Ginny's Small Studio

Red & White China

You know how sometimes you get totally wrapped up in one look or one thing? That has happened to me with red and white dishes.

I have always been drawn to things red. We have red walls in our family room. Our bedroom and dining room are both red and white with a bit of pale green thrown in for good measure. But currently it is red and white china.

It is easy to find pictures online, but more difficult to find in person or to purchase.

I own red plates and I own white plates, but red and white, I have only a few.

I particularly like to layer my plates and patterns. Green looks great and so does black layered mats or chargers with red. Plates have always been a weakness of mine. It is what I bring home from trips as "souvenirs".

What are you hooked on?

Bits and Pieces

Small China Rant:

Did you see the program on China last week on CNBC?  It was very, very interesting.  Regular readers here know that I get on a rant every so often about too many products being made in China, lack of quality, loss of jobs here, etc. I had thought that the jobs going to China wee improving the workers' lives over there.  Well, apparently this is not true either.  According to this documentary, Chinese workers are working around the clock for $200 a month.  They live in company dorms and work 16 and more hours a day.  

Good Mail from my friend Brian Kasstle in CA:

Thank you, Brian.  You added smiles to our day...and here is the back:

Tin Types: I have been collecting Tin Types for several years. In the 1800s Cabinet cards were affordable mostly to the wealthy. Tin Types were affordable to the masses. Photographers could set up their cameras on the street, in pubs and at carnivals. They were never great quality and many became dark with the images fading. The Tin Type below is one I found on this trip and it is so clear, much more so than most old Tin Types. 

Yardstick Art: I saw this on the Gypsy Girls blog...love it.

 

 

China Again

The following was sent to me by my long time friend, Carol Nave Robinson:

Are we Americans as dumb as we appear --- or --- is it that we just do not think? 
While the Chinese, knowingly and intentionally, export inferior and even toxic 

products and dangerous toys and goods to be sold  in American markets, the 
media wrings its hands and criticizes the ex-Bush Administration for perceived 
errors. 
 
Yet 70% of Americans believe that the trading privileges afforded to the
Chinese should be suspended. 
 
Well, duh..why do you need the government to suspend trading privileges?
SIMPLY DO IT YOURSELF, AMERICA!! 
 
Simply look on the bottom of every product you buy, and if it says
'Made in China' or 'PRC' (and that now includes Hong Kong), 
simply choose another product, or none at all. You will be amazed at 

how dependent you are on Chinese products, and you will be equally 

amazed at what you can do without. 
 
For example: Who needs plastic eggs to celebrate Easter? 
If you must have eggs, use real ones and benefit some 

American farmer. Easter is just ane example, the point is do not 

wait for the government to act. 

Just go ahead and assume control on your own. 
 
THINK ABOUT THIS:  

If 200 million Americans refuse to buy just $20 each of Chinese goods, 

that's a billion dollar trade imbalance resolved in  our favor...fast!! 
The downside? Some American businesses will feel a temporary pinch 
from having foreign stockpiles of inventory. 
Wahhhhhhhhhhhh !!!
 
The solution?  
Let's give them fair warning and send our own message.
Most of the people who have been reading about this matter are planning
on implementing this on June 4, and continue it until July 4.  

That is only one month of trading  losses, but it will hit the Chinese 

for 1/12th of the total, or 8%, of their American exports.. Then they will at least 

have to ask themselves if the benefits of their arrogance and 

lawlessness were worth it. 
  
Remember, 
June 4 to July 4. 
 
EVEN BETTER. . . START NOW. 
 
Send this to everybody you know. Let's show them that we are Americans
and NOBODY can take us for granted. 
 
If we can't live without cheap Chinese goods for one month out of our lives, 

WE DESERVE WHAT WE GET! 
 
Pass it on, America 

_______________________________________________________________________

On the same subject, did you hear that GM is having an automobile made in China for American consumption?  Is this what we expected to happen with bail-out monies?