Whoever said parties are solely for special occasions and not your average Tuesday? Learn how blogger Joni Lay of laybabylay.com turned a humdrum afternoon into a whimsical tea party with a few Spoonflower and Shutterfly dining products, a couple of household items and some sweet treats. With these inspirational ideas up your sleeve, you’ll soon be scheming ways to bring more celebration into your every day too!
Joni: While creating a beautiful tabletop for a holiday or special event is a fun reason to get festive, I love putting together special parties at home just because too. Sometimes it’s just what a long week needs, especially when it’s in between official reasons to celebrate. Taking some time out to create a memorable afternoon with loved ones together in the middle of all our individual activities and to dos can help celebrate the joy that can surround us every day, even if it’s just for a few minutes.
Finding the Right Combination of Designs
On the top shelf of our pantry, I have three baskets just for tabletop decor. I love having a collection of items that help me throw together a beautiful tabletop quickly, whether it’s for last-minute guests or turning around a long Monday afternoon. Keeping tabletop decor accessible means you are more likely to use it and makes even a regular family meal feel more like a moment.
Choosing your tablecloth first is a great way to set the tone for your tabletop, and then you can add in layers on top to give it depth.
To start putting together this whimsical tea party inspired tablescape, I first chose a rectangular tablecloth in illaberek’s Moody Victorian Bouquet design. I love the pattern’s colors and the depth, and the variety of colors make it easy to mix and match. Spoonflower also offers tablecloths in multiple sizes, so you can be sure to get the right length for your table.
I then paired the tablecloth paired with adorable pink melamine plates in Funny Dalmation – Pink by Alena Karabanova (perfect for setting a table for kids!) and dinner napkins in Little Dalmation Spots and Dots by littlesmilemakers.
Adding Texture, Place Cards and a Few Whimsical Rabbits
To add some texture to the tablescape, I tied blue tulle bows onto the napkins and tucked in a spoon. For place cards, I used some items I had on hand, including some Sno cone cups and felt that became small rabbits. The cone cup rabbits really took shape once I hot glued on felt ears and paws then drew their little face on using markers. The girls loved these little guys! I also love adding a patterned paper straw in each cup on the table—it’s another quick and fun way to add dimension and pattern.
Let Whimsy (vs. Perfection) Be the Star of the Show
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed trying to match everything, but a tablescape can take on a fun Alice in Wonderland look when you use what you have and let the tablecloth tie it all in together, so don’t stress about having perfectly coordinating pieces.
For a dramatic, whimsical centerpiece, I cut some fresh dogwood branches from the yard and placed them in an oversized vase.
Adding Small Treats and Small Cups
I used pink acrylic cups for the girls’ water, and little demitasse cups for the girls’ tea. The latter are the perfect size for kid portions of tea or hot chocolate! I went to a favorite local bakery for some teatime treats and placed them on cute platters. You can also add in tiny sandwiches and fruit. Cutting the treats, sandwiches and fruit into smaller pieces makes it easier for everyone to sample a bit of everything—it’s also more accessible for small hands.
Even though I set this table to have an afternoon tea with my girls, it’s perfect for grown ups, too, or a mix of kids and adults. It’s playful, but polished, at the same time.