tea for a princess

I had forgotten how exhausting children's birthday parties can be! With Christmas and New Year out of the way our Baby turned 4 and the invites I had sent out before the holidays had promised a tea party fit for a princess - or 10 princesses and 2 kings to be precise.

I wanted the traditional afternoon tea party, baby wanted princesses and I thought the two were easy to marry. On arrival everyone was given an undecorated cupcake and an unmade cake box with the instruction to get decorating - they were to take the cakes home later as an alternative to squidged up chocolate cake wrapped in a napkin. I had ordered all I needed for the cupcake decorating from Nom Nom in Nailsworth. OK, I know in theory I should have been able to do this myself but it I would have burnt my own, plus I wouldn't have got beautiful presentation boxes and the necessary icing kit without hassle I knew I didn't need. Any way, I was busy making tea party stickers using rubber stamps (Sarah has stamps for every occasion - such a useful friend!).

Not only that, but with the cup cake baking out of the way it gave me time to concentrate on what I was really interested in. Creating a pretty tea party. I had a whale of a time making tiny sandwiches, miniature cup cakes and even (rather extravagantly but very successfully) quails eggs!

Out came the china tea cups and saucers - it seems mad to allow a bunch of 3 and 4 year olds loose on my china and pressed glass collection. However, they all seemed to know exactly how to behave: placed teacups back on saucers and stretched out pinkies as if afternoon tea was an everyday experience.

So while I may not be making much progress on the knitting am at least part way to becoming a

party animal!