I'm Late.... I'm Late... Actually I Am Early.

This week I launched my new website www.dianacummings.com before schedule! Please check it out and let me know what you think. Now that I have a bit more free time I started thinking about how I would love to throw a Tea Party for Valentine's Day.  Have a few of my Bridge friends over for a 'lil soiree.  Since I am several weeks early I thought I would share with you my thoughts, so if you were inspired to throw your own Tea Party you would still have time....

First off, I really like this idea for the invites:

Click Here For  How to Make Them

As for Decorations:

I like the idea of using mismatched chairs, cups, saucers, teapots and plates etc.  The more mismatched the madder ;).  As for a table cloth, I want to incorporate red not just for Valentines Day but to make a play on the Queen of Hearts.  I suggest using a red and white gingham print (picnic print) - you may already have fabric or tablecloth like that for picnics. If not splurge and then you can use it again come summer. 

For napkins I would use assorted cloth ones that don't match each other or the table cloth.

For centerpieces I would  teapots (thrift stores often have many neat ones) and fill them with not tea but lots of flowers. If you went conservative on the plates, napkins, tablecloth etc - I would mix up the flowers - crazy vibrant bouquets.  But if you decor is already Mad Hattered I would use all white flowers in the different colored/patterned tea pots with a pop of red either with a heart shaped something or even use wire floral picks and place red playing cards in the arrangement.  My inspiration came from this picture:

FUN:

Ask your guests to wear a mad hat!! Do a blind tea tasting. Play Croquet!  Play the Who Am I game.  Write down each character from Alice in Wonderland on a note-card. When they bring there key from their invitation for admission to the party,  use a bobby pin or hair clip and clip the character in their hair or on their hat but don't tell them who they are. During tea they will have a chance to ask yes or no questions to discover who they are.  Instead of directly announcing they figure it out - they should then assume that character's personality for the rest of the tea. 

Next week I will cover food fit for a Mad Hatter Tea Party.