Do It Yourself: Make Use of your Old Cups & Plates
If you are anything like us here at Little Wings Factory, then you will be a sucker for a pretty tea-cup or side plate! However, having a boisterous five year old boy in the house means that more often than not, things end up broken – so my cupboard is full of odd cups, mugs and plates. It has got so bad, that I started to think – I wonder if there is anything I can do to make use of these? I mean, some of them are so beautiful, it would be a shame to throw them out. So, I did a bit of research on the internet, and found some amazing things to do!!!
Teacup Candles
Absolutely love this idea – would make great presents too! Fairly easy to do as well by the looks of it. According to all about you, you need some flaked soy wax, an eco-wick, two saucepans, a cooking thermometer and two pencils! Basically, you pop the wick in the cup, melt the wax and pour it in slowly and then leave it to set. Exact instructions can be found here. I am definitely going to try this one!
Plate Cake Stand
Cake stands have seen a huge rise in popularity over the last few years, with baking and afternoon tea becoming a bit of an obsession.
If you have some odd plates at home, then you can make your own unique stand. A little bit fiddly as it involves drilling the plates, but these step-by-step instructions from Betty Bee make it seem quite straightforward. Again not too expensive either, as the three tier cake stand fitting can usually be found on eBay for about £6.
Cup Hanging Rack for the Kitchen
Add a real touch of vintage style to your kitchen with this cute cup hanging rack:
Stick together your cups and saucers, then glue them to a plank, and attach to the wall. Then use the handles to hook your kitchen implements over. Brilliant! A real talking point!
Garden Planter
If you have quite a few old cups and mugs, and are a keen gardener, then how about making a cute garden planter out of them?
Grab a piece of board, use some mortar to attach the cups and mugs, and hey presto! Make a great mini herb garden!
Light Fitting
If you are clever with your hands – and know a good electrician – why not make a one of a kind light fitting? Again, slightly complicated - involves drilling and attaching a light fitting – but worth the fiddle we think! Find some great instructions here.
Bits and Bobs
Some easier things to do which don’t involve sticking or drilling are: swap your flower pot bases for an old plate, use a mug as a pen holder on your desk, or pop and teacup and saucer on your chest of drawers and use it for holding your rings and earrings.
Let us know how you get on!