Did you miss us at Smorgasburg LA last Sunday? No worries, we’ll be there again this Sunday from 10-6. Stop by, we’ll show you a magic trick.
But even bigger news: Our ONLINE STORE is live. Now you can shop our lovely wares anywhere, anytime.
Greeting cards by LA artist, Laura Plansker. Our line of Miss Havisham’s dinnerware. Antiques. All manner of tea related items.
xoxo
Come find us at our booth this Sunday at Smorgasburg LA. Our custom line of teacups will get your point across.
A lady must always speak her mind.
Food and dishwasher safe, our dinner plates have been known to cause more than a few dinner parties to go sideways. Decorum, darling. Always maintain a modicum of decorum even when dining with the worst characters.
746 Market Ct., Los Angeles (parking lot and entrance off Alameda Street).
Very pleased to announce that Miss Havisham’s Curiosities will be at Smorgasburg LA every Sunday beginning June 19th at the Alameda Produce Market in Downtown LA.
Antiques, housewares, local artists, and tea!
Come visit us and sample her fine wares, darling. Miss Havisham does not disappoint.
We have been remiss in our correspondence as of late but with good reason!
Darlings, Miss Havisham’s Tea is dipping our toe into new waters.
Firstly, we are moving our blog to www.MissHavishamsCuriosities.com.
Because we’re really more of a lifestyle movement after all, aren’t we dearies? Why limit ourselves to tea and gossip?
All of our content, social media, and discussion forums will now be in one lovely little hub.
Secondly, and this is a big one, we will be adding an online store in the near future.
So many of those trinkets we’ve showcased will eventually be available to you online. How else can a lady support her weekend flea market addiction?
And so it is out with the old and in with the new including our fancy new logo courtesy of Mr. Havisham (Thank you, Tim).
So please visit us at our new home, subscribe to our newsletter, and look out for more exciting announcements soon.
xoxo
Miss Havisham’s Curiosities
We’re getting curiouser and curiouser…
This St. Patrick’s day, let’s turn away from the corned beef and cabbage, the shamrocks and green beer. Let’s say no to the excessive drinking, the leprechauns, and whatever other terrible stereotypes we misguided Americans have placed on this Irish holiday and turn our sites to loftier goals. Let’s look to the pure color green and welcome it into our homes versus stepping over a puddle of it in the street.
There are few things sexier than a green velvet couch as the focus of a room.
The verdant majesty above and many other fine green items were found on Eclectic Avenue.
Apparently Anthropologie loves green velvet as much as I do, look at the four below.
I coveted this green velvet Room and Board Murphy sofa until I remembered I have cats.
Maybe you’re lucky enough to come by a vintage one:
Or just hit up Ikea. This one is tempting.
Or you can have a velvet or leather one custom made from Roger and Chris. I love these guys. They are so nice and sent me leather samples and answered all my questions (regarding cats and leather). There is a chesterfield in my future when we move into our (hopefully Victorian) next house. You can also check out their show and as a special bonus, look at their amazing house on Apartment Therapy! I bet they’re a blast to hang out with.
If you’re ready to take the leap, consider green walls. I love how sophisticated and dark these rooms are.
Or old worldly and charming.
Maybe you want a green roof. Warning: They’re very heavy, make sure your house can support one.
Or, dream big, how about a copper roof which will acquire a beautiful patina. Your own personal castle? Sigh.
What about a green victorian house?
Or maybe a green greenhouse? Ok. Ok.
At the very least, consider some plants or dishes or even a botanical print.
Want more green inspiration? Get all the luck of the Irish on Miss Havisham’s Pinterest page. You’ll find minty kitchens, leafy upholstery and beautiful botanical installations.
Rather than having strictly matching sets, my cupboards are filled with one-off antique china plates that I happen to fall in love with. They’re inexpensive and it’s like having ten different china patterns. If one breaks, you move on. I’m not the only one who feels this way, have a look at the brilliant Cake Stand Heaven blog and shop. You can buy whole mismatched sets grouped by era and color.
Not everyone enjoys finding plates at flea markets and antique stores, however, and even I have succumbed to wanting a whole set or two of some patterns.
I have a nearly complete set of Blue Heaven. What’s great about this pattern, aside from it’s mid-mod vibe, is that you can find pieces of it everywhere: etsy, ebay, flea markets, and even on the Replacements site.
At the request of the lovely and talented author Susan Elia MacNeal, Miss Havisham has compiled a smattering of beautiful dishes for your table. They are dishwasher safe for the most part because we certainly don’t have time for anything else. Some are steals, some are extravagant, all are special.
