The gallery grows...

It's not the first time it has happened, but my gallery wall got a new addition recently!

I received this plate as a Christmas gift - sort of. I was at the St. Olaf bookstore just before Christmas and I picked it out and handed it to my mom so she could wrap it up and put it under the tree. It caught my eye in the bookstore because I had never seen anything like it before.

This is the box it came in. I was drawn to this item for a couple of reasons. I love Porsgrund pottery - made in Norway! While I was studying abroad in Norway, I actually went and visited their factory. It was so cool! (I was also reliving that story this week, because I had to admit that was the first time I had ever skipped school. To go to what was essentially a museum about the history of Norwegian pottery. I bet you never knew I was this cool.)

I was also drawn to this plate because Porsgrund actually manufactures Christmas Plates. For an idea of what they look like, click here. I'm really not a collector of those plates, but I know they're a "thing" in Norway. And I love the cobalt color. So, when the chance came up to buy one that was reminiscent but more special to me than any Christmas plate could ever be, I was totally sold.

I also wanted to show you the box because I have a theory, supported by the box. Doesn't it look like that sucker has been chilling in Grandma's basement for a while? Like, really, a long while? I'm pretty sure it has been in a basement somewhere. I think that the plate was actually produced in about 1974, when the college was celebrating the centennial it commemorates. I think this listing on Ebay suggests as much. But at the bookstore, it was marked $9.95! I bought it like the bandit I really am.

So, now, with Christmas in the rearview mirror by nearly a month, I finally have gotten around to hanging it up!

I bought a plate holder, which came with this hanging hardware. At first, I figured this was normal. And then I tried to hang it up, and encountered no success at all.

I began to wonder if this was a two person job, but decided to try masking tape before surrendering completely. When my hammering merely ripped the masking tape and smacked my thumb, I got serious.

I marched over to my tool bin, where I promptly dug out what was apparently a properly sized nail. Duh.

Oh, look, when I discarded their stupid nail, the hook worked like a charm!

 So, 30 seconds later, the plate was in position for all to see!

When I found the plate, I gave no thought at all to where I might display it. But, once I brought it home and started thinking about it, I realized that it would really well with the other blue tones on the gallery wall. Sold!