The inspiration for this came from an old copy of Hints from Heloise. She writes about all the letters she has received from who women not using their really good dishes, linens, etc for the family and only saving them for guests, "who is more important and loved than your family." From there I started pulling together various items that merge when two people unite. Some that are precious, others that represent dreams, like the car trip to Switzerland, a piece of the good sterling, and the music to a special song. Also included is a sumi ink painting of poppies I did as a study for another painting. Many of these pieces, incomplete, broken, ripped or tattered, but come together to reveal two lives intertwined.
My cousin has a great deal of china and crystal stem wear inherited from various relatives or bought for a song at an estate sale. She uses it every day, drinks diet coke out of very elegant wine goblets, in a very non-pretentious way. It is one of the many things I find endearing about her, why not use it for yourself and your family for heavens sake. She also recently obtained a goat named Sally for the farm.
So further down are a few shots of "Life with Coffee Spoon" actually hanging up over the mantle in a home. Have also done a few of these as commissions for couples about to get married and a few on anniversaries. Enjoyable, I mostly like to hear their stories....