I’m popping in to share a quick update. I think I mentioned a few days ago that I was planning on ordering additional place settings of Spode Woodland this year.
Many, many years ago I purchased 6 place settings from either Macy’s or Dillards–can’t remember which now. I think it was from Macy’s–seems like it was Lenox Winter Greetings that I purchased in Dillards. Stinks–not having a memory! As my friend Linda likes to say, “I’ve slept since then.” LOL That’s going to be my excuse from now on when I can’t remember where I purchased something so many years ago! Ha! Anyway, when I first purchased those 6 place settings, it was with the intention of eventually adding 6 more since Spode Woodland is my absolute favorite pattern for Thanksgiving dinners. Over the years, I added six of their “turkey” salad plates, just in case I wanted to swap out the regular salad plates that come with the 5-pc place setting on Thanksgiving Day, but I had never gotten around to getting the other 6 place settings.
A week or so ago, I ordered a single place setting from the Spode Store online HERE because it was the best price I had seen online anywhere. Since that price was so good, I only ordered one because I wanted to see if the quality had changed in any way over the years. That 5-pc place setting arrived yesterday and it is perfect! The quality has NOT changed at all, if anything, the colors are even prettier and maybe even a tad sharper/darker than when I purchased my original six place settings so many years ago. It makes me so happy that it hasn’t changed and it’s still being “Made in England.” Love that!
So yesterday, I immediately ordered another place setting that should arrive today. That will bring me up to 8 place settings and I’m pretty sure I’m going to go ahead and order the other 4 place settings now since you never know when a pattern will suddenly be discontinued. Also, I really like that I’m ordering it directly from an authorized Spode distributor. Update: (I did order the other 4 place settings and they should arrive this week.)
So if Spode Woodland is something you’ve been thinking about collecting for your autumn/Thanksgiving dining, I’m very pleased with the current quality and can confirm it’s every bit as nice (if not more) than when I originally purchased it so many years ago. You’ll find the 5-piece place setting for the best price I’ve been able to find it, here: Spode Woodland.
See you tomorrow for Tablescape Thursday!
That is such a beautiful pattern. Do you actually ever have 12 for Thanksgiving? What a feast that must be; what a party!
And Mr. Turkey looks ready whatever the weather.
Not normally, but since you never know with holiday meals, I like the idea of having 12 place settings, just in case. Also, I have 12 of the chargers I normally use for Thanksgiving, so I like the idea of having that number of place settings as well. All that said, I do love mixing and matching sometimes, but for special holiday meals, I tend to like keeping the place settings the same/matching.
Oh, I do luv this pattern…I have 8…but, 12 for dinner this year…I’ll have to “fill in.” Pheasants are my “theme…if you can call it that.” Being born in Nebraska, we grew up w/them. I’m champing at the bit to start “putting the tablescape together.” One week & they’re all here…eeeekkkk!! franki
I love pheasants, too! So funny you mention that because I was just chatting with someone else about our love for Pheasants via email. They are such gorgeous birds and they make me think of Colonial Williamsburg and beautiful woodland scenery! Won’t be long now! ♥
I love the Spode Woodland and may buy them in the future. I debated between them and Williams Sonoma’s Botanical Pumpkin. I decided to start with Williams Sonoma. Although the Spode Woodland would go amazing with my Floyd Fitzgerald Pheasant Soup Tureen. I also have a lovely table runner with pheasants on it.
I love the WS Botanical Pumpkin for autumn, too…such a beautiful pattern! ♥
Since dishes are my main weakness, I was curious, do you display these during the fall season? If you do, I would love to see them displayed. I especially love dishes with turkeys or pheasants.
I wish I had a large built-in cabinet or china cabinet for that. Unfortunately, my vintage china cabinet is really small. I may have to store the cups/saucers for my Spode Woodland in a different cabinet since it’s pretty full right now with Lenox Winter Greetings, Lenox Holiday and the Spode Woodland set. I would LOVE to have some built-in shelving for displaying seasonal sets…that would be a dream!
I never met china I didn’t like. Maybe it’s a good thing I ran out of room..So tempting.
I love the turkey soup bowls in the stack.
You and me both, Myrna! lol
Hi Susan!
I usually try to have at least 12 place settings to make sure I have enough for the holidays. My Christmas china is a set for 20. The biggest problem is where to store all this stuff – LOL.
Quick question – I have two Talbots print purses (from many years ago) still in good condition. I know you collect purses and you are more than welcome to them. If you would like them, I can email you a picture of them. Then, I could either mail them to you or we could meet in Marietta the next time I am visiting my son.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
Susan
Ohh, I love the idea of having that many place settings for Christmas. You never know when you’ll need that many! Yes, storage is always tricky.
