The muscari had been spotted a few days ago when a pot stacked on top of another was lifted to reveal several spikes of blue emerging from the lower pot, probably boosted by this added protection and insulation. In no doubt of the availability of additional suitably small-scale blooms to accompany the muscari, it did not take long to pick a tiny posy when the time came to prepare today’s vase which stands at just 4″ or 10cm tall from base to tip of leaf
Joining the muscari were a few stems of primrose which have been flowering on and off for weeks (although it took a little while to find nibble-free blooms), purple callicarpa berries and stems of a comfrey which I think is ‘Hidcote Blue’ – and the trimmed remainder of the Stipa tenuissima that was in another vase some weeks ago. Miniature props are easy to come by in this house, and the vase took the form of a little blue jug from a 1920s or 30s child’s tea set, manufactured from a mottled resin based on urea and formaldehyde that took over from the more limited colourways of earlier Bakelite. Requiring only the addition of some tiny cheesy biscuits (that on this scale resembled little cakes), the table was soon set for tea:
I am really pleased with the overall effect of this simple teeny-tiny vase – a classic example of the joy to be had in creating a vase on Monday. I know lots of other bloggers look forward to this weekly event for the very same reason – what will they be putting in their vases today, I wonder? They will be leaving links to and from this post so both you and I can nip over to their blogs to share in their pleasure too – will you join us and create your own vase today, using material from your own garden or foraged nearby?
Rambling in the Garden 
Oh so delightful! I bought 3 Callicarpa mail order- big mistake. They still look tiny and berry less after three years. My laptop crashed😕 So no vase from me today, gosh, suffering withdrawal!
Poor you! I hope it can be fixed and that everything is backed up.
Eek! Me too! I haven’t backed up since 20th Dec, another thing to blame on the Xmas chaos! Why do I allow it to muddle my mind so much! Thanks for your kind wishes.
What a shame about your callicarpa – mine didn’t do much when it was in a pot but it is now inthe shrub border and has had a good number of berries this year. And what a pain about your laptop – I hope it turns out to be recoverable… Backing up is something I have been plannng to do and have recently bought an external hard drive for that purpose – currently full of stuff I have taken off an old laptop which now needs sorting. After a new laptop, phone and my first tablet all in the space of a month I am pretty much teched out now, -but rather that than lose important stuff, so here’s hoping as far as you are concerned…
Thank you for your kind words Cathy. Using the iPad feels rather like looking in from a distance through a veil. I’m not enjoying it! Dr.David comes again this afternoon, so crossing everything, that by tonight all will be well. It is something to do with the graphics reader apparently.
Hope Dr David can prescribe the right medicine…
Thank you – he has done some by-pass surgery to get round the problem – so far so good!
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What an adorable little cup of flowers which appear to be growing right out of the cup. It’s a great way to see the Grape Hyacinths close up – sometimes they seem a little lost in my garden so I will look forward to featuring them in a tiny vase as you have. A reminder that it’s getting time to order bulbs for me.
I have Sweet Peas again this week in a bid to keep them going for longer this year. I’ve been helped out in that endeavour by the generous rain we have had so far this January. http://absentgardener.com/2016/01/11/sweet-peas-a-new-start-in-a-vase-on-monday/
Thanks Cath – and I liked the ‘not quite blue’ stage they were at too.
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I love your tiny posies Cathy; I don’t know why mine are always larger scale! I must look for my Muscari, they are usually the first bulb to appear in the garden although I did stop some Crocus this morning when I was looking for other things. Here’s the link to my post: https://myhesperidesgarden.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-first-bulbs/
Thanks Christina – seeing a tiny one last week encouraged me to keep mine small for a change. I have seen muscari take over a bed before so generally try and keep mine in pots just in case. I wonder if you found any when you went to have a look…?
It is so nice to see yours and other vases filled today. It is 5F here and everything is covered with ice and snow. I wouldn’t be able to make much at this time.
I hope it at least looks pretty with all the white Lisa – and that everything survives beneath the snow and ice. It’s certainly much colder here now – and only just above freezing overnight
Delightful vase this morning. My muscari leaves have been up for age now, but no sign of flowers yet.
Thnaks Annette – I keep looking round for other signs of blooms, but I think these muscari are only flowering because they had been well protected, albeit accidentally!
That’s a beautiful little group of flowers. I love the colour of Callicarpa berries. They look so eye-catching on the bare winter stems. We have some Muscari out in our garden which is much earlier than usual. Sorry I’m not joining in today but hopefully next week.
Thanks Sam – I m so pleased the callicarpa is settling down and seems quite happy. The berries have been there for quite a few weeks so perhaps they are a last resort for the birds!
