Upcycled Farmhouse Wall Decor: Vintage China & Silver Spoons Sculpture

I can't believe how quickly 2018 has flown by. It seemed like we were just getting out our beach umbrellas and now I've got a pumpkin on my porch!  Thanksgiving is right around the corner and the winter holidays are close behind. Speaking of Thanksgiving, I had to share my new vintage wall art sculpture that I made from repurposed and salvaged vintage silver spoons and an old, unusual Statue of Liberty china platter. 

These actually started out as displays for a museum show that I was a part of (I made two of them, the one pictured here and also a smaller version) and I loved how they turned out so much one went right up on my wall. The one photographed here is now listed in my Etsy shop. It has such a cool and unique look to it, and is perfect for dining room or kitchen (though it could be hung anywhere). It has such vintage charm that I think it would look great in vintage farmhouse decor or eclectic decor. Perfect for the vintage and antique lover! 

I hung mine between two old silver trays in my dining room. Check it out! 

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What do you think? 

Have a great week!

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs

Article and images copyright ©Laura Beth Love for Dishfunctional Designs™ 2018 all rights reserved

DIY Tiered Jewelry Organizer Made From Vintage China Plates & Teacups

Today I'm going to show you how you can turn your thrift store and flea market teacups, plates, and saucers into a pretty tiered organizer. This organizer is great for holding jewelry or other small collections, makes a unique candy dish, and is certainly a conversation piece. All you need are a few supplies. It's easier than you might think! 

Assemble your supplies

First, let's gather our supplies. For this project you will need a variety of old plates, saucers, and teacups. You will need a tube of E6000 adhesive. This is available at hardware stores, department stores such as Target, and even in some grocery stores. Due to the materials we will be gluing, I do not recommend using any other adhesive. Hot glue will not work, nor will water-soluble school glue, so get yourself a tube of E6000. 

You will need a disposable popsicle stick or craft stick to help spread the glue, and you will need some old newspaper to cover and protect your tabletop while you work. 

A paper plate or a piece of waxed paper comes in handy when you need to set your glue-covered craft stick down, so you may want to keep one of those at your workstation too. And remember, when using any type of adhesive, always be sure to work in a well-ventilated area.

Choosing your china

For the organizer we are going to make today, you will need three plates and three teacups. From the bottom up, our organizer will look like this: plate, teacup, plate, teacup, plate, teacup.

To keep your tiered organizer from being top-heavy and toppling over, we need to build our organizer so that the largest and heaviest plates and cups are on the bottom, and the smaller and lighter ones are on the top. Think about this when you are choosing your china. 

Before we glue any of our pieces together, we will first pick them out and stack them up so we can see how our finished project will  look.

First, choose a heavy plate for the bottom so that your organizer has a sturdy base. Remember, we are going to be stacking china on top of this plate, so it has to be large and heavy so that your "china tower" does not topple over. Once you have chosen your base plate, set it aside and choose your first teacup that will be glued to the top of that plate. This teacup will be glued upside-down to the bottom plate. This is because the diameter of the cup's opening is (most likely) larger than the diameter of the bottom of the cup. 

Once you have chosen your first cup, set it aside next to your base plate and then choose your middle plate. This plate will be glued on top of the bottom of the teacup that you just chose. Make sure you choose a plate that has a smaller diameter than your base plate. Your middle plate should also be lighter than your base plate. Once you have chosen that plate, try it out to see how it looks stacked up and then set it aside. 

Note: if using elongated plates, you can either line them up or stagger them, as shown in the photos below:

Plates lined up with each other. 

Plates staggered.

Next, choose your second tea cup. This cup will be glued upside-down on top of the middle plate that you just chose. 

Once you have chosen your second teacup, choose your third plate. This plate will be situated on top of the bottom of the teacup that you just chose. Choose the smallest and lightest plate for this position. A saucer often works great for this position. 

Finally, you will choose your third and last teacup to complete your china tower. This teacup will be glued right-side-up on top of the small plate or saucer that you last chose. 

Now that you have all of your china picked out and you know what is going where, it's time to glue them together! Before you glue, make sure all pieces are clean and dry. We will glue them together from the bottom up.

 Open your adhesive and carefully apply a ring of glue around the rim of the first (bottom) teacup, and then place the teacup, glue-side down onto the top center of your bottom plate.

