It's funny how continued exposure to something affects one's view of it.
My parents had a bit of an obsession with certain patterns of china. My Dad loved Colclough Wayside, and bought smome, piece by piece, from our local department store. Many years later, when bone china was out of fashion and was being used in plate smashing at fairs, he bought up sets of it at boot fairs and charity shops.
Then he started adding other Colclough sets to his collecting habit. He eventually ended up with 5 different sets of Colclough - huge sets - plus a few odd pieces from other patterns.
My parents also collected Royal Albert Old Country Roses, which is a set I loathe. They picked out a few pieces to use as their "everyday" china, and I'm glad they did. My brother and I use those pieces when we stay at the house to do the decluttering,. We drink wine from the tea cups.
When I started to sell the china, I thought that four of the five Colclough sets were "all right". One I didn't like at all, although I'm not sure why. I didn't like any of the sets enough to want to own any, although I did feel an emotional attachment to Wayside.
Once I started selling I found my Facebook feed was full of foul, flowery china. Not just Colclough. Not even the hated Country Roses. I had hundreds of sets pushed in my face, all the time
I sold 2 complete sets immediately, thanks to the intervention of two friends. I also sold part of a third set, and a large amount of Wayside. Vast amounts of Wayside went to people I know, and I was happy that it was going to homes who would love it as much as my Dad had done.
I had crates of the stuff, plus crates of packing, stacked in my living room. I listed the remaining china in various combinations, on a plethora of platforms. i arranged, I photographed, I listed. I learned a lot about Colclough china doing this. Even DH found he quite liked one of the sets.
My brother and I decided we'd use whatever china we had left when we held Dad's wake, so I paused selling.
My feed continued to be choked up with china. I found myself no longer being repulsed by the floral designs. I didn't want any of them in my home, but I learned to appreciate them for what they were.
As we prepared for the wake, I appreciated the beauty of the shape of the sandwich platters. On impulse one day, I bought one (despite having loads) in a Colclough pattern my parents didn't have. . DH was horrified. I told him at least I'd only bought one platter, I could have bought the whole set.
And then I bought two more platters. One wasn't even Colclough, but it was from a related company. DH looked nervous.
The Wake arrived. It was lovely to see so much china being used, and the cake stands my DH had made out of some of the pieces looked great. I quite fancied keeping a cake stand. And then I decided that I'd keep some of the china - not all of it, just some of it - for future garden parties. DH agreed it was a reasonable idea. I selected some pieces from the 3 sets I was selling, including some more to be made into cake stands, and packed it away in a crate. Everything was packed into home made drawstring bags, with the ribbon colour indicating what pattern was in the bag.
I then decided to move my cake stands (there were now two of them being promoted to being kept in the kitchen) plus a selection of sandwich platters into a cupboard. And I might as well keep some cups and saucers in one of the designs (Wayside of course). And a couple of cups and saucers in the design that DH liked. And I might as well keep the teapot in the design that DH likes (we used it to deliver brandy at the Wake).
By this time, I found myself actively looking at china.
I'd looked at dozens of Colclough patterns, and there were a couple I quite liked. Not enough to want to buy a set, but enough to want a sandwich platter. Or a cake stand. Or a sandwich platter and a salad plate so I could make my own cake stand.
I found lots of them. I resisted buying. I wanted to see if the feeling subsided.
And then I saw a set which I really really liked.
I was astounded, as it was definitely floral.
I told myself I'd buy a sandwich platter. Nothing else.
I couldn't find one.
I did see a set of salad plates. I resisted.
And then I saw a tea set.
And then I asked if she would hold it for me until I could find a way to get to her. She's sort of on the way to my parents house.
Well, not exactly on the way. It's an hour detour. But that's better than a five hour round trip.
I haven't told DH.
It'll be a nice surprise.