What a delightful little vase full of spring bulbs, and I adore the tea set props Cathy. We had a spring-like weekend, where I spied all my bulbs starting to break through the soil….but snow is returning with a foot predicted on Wednesday so the bulbs will sleep again. So with a spring-like day, I tried something different for my vase….hope you like it!
Thanks Donna – it has been a pleasant few days here too, but we are also forecast some snow in the UK this week, although possibly further north than us. Hope yours doesn’t stay as long as last year!
Muscari blooming–such a treat. Delightful small arrangement with big personality. The berries add a nice punch. Thanks for hosting Cathy and supplying us with inspiration.
I found a few flowers for today, but mostly lots of green foliage.
https://pbmgarden.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-winter-greens/
Thanks Susie, it was such fun putting ths one together! And we all inspire each other of course…
As always Cathy, you come up with such a lovely way of presenting your flowers. Not only the lovely little tea set, but I wonder who make that lovely tatted lace mat? Here the cold spot is yielding very little..but I just had to add something to my new vase: http://noellemace.blogspot.co.uk/2016/01/in-vase-on-monday-plain-and-simple.html
Aw thanks Noelle – and ‘fraid the lace wasn’t from my own hand but a gift from someone who had been to Madeira I think.
Tiny beautiful arrangements pack a big punch sometimes, well done. Muscari, I love those and it is another thing I cannot grow here. Fortunately, I have other blue plants. Here is my Monday vase:https://theshrubqueen.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-postcards-from-the-edge
Thanks – it can be easy to forget this, and it was another blogger’s vase recently that reminded me. I am glad they did! Muscari can be a little invasive in the UK if they start seeding themselves around!
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I also have Muscari in my post today Cathy but I must confess that I forced mine in the greenhouse! Here’s the link. http://countrygardenuk.com/2016/01/11/spring-already/
That’s fine, Gillian – and mine were sort of helped along too, by being hidden under another pot!
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So pretty! The flowers really reflect your mild winter Cathy, and make me hope that spring will not be far off. I think the whole arrangement with the tea set is quite cute! Here is my forst vase of 2016: https://wordsandherbs.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-a-splash-of-pink/
Thanks Cathy – we are having a colder week, so it will be interesting to see what effect it has on things in the garden. I am on greenhouse alert too!
Lovely as usual. My granddaughters loved to play tea time with Grammy and some of her special “grandma” friends. Here is my vase https://johnsviccellio.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-early-january/
Happy memories, John!
such a pretty arrangement and I love the mottled blue of the tea set which enhances the lovely blue muscari. Here is my link – https://www.annieedwardsphotography.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-a-three-cornered-vase/
For some reason we cannot access and post comments on your entry this week Ann.
Thanks Ann – and as usual it all just came together very swiftly. As you say, the blue tea set was perfect, but it was actually a different little teapot I thought of first until I remembered these ones!
A very sweet arrangement. Your seemingly endless supply of props is amazing and I’m always surprised by what you come up with. My offering this week is here: http://www.outlawgarden.blogspot.com/2016/01/in-vase-on-monday.html
Thanks Peter – it’s good to have a reason to ‘use’ the props!!
Utterly charming! What fun to have such a special container for tiny blooms. Small vases are the ones I use most often as they are quick and easy to do and they fit anywhere. But this week I went for a big container:
http://eachlittleworld.typepad.com/each_little_world/2016/01/in-a-vase-on-monday-poinsettia-redeux.html
Thanks Linda – although I wouldn’t say the little jug was a special container for blooms, just anoter bit of the ‘stuff’ that I have collected over the years!
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I would love to be joining you at your miniature tea party Cathy – that looks so cheerful & uplifting! I had callicarpa berries for the first time last year and was so excited – sadly there were none this year – I expect the birds ate the blossom in the spring. Heigh ho – that is the gardening life!!
My contribution this week is at: http://peoniesandposies.com/2016/01/11/monday-flowers-floating-hellebores/
You would be most welcome – there are only 2 little cups so it would be just you and me, Julie! What a shame about your callicarpa – I am trying to remember when mine flowered and what the flowers are like but my mind is a blank!
Adorable cup of blooms. I’m afraid mine is rather simple this week: https://marianstclair.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-and-other-monday-happiness/
Thanks Marian – and mine were simple too 😉
You make us think of spring already with your beautiful little vase! Such a delight, thanks for sharing it, Cathy!
My vase is here:http://timpingradina.blogspot.ro/2016/01/in-vase-on-monday-january-buds-new.html
As I picked them I found myself thinking how much they looked like a spring posy, Anca. Looks like we still have some winter come in the UK though…
Hi Anca, I wasn’t able to leave a comment on your blog but just wanted say how pretty it is.
