Tea Tin Centerpieces

A chronic tea drinker, I’ve been collecting tea tins for years. The bright colors on the tins as well as the often-ornate designs completely inspire me. And because many such tea tins are also decorated with foreign lettering (such as those that I occasionally pick up at my local Asian market), they suddenly make me feel as though I’ve embarked on some exotic adventure. Once I’ve finished the actual tea, I usually find small uses for the tins around my house (I especially love displaying them on my white desk as storage for loose pens and pencils). However, used tea tins also double as beautiful vases. Simply wash each tin with warm, soapy water. Then, make a quick liner for each tin by snipping up an old plastic grocery bag. Don’t be too fussy when choosing your flowers. Stick with one type of flower for each bin and embrace the intentional color contrast for a stylish, eclectic feel. 

Photo: Martha Stewart

Our Favorite Posts

Although it is hard to believe, in just a few weeks, Something Green will celebrate its 1^st birthday! What a whirlwind year! In order to celebrate this milestone, over the next few weeks, we will be skimming through our archives to bring back some of our favorite/some of our most popular posts from the past year! We hope you will enjoy some of our favorite green décor ideas! Cheers!

Coffee Filter Paper Flowers

We love the paper flower craze that has been blooming these past few months for so many reasons. In addition to being adorable, paper flowers can be reused again and again, thus helping hostesses to reduce their party impact in style. If you’re in the market for paper flowers be sure to browse Aunt Peaches’ paper flowers. These lovely ornate flowers are crafted from coffee filters, providing them with an interesting texture as well as an extra dose of eco-chic flair.

Photos: Design*Sponge & Aunt Peaches

Recycled Jack O’ Lanterns

A quick coat of earth-toned paint and some strategically placed holes are all you need to transform a collection of used aluminum cans into display-worthy eco jack o’ lanterns. Line your walkways with these easy DIY lanterns or arrange them on a bar or buffet.

Photo: Martha Stewart

Jelloware

If you’d like to use earth-friendly disposable dinnerware at your next party but would still like to keep things stylish you’ll love this innovative new “jelloware.” These disposable cups are made from agar agar and are cast in unique flavors such as lemon-basil and rosemary-mint. When the cocktails are gone guests can nibble on these flavorful cups and toss any remains in the compost bin.

Photos: The Way We See the World

Recycled Paper

When incorporating recycled paper into your party décor think of unique options that surpass bags of confetti. This lovely table setting features rippled placemats, napkin covers, chair accents and other small table accessories all crafted from reclaimed book pages.

Photos: Green Wedding Shoes

Natural Linens

We’ve been big fans of Emerson Made for a while now and have featured several of their products on our site. After spending a good deal of time this weekend in search of simple, yet elegant eco table linens, you can imagine our excitement when we discovered the company’s new-ish line of table linens. These hand-stenciled napkins and table runners are made using 100% natural linens and are shipped in a muslin bag. Whether you plan to use these for special occasions or for everyday use the neutral colors ensure that they will be used in your home year-round.

Photos: Emerson Made

Apothecary Place Cards

Reclaimed apothecary bottles look whimsical when tied to sturdy place cards. For a fun twist roll up personal notes for every guest and tuck the notes inside the bottles.

Photo: Green Wedding Shoes

Charming DIY Garland

All it takes to make a charming strand of garland is a collection of vintage fabric scraps or mismatched cloth napkins. Drape the garland across a fence at an outdoor affair or from ceiling beams when hosting an event indoors.

Photo: Once Wed

Birch Accents

Embrace the autumn season by adding rustic wood accents to your party décor. Hollowed out pieces of fallen birch make beautifully textural receptacles for flowers, feathers and other natural objects.

Photo: Bridesmaid