Teapots vs. Tea Kettles

Did you know there is a difference between a teapot and a tea kettle?  Tea pots are designed for the table and serving, while kettles are for the boiling of water on the stove.  It's easy to find a kettle now, but pretty, table ready teapots are getting harder to find.  That is not the case at Genevieve Lethu Chicago!  We are a great selection of pretty, functional teapots just ready to wow your next tea party guests.  Here are some of our favorites.

Lignato, $105, Limited quantity available

Un Patio a Corduoe, $93

Mathilde, $120, available in Blue (shown above) and Natural Beige

L'amour est Toujours du Voyage, $93

Nature Enchante, $65

10 New Uses for Espresso Cups

We all love those petite, dainty espresso cups.  They bring us daily caffeine joy and usually come in fun patterns, shapes, and colors, but you don't have to restrict their use to coffee and espresso alone.  Here are ten new and fun ways to use these little cups in everyday life.

1. Pop in an over sized bloom and use it as a mini bud vase.
2.  Measure out recipes in advance using them as prep bowls.
3.  Add a candle for an instant tea light holder for ambiance at your next dinner party.
4.  Create instantly chic place card holders or as a guest gift for each place setting.
5.  Move them into the bathroom to hold Q-Tips and cotton balls.
6.  Create a bed side catch all for earrings and pennies.
7.  On the desk, use them as a low pencil cup for colored pens and pencils.
8.  Serve little candies in individual dessert holders.
9.  Sort your arts and crafts table with containers for buttons, paper clips, and more.
10.  Serve an amuse bouche or after dinner shot.

Any other ideas you like to use your little espresso cups for? 

Shown above, left to right: Lignato Coffee Cup with saucer, $28, (limited quantity available) Gran de Riz Coffee Cup in Sand and Red colors, $17, Pasyphae Cup with saucer in Natural and Blue Colors, $22, Nature Enchante Coffee cup with Saucer, $22.

Flower Arranging Basics

One of my favorite things about summer are farmer's market flowers.  In season flowers are so beautiful and nothing feels better than purchasing them directly from the farmer who cut them.  Kevin Sharkey of Martha Stewart Living Magazine calls them "affordable elegance" and one of his guilty pleasures.  I would agree.  A vase of pretty flowers will liven up any room in your home. 

Don't be afraid to think outside the box when selecting a vase either.  Anything can make a beautiful display vase for your flowers...egg cups, water pitchers, large low bowls, etc.  Don't be afraid to try something different.  Kevin suggests sticking to one single variety of or color of flower in your container.  Try all mini carnations in soft pinks and whites or a vase full of only yellow blooms.  I love this Fig Colored Pitcher from the Mathilde collection, $50, it would look smashing with white or pink flowers. (Shown above, also available in Fennel, Cream, and Nattier/Pale Blue).

Looking for something a little more "artsty?"  Try Real Simple Magazine's technique of "Flower Arranging 101."  Real Simple offers three easy steps.
1.  Create a Foundation with foliage to build a framework.  Keep a pleasing, asymmetrical shape that will create a high point in the back.
2.  Add large "face" flowers.  Cut the stems of these big blooms (like peonies) at different heights so some nestle low to the vase and others reach high.  Use floral foam or tape across the top of the vase to keep the flowers in place.
3.  Weave in wispy elements.  Think climbing flowering vines or ferns.  Place them in three strategic spots, up high on one side, down low to spill out the bottom of the vase, and some in the middle.

Above are some of my other favorites for creating unique flower arrangements.  Clockwise from top right, L'Amour Teapot, $93.  Remove the lid and add any almost any array of colors of flowers to compliment.  Grain de Riz Espresso Tumbler 10cl, $9.  These petite cups are perfect for one giant bloom on a really short stem, also available in Grey, Cotton, or Red.   The Angela Ice Cream Dish, $15 would be perfect with a cluster of carnations or roses.

What is your favorite piece to put flowers in?  Do you stick to a thematic color or flower type or are you more of a wild flower inspired person? 

Unusual Utensils: What is a Fish Fork?

Welcome to Unusual Utensils!  We tend to be very simple in our dinning habits, so there are a few utensils that don't come in your standard place setting.  So identifying and figuring them out can be frustrating.  Welcome to the fish fork (left). 

During a formal meal, both a knife and a fork will be provided for the fish course.  Your fish fork is usually slightly shorter than your traditional table fork and has three tongs instead of four.  It is shaped slightly differently to help you best manipulate the fish on your plate. 

Serving sets for fish are also commonly available and are almost identical in shape but  much larger.

To the right you will see your fish knife.  Slightly different in shape from a traditional knife, again to help you in moving and cutting the fish.  It also does not usually have a sharpened edge as most table knives do, seeing as fish is not as hard to cut as most other meats.

Looking to add fish pieces into your set?  Try the Select Series shown here, smooth handles with a subtle shine, available in Ruby, Paprika, and Natural.  Fish Fork, $24, Fish Knife $27.