These Pavoes plates feel like they were stolen from the Russian Tea Room. They are, in fact, based on a 17th century Portuguese design. Bring me a rustic boule and a flagon of wine now please.
This Adelaide pattern also comes in both pink and blue, but I prefer the black which can be tricky to find. It looks like pen and ink. The blue and pink are available at Macy’s.
This minimalist, yet haunting, every day set by Corelle is a steal. Act fast, they’re on sale. You can also have a custom set of plates printed to your specification at Zazzle. Dishwasher safe!
These Masked Skull plates by Rory Dobner are available online at Liberty London. Gold trim, darlings.
I also love his Fantastic Mr. Fox plate, his bee and pirate plates.
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I can see these exquisite Firenze Medici plates by Juliska moldering away on the table of Miss Havisham. They are inspired by handmade Venetian paper and available from Neiman Marcus. I encourage you to zoom in on the details.
I love these happy botanical plates also by Juliska.
The Simply Fine Chirp series from Lennox is available at Macy’s. This set has the advantage of a wide array of accessories from serving platters to table linens. You might also enjoy the Flutter or Curious Toille series from Loveramics.
Who knew Christian Lacroix designed china? Save your pennies for this flight of fancy. The Vista Alegre Series.
A dish for every occasion. Sometimes a lady needs to go on safari and when you do, I hope you dine on Lynn Chase’s Jaguar Jungle.
If you’re lost in the woods, I hope you remember to bring your Dupaquier Dinnerware by Mottahedeh and if you are off for a horseback ride, snack from these pony cocktail plates from Pottery Barn.
And, of course, if you are slaying a dragon, please dine heartily on the Red Dragon plates before the kill; you’ll need your strength.
I was happy to see these at Pottery Barn right now. Poppies!
And this whole setup is fantastic. Spring has officially sprung at Pottery Barn. There are also table linens for all your spring desires.
I got these Jason Miller plates as a wedding gift and they are now in everyday rotation. I hate having to choose one thing definitively thereby excluding all my other options, so these were perfect, half china pattern, half black crow.
Seletti also understands my ambivalent nature. I might have to splurge on these hybrid masterpieces.
And I love pretty much anything that comes from Pipstudio especially their Royal Collection. Happy happy happy.
Melody Rose in the UK has some whimsical offerings. The trapeze plates are my favorite.
Whatever your pattern, whether it’s vintage or new, expensive or thrifty, don’t save your pretty dishes for special occasions only. I purchased a set of Jadeite dishes and cups a few years ago and they sat in my cabinet for way too long. The set was piecemeal, three cups and a few plates and eight, no NINE saucers. I couldn’t turn them down yet they sat unused for years. Finally, I just started using the extra saucers to feed the cats. It makes me happy every day. Life is short, don’t eat from ugly plates.
Want more inspiration? Follow Miss Havisham’s Tea on Pinterest.
PS: These only cost me five dollars. DEAL!
Alice in Wonderland has captivated readers for decades. Written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll, it was published in 1865. Three years earlier, Carroll rowed a boat up the Isis section of the Thames river with three young girls and Reverend Robinson Duckworth inside. The three young ladies were the sisters Liddell, daughters of Henry Liddell (the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Christ Church): Lorina Charlotte Liddell (aged 13); Alice Pleasance Liddell (aged 10); Edith Mary Liddell (aged 8).
While on the river it’s said Carroll entertained the girls with a story that was so beloved by Alice that she asked for it to be written down for her and thus Alice in Wonderland came into existence. Carroll approached the artist John Tenniel to illustrate the manuscript.
In 1998 Lewis Carroll’s own copy of Alice, one of only six surviving copies of the 1865 first edition, sold at an auction for US$1.54 million to an anonymous American buyer, becoming the most expensive children’s book (or 19th-century work of literature) ever sold, up to that time. Alice Liddell’s copy of the manuscript sold in 2009 for $115,000.
The relationship between Alice and Carroll is a murky one. She posed for Carroll often and those photos have been cited as proof that the nature of their friendship was less than appropriate.
This past June The Morgan Library in New York held an exhibit celebrating the 150th anniversary of the book’s publication. The exhibit included original drawings by Carroll and Tenniel as well as a number of photos. I was surprised that there was no mention of the question of Carroll’s relationship with Alice. You can view a number of the illustrations online at The Morgan Library’s site. There is an interesting article on the subject of their relationship here.
