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Repurposed Cordial Glasses and Saucers for a Spring Craft Pedestal

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Happy Spring!! It is about time that things have warmed up a bit. It may still be raining but the flowers are blooming and that was the inspiration for this repurposed cordial glasses and saucers pedestal.

Tops of saucers with flowers and tealights.

It’s my favorite time of the month again, the Int’l Bloggers Club Challenge. Each month five friends get together and share different topics from their corner of the world.  In the past we have talked about Valentine’s Day, and of course our special Gift Swap. This month we’re all about Spring.

Celebrating spring when spring is not officially here can be a bit tricky.  The bouquet of wildflowers and branches was gathered at the farm the other day. Obviously Mother Nature thinks spring is here, even if the calendar is in denial.

Almond branch and spring flowers.

Greece is in full bloom at the end of February, getting ready to put on all it’s bling in anticipation of the warmer weather. Last year I also did another post on Spring Flowers in Greece.  Take a look at it so you can get an idea of the abundance we have.

Close up of Yellow spring flowers.

These narcissus first show up in January. They fight off frost and winds to make their appearance.  They also happen to be my favorite, all crisp and full of scent. 

Close up of yellow and white Narcissus flowers.

How to make a Pedestal with Cordial Glasses and Saucers

I wanted to celebrate spring by creating a simple project from found objects in my home. I found these glasses … you guessed it, in the basement.  They are cordial glasses or sherry glasses.  I really am not an expert on this at all.

They were leftovers from my mother-in-law’s time, I brought them up from the basement and kept them in my overcrowded china cabinet.

Six cordial glasses sitting on a white sheet.

The problem was I never used them. I never drink cordials or sherry.  I’m a wine kinda gal!  So they just sat there taking up space. Till today!

By gluing them together like you see below, the similar ends together, I was able to give them height for the next step!

Gluing the cordial glasses together to make a pedestal.

While looking through the china cabinet I found these demitasse saucers that had once been part of a set.  Sadly the cups have either broken or parted ways with the saucers.  I had 4 saucers for every cup.  

Time to repurpose some of these as well!  I glued them to the tops of the cordial glass.  And there, I had a pedestal!

Gluing saucers on top of the glass pedestals.

The next step was to paint the saucers white, with some left over chalky type paint. I did three coats and brushed from the edges toward the center.

Painting the saucers with white paint.

And that was it.  My pedestals made from cordial glasses and saucers.

Decorate your Pedestal

And what did I put in them?

Angled view of the cordial glasses glued together to make a pedestal.

 Flowers of course!  And a tea light! Here I used almond flowers.

Almond flowers and a tealight sitting on the painted saucer.

A few flowers that were attached to a succulent of mine.  Do you know what they’re called?  I call them the only succulents that survive outside.  Here the tea light was painted a soft green!  It’s all in the details.

Painted tealight with yellow succulent flowers sitting on the painted saucer.

​And some more flowers.  You can also see a bit of blue on the saucer.  I liked the effect that was created when I was too hasty with my paint job so I left it like that.

Yellow flowers on painted saucer.

 Can you tell what their original purpose was?  Of course not! “wink”  

After I’d finished my project I saw one that looked similar by Sam of Raggedy Bits. Only she didn’t have to go to a basement to find her goodies! She found them at a thrift shop!  Sigh… wish we had those here.

Close up of the cordial glasses and saucer made into a pedestal.

​Let’s put them on a tray.

Pedestals placed on a silver tray with tea lights and flowers.

Add some faux pearls with flowers.

Top view of the painted saucer with a flower and faux pearls placed in it.

Light the tea lights.

Lighting the tealights on and around the pedestal.

And enjoy the arrival of spring!

Silver tray with cordial glass pedestals, candles and flowers.

This was an easy project that took an afternoon with the drying time. And I didn’t feel bad about repurposing the cordial glasses and saucers into a spring craft pedestal, since they had no value.  In fact I did them a favor because now they sit front and center on my coffee table.

And now for the big question. Should I paint the glass pedestals or just leave them like that?  Because you all know I can’t leave well enough alone!

Tops of saucers with flowers and tealights.
Repurposed Cordial Glasses and Saucers for a Spring Craft Pedestal.
"meet the bloggers" overlay with pictures of five women and their names.

​And now hop on over to visit my four friends who are also sharing their spring and fall crafts.  Simply click here.

  1. Love how you stacked the glasses Mary, they make a lovely shape. Very pretty make 🙂

    • Mary says:

      Sarah thanks. I am glad that I was finally able to use those glasses. Otherwise they would still be hinding in there.

