Do you have a vintage find that you know if you ever found it for a decent price, you’d nab it in a heartbeat? Last weekend, I came upon a whole table full of green depression glass dishes…for a steal! In my almost 20 years of buying and selling vintage, I’ve never been tempted to purchase them because of their usually high prices…until now. To celebrate my new purchase, I staged a party! Hopefully you’ll get some new ideas in this Garden Party with Green Depression Glass and Vintage Junk.
Green Depression Glass Dishes…For a Steal!
I wasn’t planning on buying anything…just helping my sister and sister-in-law spend their money. Until we came upon a garage sale where a family was unloading grandma’s enormous dish collection…for paper plate prices! How’s a vintage-loving, dish-o-holic girl going to hold herself back?
I was trying not to look too closely, but when I spied the $5 sticker on this stack of plates…
I turned green.
Other people have weaknesses for sweets, alcohol, fashion…I have a weakness for dishes. And when they’re my favorite color with a sweet relief pattern…at an amazing price…I was a goner!
This was a $3 stack of salad plates and saucers. I know, right? It gets worse…(or better;)…
.50 a piece for the cups and $3 for the cream and sugar set. And then there were the accessory items I couldn’t turn down for $3 and .75 (yes, I got a green glass frog for .75…downright sinful, I know:) I got the whole lot for…$18!
They were restocking the table when I left…so I quickly averted my eyes, took my box, and ran walked away!
After a quick google search, I learned this pattern is called “Florentine Poppy” and was made by the Hazel Atlas Dish company in the early 1930’s. They’re in beautiful shape, probably because this wonderful lady had so many dishes, she hardly ever used them! (Imagine having that problem;) Thank goodness none of her family liked vintage dishes!
I quickly added up the Ebay “buy now” price values, and I’ve got $356 dollars worth of dishes! But these long-awaited for pretties aren’t going anywhere…until my estate sale!
Host a Party with Green Depression Glass…and some Vintage Junk
Once I got them all washed up and realized my Bridal Veil spirea was in full-beauty bloom, I decided I needed to do a little Garden party playing with my pretty new patio chairs that I redid {“Refreshing Patio Chairs: Stapled Cushion How-To”}. The aqua, green and grey fabric on the seats would be a perfect complement to add my new green depression to my beloved aqua sandwich glass.
(Bridal Veil Spirea is one of my favorites; wish they lasted longer than a couple weeks!)
Add Rustic Elements to Your Garden Party
Some resourceful handyman decided to cut chair seats out of vintage crate box ends. Such an awesome idea! I wish I would have picked up more of these at the estate sale where I scored them. Rather than installing them as chair seats, I added their rustic charm as chargers for this garden party! Old wood always gives a table setting texture, and the graphic labels will add to the garden vibe.
Layer Pretty Glass Depression Dishes in Varying Colors for your Outdoor Party
Aqua sandwich glass dinner plates were layered with green glass luncheon plates and an aqua square bowl on top. I love how the notched edge patterns are similar and also the flowery relief pattern. The dishes coordinate perfectly with the chair seat fabric.
Add Junky, Rustic Elements and Various Textures to your Garden Party Tablescape
My grandma’s vintage galvanized watering can and a log slice add rustic, junky texture to the frilly glassware. To add even a wider variety of textures to the glass dishes, an old book, metal binoculars and garden fork, and a ceramic bird vase round out the buffet of varying materials.
To top off the junky effect of this garden party, I used old lumber company nail aprons I found in “Curbside Junking Adventures and Tips” for the silverware and napkins, and tied them to the backs of the chairs. With their classic old school graphics, these old nail aprons can be a fun accessory to organize or decorate with. See how my friend, Sarah, upcycled hers HERE. Think I might need to do the same to mine!
You could also place a bouquet of flowers or a small potted plant here for your party guests to take home as a favor.
Rustic + Junky +Pretty = a no-fail combo for beautiful, unique table settings!
These new-to-me green depression dishes might quickly have become my favorites…at least for now. They are perfect for spring and summer tables and can be enjoyed throughout the year. Have you been hoping to come across some vintage treasures like these for a can’t-hold-yourself-back kind of price?
I hope you gathered some new garden party hosting and table setting ideas today! Setting up this Garden Party with Green Depression and Vintage Junk was a fun way to enjoy a beautiful day in a pretty setting!
Sharing at these lovely parties:
Hi Lora…I have collected depression glass for years and have a complete 8 piece setting in the Green Cameo, pink cabbage rose, yellow Florentine, blue bubble glass and many others. You definitely got a bargain with your set.
I would like to personally invite you to link up with our CYS link party on Monday’s at 8 pm. http://www.meeandmycaptain.com . We feature three posts and you get more exposure.
Thanks
Kari at Me and My Captain
Your dishes sound heavenly, Kari! I will pop over and check it out; thanks for the invitation!
What a great find. If I ever find a bargain like that, I’m gonna grab it and run! I would love to mix green and pink with vases of apple blossoms–some day! I have a pretty good set of marigold Federal Bouquet and Lsttice going; the dinner plate is a large grill plate and great for holiday meals so the gravy doesn’t run over onto the table cloth. We KNOW who the slob is at MY house. It was seldom my kids! Your post was definitely a touch of spring; I am battlling winter blahs! Tried 2 need recipes this a.m.; that may be a help!
What a great find! I love those too. Thanks for sharing at the To Grandma’s House We Go link party.
They were, Stephanie! Thanks for hosting!
We really are kindred spirits–I’ve started several posts with “My name is Cecilia and I am a Dishaholic!” SWOON! I could have pinned every image and did several 😉 Love the green glass, your wonderful signs and that gorgeous bridal veil! Thanks for sharing @Vintage Charm!
Yes, Cecilia! We can be the founders of the first ever Dishaholics Anonymous or the first stars of a reality TV show, “Dish Hoarders”! Some say when you add, you should take something away, but I love them all! The ladies that come to my estate sale will be so happy;)
I love your dishes. I don’t have room to start collecting dishes but I wish I did. I do have an old black typewriter though.
Lucky you, Debra! I’m honestly running out of room for all my dishes;) Hubby jokes that I could feed the 5000! But where there’s a will, there’s a way-I’ll find a spot (or just get another cupboard;)
My short list of “still to find”- portable typewriter & black scale. Side note- I like to pair my green depression with my green/cream relief pattern of Oven Serve Ware.
Hope we aren’t together when we find that black typewriter! 😉 I do love the green/cream relief pattern of the ovenware too, but tend to enjoy it more in the fall with pottery pieces. Dishaholics anonymous just called…
Oh Lora! I am ‘green’ with envy! I’ve just purchased my first green depression glass plates and am looking for more dishes to go with them. Yours are beautiful!
I’m a dishaholic too – so I’ll be following your blog now that I’ve found it! Thanks for the fun and inspiration.
So excited to welcome another dishaholic to the blog, Carol! This spring I just added 3 more sets! My aching cupboards are complaining! You’re in good company around these parts! Have fun with those green dishes!