So cute! I always enjoy putting together the tiny vases too – I’ll have to work one in soon. For this week, I’ve gone red: http://krispgarden.blogspot.com/2016/01/in-vase-on-monday-red.html . As always, Cathy, thanks for hosting!
It’s easy to think you are letting yourself down with a tiny vase when there are bigger alternatives – but I am very fond of miniature things generally and it gives me a chance to use more of my dusty collections!
This is adorable, the tea party and the posy in a tea cup. I’m now feeling bad about digging up my callicarpa which I bought as a cutting from Mottistone garden on the Isle of Wight many years ago. I just felt it wasn’t earning its keep as it had become quite large. Anyway, no vase from me today but I hope to be back next week.
You have been very busy with other things so perhaps can be forgiven for the lack of vase, Sarah! How large is large, I wonder? Mine is still small but I have seen them cut right back to about a foot in public places before now but I am not sure if that could be done annually
Such a bit of fabulous fun, love the interesting shapes and colors.
Thanks Charlie – I had fun putting it together
That tiny posy is exquisite. Just perfect. My posy started out blue too. It is here at https://frogenddweller.wordpress.com/2016/01/11/in-a-vase-on-monday-the-allure-of-powder-blue-muscari/ . Thanks for hosting.
Thanks – I was pleased with the overall effect too. And you have muscari this week too!
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You need to find a little girl to invite to your delightful tea party. She would be your friend forever.
Life has gotten in the way of blogging lately but I’m baaack: http://bannersbyricki.com/archives/5164
Good to be reminded that there is a life outside blogging – just you you reminded me a few weeks ago! Perhaps the Poppet could share a tea party with me over Skype…
Primroses like violas have such cheery faces most welcome during this dreary weather.
Especially when you can find a perfect bloom!
Very sweet little cupful! Urea and formaldehyde for kids toys? Yikes! It’s a wonder we all made it to adulthood with what they made our toys from!
Thanks Eliza – but there’s early plastic for you, although plastic will still have all sorts of oil-based nasties in these days I expect!
How adorable! And the little biscuits and other props are great too. Im in awe of all the creativity!
Thanks Renee – I enjoy the challenge particularly as I don’t do enough creative stuff as I would like to these days
I always love your miniatures, Cathy, but this one especially. I had to look twice as my first impression was that the flowers were growing in the cup – it was such a perfect little vignette! And I love the whole little tea party 🙂
I went miniature myself this week as well (great minds think alike and all that!), but used different material: http://smallsunnygarden.blogspot.com/2016/01/monday-vase-cheerful.html
Thnaks Amy – I was pleased how well it turned out and I look forward to seeing your miniature vase too!
Such a cute mini cup for a vase, Cathy! If I could find that many flowers in my yard I would think spring had sprung, can’t wait! Thanks for the flower fix. I like the golden arrows in the neck of the primroses. The little tea set is darling. My link is-
http://weedingonthewildside.blogspot.com/2016/01/blue-on-blue-january-11-2016.html
Even the teeny tiny blooms or random individuals will bring joy, won’t they? It was good to see the primroses close up and notice those markings
Small is indeed beautiful Cathy. I think that the jewel like callicarpa berries really enhance the colours of the flowers. I initially thought that the comfrey was pulmonaria rubra. The most apt props as usual – what haven’t you got up there in your loft? 🙂 Email on its way to you soon.
Thanks Anna. I did think about including some pulmonaria as there are a few odd blooms about, but in the end I felt what I had was enough. Callicarpa berries just don’t look real, do they? Apart from the colour, they are such an unusually small size – there must be reason behind both attributes unless it of course their only purpose is just to look pretty! I am afraid that none of these props have come out of the loft – most are off a dusty shelf somewhere, usually in the kitchen…
Gorgeous. Wonderful inspiration.
Thank you, I especially enjoyed creating this vase
this is just lovely, Cathy, I like the dainty flowers and the china, so pretty…I’m just singing the blues now 🙂
Thnak you – I can just about hear you from here, Annette 🙂
I love your miniature tea party Cathy. I have lots of small vases because at this time of the year I love to pick miniature bunches of flowers. It is like bringing little jewels into the house.
Aw thanks, Chloris – hmm, a callicarpa necklace woud look very fine, don’t you think? Do share some of your little vases too…
How brilliant is that! I absolutely love your vase in miniature. Hunka munka will be over soon.
Thanks Dorris – good job that the table was only set for one otherwise there is bound to have been a tale to tell of Two Bad Mice…