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A Baker Street Teatime

November 21, 2011 By
Tea Time At Baker Street

 

Tea Time At Baker Street

 

Dear Readers,

It’s November. Have the cool, dark nights left you feeling blah?  Do you need a good party?  Elementary, my dear Watson!  Combine a pinch of tea and a dash of mystery!  The result is a Baker Street Tea Party that would make Sherlock Holmes proud.

Here are some simple suggestions for a stimulating Sherlock Holmes tea:

Invitations: Invitations stir the imagination and set the tone for your party. Don’t be afraid to get creative, even a little crazy. Unique invitations will be remembered for years to come. Be sure to print the time, date, and location on them!  Here are two ideas that work well with the Baker Street theme:  Cut your invitations from brown construction paper in the shape of Sherlock’s pipe. Alternately, spell out mysterious invitations using letters randomly cut from magazines.

Dress: This is where the fun starts!  A Baker Street Teatime lends itself to costumes. Invite your guests to dress as their favorite Sherlock Holmes character or have a contest for the best Sherlock and best Dr. Watson ensembles. Visit local costume shops for some great ideas. Need awards for the best outfit?  A calligraphy pen, ink, and paper would be perfect for Dr. Watson, and Sherlock would love a chocolate violin! (Mozart Violin Chocolates are available from www.sendchocolates.com)

Setting: A successful tea party begins with a memorable setting, and a Baker Street Tea needs a study. You can easily convert your living room into a study by adding stacks of books, beakers, and such to suggest experiments, and make a centerpiece of a pipe or deerstalker hat. Heavy fabrics in rich colors should cover your tables. Put a map on a side table with an old violin, a stack of newspapers, and a tea tray. Keep in mind that Sherlock was a bachelor; set the table as Mrs. Hudson would have, avoiding fussy lace or frills.

Music: Sherlock was an avid violin player, especially when making deductions. Fill your study with the sounds of the violin. Or of rain; rain is plentiful on Baker Street. Check with your library for an appropriate selection of CD’s.

Menu: Serve your consulting detectives some classic British fare.

Shepherd’s Pie served in mini ramekins
Welsh Rarebit
Garden Salad with Cucumber and Tomatoes
Currant Scones with Devon Cream or
Hot Crumpets with real butter
Trifle

Tea: Choose a typically British tea like Yorkshire Gold or PG Tips. Set your table with plenty of sugar cubes and milk. The British prefer their tea white. Purchase your tea at a British style teahouse or on-line at www.britishexpress.com.

Activities: Create a rich environment and enchant your guests with an assortment of original activities.

If your guests come in costume, your first activity is already planned. Take time to enjoy each other’s creativity.

Harness your guests’ powers of deduction by reading the Five Minute Mysteries by Ken Weber. Ask your guests “Whodunit?”

The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes was a radio series in the 1930′s and 1940′s and can be purchased today at www.radiospirits.com   Pour everyone a cup of tea and enjoy an original broadcast.

The Memory Game:  Fill a card table with an assortment of unrelated items and allow your guests to view them for one minute. Afterwards cover the table with a cloth. Give each of your guests a pencil and paper and have them list all the items that they can remember. Whoever remembers the most items correctly is the real Sherlock Homes!

Quotes: No Baker Street Teatime would be complete without a few of Sherlock’s best quotes. Play pass the deerstalker hat and invite your guests to read a quote in their best Sherlockian voice. Gather quotes from the mysteries or print an assortment from www.siracd.com

Favors: A grand finale is a must. Bestow a final gift upon your guests: a licorice pipe to sweeten the journey home. If you can’t find licorice pipes locally, they can be ordered at www.ebulkcandy.com

Inspired?
Until Next Time.
Your Partner in Teatime,
Lady Dawnya

Filed Under: Featured, Tea Party Themes

Hunter’s Widow Tea Party

November 14, 2011 By
Cup of Tea

Cup of Tea

 

This party is for women who love men who love to go hunting.  Let the men go sit in the chilly woods getting their boots muddy. Fall hunting season is a perfect time to gather together indoors for hot drinks, warm scones, and girl talk at a cozy tea party.