  2. Eleana A. says:

    Μαίρη μου είναι τέλεια τα σταντ που έφτιαξες!! Μου αρέσει η σύνθεση που δημιούργησες στο δίσκο με τα κεράκια και τα λουλούδια!! Πραγματικά μύρισε άνοιξη στο σπίτι σου!!
    Καλό μήνα!!

    • Mary says:

      Καλο Μηνα Ελεανα μου. Πραγματη εχει γεμισει ο τοπος με λουλουδια. και οι δρομοι γεμισαν αρωματα.

  3. Sandra Garth says:

    So pretty Mary and I will checking in my hoarders bin to see if I have anything like this to work with.

    • Mary says:

      These are so common to find and I don’t know of anyone who serves cordials anymore. But what do I know? I am always looking to repurpose things.

  4. Julie says:

    These are so pretty Mary, I’m not sure what you would drink out of little glasses like that either, maybe you could have served the world’s smallest dessert in them!
    I love how they look on the shiny tray.

    • Mary says:

      Haha! Julie that is an oximoron. Desserts aren’t supposed to be tiny, they should be big portions and filling. I do believe they serve cognac in these.

  5. Pamela says:

    These are really cool. I always walk around at the local thrift shop that benefits seniors who cannot afford assisted living and try to find things that would be a good craft for me. This is something I could do, even with my wild schedule.
    Pam

    • Mary says:

      Pamela it is very easy to make and it can be used in a variety of ways. As one lady said she can use it to store her jewelry at night so she doesn’t misplace it.

  6. Anne says:

    I love them, so simple yet incredibly beautiful. You have inspired me to make something out of the ton of little glasses and jars in the back of my kitchen cupboard.
    #ThursdayFavoriteThings

    • Mary says:

      I amso happy to hear that Anne. We end up collecting and then do nothing with all these jars and glasses. It is good to repurpose them and put some cheer into our surroundings.

  7. Pili says:

    I guess you could run your own thrift store business from your basement Mary. You gave these cordial vases a better use and they look stunning with the candles and flowers. They look beautiful as they are, but I guess they would look nice painted as well. No matter you do, you will play your magic with them

    • Mary says:

      Pili thank you. I’m so glad that I was finally able to find a use for them instead of having them sit in the cabinet like wallflowers.

  8. Maureen says:

    What a great idea! I think one of these would be perfect on my bedside table to hold the jewelry I wear everyday! I am always taking it off and putting it in a different place every time!

    • Mary says:

      Maureen you are so right. They can be used as jewelry holders. And you’ll have a designated spot for them. Brilliant.

  9. Your fresh flower bouquets are beautiful, and you have so many different varieties of flowers. Your upcycled cordial glasses are perfect for showing off a few flowers and candles. They make a nice addition to your table.

    • Mary says:

      Thank you so much Mimi. I was happy to be able to repurpose those glasses instead of having them waste away in the cabinets.

  10. Kim says:

    This is a super clever and charming idea, Mary. I actually don’t have these glasses, but I see them all the time at the thrift store for like a dime each. I see about sixty cents worth of them in my future! 😉

    • Mary says:

      Kim everyone sees them everywhere. The problem is to use them. I hope you find some and get to repurpose them too.

  11. Marie-Anne says:

    What a clever up-cycle idea you had Mary!!!! Great project!
    What kind of glue did you use for the cordials?

    • Mary says:

      Marie Anne I used crazy glue. The one they sell at the Euro Store. Super easy to make.

  12. How cute! They look lovely with the flowers on <3

  13. Amber Harrop says:

    They looks so good after you had finished with them Mary – I love the candle holders !!

  14. Those turned out lovely Mary! I love the paint effect you got by painting from the edge in. That’s looks pretty cool!
    Your basement must be as big as a flea market, it seems to have a never ending supply of goodies. LOL

  15. Hi, visiting from Silver Pennies Sundays Link Party! As a Chef and Food Blogger I absolutely love this and know I have plenty of dishes just waiting for a revival. Thank you so much for this wonderful idea! Thank you so much for sharing 🙂

    • Mary says:

      I am so glad I can inspire others Angela with all my crazy idea, and so glad you liked this.

  16. gail says:

    I love easy glassware repurposing ideas. These little pedestal glass saucers are sooo cute!
    Thanks for sharing at Talk of the Town. I’m choosing this project as my feature for next week.
    gail

  17. maria brittis says:

    Nice recycle project. Love how you reused dishes. Maria

    • Mary says:

      You’d be surprised at how easily these accumulate. The little cups break and you are left with all these saucers.

  18. These are adorable and so pretty! I just love how you used the cordial glasses for your base, and the plates for the top! In response to your question – I would not paint the base. I love the look! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate it!

  19. Such a great idea! The glasses make great pedestal. Thanks for sharing at Homestyle Gathering!

  20. Chas Greener says:

    Another great upcycle Mary, absolutely love it. So very useful and versatile, thanks for sharing.

