way.

A friend of mine was getting rid of boxes of old things offloaded by someone. “Do what you want with these,” she’d been advised. Knowing I was a collector, she  invited me over to check them out & help her decide what to toss & what to keep.

Fiesta in the Cupboard!

Deep in the first box, I found treasure. And became over-the-moon-excited about some Vaseline glass pieces, hoping to absorb one or two into my small collection. I oo-ed & ah-ed so much, she decided to keep them all. Rats.

But one box housed quite a lot of old Fiesta ware ready to use.The colors were mainly cobalt, yellow, light green, & ivory. Plus a couple broken bits, some chipped plates, & a cup with no handle. Of little interest to my friend, she offered the entire box to me for $75.00. Of course, I’d hoped for my favorite price. Free. But her price seemed fair.

A few special pieces beckoned from the bottom. A carafe with its rare top & a mint, covered casserole. Later, shopping for missing pieces out in the antique world, I realized that three dinner plates alone might cost $75.00. I had almost an entire set of dishes!

American Sweetheart & Fiesta ware.

Along with the Fiesta in my cupboard, reside my everyday dishes – a monax American Sweetheart set from the Depression era. They are lovely in form, opalescent, with a raised design decorating scalloped edges. Unlike the Fiesta, it took me ages to collect the American Sweetheart.

The top shelf is populated with early Franciscan ware (Gladding McBean) in a creamy, swirl pattern. A service for twelve, they have appeared in many Thanksgivings at my home, doing utilitarian duty in a most elegant way.

Franciscan & Fiesta

I look into my cupboards & see great value there. Not how much they are worth. But the years of pleasure I’ve had, treasure hunting with like-minded dear ones. I see places I’ve been & conversations & laughter. They are more than colorful dishes. They represent shared experiences.

A very special lady once said to me, “Things do not satisfy. Only Jesus satisfies.” I so agree. These dishes are just things that will break & chip. They won’t last.

But He knows what delights my collector heart. So I’ll enjoy them in the here & now, until the day when I’m walking on the streets of gold.