Thank you to my awesome 19 year old niece who helped me out by taking most of these wonderful photos!

In honor of my 50th birthday (today), I hosted a Luncheon Tea (last weekend) for the women closest to me. I love cooking, planning parties, and spending time with the important people in my life. This was the perfect gift I gave myself. Including me, 7 attended my party (Mom, 19 year old niece, Renae, Carol, Deborah, and Beth Ann). I am delighted that they were able to join me for this celebration.

INVITATIONS

I decided to send paper invitations in the mail. I purchased a digital copy of this, modified it for my occasion and printed it on my personal printer.

TABLE SETTING

• Triangle Snack Plates – My Great Grandmother’s snack plates (Indiana Milk Glass White Orange Blossom Snack Plate). My family only had 2 from her original set. Years ago, I purchased more on Etsy.

• Colorful tea cups, small green doily

• Cocktail forks, knives, spoons

• Assorted floral tea pots

• 3 Tier White Dishes

• Pink Table Cloth

• Green Cloth Napkins

• Napkin Rings: clear with flower holders and small roses

• Place cards: flower punched tent style with names on both sides

• Printed menu

• Pink Roses in Floral Teapot on small cake stand

Menu

SAVORY

• Tea Pot Pizzas: Hummus- Vegetable – I used Martha Stewart Pizza Dough recipe, rolled out dough with plenty of flour, cut with a cookie cutter and followed these directions to pre-bake the crusts to make it easy on party day. On the day of the party I baked with hummus. After baking I added a red pepper flower cut with a cookie cutter and cut snow peas.

• Tea Pot Pizzas: Fresh-Mozzarella-Tomato – I used Martha Stewart Pizza Dough recipe, rolled out dough with plenty of flour, cut with a cookie cutter and followed these directions to pre-bake the crusts to make it easy on party day. I used tomato sauce that I made ahead and put in freezer, fresh mozzarella, shredded basil and baked for about 10 minutes.

• Carrot Salad (I shredded rainbow carrots and mostly followed the recipe but left out cumin, paprika, cayenne, chickpeas, and raisins) served on top of a spinach leaf in a Corn Tortilla Cup

• Corn and Feta Purses – p. 154 Best Ever Vegetarian. I made ahead and put in freezer.

• Vegetable-Chive Bundles – I did not use the dip. I made bundles of different combinations of carrot, rainbow carrot, red bell pepper, celery, and cut snow pea

• Marcona Almonds

SCONES

Served with Strawberry Jam and fresh Whipped Cream

• Chocolate Chip

• Apricot Oat

• Pumpkin Maple

DESSERT

• Snowball Cookies

• Tea Pot Sugar Cookie – cut with a mini cookie cutter, sprinkled crumbled freeze dried raspberries on top of the wet glaze

• Jam Thumbprint Cookie – cut with these cookie cutters, chill for 30 minutes, roll the dough out pretty thick, punch in the heart shape, refrigerate the shaped dough for 15 minutes before piping in preserves with a ziplock bag and bake at 350 for about 21 minutes.

• Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting

• Mini Chocolate Cupcakes with Strawberry Frosting

• Cream Cheese Berry Tartlets – I made this tartlet dough ahead of time, shaped, pre-baked and put in my freezer. On the day of the party I filled and right before serving I garnished with raspberries.

BEVERAGES

• Twining’s Irish Breakfast Tea

• Tea Forte Wild Berry Hibiscus

• Tazo Wild Sweet Orange

• Berry Lemonade

DECORATIONS

I transformed my dining room into a paper garden. We were all pleased with the results. It helped add to the atmosphere. I mostly followed these directions but with my own twist. I made a smaller version of these crepe paper roses. I made these birds but did not use the bottom of their bodies or their legs. I made the butterflies with my Cricut machine.

I bought many bunches of assorted pink roses from Trader Joes and Wegmans. My Mom did a fantastic job arranging them in the tea pot, vases, and the individual napkin rings. She even put flowers in my bathroom.

I decorated my entryway with Dollar store tissue pom-poms that I assembled and hung with command hooks.

I ordered balloons from Wegmans and picked up on the morning of my party.

The last time I held a birthday party was for my 40th. For that party I had a children’s theme Sheep party and invited all of my nieces and nephews at the time. My 19 year old niece attended. For that party she helped me make a sheep banner and she put “40” on each of the sheep. I cherish that banner and still have it. This year she came up with the idea to make a sheep banner with 50 sheep. I am delighted that she made it for me.

FASCINATORS

My friend Deborah and I made the fascinators before the party. I got the materials from friends, Michaels Crafts, Dollar Tree, and a craft thrift store in my area. Each guest picked a fascinator to wear. It added a fun element to the party. I enjoyed taking photos of each friend with me.

FAVORS

I bought little boxes put shredded paper from the Dollar Tree inside and added assorted chocolates. On the outside of the boxes, I taped assorted Tea Forte tea.

PLAYLIST

I like the idea of creating a party playlist but don’t usually make one. For my 7 Continents Christmas dinner I started it but only finished Africa. I found and used some of the Carol of the Bells songs I selected for my Carol of the Bells Christmas dinner. For my Birthday Tea party, I worked hard at creating a playlist. I discussed it with many people in my life. I ended up selecting 5 songs from decades I have lived. I got a Spotify account to play it. Unbelievably, I was so busy with my party, I forgot to play it!! One of my friends realized after most people were gone that I did not play my songs. Here is my list:

1970’s

Sunshine on my Shoulders by John Denver

Song Sung Blue by Niel Diamond

Piano Man by Billy Joel

Born to Run by Bruce Springsteen

My Sharona by The Knack

1980’s

The Tide is High by Blondie

Joy by George Winston

Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics

I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers

Storybook Love Princess Bride by Mark Knopfler

1990’s

Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants

Broken Arrow by Rod Stewart

Thank You for Hearing Me by Sinead O’Connor

The Memory of Trees by Enya

Here with Me by Dido

2000’s

The Model by Belle & Sebastian

The Middle by Jimmy Eat World

Bring Me to Life by Evanescence

Boom Boom Pow by Black Eyed Peas

Fairytale by Alexander Rybak

2010’s

Like a G6 by Far East Movement

On the Floor by Jennifer Lopez

All About the Bass by Meghan Trainor

Pale Grass Blue by Enya

Soy Yo by Bomba Estereo

BIRTHDAY PERSON TRIVIA

I made a little quiz about me. My Mom said I should keep it to 10 questions but I ended up with 20. I think it was fun for my guests.

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My critique of the party: I had a lot of fun and my guests seemed to also enjoy. The next time I make a playlist for a party, I will put it on my cooking to-do list as a reminder to play it. I like the idea of having smaller tea parties in different seasons. Some of the desserts I served at this tea would be perfect to make again. Maybe I will have a dessert open house when I finally find and buy a house.