  21. Mary, these are so cool. What a great way to get use out of something that was just collecting dust. I love the clear glass of the bases, they don’t take up visual space, you’ll be able to use them in so many settings. I can see them at Christmas time with the sparkle of lights twinkling on them! What a great project that will be used over and over!

    • Mary says:

      Nikki they are so light and sparkly! I am really glad I thought of this instead of just having them sitting in the cabinet.

  22. Babychaser says:

    These are so cute! I love them!
    I just finished some pedestal candy dishes for our church’s women’s retreat coming up. They turned out really cute too!
    Now I want to make yours. 😉
    Blessings,
    Babychaser
    mamasbrush.wordpress.com

  23. Louisa says:

    Such a clever idea. I am a massive fan of upcycling and reusing things that we no longer use or need. Your end result is very elegant and it’s lovely that they can be style in many different ways #handmademonday

  24. Julie says:

    So so pretty, another fab upcycle.
    I thought for a moment there you were going to tell us you are also a glass making expert amongst all your talents, but alas no! I’m the same as you though, if there is a join line I assume it’s cheaper stuff and perfectly ok to use for a new project!

  25. Where there is a will, there is a way Mary. Great job of repurposing. Thanks again for joining our Celebrate Your Story Link Party
    Kari @ Me and My Captain

  26. Hillary says:

    Great idea! Pedastals can be pricey at the home goods stores, so this is a great idea to upcycle items you already have and I love how customizable the look is depending on what items you choose. I love them just as you have them now with the transparent base, but when you mentioned painting them, my mind immediately went to a faux-weathered wood paint finish! You could really create any look out of these. Imagine how pretty and affordable they’d be for wedding centerpieces – you could even do a bowl instead of a saucer and place florals inside!
    http://www.paperandvine.com

    • Mary says:

      You are so right Hillary. You have taken them to the next level with your creative thinking!

  27. Michelle says:

    That’s very clever Mary. I would ever have thought of gluing the sherry/cordial glasses together to form a pedestal thingy, but it works so well. I love the contrast between the glass and the white paints and the way the light reflects off of the pattern on the glasses. Stunning. P.S. I think your little succulent that survives outside might be a yellow coral reef sedum. Does it grow quite flat?

    • Mary says:

      Michelle this was such a fun project. Horray for overstuffed cabinets! I probably would have left them in there if I hadn’t gotten exasperated! As for the succulent you are absolutely right it is a yellow coral reef sedum. Such a mouthful for a small plant. 😉

  28. Michele says:

    Hi Mary, your pretty photos of flowers make me long for spring. We have a couple of months to go yet. Daffodils will show up in late April or May. I love your repurpose pedestal. This seems like a great way to use those dishes we all seem to have in our cupboards but somehow can’t part with even though we don’t use them. these would make lovely gifts!

    • Mary says:

      Michele you are so right. I didn’t even think about them as gifts but they would be perfect to give to special friends.

  29. Katrin says:

    I’d leave the bases as they are right now, they look so so pretty and what a lovely spring tray you’ve created!! Happy almost spring all the way from Deutschland!

  30. Hi Mary, I love it. You’ve created something very pretty out of nothing much. I quite like the stems left unpainted so they reflect the flicker of tealights.
    xx

  31. Great job, Mary! Sometimes when I’m getting rid of things I think to myself “Mary would know how to re-purpose it” 🙂

  32. Krista says:

    You don’t need a thrift shop…you have your basement! I am so excited for spring to be here. The project turned out great.

    • Mary says:

      Krista has the weather warmed up in your area yet? My sons are getting one day warm and the next freezing.

  33. You had me at flowers in February! Whaaaat, didn’t you just have snow? Such a better use for those cordial glasses rather than collecting dust in a cabinet and a great way to use up those extra saucers! I chuckled at the 4 saucers for every cup because my china cabinet has the same. My suggestion is keep the glass stems glass because even though it’s not expensive glass, they look so elegant. I love how you added pretty glass tealight holders and pedestal candles and grouped them on a tray. Very pretty!

    • Mary says:

      This is a very mixed up country Marie! The narcissus are always in a rush to come out of the ground and then the rest just follow.
      That’s exactly what I’m going to do. No one will know how cheap they are unless I tell. Shhh,,,

  34. Gabi says:

    We are still waiting for spring over here, even the last days were warmer than usual. I can’t wait to have my own daffodils in my backyard…
    Thank you for sharing your piece of spring, it remembers Greece, which I love with all my heart! 🙂 Hugs from Romania!

    • Mary says:

      Gabi it was a tough winter, I’m gessing it was difficult in your area as well, since we were hit with extreme weather.
      Let’s look ahead to a wonderful spring!

