Monday, July 11, 2011

Fiesta Colors List


Rainy, rainy day here today! The grass and plants really needed the tall drink of water, but it really spoils my spray painting plans for today. Anyway, I recently fell in love with Fiestaware. In fact, I think I am grounding myself from buying anymore for awhile...maybe. As my interest grew I wanted to learn more and started searching for information. The thing I wanted to know the most I was having a hard time finding! I really wanted a 100% complete list of all the colors made and what years they were available. I think I have compiled one and am sharing it here. If you find a major error or see I missed something, let me know. I will also try to keep this updated as best I can. I do not have listed values, pieces, etc. This is just for colors and approximate years. Here you go!

 Fiesta Originals

Red            1936-1943    1959-1972
Ivory           1936-1951
Blue            1936-1951
Yellow        1936-1969
Green         1936-1951
Turquoise  1937-1969

Fiesta Fifties Colors

Rose                    1951-1959
Gray                     1951-1959
Forest Green      1951-1959
Chartreuse          1951-1959
Medium Green    1959-1969


Fiesta Ironstone

Antique Gold       1970-1972
Turf Green           1970-1972


'New' Fiestaware 1986-Present

White                  1986-
Black                   1986-
Cobalt Blue         1986-
Apricot                 1986-1998
Yellow                  1987-2002
Rose                    1987-2005
Turquoise              1988-
Periwinkle Blue    1989-2006
Seamist Green    1991-2005
Lilac                      1993-1995
Persimmon          1995-2008
Sapphire               1996-1997
Chartreuse           1997-1999
Pearl Gray            1999-2001
Juniper                  1999-2001
Cinnabar                2000-
Sunflower              2001-
Plum                      2002-
Shamrock              2002-
Tangerine              2003-
Scarlet                   2004-
Peacock                2005-
Heather                  2006-2008 (I have also seen 2009 listed)
Evergreen             2007-2009
Ivory                       2008-
Chocolate              2008-
Lemongrass          2009-
Paprika                   2010-
Marigold                 2011-       (Limited Edition, select pieces available earlier, 75th Anniversary)


*The color Sunflower is pictured above.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

MEGA Mac n' Cheese

Hello. Hope you are having a great weekend! Just thought I would share last nights dinner. ; )
It was getting late, dinner needed to be started...and I quickly realized we did not have the ingredients for any traditional type of meal. I dug around to see what ingredients we did have and came up with this. Everyone said it was good so I wrote down the ingredients just in case anyone asked me to make it again. I warn you, not the healthiest thing around. Here is MEGA Mac n' Cheese.


Ingredients:
              4 Chicken Breasts (optional)
              12 oz Whole Wheat Rotini (or whatever noodles you have on hand)
               6 tablespoons butter - I used I can't believe it's not butter brand
              1/2 c. light sour cream
              8 oz. Finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
              8 oz. Finely Shredded Colby and Monterrey Jack Cheese
              2.8 oz. package Real Bacon Pieces

1. Begin cooking chicken breasts if you are using them. While they are cooking you may begin step 2.
2. Prepare noodles following directions on box. After you drain and rinse them return to pan.
3. Add butter, cheeses, sour cream and bacon stirring after each addition. Mixture will be thick.
4. Slice chicken breasts and place on top of bowls of the macaroni.
5. Enjoy!

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Annual Pooh Sticks Picnic

 Hope everyone is having a great start to their weekend! So far, mine is okay. I am really looking forward to my husband's vacation coming up. Recently we went on our annual Pooh Sticks Picnic. We have been doing this for a few years now and I am not entirely sure how it started, but the kids look forward to it every year. We pack a picnic basket of goodies (this year we cheated and packed it with Subway sandwiches!) and drive about 30 minutes to Covered Bridge Park. After we finish eating, it is time for Pooh Sticks!
Some may ask, 'What is Pooh sticks?' Winnie the Pooh fans may already know. 

Here are the rules, as far as I know.
1. Each player must find a stick. You may want a few so you can play a few times.
2. Each player stands in a row across the bridge, each with one stick in hand. You must all stand on the side of the bridge opposite the way the water is flowing.
3. When the person designated says, "go!" players drop their stick off the side of the bridge.
4. Player then move to the other side of the bridge. The players stick that makes it out first from under the bridge, wins!

Very easy, but the kids love it. It was beautiful weather and great time with the family. We also made a couple friends. ; )

Do you have any fun summer traditions that your family looks forward to? I hope everyone has an amazing Saturday!


Wednesday, July 6, 2011

A Happy Pink Panther Birthday

(Get Pink Panther theme stuck in your head.....NOW!)


My little Diva recently turned 3 and ofcourse a party was had to celebrate despite the fact she is growing way.too.fast. (sniff) Anyhow, she loves the Pink Panther. LOVES. Thanks to netflix we get to watch him every-single-night. Ofcourse being the good mama I am I had tons of great ideas for an awesome Pink Panther party. Ofcourse being the bad mama I am I didn't have time for most of them. :  (
I was impressed with myself over one thing however. I found a vintage 1977 Pink Panther cake pan online. My mom always made us the cakes with the Wilton cake pans and I was determined to try to have the patience to do one. It got to the day of the party and I had to make it. I was afraid there wasn't enough time or it would turn out horrible. I confess to you it is not perfect, but not so bad for a first timer, I don't think.

The worst part was the name, which I did last. Should stopped while I was ahead I guess. I changed the gift box color to match our color theme.

The cake was a surprise for the little diva and she loved it! Here she is blowing out the candles.

Daddy even wore this Pink Panther shirt he found at Kohl's.

Ha! I was a bit surprised we got him to do that! And my super crafty sister-in-law made her this pink panther 'pillow pet.'

