Bella's Birthday Tea Party

Well now, I am happy to report that I have already attended my first tea party of 2011, no doubt the earliest in the year I've ever been to a tea!

Today is actually the birthday of 4-year-old Bella, the daughter of my stepson and his wife, and we celebrated the occasion yesterday at their home. When her mom called up a few weeks before Christmas to say Bella had asked for a tea party for her birthday this year, I was all ears! Bella had been very specific in saying "No Boys" this year, so her little brother, her dad and my husband had to make themselves scarce while the house was turned into a tea room, and it was just beautiful! There were about 10 little girls, I believe, and each got to make and decorate her own hat, including Bella.

Here is the hat-making station set up with ribbons and flowers (and later, a helpful mother with a hot-glue gun!).

And I didn't want you to miss the decor on the entryway from the living room into the dining room. Love this!

A very frou-frou look reigned throughout the dining room and kitchen, and I thought it was all just perfect for a 4-year-old's first tea party!

Naomi had borrowed tea-and-toast sets from her step-mom and me to use for the party, and they made for a beautiful table. Each guest's place was marked with a placecard, and beads and baubles for the girls were scattered about the table. Handles of the teacups served as "napkin rings" for the girls' pink paper napkins.

Each girl got a boa, too!

A shelf on the wall displayed the tiny bottles of blow bubbles the girls got to play with.

My contribution to the party this year was easy: cupcakes out of a box, iced in pink, some decorated with white chocolate chips, some with chopped almonds, some with pink sugar sprinkles. At JoAnn I had come across these new Pink Petal cupcake papers from Wilton which turn plain cupcakes into something really special!


I didn't realize 'til later that oh yes, that vintage tablecloth with teapots on it is one I loaned for the party. It looks cute here!

Naomi made these dragonflies from pretzels, and I thought they were just adorable!

Although there was hot tea and coffee for us big gals, the little ones had sweet tea and pink lemonade. I filled several teacups with sweet tea, and even though it wasn't hot, I was just happy they were drinking tea!


The little ladies also enjoyed tarts, meringues, and a variety of finger sandwiches: pimiento cheese, cream cheese and pineapple, cream cheese and preserves, all cut into different shapes.

Brownies and more pretzel treats featured the party's bright pastel colors.

The ice cream was served in these super cute cones Naomi dipped in almond bark and embellished with Wilton sprinkles. I love this idea!

I greatly enjoyed watching the little girls at play in the living room. Here, Bella leads the guests in singing "I'm a Little Teapot."

In addition to their jewelry, hats and baubles, each little girl got to select a purse-shaped notepad to take home with her. And while I know this party was for the little girls, I have to say this big girl certainly enjoyed herself as well!

Turning 4 has never been so fun!