This is a tiny bit off subject, but thought that I would go ahead and add it. When I got married and bought my house eight years ago my grandmother came over unexpectedly. She told me that she had something for me. She had my grandpa bring in all these boxes and I was kind of confused. She told me to open them and in those 9 or 10 boxes was all of her old antique china she had purchased 40 or so years ago. She told me that she wanted me to have it. I was shocked and flattered as we had never really been close. I had it packed away in storage in my basement until about two years ago. Two years ago I decided I would be more likely to use it if I brought it upstairs. I put it in this antique armoir that was in my sunroom that is right off the kitchen. I still never used the china because I never hosted anything that I felt was worthy of it. One day I decided to get out one cup and saucer and use that for my coffee. I love how the china makes clink noises! Well a couple of months ago I decided that better yet I would move it into a really high up cabinet in the kitchen. I have to get on my step ladder, but at least it was moved to the kitchen. Well guess what? Last weekend, I moved my everday and semi-nice dishes to the high cabinet and loaded all my gradma's china into my everyday kitchen cabinets. I still to this day haven't hosted a nice event and would prefer to use the nice beautiful antique dishes. I have decided that I am worth it!
Last weekend I had a big bunch of in-laws over for a pot-luck and gosh darn-it we used china. Everyone acted really uncomfortable asking if I was sure. I said of course I am sure! Every thin that we ate and drank from the china felt that much more special. The store bought cake I served just felt more special eaten off of china with real silverware instead of paper plates and plastic silverwear that would fill up multiple loads to the trash dumpster. I even put the cream and sugar in the china servers. Not one dish was broken, and it if did happen - oh well!
By the way - in St. Louis there is a shop in our antique district that is a china finder, so I can always replace some items (for a price).
Anyway - I just wanted to share that I am now using antique china every single day and loving every moment of it!
Monica
My sister keeps her expensive china tucked away. I could never understand that. If I break a wine glass, I'm not heart broken because I didn't spend $100 a glass. 