You are so sweet to offer that. I’ve really narrowed down my bag collection and given a lot of my bags away over the past year, so I think I’m in a good place now, bag-wise. I really don’t have the storage room for any more, but I so appreciate that you thought of me! That is so kind! ♥
I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
XXX
Susan, Love those plates…I have such a weakness for all things bird. You mentioned that you would like a display area for plates….I have a kitchen that opens up on the dining area…not room. And I have no place at all to display anything like plates or glasses. BUT, over my stove, I have a cabinet with 2 doors and am getting a bid on replacing the solid wood doors with glass doors. I can’t remember what your kitchen looks like, but maybe you have that option over the stove or cook top? I figure I can store the other plates behind the displayed ones. Anyway, just a thought. Happy Week Before Thanksgiving! 🙂
Rosie, you’ve got me thinking! I could swap out my everyday dishes in my kitchen cabinet, the only thing is it would be quite the production to do that since I have so many everyday pieces–the ones I got so inexpensively during a Publix promotion many years ago. So I just don’t think it would be worth it to move everything. But I love that idea!
Hi Susan, I popped on your search site and looked for any pics of your kitchen. I didn’t realize that you had glass front cabinets! I would not replace all of the everyday plates in the cabinet and just use a narrow plate stand to display the seasonal ones in front of your stacks. Maybe not on every shelf, but here and there to show off a plate or two. Enuf to give the seasonal dishes a bit of a show. 🙂 May be a bit of a pain to move to get to your regular dishes, but worth it for a cute display!??! Have fun decorating, whatever you do!
I should do that! I love seeing those dishes this time of year, really love seeing the Winter Greetings all through the winter, too. It’s a shame to keep them all stacked up and put away in my china cabinet.
Even just a plate or two keeps them in mind! I agree it is a shame to keep them hidden…I have so many lovely plates that should be out more, and I try to make a point to use them every season, even if they are not on display. My turkey dishes are ready to go on the table for everyday dinners! And I have a really cute Christmas set from Target, years old, and love the salt and pepper shakers that came with the set, they are snowmen, and they stay out all winter. Of course, in MN, every day can be a snow man day, so they are ‘appropriate’ til March! 🙂
I love this Spode pattern. I’d definitely get service for 12 if I had room. I also love the white chargers.
Amazingly, it didn’t take up nearly as much room to put them away today as I thought it would. I cleared out some non-dish stuff from the bottom of my china cabinet and that gave me room to store the cups/saucers which is what always takes up the most space. Plates really don’t take up too much space so you may not need as much space as you think. I was really surprised how much fit.
I have probably a dozen plates and a dozen salad plates but I don’t have the cups and saucers. We start using it in the fall all the way till 1 December when we take out our Christmas tree dishes. I love Spode.
It’s those cups/saucers that really take up the space to store. I love Spode, too and I have to say, I’m thrilled with the quality of these sets I’ve purchased the last couple of weeks. They definitely didn’t disappoint so Spode is still living up to its reputation/name.
My dream collection would have service for 12 of the Woodland, but one of each of the animals in the pattern. I would have to win the Lotto, and bump out my kitchen to build more storage room…
Ohhh, I know! Don’t you love all the animals?! I would love to collect some of the salad plates with the animals, too. Elena, maybe we could just collect 4-6 plates each year. But then we have to find somewhere to store them!
SO glad to hear you think the quality is the same or better. After Portmeirion took over production I saw a few bad reviews. I wanted to do Blue Italian but hesitated……now I am tempted again, maybe just a few pieces? Here we go again!!!!!!!!
Elena, I was so surprised. Seems like everything has gone down hill over the years. I remember when I purchased a Waterford Araglin water glass a few years back, it felt a lot lighter than all my other Waterford Araglin glasses. So many items are not being manufactured where they were originally created and I think that has a lot to do with the quality not being the same. So I was delighted to see that Spode Woodland is every bit as nice as I what I purchased so many years ago…and the color is every bit as vivid, maybe even a bit sharper on the two place settings I’ve received so far. And it’s still being made in England! That’s why I went ahead and ordered the other four place settings now, because you just never know what will happen in the future. That’s a shame about Portmeirion, I’ve always love their designs.
I love looking at your beautiful tablescapes. What is the wonderful pierced white charger that you use on many of your settings?
Thanks so much, Beth! I purchased the pierced chargers from Horchow in 2008 when I was doing a lot more entertaining/dinner parties. They are not branded so I got the impression that they were probably a Horchow exclusive, maybe made just for them. I keep hoping that they’ll carry them again one day since I get a lot of questions about them.
I’m a little bit jealous!
I’ve gotten to the point where I realize I’m not entertaining for 12 anymore and it’s too much stress to find a place for plates never used. So I’m paring down. So I’m living vicariously through you Susan!
I bought my son Spode Woodlands for twelve made in England. He has a man cave with harvest table etc. and he is an outdoors man who has everything so this was something he did not have they entertain a lot and believe it they could build it out to fourteen+ my daughter in law loves it more then their fine china.