I am not Betty, but your closet sounds wonderful.
I have a large pantry room with the washer and dryer next to the kitchen. If I got rid of all the food, I could fit all my dishes in there.
Unfortunately, DH is not going for that idea!! I have taken over the ends of 2 shelves so far. The rest of them are in the cabinet in the hall and kitchen, and seasonal I keep in the basement.
It would be nice to have EVERYTHING in one place!!

Well, Kathleen, I thought everyone knows that dishes are much more important than food! Gradually start moving extra pantry items to the basement, and bring back dishes!

There is one disadvantage to having a dish closet. I thought DH was going to have heart palpitations when he saw how much was in there. At the old house it was strung out practically in every room and he had no idea... poor guy (-:

I am one of those people that doesn't get rid of stuff I like, so I have some linens and serving pieces that are old. I do think I need to dye or replace my black place mats though -- they are so old and have been washed so many times that they are becoming more gray than black. lol

You ladies are so amazing with all your storage for dishes. I'm not brave enough to ask for a dish pantry so maybe that's why I haven't gotten into tablescapes. I do have a large kitchen and with all my china cabinets I could fit alot in but I'm scared to get started.LOL I'd love to see all of your storage spaces though. How fun.

Punk

Punk, I like this line: I could fit alot in but I'm scared to get started.LOL
Man, do I know what you mean!

I bet you have dishes and accessories to make nice table settings. "Shop your house", as they say. Not everyone buys bunches of new dishes -- use what you have. It is tempting at the store, though. And on line... The last couple of times, I didn't buy sets, just two dinner plates and two salads, Pink Old Britain Castles. I also have two square ruby plates, and a couple of black bowls and cups that were my last purchases.. The ruby and black mix well with my set of white dinnerware. I also have a Brook Blue set by the same maker as the white ones (Churchill China), so they really look good together. If I don't rein myself in, I would need a whole 'nother house to hold all the things I would buy. DH says I could feed a regiment as it is. I am seriously trying to rethink my shopping habits. I need to be getting rid of stuff, not acquiring more. (sigh)

Goodness, didn't realize I am just babbling along. Will shut up now.

Lee

Lee, if I did table-settings, I think I'd be buying TWO of everything. I love the idea of and mixing and matching far better than place-settings of 8-10-12. Or whatever, since I'm clueless because I've never entertained. (for the newer members, I dislike cooking and have a kitchen because it came with the house! But this darn Forum hooked me on loving dishes even if I don't know what the heck to do with them. LOL. I cook for my DH and Dad who lives with us. They like things plain and simple. DH would prefer to eat on TV tray in front of his big TV, and wouldn't know paper plates from good china most of the time. Dad's favorite plate is one of those old melamine ones. sigh. Good thing I am the way I am or I'd have to throttle both of them.) I am still having a terrible time NOT buying dishes tho, pretty 'glass' of any kind has always been my downfall. I do keep threatening to do a small table-setting for my Invisible Friends here....just to see if I can do one. LOL.

hugs, Karen

Lee, I do have dishes that use to be my moms that would work. It's all the goodies to go with that I'm lacking.haha I need to do more than shop in my house. I can hardly wait to see your tablescapes. Your dishes sound pretty and I can imagine they go together well. I'll keep watching yours and maybe I can buy some accessories to set some up. Thanks for the encouraging words.

Karen, are you kidding, you don't do tablescapes? Don't make me go through all these posts to check that out. You care enough to do the inspiration albums for everyone else? What a sweetheart.

I loved reading you have a kitchen because it came with the house! If I was you, I would build a new one and forget it. So maybe we (you and I) better get with it and try a tablescape.

Punk

Punk, last year (I think) everyone was invited to a "Tea Party". I thought I would try that. Oh my gosh, mine was a disaster, but I bravely posted a pix anyway. Hopefully its long gone off the Forum pages tho, and it sure wasn't put in our Inspiration album. LOL.

My Mom was a great cook and loved baking especially. The gene totally skipped me and went straight to my daughter!
So between her and my fantabulous daughter-in-law, they do all the family entertaining at holidays and birthdays. I just show up and eat. LOL. I'm REAL good at that part.
I always offer to bring something, and they usually tell me to just bring drinks. Hmmmppphft. Guess they know me too well.

hugs, Karen

What a nice way to start my day!

Thanks Lee, for thinking of me and sharing. Now, go slap that camera around and give it a good talking to. I'm so excited about seeing what you have. We need all of the inspiration we can get. But, please don't use those words- get rid of some things. As soon as you do- you will need them for a tablescape!

I think I posted that the space behind the sofa was 9'X14'. DH said it was only about 6'X14'. I just went and measured again and it is only 6'X14'. DRATS!!

Oh well. I'll take what I can get. It won't be anything fancy. Anything is better than the jumble of boxes and bags piled in the floor that I have now!

Karen, You make me laugh! I love my kitchen even though I live in a double-wide. It is small, but is white. I love the feeling I get when I walk in there in the morning.
I have started trying more recipes since I found this forum. Kathleen started it all. Her Irish Soda Bread was the beginning. I followed her to the cooking forum and - OH MY!!!! The pictures they post on the "What's for Dinner" threads! Then I found all of the blogs with recipes galore!

