Happy New Year!

Seasons Greetings from Echo's China

Thank you for supporting us at Echo's China and Silver whether it's shopping in our store, online or sharing your stories, and most of all enjoying your dinner ware.

We truly love the idea of our business providing a service where people are gathered together having amazing meals and sharing good conversation and lasting memories.

All of us at Echo's China are in the mist of celebrating Christmas. We have "Decked the Halls" and hope you will come in and have a look at some of the unique one of a kind gifts we have. 

For those not close enough we have included some photos and invite you to come to the shop should you ever be in Vancouver.

We all celebrate the holidays in different ways but our wish for you is it is filled with good friends, family and of course fantastic China and Silver (smile)!

 

  

  

And don't forget you can always keep in touch with us on Facebook & Twitter!

Brightening Your Home with Glass

Nothing quite reflects light and colour like glass. 

At Echo's we never know what will be arriving on our receiving desk and this month we are excited about a variety of Canadian, Lalique and Murano glass.  Art glass is a beautiful and timeless.

From paperweights to vases, theses pieces can add elegance and style to any home decor.

Murano glass comes from an island outside Venice where for centuries glass making is an art form perfected and passed down for generations. In the 13th century artisans were forbidden to leave the island and practice their trade elsewhere to keep Murano glassmaking secrets from any competition.

This way of life has made Venice a capitol of glassmaking. Of course times have changed and Murano artists travel as they please.

The traditions have still continued and thrived in later centuries with innovative artists and expertise.

Lalique glass is the legacy of French artist Rene Lalique. He was an innovator who created both Art Nouveau as well as Art Deco designs.

His inspiration came from nature as well as the Far East.  He was able to create glass for the world market by using industrial processes with success.

The Lalique firm is still producing glass today and many of Rene Lalique's designs remain in production.

Most recently we are enjoying a display of a colourful collection of Canadian glass. We are selling works from two renowned Canadian artists John Phillip and Robert Held.

Both of them use the difficult and fascinating form of blown glass. Robert Held has a studio in Vancouver where he crafts high quality collections. John Phillips has an international reputation and has had his work displayed across Canada and beyond.

We have some samples of both artists on display in our store. The beauty of hand blown glass is that each piece is one of kind. Unique forms and shapes have occurred in the creation process and are captured in time.

                                 

Stories Around the Table

Echo's China would like to share a wonderful customer story. It is one that will make you want to set your table and share some time with loved ones or that special someone in your life. Thank you to Lois and Paul Roberts for allowing us to share their story.

"You see, this was a second marriage for us both and we decided we wanted a set of beautiful china for our new life together.  We do a lot of entertaining with our two families and many friends, and all exclaim that it is the prettiest table they have ever seen.  For both of us being loyal Ontarians, a table blooming with trilliums is very special.

It all began almost two years ago: Paul Roberts and I had been friends in our teens in Toronto.  He graduated from medical school, married my girlfriend and went to Ecuador to build the first missionary hospital, in Quito.  I married and raised four children, established a nursing home, wrote many articles for Readers Digest and several books.
Paul came back to Toronto, became a professor at University of Toronto Medical School on staff at Sunnybrook Hospital, and Honorary Consul for Ecuador.  Almost two years ago we were both alone and found we could have good times together.  On December 13, 2009 -- 16 months ago today, we were married. 

Tomorrow my youngest great-granddaughter, 3-year-old Gracie is coming for a tea party with gramma's new china.
And right now my romantic husband is calling me to watch the DVD of our wedding -- which we do the 13th of every month."

The Trillium china seen in the photos is Lois and Paul's wedding china, purchased with money they received as a wedding gift. It makes it doubly precious that the china is a wedding gift. Most importantly though according to this remarkable couple, "We thank God every day for the joy of being together."