My Obsession With Blue And White Japanese Dinnerware

     I do not care for designer this and that nor do I care for the latest digital gadgets. My collections are mostly home-related or more specifically dining-related. I collect dinnerware, table linens, cutlery, etc. Of all of these my favorite would have to be my blue and white Japanese dinnerware collection. 

     I love how simply beautiful they are. Having been a potter, I now have an appreciation for the masterful care these Japanese artisans put into every piece they make. I also love how beautiful they photograph either alone or setting off dishes. The quiet elegance of blue and white ceramics has made them a favorite worldwide for many many years.

     

     I started collecting them in the early 2000s when a few pieces were available at The Landmark Department Store or at that quaint little Japanese store in Glorietta called Sakura.  I used them mostly for my tabletop photography hobby. None of them are too pricey though. I eventually graduated to buying from surplus sellers on Instagram. Those too were a bargain if you consider the quality. Only caveat is you just can't find a lot of matching dinner sets from these surplus sellers. Now that was when trouble began.

     The harmless little purchases add up to a lot and have yielded more pieces than I care to store and organize.  In my desire to  acquire sets for parties I ended up buying way too much of mismatched items. Oh boy! Soon I realized I have a hoarding problem.  They were all over the house. So as part of my bid for some kitchen organization, I recently housed them together in our old pantry. Surveying what is in the pantry I know now where my money went. 

     Now that I see my stash everyday I have resolved to use them often and enjoy them. So we use them everyday for food photos I want to post on  Instagram or for photos for my upcoming cookbook due out next year (fingers crossed).

      Since realizing how much I own, I also imposed on myself a buying moratorium. You can often find me muttering to myself whilst I browse Instagram and spot nice crockery for sale these words, "You have enough". They call to me to adopt them but this Tita is ignoring them for now.

        A set-up of mismatched dinnerware makes the tablesetting more interesting, don't you think?

                       Some of the dishes I plated in my blue and white dinnerware collection