During a recent doctor appointment, I took a few issues of Woman's Day magazines to read while waiting. The February 2016 issue contained an article with three ideas for repurposing teacups.
I bristled a bit at Clinton Kelly's opening words: "Oh, teacups. Nobody seems to want to drink out of you anymore... Thanks to the world's obsession with coffee, you've slowly been pushed out of the limelight and unceremoniously relegated to attics, basements and flea markets everywhere..."
He's right about coffee's popularity, but apparently he hasn't heard that tea has been enjoying a resurgence for several years now. While it's true men don't particularly enjoy using dainty teacups because their masculine fingers are too big for easy grasp, female tea lovers still have a very high regard for fine porcelain teacups [preferably English made, but French Limoges and Bavarian ones are nice too]. I just purchased a new one at an antique store yesterday, primarily because it's black, and I rarely see black teacups. It's made in England by Adderley.
I've never considered myself a teacup collector per se because I originally started acquiring them for church teas, and in hopes of opening a tea room. A quick count of teacups on display in my china cabinets, however, revealed over 90 teacups with more in totes in the basement, so I guess I am a collector even though not intentional. Whenever I travel I always try to bring a teacup home as a keepsake, while others have been gifts, and some are from my mother's teacup collection.
I diligently sorted and organized teacups stored in my basement earlier this summer, and gave some to a girlfriend for a gift basket ministry at her church. I've been trying to figure out a way to photograph them to share on my blog, as well as having a pictorial record of them. Should they be photographed by theme [floral, scenic, transferware], color, commemoratives, months/holidays, shapes/styles, or manufacturer? Hmmm... decisions, decisions! Have any of you photographed your teacups for record keeping purposes?
But back to Clinton Kelly's repurposing article...
My granddaughter used an orphan teacup for a small plant that sits on her kitchen windowsill, and it looks real cute.
I've seen teacups used for jewelry, home interior projects, and garden projects. A dear friend gave me a teacup and saucer made into a bird feeder. But I don't think I could deliberately break a teacup and saucer for mosaics, could you? It almost seems disrespectful and irreverent.
Pictured below is a teacup/teapot lamp that sits in my bedroom. It was a gift from my children a few Christmases ago. Also a teacup/teapot chandelier that hangs in my dining room. Neither are made with vintage china.
Please share how you display, store, use, and photograph your teacups.
* * *
I bristled a bit at Clinton Kelly's opening words: "Oh, teacups. Nobody seems to want to drink out of you anymore... Thanks to the world's obsession with coffee, you've slowly been pushed out of the limelight and unceremoniously relegated to attics, basements and flea markets everywhere..."
He's right about coffee's popularity, but apparently he hasn't heard that tea has been enjoying a resurgence for several years now. While it's true men don't particularly enjoy using dainty teacups because their masculine fingers are too big for easy grasp, female tea lovers still have a very high regard for fine porcelain teacups [preferably English made, but French Limoges and Bavarian ones are nice too]. I just purchased a new one at an antique store yesterday, primarily because it's black, and I rarely see black teacups. It's made in England by Adderley.
In 2015 I attended a Phantom of the Opera theme tea where all the teacups used at place settings were black and white. It was so striking.
I diligently sorted and organized teacups stored in my basement earlier this summer, and gave some to a girlfriend for a gift basket ministry at her church. I've been trying to figure out a way to photograph them to share on my blog, as well as having a pictorial record of them. Should they be photographed by theme [floral, scenic, transferware], color, commemoratives, months/holidays, shapes/styles, or manufacturer? Hmmm... decisions, decisions! Have any of you photographed your teacups for record keeping purposes?
But back to Clinton Kelly's repurposing article...
My granddaughter used an orphan teacup for a small plant that sits on her kitchen windowsill, and it looks real cute.
I've seen teacups used for jewelry, home interior projects, and garden projects. A dear friend gave me a teacup and saucer made into a bird feeder. But I don't think I could deliberately break a teacup and saucer for mosaics, could you? It almost seems disrespectful and irreverent.
Pictured below is a teacup/teapot lamp that sits in my bedroom. It was a gift from my children a few Christmases ago. Also a teacup/teapot chandelier that hangs in my dining room. Neither are made with vintage china.
Please share how you display, store, use, and photograph your teacups.
* * *
Today I'm linking to Martha's Favorites for Tea Cup Tuesday
Martha has featured well over 317 teacups since she began her blog in 2009.
Martha has featured well over 317 teacups since she began her blog in 2009.
