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Tag: teacups


christmas in a teacup

11
December

gnomes in a teacup close up

Would you like to try a Christmas craft that is a little different from creating a gingerbread house?  Maybe even a little less intimidating?  How about crafting a holiday scene in a teacup?

gnomes in a teacup

I recently met a good friend at a tea house for breakfast and came upon these lovely centerpieces on the tables…instant smile makers!

reindeer with a teacup

Of course this one is my favorite…it most closely matches my decorating style!

teacup snowballs for sale

Isn’t this a great DIY craft idea?  Even for inexperienced crafters, creating a little holiday teacup scene is not intimidating at all!  A few little decorative items and some artificial snow are all that is needed to transform a teacup and saucer into an enchanting holiday scene!

penguin in a teacup

I love this idea!  I have plenty of vintage teacups since I sometimes use them to serve crème brulees or to plant moss or small plants.  If you don’t own any, pick one, or several, up at any Goodwill or tag sale.  Better yet, use a family heirloom to build your miniature scene!

birdbath in a teacup

I can’t wait to take out my box of miniature white bottle brush trees to get started!  You know I don’t decorate in red and green for the holidays, so I can’t wait to create some scenes in neutrals!  I think shells and sea glass are also in order!  I see coastal holiday scene teacups in my future!

snow house in a teacup

I hope I have inspired you to create some Christmas scene teacups of your own this holiday!  Use your imagination and have fun with it!

cardinal on a bench tea cup

Thanks for stopping by!  Remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Comments Off on christmas in a teacup | diy, holiday, inspiration

vintage teacup earl grey crème brûlée

6
May

earl grey creme brulee

Serving crème brûlée from vintage teacups is sure to make a family bridal shower, tea party, or Mother’s Day a special one!  What could be better than serving dessert from your grandmother’s teacups?  I think individual desserts add a special quality to a meal all on their own, but to add the sentiment of serving it in a special piece of history makes it all the sweeter!

basket of roses

Everyone thinks of  crème brûlée as a special occasion dessert, but it is not a hard one to create.  Traditionally, it is cooked in the oven, but I have found that good results are possible with a no-bake method.  You can use any no-bake recipe or the one I found online and, by using my simple variation, can create Earl Grey crème brûlée!

creme brulee in teacups

Most teacups are not oven safe and I would not advise putting family heirlooms in a hot oven…a vintage piece with sentimental value is not something to experiment with!  This is the reason I went with a no-bake method for my Earl Grey crème brûlée…I think it is the perfect flavor profile to combine with vintage teacups!  If Earl Grey is not your thing, just don’t add it to the recipe.

earl grey creme brulee

If you prefer a more contemporary choice of vessel, I recommend the mini latte bowls from Anthropologie…the perfect size to hold 3 ounces for a small, individual portion.

earl grey creme brulee in Anthropologie bowls

I found the no-bake recipe I used from Completely Delicious during an internet search – it is easy and makes the perfect amount of custard for a special dessert for a mom (and maybe a couple of grandmas)…it will fill 3 or 4 teacups or 4 mini latte bowls.  Following this recipe (click here), make these changes to create Earl Grey crème brûlée:

After completing step 1, place 4 Earl Grey teabags into the hot mixture and let it sit for 10 minutes.  After 10 minutes, dunk the teabags a couple of times and then gently squeeze the liquid out of the teabags and into the pan (being mindful that the mixture will be hot.)

Continue with the recipe, substituting 1 teaspoon of vanilla for the 1 Tablespoon listed.

Be sure to strain the mixture.  I found while testing no-bake recipes that this is extremely important for a smooth texture – don’t skip this step!  (As a special note – I was very cautious with my kitchen torch – I didn’t venture near the edges of my special cups!)

earl grey creme brulee in teacups

To play up the tea theme, add lemon and mint as garnish. :)

tea quote with roses

If you are an Earl Grey lover as I am, you may enjoy trying these Earl Grey cream puffs.  I also love adding the flavor to shortbreads…I still have Earl Grey ice cream on my list of experiments…maybe this summer. ;)

teacup creme brulee

I hope I have inspired you to think of ways to use your own heirlooms to create some special memories.  We will continue the family heirloom theme on Friday when I show you how to create a special diy gift using an old family treasure.

Thank you for stopping by and remember to take pleasure in simple things, Jackie

Sharing at Coastal Charm, Sand & Sisal, and Silver Pennies.

1 comment » | food & festivities, inspiration, nostalgia

     

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