A Birthday Tea for Marina

I had a birthday tea for one of my dearest tea "sisters"

 on Saturday afternoon, honoring Marina.

I tried to make it a girlie old-fashioned outdoor garden tea....

but it was super dark and dreary and raining

so I couldn't have it outdoors in our garden,

 so I attempted to carry the theme indoors.



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To "ground" the place setting with a little more interest
I used vintage linen pink and ivory dinner napkins.

I adore their pretty embroidered edges.

I used two matching two-tier trays on either end of the table.

You will note I don't have teacups on the table.

I filled an extra large pretty floral tea hat box

with carefully wrapped vintage teacups as their second favor......

each guest to choose one to unwrap to then use for the tea, 

 and eventually take home.

I used the teacup idea
 because I wanted to use this china my guests had never seen
 that includes dinner plates, bread plates and soup bowls,
 but unfortunately no teacups. 

Unfortunately I didn't get a pic of either the hat box or of the teacups themselves.

  I sure wish I had someone else (not a guest) following me around taking pics of things

 because I never seem to remember when I am knee deep in serving.

These are the hand painted garden flowers glasses I used for the initial Welcome To My Home drink- which was a concoction I made up of

kiwi-lime fizzie juice with 7-Up and some fruit.

(And some vodka for those more adventurous.)

This pic was taken before they arrived before the drink was made. 

It was a pretty light sage green colour.

The soup bowls I used for salad and for the soup I used my 

Depression green cut teacups and saucers. 

(Photo courtesy of Mary D.)

I forgot to put in the mandarin oranges

 and didn't include mini cream puffs on this printed menu

 but did serve them. 

(Next came the scones, no pic though.)

NO calories allowed or served at my afternoon tea parties!

(Wink, wink, nudge, nudge.)

You can't tell from the food pic but under the pink and brown paper

 for the brownies is a cute teapot print.

I simply tied the silk napkins

 with a little pink paper rose wire tie to make napkin rings.

I attached pink rose and tea- themed name tags

 on a little plant wrapped in a paper doily

as a favor for them, along with the teacup.

Five of the ladies stayed overnight, as they live 3.5 hours away.

We had pizza and fun snacks and watched the BBC version marathon of

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE - the one with Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy.

We didn't finish until 3:30am, haha.

I wish I had a pic of the set-up my husband surprised us with

 up on the landing.

(I think it is now official Party Central when we have sleep overs!)

There was a card table with pizzas and a big cooler

 full of every kind of drink-close to our upstairs tv room

 and easy to grab when needed but not be in the way!

L-R front:  Dina, Marina, Pam, Karen
L-R back:  hostess, Dawn, Mary

As always we enjoyed one another's company.

I hope you enjoyed my sharing Marina's special tea day with you.

Thank you for your visit.

♥

~Michele

Linking:

Tea in the Garden   *  Teacup Tuesday   *  Tablescape Thurs.

Tuesday Cuppa Tea   *  Pink Saturday