Tea Party

Want to host an afternoon tea at home? Here are some delicious ideas that your guests will love.

Take your favorite tea flavor with you when you leave the house with this handmade felt travel pouch that fits perfectly into your purse.

This delicious homemade mandarin and coconut loaf with a citrus glaze is perfect for afternoon tea with friends.

Sometimes, simple is best.

Sometimes, you get caught up all too quickly when entertaining at home, trying to make sure that everything is perfect, but not really enjoying the moment.

Whether it's preparing elaborate dishes, cleaning your house, or pulling together a fancy table, it can become overwhelming very quickly. If you are having a few girlfriends over though keep it simple, enjoy the moment and be present, instead of spending your time in the kitchen prepping, baking, and cleaning up.

Inspiration can come from the simplest of things. These vibrant salad plates are part of the Lina Cherry collection from Villeroy & Boch.

Over the summer when we aren't out and about, more often than not you will find us by the pool in our backyard. When it's hot out and you don't want those little wet feet pitter-pattering through the house to the kitchen, and you have guests popping over, having beverages at the ready is a must.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Lipton Green Tea Superfruit

One thing that I miss about living in Australia is morning and afternoon tea. Ever since I was a little girl, my mum has served morning and afternoon tea to anyone who is in the house. We sit around the table and enjoy a cuppa (a little Aussie slang for you) with a variety of treats and catch up with one another. Sometimes there will be biscuits, other days there may be sticky buns, scones, or even an assortment of treats such as chocolates and nuts. One of my favorite treats to enjoy with tea (aside from scones with jam and cream) is biscotti.

I need to bring back that tradition. Although I have always served the kids morning and afternoon tea, we haven't sat around the table catching up and talking about our day, we seem to be so busy that we are all running in different directions. Unfortunately during the weekdays it is just me at home for morning tea while the kids are at school and my husband is at work, but beginning this week, we will start having afternoon tea together, and on the weekends when we are home, we will have both. I am really looking forward to it.

I don't think it's any secret that I am a huge fan of Marshalls.  I shop there frequently.  I always seem to find great bargains, especially items for the house.

A while ago I found some very pretty tableware, however there were only 4 small plates, 4 cups and 1 dinner plate left.  I wandered around the store picking up other bits and pieces while debating whether I should grab this too.  It was just too pretty to leave behind though and I spent less than $10 for it.  Who can possibly pass up a pretty bargain.

I decided in the store that I would turn the larger plate into a cake stand and then this set would make lovely tea party tableware for when I have girlfriends over to visit.

This project of course had flitted to the back of my mind recently, you know, with moving house and my office/craft room being in a right royal mess still.   Then, whilst staring starry eyed at Pinterest the other day I came across a link to Brenda of Cozy Little House who has the same tableware, she has found some lovely co-ordinating items too.  It jogged my mind that I still hadn't done anything with my lovely set.  So I dug it out of one of the boxes in my office, then headed to a local thrift store where I found two lovely candle sticks for $1.99/set – I now have a spare for the next lovely plate I find to build on my dessert plate obsession.

You are going to need some seriously strong glue to hold this together, but isn't it lovely.

To: Marisol, Mummy, Pony, Ballerina and Dolly, You are cordially invited to a tea party in the backyard. Menu Scones with Jam and…