Crazy Hat Tea Party

That was today's adventure... a "Crazy Hat Tea Party" right here, for friends J and J, and J's daughter and two granddaughters.  This is our second tea party together.... the first having a Disney Princess theme, and the next one (thought up by the kids) will be a "Crazy Dress Tea Party."  J's daughter and granddaughters live on the east coast, so the next tea party will be during their next visit to Texas.

Such fun.... we all had crazy hats, which fit our personalities.... over-the-top flowers, rhinestones and feathers on mine, country-girl straws for the two little girls, a Little House on The Prairie bonnet for J's daughter, and straw hats for both Js..... one in pink (with the price tag still attached, a la Minnie Pearl), and the other a darker and larger straw with its rim surrounded by bright red berries (also with the price tag)..... we all laughed before we sat down to tea and cupcakes and scones.  Beaded Mardi Gras necklaces at each place setting, along with fancy "real" rings for the little girls.... and the favors this time were miniature teacups filled with chocolate-covered raisins.

We played the Tea Bingo game, which the little girls just love, plus JS calls out the Bingo squares for us in her own signature style which makes the game more fun.  Great game, if you're into tea parties.... all the squares are tea-things instead of just plain old numbers..... makes it more interesting. I had books (of course) for both the little girls and the 'big' girls as prizes for the Tea Bingo game.  Books..... those two children love books, which makes me smile.

I also had my "Tea Lady Cards," which I've collected over the years.... I used them when our Miss C was a young girl and we had tea parties at our old house.  The cards are literally pictures cut from greeting cards, each picture being of a lady (some older, some young)..... but the ladies have on all kinds of outfits and their 'personalities' show thru their facial expressions and/or outfits.  On the back of those tea lady cards, I wrote down what I thought their personality traits would be,  judging on their faces and clothing.  The cards get passed around the table, everyone picks out the lady that appeals to them the most, and after everyone has their card, then we read what's written on the backs of each.  And it never ever fails............. what's written on the backs of the card will apply to whoever picked out that particular card.  I haven't added to that tea lady collection in a while, so I'll have to go thru my boxes of old greeting cards and see if any pictures there are tea-lady-worthy.

The best part of the day today.... the little girls made me a "Happiness Jar," with some help from their mom.  It's a beautiful glass jar, filled with little pieces of paper with nice things written down on each one.  The little girls told me that I should open the jar if I'm having a bad day, or a rainy day, or if I think I'm "about to get mad"---- just open up that jar and take out a piece of paper "and it will make you smile."   And indeed it did....  I've already added two things to that Happiness Jar---- the Mary Engelbreit tea-pot coaster that I had put at everyone's place setting today, and the brochure on Pearl Fryar's Topiary Garden in Bishopville, SC.

Two little girls, in pretty dresses and crazy hats, coming to your house for tea--- Happiness indeed. About the only thing missing today was Miss C.......... who always loved our tea parties..... and my cousin F, who would have been right there with JS, calling out the Tea Bingo squares with panache and enthusiasm.