Tea wares old and brand-spanking-new

I have never looked for teacups at Dollar General and probably won't ever think to do so again, but when I stopped by over the weekend, their pretty pastel wares for spring and Easter caught my eye, including $1 rolls of satin ribbon, a crafter's delight, and oversized glass teacups (3-1/2 inches tall, 4-1/4 inches in diameter) in pink, blue, and lavender.

Did I need them? Well, no. But these $3 teacups struck me as pieces that could serve as cereal bowls, individual tea party salad bowls, planters, and candy dishes. There was no saucer, but for $3, I will lower my expectations. They had two each of the three colors, and I couldn't decide whether to get all six, but I rarely decorate with blue and lavender, so I got the pink ones and may try to pick up two more at another store. I always like sets of four for some reason.

And yes, you can even drink tea out of them! The quality definitely isn't as nice as old Depression glass, but considering the price, I think they can be fun additions to the tea table.

Another recent tea ware find was this teapot, discovered for $15 at an antique mall in Opelika, Alabama. Actually, it was $25, but the whole booth was 40 percent off, which made this piece more attractive. For some reason, $25 seems way more expensive than $15. And even then, I had to think about this, because the back stamp says the teapot isn't to be used for food and is for decorative use only.

But it had this cute little tea set on top, and who could resist that? Not I, quickly realizing that yes, I do believe I will enjoy having this out at Christmas simply as decor. Do you ever have such conversations with yourself when you're out shopping? I do it all the time, but I have regretted the things I didn't buy much more than the things I did. (And if I do get tired of something, I can always sell it on eBay!)