What to do with old pastel china?

18 years ago

A few years ago I discovered ebay and bought a bunch of old pastel dishes. They've been sitting on a shelf because they're too fragile for a butterfingers surrounded by tile to actually use in real life.

After getting motivated by reading the "Organizing the Home" forum, I cleaned out my closet and decided to give it to charity. However, after piling it on the dining room table and looking at it for a couple of days I'm really reconsidering. A lot of it is chipped and not really worth a lot but I just love the colors.

But what to do with it? I have 20 teacups for a household of 2 and we don't have the kind of company that sits around drinking tea. (We're more of a "moonshine in a mason jar" bunch.) I thought I could hang them like a valance over my kitchen window. Or would that just look like the crazy china lady lives here? I could use some of the saucers under my plants but what to do with the other 16 saucers? I can cut the plates up for mosaics, I suppose. The dessert plates could have pictures decoupaged on them. What to do with the cereal bowls? I don't even think you can use them for mosaic tiles because they're curved, right? I have 7 platters (4 are chipped) How many platters can a family of 2 use at one time? (I plate at the stove now anyway)

Maybe I SHOULD get rid of the evidence before I croak and my family finds out. Maybe I should instruct them in my will to cut them all up and mosaic my coffin thereby insuring that they'll never forget me?

Any good ideas for using old china?

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Comments (8)

kudzukween
18 years ago
welllll :) if most are chipped anyway, I'd use them in mosaics.I use curved pieces sometimes. I did make some nice bird feeders from an old chandelier and glued cups and saucers where the lights used to be. I cut the wiring out,painted the chandelier white. You could melt wax and add a wick to a cup,and make a candle,and add potpourri around the saucer.These would be great gifts. If you just like to look at them, how about some plate hangers and put them on the wall? You could actually mosaic the plates, and epoxy a candle stick to make it a cake plate.Or you don't even have to mosaic them to do that.Mosaic the plate,and hang on the wall. Or you could use the plates as garden junk,and line a flower bed with them. Or hang them on your fence. Or sell them and buy something else :) Merry Christmas!
robolady
18 years ago
Here's something I did this past week.
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flowergirl1211
18 years ago
Hi You can use the cups and saucers as plant containers. One idea is african violets.
You can also use the cups in a wreath. I saw one with greenery etc and a cup and saucer added in was cute for a kitchen.
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chickadee__3a
18 years ago
At an antique shop I once visited they had used old mismatched saucers as border for a flowerbed. Each one was sunken into the ground about halfway. They looked quite attractive.
momsgirl2
18 years ago
hi
send it to me[ha ha ]
i use my dremel with a diamond blade cut the cups in half and make a hanging wall palnter.glue the half cup to a saucer
next with the teapots cups and sugar or creamer i construct a bubbling water fountain for the dining table.
saucers or plates hanging on the side of the door in those 3 rack hangers.i collect china cups and saucers i display them om a shelf using corresponding granny hankies under them on a shelf unit
scottymam
18 years ago
robolady,
(realise this is a message from several days ago, but just saw it.

how did you mount or glue the plates etc to the wreath and arch?
flagtruck
18 years ago
I guess that they are like the LuRay pastels from long ago. If you really like the colors and they go with your kitchen, break or cut them up and do a backsplash. I did this with a lot of chipped Fiesta. Some of the Fiesta was seconds and I cut it up, some in half and used them in my kitchen. If you don't want them, send them to me. LOL
Check my Flickr album and you will see what I am talking about.

Here is a link that might be useful: Flickr photos
kudzukween
18 years ago
I don't know if I commented on your use of china on the mirror,but I LOVE it:) Very pretty! and the wreath,too!

What to do with old pastel china?

Comments (8)

kudzukween

robolady

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