Gorgeous Fall Window Box

Uses for Tiny crochet teacups!

I keep catching glimpses of these mini crochet teacups around the shop and it got me started thinking, "What are other ways I can use these adorable little teacups?" I've seen them used as little snack cups (using tiny liners to keep everything clean!) which are adorable. I've come up with some other uses as well. Unfortunately it wasn't as easy as searching the internet-- I only found loads of free crochet teacup patterns. I had to get creative on my own, but eventually I found nine new uses!

1. Teacup Tree

I did a couple different versions of these using my favorite teacups. The great thing about this project is that you can display your favorite teacup as a base, and use the tiny teacups as decorations on the teacup tree. This could also be a year around decoration, or you could "Christmas it up" for the holidays. I used foam 3 dimensional squares from my scrapbook supply to attach the teacup to the saucer. You could also use hot glue because it comes off when it gets wet, so when you are finished with this decoration you can go back to using your teacup. I like it when projects are sturdy, yet not permanent. I am a firm believer in no harm to vintage items!

 The crochet pattern provides perfect places to stick the twigs through. I hung most from the handles but at least one in each tree I sat in an upright direction, using the holes in the crochet saucer to stick the twigs through.

2. Indoor Fairy Garden

 

Add miniature items to the crochet teacups to create an indoor fairy garden. A perfect rainy day activity! The mushrooms are from the floral supply section and I just raided the kids toys for the basket, white chair and wheelbarrow. You could probably find those in the miniature section too.

This also makes a nice centerpiece for a tea party!

3. Wall Art

Cover a canvas with decorative paper using a tea theme. This paper is by Cavallini and is very beautiful and rich in color.  Attach the crochet teacups with pins and you have a piece of unique wall art for your kitchen or for your tea party.  Inexpensive crochet teacups available here

4. Tea Centerpiece

Using a candle holder as a base, stack china then add crochet teacups to the top for an instant centerpiece for your tea party.This is  quick and easy to do from items around the house!

5.Holiday Decoration

Use the teacups as I have shown or add a small gold thread to the handle and use them as ornaments on a counter top size tree.

6. Organize Jewelry Drawer

A perfect and pretty solution to keep your rings, necklaces and earrings organized.

7. Pin Cushion

Make a pin cushion, it's easy to do and very cute! You can even use a mesh shower scrubbie under the cloth and scrap fabric. Quick to make and would be a very cute gift!

8. Buffet Table Decoration

Create a beautiful buffet table decoration any sort of stand and cloche would work. This one features a bird at the top, so I added one egg in the top teacup, this bird likes to keep her egg safe!

Inexpensive crochet teacups available here 

9. Snack Cups

I know this is not a new use for these teacups, I thought I would include it though because if I had not seen them used like this I wouldn't have thought of it either. Before I saw this, I just thought these little crochet cups were only to look at!

Doily Decor!

 I've been a little obsessed with doilies lately, layering vintage doilies over paper ones and adding doilies with some color to brighten up the table. I have used vintage hand crocheted white or ivory colors in the past but I am tired of that solid color look.

The pink rose doily above is a vintage one on top of a plain white decorative paper doily. (The paper ones are mostly used on a tray underneath my homemade brownies!) The yellow and pink ones are also just decorative paper ones.

This yellow rose doily is one of my favorites because the roses are three different colors and the green leaves pop with the yellow. These doilies can be found in my etsy shop here.

 These vintage blue and white crocheted doilies add just a little bit of color to the table. They rest on top of paper doilies. This is normally paired with

fresh white roses in an old milk jar in the center. It covered up the doilies too much for the picture though, so had to go!

Another of my favorites, these doilies are called crinoline ladies or southern belle doilies. Their large dresses and small crocheted hat on top is adorable. I have a few colors left if you've been looking for some unique doilies for your collection. Click here.

This ivory crocheted fan doily (complete with two tassels) below is the only one I have like this. I have never seen another one, although  I'm sure it's not the only one out there! The shape, the points at the ends and the tassels make it special for any doily lover!

 

The close up shots are my favorite photos of these pink doilies. The pink and white are vintage crocheted and the yellow underneath are paper doilies. The pink flowers in above picture are a lovely tri-color, and are surrounded by green. More doilies here!

An easy and inexpensive way to create a base for your centerpiece is to layer decorative paper doilies on top of a lace tablecloth. If you don't have enough crocheted doilies or if they don't match your table colors, using the paper ones as a base is a great alternative!

Have any unique uses for doilies? Let me know!

3 Ways To Beat Stress

It's not possible to control stressful situations that we encounter from day to day, however, we can control how much that stress affects us!

1. Journal!

Identify tour stress points and write about them in a journal. Your journal doesn't have to be fancy and your spelling and grammar doesn't have to be correct. It's just the act or ritual of putting pen to paper transfers all of your mental energy out of your mind and parks it so that you can let it go. Your journaling can be sporadic, only when you have major stress or you can make it a constructive daily activity. Remember to make your own rules in order for it to work for you. Just jotting down thoughts on the back of an envelope can also work in a jam. Get it out of your head and park it on the paper!

