Princess Tea Party - A DIY Birthday or Just for Fun

It's 2009, I'm sitting in the doctor's office, big belly covered in jelly, waiting to see the first picture of my second child.  That's right, ultrasound time.  When the big question was answered with a resounding "It's a Girl!", my first thought (after oh, good she looks healthy) was "Yea, tea parties!!"

While I do believe children should be offered all kinds of toys and opportunities without forcing a gender stereotype for play, the reality I've seen with my own children is that boys and girls are created differently, and not just in the obvious way!  And the fact is, my boys generally prefer trucks and cars and Star Wars and Legos over tea parties and dolls.  While I love driving cars around the house, wrestling and all those fun boy games, there's just something special about a tea party.  Fortunately, I was blessed with a girl who loves pink, princesses, and tea parties, but is also right in the dogpile with the boys, building with the Legos, and driving the cars (she has a pink one!).

One of my very fond memories from early adolescence was the Mother-Daughter Tea my mom hosted in our home for my friends and their mothers.

For years she has had a collection of teacups, many of which came from her grandmother,  and we used these for our special tea.  My best friend of 20+ years mentioned that event to me not too long ago and how she remembered we all liked picking out which unique teacup we would use.

Oh, to hear my daughter have a similar conversation twenty years from now with a dear friend would be a dream come true to me!

And we're well on our way to that dream as tea parties are a fairly regular event in our home.  I shared briefly about our impromptu tea party earlier this week and thought I'd follow up with a few pictures of the table.

While Miss K is usually the inspiration to have a tea party, my boys enjoy it too.  Big Brother likes any excuse to eat sweets and wear his clip on tie - usually clipped to a t-shirt, and Baby Brother just loves being in the mix with the big kids.

The great thing about a tea party is it doesn't require a lot of expense.  For this quick table, I used a princess carriage which doubles as decor and a toy, purchased at Hobby Lobby for 50% off, Miss K's dress-up tutu,  pink tablecloth from my pink and black Christmas tablescape, and a set of teacups I picked up at a thrift store.  The teacups and saucers (6), dessert plates (6), and creamer pitcher cost me $12 for the whole set.  It's a pattern called Duchess Rosebud from England.   The milk glass vase came from my grandparents' home and the beautiful rose is still blooming from our anniversary dinner last week.

Here's a few glimpses from Miss K's third birthday party, a Princess Tea Party, of course!

The Queen's Table, for all the Mamas

The Princess (and one prince) Table

Mini Pink Cupcakes, lovingly made by her Great-Aunt

Whether it's a simple tea party, a formal affair, or cookies on a paper towel, stop and take the time to enjoy something special with someone you love!

My dear readers, what fond memories do you have of tea parties?
I hope all the pretty pinks and princesses have brought you back to a special memory of your own or even one you want to create with your own families.  Would love to hear from you about it!

Happy Creating!

Shared at:
Between Naps on the Porch
Happy Hour Friday
Happy Hour Projects
Diana Rambles
Dear Creatives
Cheerios and Lattes
You're Gonna Love It Tuesday (Kathe with an E)
A Stroll Thru Life Tabletop Tuesday