Teacups

by: Shiloah Baker
With extras from our readers

If you have old teacups and don't know what to do with them or if you shop yard sales, thrift shops, consignments stores, and flea markets, chances are you can get your hands on some. Here are some fun ideas to do with them...
 

1. Teacups are cute for growing real herb topiaries like rosemary, or simply as herb planters for windowsills.
    
2. Teacup Topiaries
   Fill teacups with floral foam. Insert a dowel, painted your choice, wrap with ribbon or pearls, whatever, or a sturdy twig for a more natural look. Cover with sheet moss. Push on a Styrofoam ball or cone on top.
   Be care not to let it get too big, as you don't want it to get top heavy. Cover Styrofoam with sheet moss and decorate with dried floral, birds, pearls, broken bits of china or whatever as desired. A row of these look cute in a kitchen windowsill.
   If the rim is chipped a little just drape some of the moss over it. You can also use 3-5 curly willow sticks for the trunk instead of dowels and use adhesive to glue the cup to the saucer.
    
3. Tea Cup Candles
   Contributed by: 123Jon
   Put putty under the cup to hold it to the plate and filled the teacup with wax to make a candle. Glue a couple of dried (or silk) flowers to the plate. I thought it would make a great gift.

 
4. For Christmas I received a coffee cup and it had a saucer glued to the bottom with a mouth painted under the handle.  It was filled with artificial flowers and live cactus, with ribbons hanging from it. I added some eyes above the handle and it looked like it had eyes, nose and a mouth.  It was very cute!
   -Inez
    
5. In homemaking I taught a class on herbs. We made an herbal garden out of a 5 gallon garden tub. (We bought ours plastic and painted. But you can find then cheap at any home store for about $7.00)
   
   Fill the container up with potting soil. Buy or exchange as many herbs as you want to fill your container.
   Use and old 7 inch  plastic container for the middle of the container. Turn it upside down to create a pedestal for the middle of the container.
   Gather teacups and the tea serving plates together. This is really fun if you just go to the thrift or 99 cent store!
   Place the plates in sections, then add your herbs to each section. Be sure to mark your herbs with a pick or herb stick.
   From the hardware store get mug screws. Drill holes into the front of your container. Place collection of Teacups on hooks.
   Find a cute little teapot. Plant an herb inside of teapot. Place teapot on pedestal in the middle of the garden. This was a big hit and we had several Sisters give this away for Mother's Day Gift's!!!
   
   Good luck
   Kristen S, from SO CAL
    
6. First, fill it with colored, shredded paper for filling. Put a tea bag in the cup, a chocolate dipped spoon and long, stick like cookies.  Cover with cellophane wrapping and tie with a pretty, pink ribbon.
   -Shiloah Baker

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