Now - it is up to you whether you want to continue gluing right away, or wait until those two pieces have dried. I recommend allowing them to dry overnight before adding the next piece. Either way, next you will glue the center plate to the bottom of the bottom cup, allow that to dry, and then add your second cup  - once again upside-down, and once that is dry add your small plate, and then your final top cup, which you will glue to the small plate right-side-up. 

Another option is to forgo the top teacup and use the small plate as your top tier. It's a matter of personal taste. Do what you think looks best. Below are two different ways of stacking elongated plates - lined up or staggered.

Staggered elongated plates

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial! Please share this post with your friends and remember, I always love to see your creations so feel free to email them to me via my Etsy shop or  on my Facebook page (links in the right hand sidebar).

What do you think?


Have a great week!

 Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2017 all rights reserved

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

I've shared this blog post before because it's one of my favorites, and I thought today would be the perfect day to share it again, this time a little bit revised. 

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege than an actual profession. 

There are sometimes moments when I stop and think, wow, this is what I do for a living, this is what I've been doing for so many years - and for that I am so fortunate. 

After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life unlike other ordinary household objects. 

They're used in the kitchen, which I've always felt was the heart of the home. They're filled with cooking - which is in itself an effort of love. Once filled, they are handed to you, passed along, as we sit around a family table and pass the dishes from hand to hand, sharing what they hold. 

We see them and touch them multiple times a day, every day. We use them and we take care of them, washing them carefully so that they don't break, and then putting them away in a safe place. We sometimes even have special ones that we bring out only for special occasions. 

But often we treasure the most humble ones. 

Who doesn't have a favorite coffee mug? Or one plate or bowl or other piece of dinnerwear that once belonged to someone else in their family?

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but "mom's plate," or "grandmother's cup." There is a connection. Often when that connection is made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know all the patterns by name. No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do. 

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 

Someone just like you. 

I hope you have a great week! 

Love, Laura

My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

article and all images copyright ©LauraBethLove 2017

All In A Day's Work - New Broken China Jewelry!

Here is a peek at some of the jewelry that I made today. 

All pieces will be listed for sale in my Etsy shop, Dishfunctional Designs

What do you think?

Check out my new DIY jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

   

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!


My broken china jewelry is always available for purchase at https://www.etsy.com/shop/dishfunctionldesigns

Look! Mom's Dishes! ...Connections To Our Past

Sometimes I think I have the best job in the world, getting to work with beautiful 

china pieces day in and day out...sometimes it actually feels more like a privilege 

than an actual profession. After all, each of these plates and cups and saucers 

and other dinnerware pieces all have history behind them. They come from 

many different countries, from all around the world, and their beautiful 

patterns and colors give them a unique appeal that brings them to life 

unlike other ordinary household objects. 

We remember dishes. 

They're a part of our family in some ways, a part of each of our own personal histories. 

Have you not once in your life been somewhere, maybe an antique market or 

thrift shop, and come across an orphaned plate or cup that you instantly 

recognized from somewhere in your own past? 

At that moment of recognition, it isn't just "a plate" or "a cup," but mom's plate, 

or grandmother's cup. There is a connection. Often when that connection is 

made we find ourselves flooded with memories of family from long ago, 

or of our childhood, or of holidays and times past. If you're the 

sentimental type like I am, it can be a comforting experience. 

I've been working with dishes for so long now that I know the patterns by name.

No, I don't talk to them, but in a way, they speak to me. I see them as

valuable, not monetarily valuable, but valuable in a way that fills your

soul with warmth and peace just as memories of loved ones do.

This was, after all, someone's grandmother's plate. 
Someone just like you. 

Have a great week!

Laura

Join me on: 

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Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2020 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.

Check out my new DIY jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

   

Learn how to solder and make unique jewelry!

Wanna Know A Secret? Here Are The Best Places To Find Vintage Plates

One of the things that people ask me all the time is where I find my vintage plates. The answer is simple: all over the place! They are easier to find than you may think. You just have to know where to look. 

Whether you're looking for some pretty vintage plates to hang on your wall, or searching for dishes to use in crafts or to transform into some beautiful jewelry, read on for my top picks for successful plate hunting goodness!

First: Ask Friends & Family 

To start, you can ask friends and family members for any old plates that they might have laying around, and ask them to save you any dishes that they might accidentally break. 

The pro to this is that they are free. The con is that they will most likely not have a great selection of different china patterns, and what you land up "inheriting" might be more modern styled dinnerware rather than vintage. 