We may never know the truth about Carroll’s proclivities as Richard Cavendish writes here:
“The friendship between the Liddells and Dodgson (Carroll) had broken down in 1863, for reasons that are not clear – the relevant page in his diary was cut out by one of his descendants – but it may be that Mrs Liddell was uneasy about him and Alice. Polite relations were resumed after a few months, but the earlier warmth did not return. ”
Alice grew into an adult and married a cricket player at the age of 28. They had three sons. She became quite the society hostess. After her husband’s death in 1926 she found the upkeep of their household to be draining. Facing financial difficulties, she sold her copy of the manuscript for £15,400. She died in 1934 and is quoted as saying, “I am tired of being Alice in Wonderland.”
Alice in Wonderland has been the subject of songs, art, and numerous films, one of my favorites is the stop motion film by Jan Svankmejer. You can watch the trailer online.
There are no shortage of Alice themed events. Don’t forget to attend The Victorian Tea and Dance Society’s Alice in Wonderland themed social Sunday, March 6.
Should you find yourself in London, you must go to The Madhatter’s High Tea at the beautiful Sanderson Hotel. I left with diabetes but I also left happy.
Want to throw your own tea party? I have several pieces of the Alice in Wonderland collection from Fishs Eddy in New York. I love them. Not sure if they still have the dinnerware but they also carry the prettiest cake stands.
Cakestands for days.
And who’s ready for a garden party? Alice always is.
Need to make a pillow? A skirt? Find all the fabric you need on Etsy:
And let’s not forget shoes. Wow.
From Elusive Rabbit:
Or these from Irregular Choice:
Care for a scarf?
An entire tea set? Egg cup? Gift wrap? Check out The Alice Boutique.
I find The Hudson Hotel in New York to have a very Alice in Wonderland feel. Much of the furniture in the library bar is oversized and the lobby is really something. It’s a fun place to take a client for a drink.
Or this acrylic chandelier from Vinci Living. Plenty more Alice interior design ideas on Lace and Ruffles.
And I leave you with a great Queen of Hearts from Popsugar:
Curiouser and curiouser!
If there is one thing that I truly appreciate, it’s the intersection of high brow with the deliciously low brow. I love when people or places don’t take themselves too seriously and yet I also love when someone dedicates all their attention to one artistic obsession. Take, for example, the guy who knits only tiny stuffed animals and that’s what he does alllllll day or the woman who spent her life perfecting the perfect baguette or the person who loves automatons. Those are the people I want to spend my time with.
In 2009 I came across Trixie Delicious on the interwebs and I instantly ordered a set of her plates. I have since seen her work pop up all over and I couldn’t be happier that she’s finding an audience.
Residing in New Zealand, Trixie takes vintage china and adds messages for today. Below are the first set of plates I bought. I’ve dragged them cross country from New York to LA and then from one house to another. They’ve survived a minor earthquake, my four cats, my very animated friends, and my incurable clumsiness.
Trixie writes this about her work:
Back in 2005 I found an article in READYMADE magazine about Etsy and decided I would develop a range of art products to sell using old china.
I had used porcelain paint on new commercially made china back in the 90s primarily as an experiment and a way to supplement my Art career as a sculptor so it was exciting to find an outlet online for my ideas.
Old vintage china has a beauty to it but at that stage was not as fashionable as it is now. I liked the idea of recycling or upcycling it to create art works for display.
And she’s still at it over ten years later. It’s inspiring that she’s had such success with just an online presence. Her work has been covered by Bust and Elle Decor UK.
Here are a few of her current pieces for sale on her site and on etsy.
I think I need this one:
My other favorite trend is animals in clothes because c’mon, it never gets old. These trays by French company Ibride can be a little tricky to find and their site is a bit dense to navigate. I’ve found the trays at high end decor stores in New York like the fabulous Michele Varian in Soho or Barneys. You can also order them from Madein Design in the UK.
The photo above makes me want to paint my walls black and install gallery lighting, but I digress.
The next artist, Angela Rossi, combines many of my interests: animals in clothes, fine mismatched china, and zombie children and circus folk. Here’s her bio from her site:
Angela Rossi, born and bred in Los Angeles, is the artist behind Beat Up Creations. She is a self-taught, outsider artist that works with recycled, abused, broken and forgotten items creating altered antique plates, raw assemblage sculptures and mixed media portraits.
Angela, Angela…we should definitely get tea, girl. I have your zombie child and your snake charmer but I might need this one:
or this because…duh.
Can’t. Get. Enough.
And last, but certainly not least: Yoda pontificating to a harem?
I don’t care if you don’t know which fork goes with what course, dearies. All I want for you is to dine off lovely plates if you so desire. Eat whatever you like, eat wherever you like but please look at something pretty while you do. xoxo
Miss Havisham's Tea 