Enchanted Teas with Dahlia

Why is it that the phrase "when it rains, it pours" is just so completely accurate? It seems like every time one thing goes wrong, then EVERYthing else suddenly has to fall apart too! At times like this it's common to wonder things like, "What did I do to deserve this?" or even, "Why would God let this happen to me?" Because sometimes in the moment it's impossible to understand what good could possibly come from such negative, unsuitable circumstances. I came across a moving and uplifting story online at A Day in Candi Land   that touches on this thought in a clever way and I thought that I simply must share it! If you are struggling with difficulties of your own, I hope that this story will bring some encouragement to you. Also, consider sharing it with guests at your own tea party. There are printable versions available on Candi's website. The Teacup Story There was a couple that used to go to England to shop in the beautiful stores....

This week I baked (pink!) homemade bread, cut the slices into fun shapes, and made delicious finger sandwiches out of them! These are perfect for a little girl's tea party, but let's face it, grown-ups will love them too! I simply followed the instructions for the classic white bread recipe in my Oster Bread Machine manual, but made sure to add some food coloring! When making bread, it is important to add the ingredients in the proper order (wet ingredients first, dry ingredients second, and yeast last) and with very precise measurements. I pre-measured all of my ingredients and set everything out in a way that would help me remember what order to add each of them (except I accidentally forgot the salt for the picture!) Also, make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature before adding them to the bread pan. Ingredients: 1&1/3 cups water 4 teaspoons softened butter or margarine 4 cups bread flour 2 tablespoons sugar 4 teaspoons dry milk 2 te...

There's no denying that photo booths have become a very popular party activity recently! And it's very easy to see why considering they are the perfect ice breaker and it encourages guests to document their time at the event! So why not have one at your next tea party? Here are some tips to get you started. Start out by getting creative with the background! I actually took the lace curtains from my bedroom window and hung them up on an outdoor wall for good lighting, then added some easy decorations. I got the idea for the paper fans craft  here  a while back and have used them as decorations for my tea parties on multiple occasions.  They are so festive and really add a pop of color! Next find a way to nicely present all of your props! On one side I put my hat boxes filled with scarves. On the other side I've set up my vanity displaying other accessories. A lot of times at parties they're set out off to the side, but consider having them be a part of the dec...

My all time favorite place to go for a tea party is the Garden View Tea Room  inside Disney's Grand Floridian Resort! It is the most charming place to gather with your friends to indulge in an afternoon of leisure and yummy treats! Typically I will order the starting package called The Bedfordshire Tea which comes with one pot of tea and three courses of food. The first course is assorted finger sandwiches, berries, cheese, and lavosh. The second course is a scone and jam tart. The third course is your choice among an English trifle, strawberries and creme, or a selection of pastries. The price for this package last time I was there (which was early last year believe it or not - I'm due for a visit!) was $30.00 per person plus tax and tip. Tea cup with tea pot under a tea pot cozy to keep it warm Assorted finger sandwiches, berries, cheese, and lavosh Scone and jam tart From left to right: English trifle, strawberries and cream, and selection of pastries (The E...

Today I decided to share with you my favorite recipes to follow for a classic tea party treat: scones with jam and clotted cream. Special 'thank you' to the Disney Princesses for coming up with lots of delicious recipes that are perfect for tea parties and for sharing them through their awesome cookbook, called The Disney Princess Cookbook ! Today I made Merida's Scrumptious Scottish Scones (p.18) and Aurora's Homemade Jam (p.50)! There isn't a clotted cream recipe in my princess cookbook, so I like to use this simple one I once found online, called Easy Mock Devonshire Cream Recipe . Since this is the Fourth of July weekend, I wanted to come up with a way to honor the holiday at my tea party. That's why I chose strawberry jam and added blueberries to the scones... so that we'd have Red, White, and Blue dishes (red strawberry jam, white clotted cream, and blue blueberry scones!) So festive! Merida's Scrumptious Scottish Scones Y...