Styling with Vintage Teacups - Susan Gary

From the very beginning of my small vintage tea ware business on Etsy, Vintage Tea Treasures, my goal has been to share a passion for collecting beautiful and one of a kind teacups, teapots, and cake plates, and provide an opportunity to others who also appreciate this lost art, to own a piece of history.

Vintage china ware pieces can continue to help us tell the stories of our lives when they are reclaimed from a charity shop or estate sale. Plucked from dusty and neglected shelves, these distinct pieces can then carry on with their journeys, making their way through the hands of various family members or friends who share an appreciation for unique timeless pieces. 

It is under these very circumstances that I met photographer and teacup lover Susan Gary of Glorious Nature. Susan creates and sells her beautiful fine art photographic images on her website of the same name. Her subject matter includes flowers, butterflies and birds, landscapes and seascapes, pets, as well as 'painterly' images, or digital painting, of some of these same subjects. And of course, teacups.

Susan and I met on Instagram about a year ago and, having discovered we both enjoy styling and photographing flowers and teacups, we became 'insta-friends', supporting each other's efforts. And when Susan found that I was offering vintage teacups in my Etsy shop, she kindly paid a visit and made a purchase.

Upon discovering that it was Susan who bought the vintage pastel Colclough teacup and saucer pictured here, I knew immediately that the set was perfect for her. If you've ever visited Susan's website or Instagram feed, or seen these lovely images of hers that are posted here, I'm sure you will agree that the Colclough set fits her visual aesthetic perfectly! 

In her own words, Susan states "I love nothing better than sitting down with freshly cut flowers from my ever-expanding garden or new store bought flowers and some cool (mostly vintage) props and creating an artful image."

If you are a collector of vintage tea ware, or if like Susan, you love to collect, style and photograph vintage teacups, perhaps there is a Vintage Tea Treasure in my shop that is just right for you.

From Garden to Table: Blueberry Pie II

Hi everybody! A couple of summers ago, I shared a recipe for a blueberry pie made using the blueberries grown in my garden. I'm back in the kitchen again this summer with an enthusiastic grin, baking yet another pie using the delicious homegrown berries from the same blueberry bushes.

I've been experimenting with pie crust recipes since that time, and at last I've found the pie crust of my dreams! It's from Martha Stewart and is the best recipe to use if you love a crisp, light crust - not too sweet or too salty.

Pate Brisse

Martha Stewart

Yield: 1 double crust pie

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces

1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

In a large bowl whisk together flour, salt and sugar. Add butter, and using a pastry blender, process until mixture resembles coarse meal.

Add half the ice water and mix with a large wooden spoon or your hands until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. To test, squeeze a small amount together: if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour. This dough may also be stored, frozen up to 1 month.

The filling I made is a standard recipe from my old, dogeared Fannie Farmer cookbook (pictured above):

Blueberry Pie Filling

1 quart blueberries, rinsed and stems removed
2 Tablespoons flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt

Roll out one of your chilled disc-shaped pie doughs and transfer into the pie pan. Add the flour, sugar and salt to the blueberries in a large bow and mix well. Pour into your prepared pie pan.

Roll out the other chilled pie dough and place it over the pie, crimping the edges. Pierce the top crust. 

Bake at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting. 

Once my pie was assembled I used cookie cutters to cut shapes from the leftover pie dough and baked them separately from the pie. Just before serving I added the cut shapes to the top of the pie for a fun decorative touch. 

Thanks for looking!

#collectandstyle - Catching Up On The Monthly Favorites

Hello #collectandstyle community, I'm so happy you are here! I'm happy I'm here also - it's been too long since I've posted any Monthly Favorite images from the Instagram #collectandstyle hashtag.

Today we're looking at collected and styled images from April, May and June, belonging to Aida Keith @curiousmekeithy, above, followed by Maricar @merrymaman, and Lynne @cottagebythec.

Australian Aida Keith @curiousmekeithy is sharing her journey on sustainability, recycling, vintaging, discovering the world and taking the moment to sip tea along the way. You might have already guessed that it's Aida's vintage teacup and teapot finds that catch my eye. Aida has an interesting collection, such as the unique rose teacup duo shown. Isn't it lovely how Aida styled it with a basket of delicious looking apples and a few colorful roses? The neutral tones in the basket and the wood surface perfectly support the vibrant pops of color in the teacup set, apples, and roses, creating an energetic autumnal scene.

Aida's favorite pastime is hanging out in her 'she shed', or tiny cottage, sipping tea and reading magazines. Her shed was recently featured in She Sheds - A Treasure Trove of Women's Creative Spaces.

Maricar (@merrymaman) is a maker of things, sharing her days on Instagram. Her inspirational flat lay photography feels as though one is taking a magical journey alongside her, via her interesting collection of everyday items such as the books and bookends in the photo above, as well as kitchen tools, office supplies, stationary, food and clothing. You'll always see Maricar's images beautifully embellished with vibrant flowers and greenery, and feel her spirit shine through with the little stories she tells about events in her life.

It is through Maricar's tales that I learned she is a pilgrim, enjoying regular walks on the Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James. This is a pilgrimage route to the shrine of the apostle St. James the Great, located at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in the northwestern Spanish province of Galicia.

Maricar is also a part-time flower mortician on Stellar, meaning she likes to faff, or artistically arrange flowers on a flat surface as they wither, fade and fail. She sees it as an act of gratitude for their having enhanced her life. 

Lynne (@cottagebythec) is sharing her life in pics and prose. She is a wife, mom, grama and nurse and believes in doing unto others as you would have them do unto you. Oh, and Lynne is really a mermaid in disguise!

And in a spirit of sharing, Lynne tagged me on Instagram with this image she took of her heirloom decorative Nippon bird plate. It has been treasured in Lynne's family for a generation, having been part of her family's home, and for her, represents the treasured memories of her childhood. Lynne inherited this lovely plate from her mother when she passed away, and Lynne was tasked with sorting through her belongings. Lynne chose this plate, and many other treasures, as a memento of the loving home she grew up in.

Thank you for joining me for #collectandstyle Monthly Favorites! For more stories about people who love to collect, style and share their treasured heirlooms, new, vintage and charity shop finds, click on a link below; or to participate, tag your styled images of your collections to #collectandstyle on Instagram.