 A few days before sending out invitations, press and dry vivid autumn leaves in a telephone book, so you can include one in each envelope.  Ask the guests to bring a photo or a recipe from past hunting seasons—these will inspire stories to share during the party.

Encourage them to also bring their prize homemade jelly or preserves for a tasting. When they arrive, give out handwritten place cards with a space for the guest to fill in her name and the name of the spread she has contributed to the tasting.

(If your guests aren’t the jelly making type then you can provide a variety of spreads that can be tasted and then draw names to see who “might” have made that spread.  -For instance,  “ Sue Daley, thanks for making the lemon curd that we are tasting here today.  What?  You don’t even remember doing it? Wow, very impressive. Well. We are just going to call this one’s Sue’s Lemon Curd.”)

Bring the colors of the season inside with a tall vase of chrysanthemums or asters in vivid shades of deep yellow, burnt orange, and dark red. Use table linens in these colors, and strew a few matching cushions around the sofa and chairs. Layer a dark plaid blanket under a smaller tablecloth for a warm, welcoming look.

Pile a wooden bowl with gleaming apples, and hollow out a few baby pumpkins to fill with nuts (still in their shells) or more flowers. Scatter autumn leaves on the table, and light candles with warm, spicy scents. Fill the room with the scent of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger by simmering a potpourri on a chafing dish. Covering the windows with sheer yellow muslin or cheesecloth will give a golden tint to the afternoon sunlight.

Play soft classical music in the background: Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, or anything by Bach. Country ballads or English madrigals are also good choices for a cold afternoon.

Keep the refreshments simple: The first course will be finger sandwiches with thinly sliced meats, to take the edge off hunger. But let the guests know they should save room for the afternoon tasting of homemade spreads. Offer a few kinds of rolls, bread, crackers or scones to show off their creations, but keep them simple so the guests’ contributions take center stage. Provide honey, maple syrup, butter, and a few jams to round out their choices.

Have a camera on hand to take photos of each woman with her favorite treat, and send the pictures home with each guest as a “trophy” of her afternoon.

Menu Suggestions:

  • Chai tea or other spiced tea
  • Hot apple cider
  • Roast beef with horse radish on rye bread
  • Ham or turkey on thinly sliced french bread
  • Pumpkin bread
  • Miniature bran muffins
  • English tea crackers
  • Butter scones
  • Drop biscuits
  • Toasted raisin bread

 

Management Suggestions:

Keep this event simple and break the ice at the table by having everyone share their recipes and then tell their favorite “husband’s gone hunting” story.

 Pamper your guests and make them glad they are warm and cozy while “the man” is freezing in the wilderness. (you might even tell some fun hunting jokes from a joke book.)

 Increase your bottom line by offering special “spa” baskets for sale.  These tea related spa packages may be perfect for the “woman who was left behind!”

 

Like this article?  Read these too!

 Old Movies Themed Tea Party

 Winston’s Wartime Tea

Tea Party Girl Asks:  What’s your favorite thing to do when your husband is hunting?

Filed Under: Featured, Tea Party Themes Tagged With: , ,

Old Movies Themed Tea Party

November 7, 2011 By
Old Time Movie Tea Party

Old Time Movie Tea Party

Does the idea of spending time with friends and watching old movies sound enticing? Turn this activity into a tea party and invite your favorite guests to watch your favorite old movies. A few refreshments and some relaxing teas can make an old movie night one to remember. Base your party on a particular movie or around the classic movie theme in general. Depending on the time of year, you can choose a movie based on upcoming holidays or the seasons. Old-time romances are great for spring and summer (or any time of year, really!), epics go well in winter, and many old thrillers offer a scare using good old-fashioned suspense at Halloween.

 

Activities

The definition of old movies may vary depending on whom you are talking to, but generally, any of the classics will do. Many of the old movies are much longer than today’s films, so be prepared to settle in with an abundance of tea and refreshments. Keep your party to a reasonable size so everyone can enjoy a comfortable seat and a good view. For something different, rent a movie projector and show the film on a wall or screen. A local university media department, rental shop, or camera store may offer this option.

If you want to do more than watch the movie, invite guests to dress as characters from the movie, play trivia games about the film, have a “movie search” for famous quotes, or host an informal discussion afterward.