The only problem is, the extra money I'm spending on new ingredients I could be spending on dishes!! But, I've found that DH encourages me to buy new dishes more often when I fill them with good food!!! Even though he did raise his eyebrows PRETTY HIGH when I put 4 sets of the Target bird S/Ps in my basket! LOL

Lee, Kathleen's DH cooks, too. And the pictures!!! That man can COOK! I believe I would rather have a man that cooks and use the pantry for food than dishes! I would climb those stairs for dishes If my DH would cook!

Punk, Come on, Girl! Jump on in. My first tablescapes had very little on the table. Lots of open area!!
And, it's sad but true. We can't get Karen to do a tablescape, yet. When you look at her house decorated so beautifully and can see the talent there....
But, we still have hope. After all, she did set a mighty fine tea that once!

I love that line about her DD and DDIL telling her to just bring drinks!!

BTW Lee, babbling is what I do best!

Have a great day,
Betty

This post is making me LOL! Lee, once you find this forum, there is no getting rid of ANYTHING! We had a neighborhood yard sale awhile back and I was afraid to part with anything for fear it would be exactly what I NEEDED for a tablescape or vignette at some later point in time! LOL

I'm thinking that I should only buy only dishes that will coordinate with ones I already have. Then it would all make more sense and be easier to store as well. But that common sense idea just flies out the window when someone on here posts gorgeous new plates and I start to drool on the keyboard over them!

Lee, I can see where your DH might have been in shock at the sight of seeing all your dishes and glassware all in one place! LOL When they only see it one meal at a time, they don't really notice it all, do they? LOL

Punk, I have to tell you that my situation is much like Karen's--no need to set a pretty table because DH prefers to eat in front of the tv. But he has sort of accepted the idea that decorating the table is sort of fun and "artistic". On the last one I tried, he was even searching through the china cabinet to see what else we could add to it and helped with arranging the napkins in the glasses! I was almost speechless with shock! LOL

Betty, good luck with your new storage--whatever the size, it will be more than you have now so it will be terrific.

Luvs

Betty, you will have a big dish closet -- mine is only 27" deep. Even when you take off for the depth of the wall, you will still have a big area.

Punk, my tablescapes are not all that great. I don't have the "decorating zing" some of the other ladies do. I really admire their tables, hutches, etc. I have dishes, chargers and such acquired over a long period of time, but that is about it. I don't have all the extra accessories; e.g. centerpieces, little individual butters, and the like. Because of DH's medical conditions, I have to be careful what I use, no fresh flowers, real candles, or scented anything. That is okay though.

Karen really isn't kidding about tablescapes, *but* she has some beautiful Pfaltzgraff, Vienna (something). She will come around some day, after all, she can tolerate pink now. lol, Karen

Betty, that Kathleen was pretty smart to get a man that cooks. My DH is so proud of himself now -- he can make a cup of instant coffee in the microwave. (-:

Luvs I know exactly what you mean about common sense flying out the window when looking at someone's gorgeous plates.

See, your husband is coming around -- If you ever hear a loud *thud*, it will me hitting the floor because DH is looking for something to add to the table. lol

Lee, Betty and Luvs,

I knew I came here for the last post tonight so I could roll off my chair laughing at your last few posts. You made my night and now I G2G to bed. Thanks again for the laughs and letting me know Karen doesn't do tablescapes. I'm so surprised at that.

I have the Pfaltzgraff dinnerware that is the rose pattern and have alot of the extra that go with it. I had bought it for my mom and when she passed I got it back.

I have some silver chargers in the bottom of my moms china cabinet that I will have to get out and see what kind of dishes they would go with. I have a set of china that is silver with pink and blue flowers that might be a start. You gals just keep me going and I need to talk later and sleep now.

Luvs, reading how DH is starting to come around with your tablescapes makes me wonder if I can get my DH to come around and help cook. Tonight while cooking dinner I said to my DH. "If your not going to Vegas with us you might want to start practicing on cooking". He replied "If your gone 4 days, I can take out a pound of burger and cook it and it will last me four days" to which I replied, "I will be gone 5 days". He said "they sell bologna at the store."

Punk

Ha ha, Punk. I see your DH has a sense of humor, too. If he is *planning* on cooking hamburger, at least he has an idea of what to do with it.

My sweet DH could do almost anything he set his mind to, but cooking was not on the list. Bless his heart, if I am sick or not able otherwise to cook, he will have cold cereal == three times a day. I was in the hospital for a couple of days when our kids were young, and they teased him forever about the burned cheese sandwiches he cooked the first night. After that, they had cereal for breakfast, and went to the drive in at night until I came home. It was so funny, the kids and DH acted like they had been on bread and water while I was gone.

I am so glad you found our little forum. You fit right in and I always look forward to your posts. I was gone for a while, lots of real-life things to deal with. I am very happy to be back, and learn that it hasn't changed. Lots of nice people post here.

Lee

I meant to ask you -- is your Pfaltzgraff the Tea Rose, Victoria Lane, or another one?

It is nice that you have something you originally bought for your mother. I think those things are so very special.

Lee