Hello friends!
Today I’m excited to share a thrifted summer cottage style tea table with you! Every season of the year and every season in life has reason to celebrate. I hope you will find inspiration in this simple reminder to slow down, step outside your routine and enjoy your blessings!
Sign up here to receive a copy of the recipe and get regular blog updates.
[yikes-mailchimp form=”2″]
My inspiration for this tablescape started with the blue Spode water glasses Matt’s Mom gave me one Christmas. They are elegant, simple, and have beautiful blue etching.
From this starting point I created a tea time board on Pinterest to pull my ideas together and to find more inspiration. Next, I shop my tea things to see what will fit the color palette. Lastly, I make a list of what is lacking and head to the thrift shop! Here are a few of the inspiring pins from Pinterest.
The color palette is mint green with pops of blue and purple. The place settings will be mismatched as well as the tea cups.
I love the idea of using vintage tea tins as centerpieces for the faux lavender and lily-of-the-valley stems from Amazon.
On the menu is always something sweet and something savory. Quiche is an easy way to go and in individual ramekins quite special. My sweet neighbor (who is helping me host) has offered to bake a lemon cake and a showstopper it was! How I wish I’d snapped a picture of it!
For party favors I’d like to make some homemade candles with pressed flowers. I found a tutorial online, and once again my kind neighbor pitched in. Really, she lends a helping hand with nearly every project over here and I don’t know what I’d do without her!
After returning from the thrift store I staged everything on the bar near the dining room table. It is such fun to see the color palette beginning to come together! Except for the items that were gifts, or that I ordered from Amazon, nearly everything you see here was thrifted…
- Tea cups & saucers: $4 or $5 each with several of them only $2 to $2.50!
- Plates (salad & dinner size) about $1 to $3 each.
- Vintage platters $4 to $5 each.
- Sugar bowl $7
- Vintage floral tea tins $3 to $4 each.
- Milkglass cake stands $15 each
By thrifting the dishes for these occasions not only are they affordable, but the low cost removes fear of breakage for me as the hostess and for mothers of small children. It is lovely to see sweet little faces sipping out of a fancy tea cup!
Now it is time to make our plans a reality! If you are interested in the mint green tassel table cloth, the crocheted edge napkins, crocheted table runner, or the Spode water glasses be sure to check the description box below the video for links.
Creating tablescapes like these to share with others is tremendous fun, and especially a blessing to see the delight on children’s faces when they are seated. Somehow this reminds me of the spring and summer issues of Victoria magazine!
This cobalt blue oriental tea pot was a splurge on my part. Turns out I’m kinda picky about teapots! I’m perfectly happy to spend $4 or $5 per tea cup, and $1 to $3 per plate to balance out spending more on the statement piece of the tea table. Besides, it doubles as decor the rest of the year!
Some of these tea cups I’ve had for years. What sweet memories they hold…
Here is a tea party favorite: Jeweled Fruit Pie ~ we have it nearly every year! It’s a lightly sweetened, chilled custard-y dessert with a vanilla wafer crust. It’s dreamy smooth, refreshingly cool, and packed with fresh summery fruits…
Another welcome face to show up on the tea table is the traditional shortbread in some form or another ~ or biscuit as the English would say.
This is my favorite flavor, lemon! Absolutely perfect with a cup of Earl Grey!
Friend, today’s visit was a delight! I hope you enjoyed our time together. I’m already looking forward to our next visit. Thank you for dropping by!
Warmly,
Rachel