 

Decorations

Decorations for this type of party can be minimal, since you will be sitting in a dim or dark room for most of the party. However, you can dress up the party by hanging posters from old movies or cutouts of movie stars. Include movie-inspired decorations throughout the room such as a director’s chair, megaphone, a “Hollywood” sign, or strip of red carpet for your guests to arrive on. Use your imagination!

 

Music

While guests arrive or while you serve refreshments prior to starting the movie, play some background music. There are wide ranges of music compilations available that are movie related, such as great movie love songs, famous themes, and so forth. Visit your local retailer for options. You may also be able to find the soundtrack from your movie of choice, although this may depend on how much of a “hit” the movie was and is.

 

Invitation Ideas

You can create your own or purchase pre-made invitations that are movie themed. Invitations designed like a movie ticket are fun, or you can include a picture of your favorite classic movie star or stars. Using an invitation that pictures the “Hollywood” sign can also be fun. For alternatives, look for invitations that show a collage of movie-inspired themes, such as lights, cameras, clapboards, award figurines, or “walk of fame” stars.

 

Foods

Popcorn is of course the movie staple food, but there are many other options as well. You may want to stay with finger foods, however, as these are easy to eat while sitting and go with the overall movie them. Nachos and candies are popular movie foods, or offer other easy options such as mini-quiches, baked goods, or finger sandwiches. Whatever you choose, keep the food simple so that you’ll be able to watch the movie, too, rather than worrying about the food!

 

Teas

An old movie tea party could go late! Plan ahead by preparing a refreshing evening brew sure to relax and not stimulate your guests.  Lindsey’s Teas Pepperminty Chamomile is an exceptionally refreshing yet calming herbal blend of the finest Egyptian chamomile buds with peppermint leaves. Naturally caffeine-free, this tea is cool, refreshing to the palate, and delightful to the senses. You can order it from Lindsey Teas. Click Here

Filed Under: Featured, Tea Party Themes Tagged With: ,

Considering Hosting A Tea Party? Think Victorian Tea Party

October 18, 2011 By
Victorian Gown

Victorian Ball Dress

 

A Victorian tea party expresses elegance and grace. When hosting a tea party, whether a little girls birthday party to a bridal shower or even a wedding a Victorian tea party can fit into every budget.

In the 1800′s one of Queen Victoria’s ladies in waiting started having tea and petite sandwiches served to in late afternoon. Dinner in those days was served very late in the evening. Soon, Anna, Duchess of Bedford began having friends over to share her afternoon meal.

To prepare for a Victorian tea, consider making homemade invitations use lace or paper doilies to add a decorative touch. Of course, the invitations should be written in a calligraphy font. If you are an individual that has the ability to hand address or hand write each invitation in calligraphy this would add an authentic touch.

Nothing makes a Victorian tea party more fun than dressing in the theme of the era. The Victorian fashion era included beautiful bonnets and gloves. Dresses were layered and corsets were worn to enhance the female figure. Women wore their hair in an up sweep and high collars. They decorated their lace collars and necklines with cameo pins.

Folded fans were a very popular and important fashion accessory. In fact, the afternoon teas of the era eventually turned in to tea dances where women met potential future husbands. In fact, the folded fan and different gestures by the female that held the fan communicated messages to the potential suitor.Victorian Gown

Victorian females were usually naturalists and loved to garden. When hosting a tea party, consider flowers, lots of flowers! A garden party is a great venue for a Victorian tea party.

If flowers are not an option, it is not necessary to have a centerpiece. In Victorian days, a lace tablecloth was used and the food was the main attraction.

Tea party food should be placed in the middle of the serving table and the tea service should be placed on one end. A coffee service, optional, would be placed at the other end.

The best part of a Victorian tea party is you can plan a party on your budget. Tea cups do not have to match. In fact mismatched tea cups make the table look quite charming. If you cannot afford or do not have a lace tablecloth, use paper doilies to get the affect you are trying to accomplish.

Linen or lace napkins are a nice touch, but when they are not in your budget, purchase the nicer quality paper napkins and roll them up and tie them with a pretty ribbon and some baby breath and a small flower. It is also acceptable to use a mix and match of linen napkins and place mats. This adds a whimsical effect to your Victorian theme.