  35. Lynn Spencer says:

    Oh, I think you need to leave the bases alone…I know that will be hard for you! 🙂 Your pedestals will be so handy throughout the year! I can see them with pinecones in the fall and berries in the winter. Just brilliant my friend.
    Hugs, Lynn

    • Mary says:

      Thank you so much Lynn. I have to agree with you, they will get much use throughout the year. The simpler the better.

  36. Once again, you’ve taken unused items and created something pretty and useful. These wil definitely be versatile items for each season.
    I’m not sure about the pedestals…if you didn’t use them all maybe you can experiment painting them to see if you like that look better?
    XXX

    • Mary says:

      Thanks Doreen. I’m thinking of leaving them like this for now, and if I want to change them up later, it will be easy.

  37. Cindy says:

    What a cute craft and they turned out adorable sweet lady. Such a great way to use things that normally would not be used. Love it! Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    • Mary says:

      Cindy I bet we all have some of these hiding away, taking up precious space. I’m so glad I bought them out of hiding.

  38. Florence says:

    Hi Mary,
    Can’t decide how best I like your little pedestals…painted or unpainted plates….like them both ways! I would leave the glass unpainted. I like the marriage of all 3 though…very clever. I’ve been wanting to do something similar around here…just haven’t gotten around to it yet. Very nice craft!

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Florence, I bet you must find a ton of these on your thirfting trips. Now you can make them and sell them too!

  39. Dear Mary,
    I looove those pedestals. They look so great, they are so versatile, they are so unique! That tray of yours sparkles and shines. Lovely!
    Have a great week,
    Marjan
    P.S.: Wonder if we’ve got any glasses no-one cares for…

    • Mary says:

      I hope you find some glasses somewhere. I think these were used inthe older days when people entertained more formally.

  40. Once again Mary you came up with another fun and creative project from things out of your basement. I think you pedestal’s turned out great. I was looking at the Goodwill yesterday with a pedestal on my mind but didn’t have anything that I really wanted or wanted to spend the money on. Goodwill isn’t cheap like it use to be. I think the pedestal’s look great either way, painted or left like is.

    • Mary says:

      I try and use up what is at home first before looking outside Linda. And after my trip to the salvation army, I’ll have to think twice about it.

  41. Mary, I would love to shop your basement. It is a treasure trove. I love the pedastals and how you styled them with the flowers.

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Debra. More importantly I actually found a use for those poor glasses that had no purpose in my house.

  42. You are so incredibly clever! I love these. What a pretty way to display small flowers and candles! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Marci, it was such an easy project and once I had glued the glasses together the rest was a breeze!

  43. I love how these white flowers smell! They bring back so many memories! Your centerpiece looks lovely Mary. Something like that is on my to do list, but i guess it will stay there for a while! Καλό μήνα!

    • Mary says:

      Zografia I love how the flowers look when they are blown to the ground by the wind. So beautiful. I;m pretty sure your relatives must have bought you these glasses for your wedding. All us greeks have these glasses! 😉

  44. Angela says:

    Excellent, I find it such a genious idea..
    Thank you

  45. Maarit Aho says:

    Very lovely! I love to try to do this!! Someday 😉 Have a nice day Mary!

  46. Keri says:

    Mary, what a fantastic repurpose! That’s so clever to use those sherry glasses and saucers as a candle holder. I really like the painted tea light and of course all of the little flowers you added to the saucer. As far as painting the base, I like the clear look but I’m sure they would look just as great painted too. I hope you have a Happy Spring Mary!!

    • Mary says:

      Keri thank you so much for your sweet comment. I think sometimes the best crafts come in little packages! I’m going to leave them as is for now.

  47. So romantic and perfect for spring! I am voting no to painting the glass! They look really great!

  48. Sherry Legan says:

    What a great idea! I love this. I hope you’ll come over to the new Fabulous Party. We are celebrating Spring and Easter. Your post is perfect to share! The party is over here:
    http://ourholidayjourney.blogspot.com/2017/02/fabulous-welcome-spring-link-party.html
    Enjoy your week!

  49. Laurie says:

    Mary,
    This is a great up-cycle idea! Had to pin to share. These make wonderful candle holders and the two cordial glasses glued together make an interesting pedestal. Hope you are enjoying the spring . . the flowers are pretty. We are another month or more away from spring flowers. Have a wonderful week!

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Laurie, I am gathering that you must be way up north and so spring will have to wait just a bit more.

  50. Love the pedestal plates, Mary, they can be used for so many things. We had lovely spring weather but today it is back to the rain and the cold.
    Amalia
    xo

    • Mary says:

      Thank you Amalia. March is very fickle, we have to be prepared for anything and everything.

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