The problem with this is that if you plan on using the plates or shards to create jewelry or mosaics, the materials of modern dinnerware are often very thick or hard, and therefore not suitable for crafts. Why? Simply because they will be hard on your tools and could actually cause your tools to wear down too quickly or even break. 

If the reverse side of the plate says ironstone (that should give it away, no?) or the plate is heavy (think diner-type dishes) then you don't want to use those in your crafts. But asking friends and family is always a good place to start. Spread the word that you are on the lookout for some pretty, old plates and they will no doubt think of you when they come across some themselves! 

Thrift Stores

I think that the best places for beginner plate hunters to find old china pieces are at thrift shops and yard sales. You can add flea markets to that list too, but you will most likely pay more at flea markets than at thrift shops or yard sales. Antique dealers often set up shop at the bigger flea markets and I have found that those vendors tend to overprice their china. 

Check out all of the thrift shops and Goodwill stores in your area and note which ones have the best selections of plates. Some thrift shops have tons of plates. Others have hardly any. Make a mental note of the good ones so that you can visit them on a regular basis. 

Seasoned thrift store shoppers know that each thrift shop tends to carry certain types of wares on a continual basis. Some thrift shops have tons of clothes but little housewares. Others have tons of housewares and little clothes. Take note! Once you are a thrift shop shopping pro, consider mini road trips to other thrift shops that are out of your area.

Keep in mind that the prices and quality of goods in the shop will often reflect the income of the area. Many thrift shops also have certain departments on sale on certain days of the week. For instance, Monday might be half price clothing day, Tuesday might be half price dishes day. Got it? ;)

Yard Sales & Flea Markets:

The pros of yard sale shopping are that people are usually willing to bargain because most people who have yard sales are either moving or honestly want to get rid of their "stuff," so it puts you in a good position to barter.  

The cons of yard sales & garage sales are that they are mostly seasonal, and you have to do a lot of schlepping around from area to area. Also, depending on how populated the area is, you may have to get there very early to get the good stuff. Go towards the end of the sale, and you are more likely to get a bargain. The same goes for flea markets. I like to shop weekend flea markets on a Sunday afternoon, an hour or two before vendors are getting ready to pack up and go home. 

In my experience, that is the time that they are most willing to barter! As far as prices go, I think that yard sales are a toss up - you never know how someone is going to price their items. Some people have emotional connections to their things and so they tend to price them higher. Still, other people under-price.  You never know what you are going to encounter, but that makes it fun.

Church Rummage Sales:

Many churches, charities, and other organizations hold yearly rummage sales. These have the potential of being a goldmine for the plate hunter! 

Why? For starters, these are often annual events that are either held on only one particular day or a few days over the length of a weekend, but only once a year. That means the folks who donate to these events often "clean house" and collect a pile of things throughout the year to donate/sell for the short event. Unlike thrift shops and flea markets, that are constantly "picked-through" by other shoppers, the rummage sale can be like Christmas morning for shoppers. My advice: get there early! 

These types of sales are most often created to benefit a specific charity, so be prepared to possibly pay an entry fee, and also be prepared to pay a few dollars more for dishes than you would at a thrift shop. Keep in mind that it's usually for a good cause.

Your Local Community Recycling Center:

Depending on where you live, some municipalities have recycling drop off centers that collect plates. Call your township municipality to find out if your town collects dishes, and find out if it would be possible for you to get some. Some centers are for drop-off only and will not allow you to pick through them, but all you have to do is ask to find out. It's that simple. 

Antique shops/antique vendors, and Ebay:

You can get just about any kind of fancy plate on Ebay or at an antique store, but you are most often going to pay top dollar, including shipping and sometimes other costs (packaging, insurance, etc.) 

The pro of shopping Ebay is that you can shop from the convenience of your own home and you can search for specific china sizes, shapes, or patterns. 

As you can see, there are plenty of different places to search for vintage china, and each place has it's own pros and cons. Some days you may not find much of anything, but don't get discouraged! 

There are thousands upon thousands of old dinnerware pieces just waiting to be found. 

Keep looking! 

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What do you think?
Where is your favorite place to find dishes?

Have a great week!
Laura

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Check out my new jewelry instruction books and DVDs!

Article copyright ©Laura Beth Love 2019 and may not be republished in print or other media without express written permission from the author. For any link corrections please leave correct info in comment area.