Bringing Awesome Back: Swiss Chalet Alpine China

How could you not love Swiss Alpine Chalet china? Yes, I'm talking about the china of everyone's grandma, with it's circular pattern of trees and leaves in dark blue, moss green and light turquoise blue. 

Known as dime store dinnerware of the 1960's, this china—Mar-crest Swiss Chalet Alpine dinnerware—was often used as an incentive to get shoppers to shop at local grocery stores. Stores would offer pieces of this dinnerware set for pennies to shoppers who showed brand loyalty by shopping those stores and collecting points or spending a certain amount of money in those stores.

I've seen this china on websites categorized as Mid-Century Modern dinnerware, and it is of course from that era/time period, but I personally don't think of it as that "style" at all. Why? First, the style of the leaves and trees are not as geometric and abstract as typical Mid-Century Modern (MCM) smooth-line styles. I think that since this china was produced and popular during that time period - that folks just automatically categorized it as Mid-Century Modern. 

But to me, the design—and by design I mean the china pattern motif itself— tells a much different story. Yes it's a repeating pattern, but so is nearly every other china pattern. But like I noted earlier, it's hardly abstract or geometric, such as the Cannonsburg Temporama pattern shown below.

Cannonsburg Temporama - an example of a Mid-century Modern Atomic design 

The Swiss Chalet Alpine design completely consists of images from nature. There are blue and green leaves and trees, and smaller light turquoise daisy-like flowers. There are no space-age, atomic, or futuristic designs in the pattern. I suppose it's the shape of the dinnerware pieces themselves, and the time period in which they were produced that categorize it as MCM.

Either way, it's a keeper! I see this pattern tied into my own style by combining it with lots of shades of earthy browns and warm copper. 

I imagine the colors in the pattern as the bright pops that jump out to you from an earthy, neutral table that verges on Rustic or Arts and Crafts style.

I think the nature pattern itself leans much more towards hippie, bohemian styles of the 60's!  And I love it! 

What do you think? 

Do you like this pattern?

Does it bring back any memories for you?

Have a great week!

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

I Heart Fiesta & My Fiesta Hearts Me

Imagine my thrill when I was gifted with this fancy-schmancy sandblasted Fiestaware plate from a Homer Laughlin Fiesta Collector’s Association!

It's perfect!

Is this not the cutest thing ever?

I had already been making my jewelry from broken plates and pottery for quite a few years when one day I was approached by a Fiesta collector to enter a contest in which artists create something from broken or damaged Fiesta. Of course, now I cannot find a photo of my winning piece, but it was a piece of jewelry, a heart pin brooch with fancy edges and so pretty! Here are a few photos of some other things I have created with broken Fiesta over the years.

Pin brooch (sold '02)

Mosaic teacup plaque. Doubles as the most awesome bird feeder ever. (sold '03)

Backstamp pendant (sold '04) (approx 1.25")

Bracelet

Love these earrings!

Another necklace pendant (approx 1.5")

Mosaic heart - perfect for the Fiesta kitchen! (approx 6")

Earrings with Swarovski crystals and Czech glass pearls (1/2" by 1 & 1/4")

Read on for some interesting history about Fiesta ware colors:

“At its introduction in 1936, Fiesta was produced in five colors: Red (orange red), Blue (cobalt), Green (light green), Yellow (deep golden), and Old Ivory (yellowish cream). By 1938, two years into production, a sixth color was added: Turquoise (robin's egg blue). With the exception of the Red, this color assortment remained in production until approximately 1950. The original Red had been discontinued before 1944 (see below).

The lack of this vibrant color, plus the general changes in society due to the United States' participation in World War II, had caused a slump in sales of the larger serving pieces from the early 1940s. Prior to this reduction in the number of shapes offered, only one or two very specialized shapes had been discontinued and those by 1938. Later items which were discontinued, such as covered onion soup bowls in turquoise glaze and mixing bowl covers in any color, are scarce and highly prized by collectors.

By 1950, home decorating styles and colors had changed. The Homer Laughlin Company discontinued some original glaze colors and replaced them with four new colors. The original Blue (cobalt), the original Green (light green), and the original Old Ivory (yellowish cream) were discontinued, replaced by Rose (pinkish-brown), Gray (medium), Forest (dark green), and Chartreuse (bright yellowish green). Two existing glaze colors, Yellow and Turquoise, continued in production, so the company continued to offer six colors through the 1950s.” Excerpt from the article “Fiesta (dinnerware)”, which can be found HERE in its entirity

One of my later designs, about 2006 (1/2" by 1")

I will have some new jewelry in these and similar designs up for the holidays so be sure to check back!

-Laura