2. Get Moving!

Your thinking 'I'm so stressed and now I have to plan an exercise regimen?' NO! Just get moving and put on any pair of shoes and take a walk. It doesn't matter where you go just get outside if possible. Leave your phone at home! (or in your pocket with the rule to only use it for a true emergency) 30 minutes of motion is best but if that just seems like too much trouble get out for 10 minutes. You may end up staying out for longer than your 10 minutes and might surprise yourself! Exercise can be an effective way of releasing pent up energy that can keep you anxious or tense.

3. Practice Mindful Meditation

 It's all to easy to get caught  up in the hectic pace of life. Practicing mindfulness can help to focus your thoughts and actions on being fully present in the moment and curb your panic by not allowing your mind to race. Being mindful can have positive mental and physical benefits.  Helping to reduce worry, encourage better sleep and improve well-being are just a few of the many positive outcomes you may experience!

Garden Party

I have such fond memories growing up of my great grandmothers summertime garden party picnics. The table would be filled with yummy food made from secret family recipes. An appetizing display on heirloom lace and embroidered tablecloths. Finger foods showing off the cut glass serving dishes. Tea would be served from her favorite collection of tea cups and saucers. I looked forward most to the desert at the end of the meal! Great Grammy's brownies were stacked neatly on a white translucent depression glass plate. It was the only plate she had of that pattern and is still in the family to this day. Vases were made and decorated from extra kitchen  jars and filled with wild flowers cut from the field. It was simple and beautiful!

I have gathered a buffet of vintage goodies that were inspired from these lovely garden party picnics of the past and created The Garden Party Collection. Hand embroidered tablecloths, vintage dishes and jar flower vases, so allow yourself to dive into the lovely and charming garden party style!

I hope these re-creation pictures will inspire you to get out and enjoy this season by having your own garden party picnic!

Homer Laughlin Plates

Above: A lovely vintage spring homer Laughlin 1940's plate alongside a pink handmade rose doily used as the base of a simple centerpiece. Below: A vintage tablecloth with beautiful hand embroidery work.

Vintage Embroidered Tablecloths

The crackers rest in this adorable ceramic crate found here

This is a jar that my mom decorated in a similar way. My great grandmother would decorate extra jars from the kitchen and find other uses for them. This one is used to hold a few pieces of silverware for the garden party. An easy DIY or just check here for decorative jars and custom ones!

Gorgeous Southern Belle Dresser Scarf adds a delicate touch to a comfy throw pillow.


My great grandmother would always use dresser scarves  or embroidered runners to decorate a plain throw pillow. It's a nice way to change up the look of items you already have and add a little vintage detail!

Storage Ideas

 I know everyone has seen using stacked old suitcases for storage, that is nothing new.

 What I like about this photo is that they have used these to store photos or special mementos from wedding, vacation, or a special event and added decorative labels to each suitcase. It would be so handy to do this because how many times do photo books get shoved in the back of a book shelf and you forget about them? Or vacation mementos get stored in the "Scrapbook to do" box but that box turns into their permanent home. Before you know it that box is full of scrapbook supplies, ideas and is just a big mess!

These would also be out in the open so you wouldn't forget about them. Reminiscing with your loved ones and kids would be so much easier because memories would be very easy to find and pull out to look at. I have recently found some old photos in my shed and am not sure how they made it out there. I wish they had been in the house protected from elements and bugs. It would be even greater if they had been in house, labeled and easy to find!

I find these jars so handy. My mom first made one for a friend as a toothbrush holder in a country-chic style bathroom. After that I started thinking of all sorts of uses for them around the house. The chicken wire helps hold items like paintbrushes, tooth brushes and colored pencils. A similar storage option, painted cans, are helpful for storing craft items like buttons, clothespins, pens, pencils, wooden kitchen spoons, etc.

I wanted a very small drawer on top of the bedside table to store small items like lip balm and  eye drops in.  I ended up using a wooden book box I found at a craft store and painted it black to match the base that the lamp sits on. it was an inexpensive fix and creates a little bit of hidden storage.

I love finding new uses for items I already have. I use vintage toast racks to hold greeting cards. It's always great to have greeting cards on hand and in an organized fashion. You can use a larger toast rack to store them and set it on your desktop or store in a cabinet if you'd like! The yellow toast rack is very small and only meant for two pieces of toast. Use the small holders as decorative touches on your desk. On the 1st of the month I go ahead and pull greeting cards for any occasions in the month ahead and  keep them in the smaller holder. That way I see them everyday on my desk, add my message and get them mailed out. The vintage toast racks come in may different styles and variety which is great because you can match them to your decor. The bottom picture is a vintage heavy brass toast rack, it can hold a lot if I need it to!

If you have any unique storage ideas, let me know! Every home can be organized in a lovely decorative way, sometimes with items you already own.