14967

Dress-up Tea Party 4yr - Canopy & Tea Cups

January 2007

Ronni in E. Brunswick, NJ, USA

Special Mention

My daughter's 4th birthday was a dress up tea party.  Invites were made using card stock and an adorable picture we found on line of two little girls having tea.  It read, You are Cordially invited to afternoon tea to help celebrate my 4th birthday with me.  Please come dressed in your Sunday or dress up best and we will take care of the rest.  We listed date, time, etc. 

Decorations - Table was set with pink table cloths.  Chairs -  I took white sheer curtain panels and draped them down the backs of the metal folding chairs. I used those clear rubberbands to make a rosette out of the top piece. Then I put a hair bow (which was on a clip) on top of the rosette and it looked like it was tappered in.  I hung sheer curtain scarfs from the ceiling. These went about a foot wider then my table.  Giving the appearance that the girls were sitting inside a gazebo.  On the back wall I tacked two straight sheers and put up fabric flowers using tape runner tape (like the type used for photos in scrapbooking).  I then hung thin ribbon down making it look like flower stems.  This took up the entire back wall and gave color to the area.

I strung lights through the curtains that were across the ceiling (three sides).  I used three battery operated lanterns to look like a chandelier. Then I took plastic tea sets and hung them from the ceiling above the table area.  We hung four tea pots, four cups and saucers and two creamers and two sugar bowls.  The all had handles making it easy. I used fishing wire for this and thumb tacks.  It appeared as though the tea sets were hanging from the sky. 

The tea cups were next to the tea pots and it appeared as though the pots were trying to pour the tea as they moved through the air.  I also took this curly ribbon and made it come out of the tea pots and creamer. It looked like real tea/milk was pouring out.  When you put on the lights it looked so beautiful! Centerpiece was a three tiered serving tray, the top tray had my daughters' fisher price tea set on it.  The other two layers had the desserts.  We used a real mini tea service which had dishes for food as well. 

Food - for the girls, I made flower shaped p&j sandwhiches. I also made mini heart, round, and diamond shaped, ham and cheese and turkey and cheese finger sandwhiches.  I made mini fruit kabobs using those fancy plastic sandwich sticks.  I used the juice from marachino cherries and mixed it in cream cheese. I then made mini flower shaped sandwhiches with this.  Then I dipped the actual cherries in chocolate and served them on the dessert tray. This tray also consisted of mini cakes that I made.  I used pound cake (brown part cut off) and cut it in rectangles then I drizzled pastel colored royal icing over them and used those pretty edible flowers to decorate them.  They were my petite fours!  I also put the mini sugar flowers on top of some of the sugar cubes which the girls used to put in their tea cups. Drinks were assortments of tea (peach ice tea, an apple pear mango flavored juice and bubble tea which I got in disney). 

The sandwiches and choice of teas were served by daddy and two brothers who were the butlers!  The cake. I took a fancy round cake pan (made two of them). Iced the layers together. Then using fondant, I rolled it out to 16 inches and used a stamp which made it look like lace. This was placed over the cake. I had a kelly doll set in which she was serving tea to teddy bears. It had the doll and a table with two chairs as well as the little tea set and food items. I took one other doll from a Kelly doll dress up set I had. I assembled the toy tea set on top of the cake. Making it appear that the dolls were having tea on top of a cake that looked like a table.  Adults were served sandwhich wraps, fruit salad, veggies and dip, assorted chocolates and of course flavored teas.

Games -  Upon arrival I took a picture of each girl w/my daughter. Then we decorated straw hats. Each girl got 4 beautiful felt flowers, two butterflies and one dragon fly. The child designed it and then I hot glued it all in place.  Before we ate we played one game called pass the hot tea pot.  When you got out you got a prize. It was a bag filled with bracelets, ring, gloves, feather boa, necklace and lip gloss. Each girl put on their accessories and now they were ready for their tea edequiette lesson.  After they learned about proper lady manners, how to drink tea (pinkies up), they were ready to eat. This was so adorable watching them try to put up their pinkies and drink .. Just priceless!

Then we played stick your tea cup on the saucer. I cut a tea pot out of victorian type paper. Then I drew and cut out 2 tea cups and 3 saucers and pasted all these items on hard foam board.  The saucer with no tea cup was where the girls had to place their cut out tea cups, which each had a saying which read its time for tea .. Then the childs name. Who ever got their tea cup closest won a simple prize like a ring or bracelet. All of the items that I have described came from a Bratz fashion show toy which was marked down to $6.48 at target. I got two of them. This saved me time as well as the cost of purchasing all these items seperately. Included in this was also these big sun glasses and a cardboard runway (which I will tell you later how I used this). 

Next we played tea bag toss. I had the tea pot from disney .. The big plastic one that the princess plastic tea sets come in. I purchased small white scachet bags (resembled tea bags) and filled them with red beans (resembled tea). I tied and knoted them tight and then the girls used them to try to toss into the pot.  Each girl was given three bags. The best of three was their score.  We then enjoyed a game of sugar cube relay race.  Sugar cubes were placed on spoons two teams were formed and the first team to load up their sugar bowls which was across the room on a table and cover it wins!  Last was tea party bingo. This was customized with my daughters name. It was different pics of tea party/dress up things (I would be happy to share).  I had call cards of same pics and as each girl won they were given the oversized sunglasses.  I set up the runway and each girl came down striking a pose .. It was just to die for! One grup shot was taken of all of them dressed up w/the glasses!

Then the favors were a mini plastic tea cup filled with pastel m&m's. They were put in celephane bags tied with ribbon and the spoon. I made a tag and put a velem cover on it which read - When you use the cup for some tea I hope you will remember how happy you made me when you came to my 4th birthday party .. Love and hugs (name of child). This party was so much fun. My daughter was tickled pink!  The moms could not believe how elegant and yet simple to achieve this was. You probably have most of the items at home and/or will be able to borrow from family/friends.  The foods were easy to make too! The fancy table scape was a hit .. The fancier the better!  The girls just ate it up!!!!"

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