Wildflowers in Winter - At Home (Week 4)

Wildflower Morning hosts a weekly event called Wildflowers in Winter to post about wildflowers. The theme for week 4 from February 6-12 is Wildflowers in the Home. "Decorating with wildflowers. Show us dishes or other decorations made by you or someone else that you have in your home."

Looking around my kitchen I spotted some Corning Ware in the "Cornflower Blue" pattern. This Corning Ware pattern was produced for about thirty years up to the 1970’s. Of all the various designs produced by Corning, Cornflower Blue became an American classic.

As oven, stovetop and then microwave safe examples were offered, cooks made use of these versatile wares. Sets in various sizes were ubiquitous bridal shower or wedding presents for decades. At potlucks, you needed to mark your casserole in order to retrieve the right one to take home. I used my 2-quart casserole for many dinners and potlucks.

This Petite Pan and its plastic storage lid was handy when I was a graduate student.


Last month I found these two casseroles (1 qt. and 1 ½ qt.) and one glass cover at a thrift shop for $3.00.

The 22-ounce and 7-inch pans and 1-quart Saucemaker are also thrift finds in great condition.


These well-made and sturdy wares have become collectible.

Here is a photo of the cornflower plant with its bright blue hue. Didn't the designer for Corning Ware interpret the flower well?

For more about art and wildflowers, do visit Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning for a comprehensive list of posts.

Wildflowers in Art: Mayflower

Wildflower Morning has a weekly event called Wildflowers in Winter to post about wildflowers. The theme for week 6 from February 20-26 is Wildflowers in Art – "Share art made by you or someone else that features wildflowers."

My item this week is an oil painting by C. Leon Strickland entitled "Mayflower." It hangs in a wall grouping in the dining room.

I tried to buy it at an Apple Festival where a silent auction allowed buyers to leave a written bid on a list for the item desired. You had to keep going back to see if someone else had written a bid below yours. If so you wrote a higher bid under that. When the bidding time was up the last bidder on the item’s list won the item.
Well, someone else did outbid me for this wildflower painting. However, the following day he decided he did not want the painting after all and returned it to the artist. So I was able to buy it directly from the artist. The local frame shop framed it for me with a linen liner in a molded gilt frame.

Here is some information about the mayflower:
The mayflower is "a low-growing evergreen shrub of eastern North America with leathery leaves and clusters of fragrant pink or white flowers"
The official flower of Massachusetts is the mayflower, also known as the trailing arbutus.
On May 1, 1918, the state's legislature designated the mayflower as the official "flower or floral emblem" of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Just below the Mayflower painting is a signed piece called "Acoma Pot with Sunflowers" by James Yarnell. I had it framed at the same local frame shop using two shades of green mats and a narrow gilt frame.

For more about art and wildflowers, do visit Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning for a comprehensive list of posts.

Wildflowers in Winter - Stitchery

I learned from La Tea Dah at Gracious Hospitality that Wildflower Morning has a weekly event called Wildflowers in Winter to post about wildflowers. The theme for week 5 from February 13 to the 19 is "Stitching up Wildflowers." "This will be showing creations made with your favorite textiles (fabric, yarn, thread etc.) and featuring wildflowers in some form."
Here are two items that I believe fit this theme. The first was a Christmas gift from the head of my department. It is a counted cross stitch done by his wife and placed in an ornate oval frame. I am not sure what flower is depicted.


The following framed piece is a crewel embroidery I did from a kit bought at a friend’s party. The pattern is called "Butterfly Garden." It hangs on the wall above the television in my study.



For more stitching with wildflowers, do visit Elizabeth Joy at Wildflower Morning for a comprehensive list of posts.