Turtle Turtle Tea Party

 If you are counting...yes, this is our second tea party this week.  Mel is about tea partied out :)  Turtle Turtle Tea Party happened upon a rainy, stormy Thursday.  Big Blue Eyes was a little disappointed that it couldn't be out on the front porch again, but she quickly perked up when we started to make rice crispy treats!

 Our honored guests included Mr. Turtle (a folkmanis puppet that I found in Michigan last summer while on vacation), a Schleich turtle, and Tuck the Turtle from the WonderPets, and two turtles from the Zoo Talkers zoo set.

 A simple green bunting (recycled from our Rabbit Tea Party), a yellow polka dotted tablecloth (a yard of fabric from Joann's), turtle friends, wildflowers picked roadside, and rice crispy treats made a rainy morning a happy one :)

We added sprinkles to the rice crispy treats to be more festive.  Big Blue Eyes idea.

Mouse (& a few hamsters) Tea Party

 In preparation for our Mouse Tea Party, we read "The Red, Ripe Strawberry) by Audrey Wood and watched Cinderella.  Big Blue Eyes looked at me and asked, "Can I wear my Cinderella dress, because Cinderella had mouse friends?"  How can I argue with that logic?  We sliced cheese and cut up strawberries.  It was the perfect morning for a front porch Mouse Tea Party.

 Big Blue Eyes wanted "pink flowers and a blue tablecloth".  Okay!  I found these gerber daisies at Kroger and picked some wild flowers - I think they are mustard - on my way in this am.  Yes, I was roadside picking flowers for a tea party at 7am.

 The table looked so cute.

 Of course, the cheese and crackers were the biggest hit with our mouse friends.

 Our guests include...The striped mouse is by JellyCat.  The white mice are by Schleich.  The mouse with the pink dress on is a Woodzeez.  The pink and blue mice are actually hamsters - Japanese erasers.  The mice from Cinderella were from a playset found at the Disney Store ages ago.

 HUGE strawberry!

 Gus, Gus, get down from there :)

I even added some ribbon to the back of the chair - just to make it "fancy".

New Fairy House Making Kits

New Fairy House Making Kits craft kits are now in my Etsy store

www.etsy.com/melanieshanks

They make great birthday party favors or gifts.  The special thing about these is...it's a craft kit, so kids can make whatever they want.  It's an artist expression.  They can make their fairy house look any way they want.  I'd love to see what your child creates with these kits.

Backyard Rabbit Tea Party

 We planned the Rabbit Tea Party for a couple days.  I told Miss G that it would be after her nap on Wednesday.  As I put her down for nap on Wednesday, big blue eyes looked up at me and said, "I invited a lot of rabbits to my Rabbit Tea Party.  Are you sure we have enough carrots?  (smile) Yes, I am sure.

 Mr. Hop sat on a stack of old books so that he could reach the table and snacks.

 We served cucumber slices, baby carrots, and mint water. (smile)

 She DID invite a lot of rabbits!

 She even wore rabbit ears! (they were left over from Easter)

 It was the perfect day for a Rabbit Tea Party under the shade of an old oak tree.

 The rabbits were quickly moved around the snacks.

 And then they feasted on cucumbers and baby carrots - all the rabbits and Miss G.

 It all began with this vegetable centerpiece - a picket fence basket from Michael's Craft Store and some veggies from the produce section at Kroger.  Beautiful.

Garden Party Inspiration

So...somewhere Miss G got inspired to have a Rabbit Tea Party.  Okay!  I went with it.  I found this picket fence basket at Michael's Crafts Store and painted it white.  Before I set up for the Tea Party (while she was napping), I decided to play with themes.  Maybe they will give you inspiration for a backyard tea party or a birthday party.

 I made a simple bunting from shades of green and patterned papers from Archivers, Joanns, and Michaels.  I added a fresh cabbage, purple cabbage, carrots, and radishes to my picket fence basket.  I had a piece of indoor/outdoor carpet.  It looked like grass, so I added that.  Then I bought one yard of green and white gingham for the tablecloth.
 Here, I have a bird from the Dollar Store, a blue frame that I found in the dollar section at Michael's, and a Schleich hedgehog.  I just have a collection of stuff and just tried different combination.  This would be cute for a boy or girl or birthday party or a baby shower.

 Here is the close up.  Isn't it just darling?

 This would make a cute and simple bug themed party.  I got the bugs from Target's Summer section.  I think they are by Sunny Patch.

 Mr. Hop is read for his tea party.  I stacked old books so that he could see the table. :) I think it adds a little whimsy.

 Three Green Owls - they are from Oriental Trading Company.  But again...simple and cute.

 Here is a family of deer.

 The baby shower could be themed "Dear Little One" or something.  These are Schleich deer.

 The Woodland Animal theme.  I did this a few years ago for my brother and sister in-law's baby shower.  I had cross-sections of logs and sticks and ferns and twigs, too.

 This mushroom is actually a pen.  It added that little something, something to the décor.

 This one is Simply Rabbit - oh! you know what this would be so cute for?  The kids' table at Easter.

 Whooooo's Having A Baby? or Whooooo's Turning 2?  Owl-themed party.  The green owl is from Oriental Trader.  The blue one is actually a chapstick/lip gloss.  The brown owl is from Schleich.  (They made thee best animals!)

Here is Just A Snail...could be a garden party theme, a snail theme, you name it.  Again, simple and cute.  Birthday parties and baby showers can be elegant and simple and beautiful.  I used veggies (bought at Kroger) instead of flowers and I added a few whimsical touches.