When Willow House launched its first catalog eleven months ago, I fell in deep like. Now, I do truly like all Willow House products and, like a mother with her children, I try not to play favorites. But there are a few products that have become my go-to's because of their extreme versatility and beauty -- and the French Wire Tiered Stand tops the list. The French Wire Tiered Stand did not come in my kit, but I used my very first host rewards toward this baby, and I've used it every day since I unpacked it.
Actually, my daughter used it first. The first morning after the French Wire Tiered Stand arrived, I came into the kitchen to see each tier holding a lovely variety of breakfast foods. She had placed bagels, English muffins, fruit, instant oatmeal packets, and more on the tiers, creating a vertical breakfast buffet. And she tied a lovely bow on top. (Where was my camera that morning?)
Besides using it to serve food, it also served as a great fall decor item in my living room. Leaves, gourds, and mini pumpkins brought autumn color inside, reminding us of all the wonderful fall traditions we enjoy as a family -- visiting the pumpkin and apple farms, trips to Dahlonega, Thanksgiving with family, and more.
At Christmas, I used my beautiful crackle glass ornaments and fresh pine sprigs, then the family added notes of gratitude on red and green paper. It was a great reminder of what the season is all about to help us keep the right focus.
But now, I think we're
really hit the jackpot for this piece. We were kindly given a Keurig coffee maker this past Christmas. While there are some interesting K-Cup organizers out there, none of them really appealed to me. They seemed to take up too much counter space for just one thing, I didn't like the idea of the time it takes to put a K-Cup in each little holder, and the under-the-coffee-maker drawer style won't worker with our cabinets.
As I was putting away the Christmas decorations, I realized that my French Wire Tiered Stand would be available again. After sitting pretty for several months, she was ready for word duty again. I removed the middle tier so that the height wouldn't interfere with my upper cabinets (and now I use the middle tier for a bread basket, riser, or pie plate holder). I put our everyday K-Cups in the small upper tier (Green Mountain Breakfast Blend, if you must know). My Verde Berry Bowl sits on the large bottom tier and holds an assortment of K-Cups for guests. I pulled out my old faithful Southern Sayings dip bowl (Southern Living at Home) to hold snacks, and one of my mother's vintage Pyrex refrigerator dishes holds a variety of tea bags (which are much cheaper than K-Cup tea). Mama's old teabag caddy also stands ready for service.
I love the way everything is at our fingertips, but I can easily clear the counter for cleaning. In case you're wondering where all the creamer and sugar are, we store them in a cabinet above the coffee area. To save time and money, we buy large sizes and just use them right out of the container (until company comes -- I do provide prettier hospitality for them!). My personal barista prefers it this way and, since he makes me the perfect cup of coffee each morning, I'm happy to oblige!
{I linked up with I'm An Organizing Junkie !}
© Suzanne Jackson 2011.
{I'd love for you to share this post with friends, but please share the full link. Common courtesy dictates that you do not copy the post into your own blog without proper attribution. Thanks!}
