I’m always attracted to delicate teacups – I think it comes from my grandmother. Over the years she has amassed a collection of well-loved teacups that she uses regularly. When I was a child Grandma would serve me “coffee” – a cup of warm, sweet milk with a few drops of coffee in it – in one of those special teacups. It was a sweet ritual that made me feel so grown up. My two favorites were a white cup with pink roses printed on it and a cup showing a little girl with blonde braids on a swing. The rose cups are long gone, but last year my Grandma gave me the last surviving teacup with the girl on the swing to add to my collection.

Since I purchase my teacups to be used, I’m more interested in looks than value. When they’re not in use I display my teacups in the dining room’s china closet. I’ve discovered that there are a variety of ways to show off a beautiful teacup, however. Last summer I was at an art and crafts fair and saw a display of pretty garden ornaments made from teacups. What a fun idea! When I returned home I decided to research crafts involving teacups and found a host of project instructions on the internet. Here are links to some of my favorites:

Teacup Birdfeeder – Just a few materials are required to make a great looking birdfeeder for your yard.

Teacup Candle – This site provides instructions for turning your teacup into a unique candle. You could also use the cup as a candleholder for a votive candle.

Teacup Pincushion – Turn a teacup into a spot to park your pins when they’re not in use.

Teacup Topiary – These moss topiaries make great centerpieces for parties. If you prefer, here are instructions for silk flower topiaries.

Teacup Photo Holder – Here’s an original way to display your favorite photos.

If you want to try some of these projects but don’t have any extra teacups, many antique malls sell them at reasonable prices and you can often find pretty teacups for pennies at thrift stores.

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 25th, 2006 at 9:09 am and is filed under collecting fyi, flea market finds. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.