Twice a year, on St. Patrick’s Day and for the Rose of Tralee celebration, QVC offers made in Ireland products. You can purchase Irish sweaters, artwork, carvings, jewelry and of course table wares. One year, they offered Belleek dinnerware in the shamrock and basket weave pattern and I just couldn’t resist. I purchased six luncheon plates in the pattern and six mugs. I’m a tea drinker and am not one for mugs, but they were not offering the tea cups and saucers and for the price they were asking at other outlets, well, I knew it would be many years before I had any to match the plates so I went ahead and bought the mugs. I love this pattern and use it throughout the year. People ask “why are you wearing/using shamrocks, it isn’t St. Patrick’s Day.” To which I reply “I’m of Irish heritage and celebrate it all year long-it’s in me all the time, so why should I not show the shamrock as often?”