Have teapots and a variety of different teas available for your guests. Make sure you have herbal tea choices for those individuals that are concerned about their caffeine intake. Make sure to have sugar cubes and tongs, lemon wedges and milk to put into the tea.

Traditional tea party food would include tea sandwiches, scones, clotted cream, and lemon curd, and a variety of petite pastries: tea breads, muffins and small cookies.

It is also important to set the mood for the party with the right music. Victorian music near the end of the era became surprisingly versatile. In the early years piano music was very popular. In the later years, faster music from other parts of Europe became an influence so the polka, jig and waltz were popular.

When considering hosting a tea party, consider a Victorian tea party theme. It is a fun way to bring elegance and grace of past traditions into the present day. Give the gift of a special afternoon to your family and friends. You may enjoy it so much you will make it an ongoing family tradition.

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Connie Bednar writes about tea which she has enjoyed all her life. For more ideas for a tea party visit this page on her site Victorian-tea-party

Filed Under: Tea Party Themes Tagged With: , ,

Tea in Oz

October 10, 2011 By
Wizard of oz tea party

Wizard of oz tea partyInvite a group for an afternoon or evening back in the magical world of the Wizard of Oz. This event is  perfect during the halloween season when so many people are eager to wear costumes. Each guest should be encouraged to dress up as a character from the movie.

In the promotions, remind people of all their choices: not just Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Scarecrow, and the Cowardly Lion, but also the Wizard, the Wicked Witch of the West, the Good Witch Glinda, Auntie Em, and Toto too! If you’re able to accommodate dogs, you might have more than one Toto at the party.  (and believe me, people may be eager to bring dogs so think that one out!)

Cover tables with emerald-green cloths, paving a line down the center with yellow napkins folded into rectangles, to mark the Yellow Brick Road. Arrange straw flowers in small tin buckets or watering cans at intervals around the table. Play the soundtrack from the Wizard of Oz or an instrumental version of the songs, to bring back memories of the first time your guests saw the classic movie.

Oz is where fairyland meets Kansas, so now is the time to mix down-home gingham with sparkling crystal, and delicate teacups with sturdy stoneware plates. For the menu, think “country picnic” crossed with a child’s birthday party: cornbread, tomato sandwiches on crusty home-style bread, and warm blueberry muffins, followed by a dessert course of pastel cupcakes decorated with sugar pearls. Or you can serve poppy-seed cake as a reminder of the field where Dorothy almost lay down to sleep.

Teas to serve: cranberry, mint green , or cinnamon spice tea

To make the experience truly memorable, let the guests recreate the Wizard’s award ceremony:

Before the party, prepare blank cards whose outside covers represent the different Oz characters:

  • Dorothy – red slipper
  • Scarecrow – white diploma rolled up and tied with a ribbon
  • Tin Man – pink heart
  • Lion – gold circle (medal)
  • Wicked Witch – black witch hat
  • Good Witch –  sparkly pink circle (bubble)

Make sure there is enough white space on the inside to write a sentence. If you make the cards out of colored paper cut into appropriate shapes, paste white paper inside.

Prepare enough cards for all the guests, with multiples of each design. Put all the blank cards in a basket covered with a napkin, and pass the basket around the table inviting each guest to take a card.

Hand out sparkly pens to inspire Oz-like thoughts.

Ask each guest to write a message in their card to encourage the character it represents. For the Wicked Witch , it might be, “May all your troubles melt away like water.”  For the Tin Man it could be, “Your warm heart never grows rusty.”  The only rule is that each message should be positive.

Collect all the cards with their messages and put them back in the basket.

The hostess or one of the Wizards picks out the cards at random, and passes them to one guest at a time, going around the table. As each guest receives her card, she reads the message out loud.

Then everyone can move on to dessert.

 

Additional Activity Suggestions:

 

  • Share famous quotes from the movie
  • Play name that tune
  • Have a sing a long (who hasn’t wanted to sing “Ding Dong the Witch Is Dead?)
  • Host a trivia contest between the tables and see which tables knows “Oz” the best.
  • Share behind the scenes info on this 1939 classic film.
Filed Under: Featured, Tea Party Themes Tagged With: , , ,
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