Forgotten tea infusers

The other day I was looking for something in the tea cabinet and pulled open a drawer where I keep tea party odds and ends such as candles, tiny glass baskets for serving lemon curd, that sort of thing. When I saw a few chains jumbled together, I investigated and realized that the bottom of the drawer is the place where I had exiled a particular style of tea infuser.

One of the first tea infusers I ever used was one of these little teapot-shaped infusers. I remember using it to make my cup of tea to be enjoyed at my desk at work. When it came time for cleanup, however, I discovered it was often messy to get those tops to pop off just so. Eventually, I discovered the joys of the paper tea filter, and so that's what I generally use today when making loose tea at the office.

Still, I keep these old infusers because, while some of them don't work worth a toot, the designs are kind of nice. I particularly like the shell (souvenir of a beach trip), the heart and the Christmas tree because of their shapes. Recently, I saw one of these on Etsy being sold as a pendant, but the idea of wearing these as jewelry is not exactly my cup of ... well, you know!