Teacup Tuesday/Cups on a Stick

When my paternal grandmother died a few years ago, my friend Mary opted to not send the usual flowers or potted plant. She sent me a gorgeous cup and saucer to memorialize my grandmother. I kept it on the counter and used it constantly; I enjoyed it. One day something fell out of the cabinet above, landed just right shattering the plate to smithereens without even chipping the cup. Another friend knew of someone who was making these cups on a stick for a gift shop. Pat took my remaining cup to her and had it fixed for my planter. Not all was lost.

Several years ago in a gift shop, I bought a cup and saucer on a salvaged table leg. Originally meant for a bird feeder I think, I used mine to plant a succulent (hen and chicken in) or left it empty during the summer. I loved it, but every year a little more wood rotted away, even though I pulled it up for storage every winter. This summer a chunk broke out of the saucer. Hum, squirrels? Age? A falling tree branch, maybe?


Anyway, DH had some wood in the shop that he tried turning some legs for me. They aren’t as thick and the turning is not as ornate or smooth. The wood did not turn well on the lathe, but that is fine, since we were painting shabby chic white anyway. Now that we know how easy they can be done, we can whip out some more. One of these is for my sister, one is for a friend, and one will replace mine. I hope these workout well, and that maybe we can make more. It is a great way to recycle cups with chips or issues that keep them from being used on the table but are too good to trash.