She also made her a super cute pink panther skirt with a matching dress for her American Girl doll.

Has your child ever requested a vintage themed party? Were you able to pull it off? I personally like the challenge!

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Living Room Update July 2011

Goooood Morning Readers!! Hope you had an a-mazing fourth of July!

Awhile ago I mentioned my crazy painting spree & while it hasn't quite finished yet I thought I could show you a bit of what I've done. Please let me know what you think. This is technically a 'before' picture. I say this because I was way too excited to paint to take the before pics and this picture is from about a year and a half ago, maybe a little older.
The room never really looked quite this dark, but it was a dark color. A LOT has changed since this picture, but I will start with what had already changed pre-paint. Removed the large coffee table and replaced it with a small storage ottoman/table that had been at the foot of the bed in the master bedroom, different rug, different wall hangings, removed pillows (yeah, haven't replaced those yet.) Um, that might be it.

One more super blurry before.



The before color was 'Chilled Wine' I kind of had a whole jewel tone thing going on. I liked the traditional color schemes but, I really needed something lighter and brighter. Here is some priming;



I really hate priming.  Especially entire rooms. I just get so darn anxious to see the new color on the walls. Sorry the picture is a bit dark, but this was waaay late at night. I just had to stay up and get this part done and over with.


Next was the fun part. The new color was called Creamy Pebbles. As I was putting up the new color I was l-o-v-e loving it! I got it all painted and waited about a week annnd....there was just one problem. The wall above the couch. I had flipped the couch and love seat so the longer couch was on the windowless wall. I had been able to do this by replacing the old end tables with new ones (real wood end tables on clearance at Wal-Mart for $97 each.) Way cheaper than a furniture store and the quality appears about the same. Above the couch I had hung back up what was there before - Ballard Designs entomology plaques and punched metal mirror I got with coupons and sales last summer. It was nice, but it just looked a little plain, needed some pizazz. So I channeled my hours of HGTV watching and thought about painting the area behind the art a different color. As I tend to over think everything, that decision took awhile. I finally decided on a color called Pick Me Up (could I have found a color name more fitting?)

Here is the before with the lovely addition of the painters tape.



I always am nervous doing these projects with painters tape as straight lines and I are not friends. I always desire perfect straight lines, but they just don't like me. : (   However, the taping this time around was much quicker than the nursery project. Maybe I am getting hang of it? Maybe I was just lucky. Anyway, here is the after;




 I like it waaay much! Huge difference. I still want to trim it it out with some slender moulding, kind of like a frame, so I am adding that to the list. Here is a room after, though I warn you the living room is a haven for unfinished projects.


This little dresser was in the Diva's room before the girls had to share and she begged me not to get rid of it so it ended up here. Very cute I think. Plus, lots of storage. : ) The area above it, of course needs quite a bit of work. I already had the jars and basket, white flower dish from Goodwill, lamp also something I got from Goodwill and painted plus shade from Target. Frames were also also from Goodwill, with the exception of the white one which I already had. I will get those sorted out better once they actually have pictures in them. Here is one more after.




If you look close, you can see the kitty hasn't moved much in the past year and a half ; ) The cutie basket on the brown table is from Homegoods. I was originally going to replace the curtains and rug, but they looked totally different with the new paint color and I decided I want to keep them.  I would love to move the love seat out and put some chairs in their place- on the list- and get a new couch, but that may be awhile. Finally, one last time, the before-
And after-

Love the difference so far! Well, I hear I am going to a tea party on the front patio, so have a great day!!


lil luna link party button

Monday, July 4, 2011

I think I am in L-O-V-E!!

About 11 years or so ago I moved out of my parents house and got an apartment. Early in the moving process I realized it just might be nice to have something to eat food off of. I purchased plates, cups, canisters, etc. all in the Corelle Callaway pattern.
 Since then I have sold/donated most accessories, but I still use the plates, bowls, etc. every day. The dishes have held up well and look ok, but for the past few years I have been itching to buy something a little 'nicer.' I have looked everywhere - Pottery Barn, Ballard, anywhere with dishes, but I have never been able to commit. It always makes me cringe thinking about spending so much money on dishes and then what if I get sick of them? What if I buy part of a line and it gets discontinued? What if, what if, what if?!
I load up my virtual cart, but just can't get through the checkout process. Then we get back to the ivy plates. (I'm pretty sure my husband hasn't minded.)

Anyway, now that you know everything you ever could have wanted to know about my plate situation, I will get on with my story. The other day I had a $5 off & 15% off coupon for Kohl's that I really wanted to use and it was almost 9 at night on the last day...so my husband drove us all over there. He was supposed to meet up with me and asked what area I would be in. To which I said I wasn't sure. He took longer than I thought he would & we kind of ended up wandering to the plates. The last few times I've been at Kohl's I have noticed this HUGE display of Fiestaware and had been intrigued. While looking at all the lovely colors I noticed this little cutie hiding on an opposite shelf...




The cutest dishes ever and the set was 60% off because a bowl was missing (bowls can be purchased separately.) This Sunflower color is just so happy and charming. I-LOVE-IT. Maybe that is going a bit far, but it is perfect. I became an overnight Fiesta addict and I do not collect things. It's just that the three Sunflower pieces are so lonely all by themselves, they must have more of their kind. There are so many beautiful colors it is hard to decide on what to get next! I am so glad I was a dish commitment-phobe all these years! Do you know what I really want?! They have the most gorgeous soup tureen in their 75th anniversay color Marigold. Only 10,000 are being made I believe. Oh, it is lovely!  For, now I am happy with these -
but, I will keep you posted! It's not just me -the girls can't wait to get more so we can use them.

P.S. I did notice some good deals online at Macy's but I think the sale ends today.

P.P.S. Happy 4th of July!!