Musical Parisian Par-Tea

Commercially printed invitations were sent out for the previous birthday  teas, but I  scrapbooked the invitations for the 2010 tea party.    I read somewhere the invitation sets the stage for the tea party, so I tried to accomplish that objective.    They were a lot of fun to make even though I'm a novice scrapbooker. 

 

Cover
 

  

Inside
 

  

The Menu Card coordinated with the Invitation
 

 

The  table cloths from the previous year were used again with additional pink fabric, and silk rose petals scattered about.  The centerpiece and candlesticks were Eiffel Towers, as well as a mini Eiffel Tower teapot from Sur la table.   Another addition was a set of black dishes purchased at an antique store backstamped, Made in France.  I took that as an omen that they were meant for this tea party! ;-)

 

Normally I use linen napkins, but I found Parisian themed paper napkins at Bed, Bath & Beyond and liked the way they enhanced the tablescape.

 

  

 

A toast to Lori and our afternoon together was made with a mixture of Sence Rose Nectar & Sparkling White Jasmine Tea.  It was the perfect way to begin the tea party.

 

 

Teas

French Caramel Crème Brulée, Iced

Mariage Freres Earl Grey Silver Tips, Hot

Flaming Oolong Tea [Dessert Course]

 

 

Menu

Soupe à l' Oignon [French Onion Soup]

Creme Scones with Blackberry Jam

Main entrée Quiche Lorraine [Julia Child's recipe]

Cheese Course

Le Roulé with Garlic and Herbs with Toasted Walnuts

Brie on Baguette with Fig Spread

Emmental with Champagne Grapes

Dessert

Eclairs & Madelines

*  *  *

 Tiffany and Betty [Piano Teacher]

Marissa and Ruth [Piano Teacher]

Lori and her good friend, Melissa

Next Post:  2011's Musical Birthday Tea - The Sound of Music


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Today I am linking to Bernideen's Tea Time blog for "Open House."



 

All That Jazz Musical Birthday Tea Party

When Lori was four years old, we took a family vacation to Louisiana.  It was summertime in New Orleans and hotter than blazes, but Lori sat quietly and patiently on an artist's chair outside Jackson Square's black iron fence, in the French Quarter, while a local artist did a chalk drawing of her.

 

That drawing was my inspiration for her 2009 musical birthday tea party with the theme, All That Jazz.
 

 

Instead of a framed menu, I scrapbooked a booklet that contained the following:  The history of Jackson Square and how it was modeled after the famous Place des Vosges in Paris, France; the tea party menu; and information about New Orleans cuisine and the food that was being served at the tea party - Gumbo, Muffuletta Salad, Po' Boy Sandwiches, Beignets, and Bananas Foster. 

 

 

 

Mardi Gras beads and feather masks were scattered around the table top, and new [to me] Tiara Black Diamond Point water goblets  were added to the tablescape.   Lori's two daughters, Tiffany and Marissa, came to the tea party that year, so  two more musical dinner plates were ordered from Replacements Unlimited [not identical to the set, but close enough]. 

 

 

 

 

Luggage tags [for the imaginary trip to New Orleans] served three purposes:  napkin ring,  place card holder, and favor.

 

 

A musical charm was attached to the teacups for each person to take home.

 

 

 Black chair sashes were used instead of the white ones from the previous year.

 

 

The menu was:

Chicken, Sausage & Shrimp Gumbo

Muffuletta Salad

Po'Boy Roast Beef Sandwich

Beignets [instead of scones]

Dessert:  Bananas Foster Bread Pudding w/Bananas Foster Sauce

Beverages:   Iced Sweet Luzianne Tea

Hot French Caramel Cream Brulee Tea

 

Unfortunately, the only food photo I took that year was the Beignets.  Sorry!  :-(

 

 

 Lori "Then & Now"

 

 

Lori with her two beautiful daughters [and my sweet granddaughters] Tiffany and Marissa.

 

 

The girls with Ruth, one of the piano teachers.  [I didn't get a photo of Betty that year.]

 

 

 

Tomorrow's post will be 2010's Parisian Par-Tea.

 

 

 

Musical Birthday Tea Party #2

Just prior to Lori's birthday in 2008, I attended Tea Time Magazine's, An Occasion for Tea,  in Victoria, British Columbia.  Designer, April Cornell, was one of the speakers and she did a presentation on tablescape layering.  She was so inspiring that the whole time she was talking and demonstrating, I was mentally layering the fabrics for my musical tea tablescape. 

The bottom layer was a floor length, black cotton broadcloth.   On top of that was black and white stripped canvas fabric to represent a keyboard.  The center triangle cloth was the same musical fabric used the previous year for placemats.  

Layering fabrics  provides a much more dramatic tablescape as opposed to a  single table cloth.  [Compare these photos with yesterday's post to see for yourself.]

Floral centerpiece was in a black teapot, placed on a pedestal cake stand.  The pedestal was removed when the guests arrived so vision wouldn't be obstructed.

  

 

The musical dinnerware was used again, with the addition of a newly acquired musical teapot with matching teacups and saucers, and Asian handleless teacups used for individual fruit bouquet containers.

White chair sashes also provided a more festive look.

Close-up of Musical Teapot, Cream and Sugar and Teacups.

 

Individual Fruit Bouquets

 

 

Lavender Cheese with Crackers

 

 

Tomato Dill Bisque Soup w/Teapot Crouton

 

 

Savory Course:

Avocado Salad w/Sesame Green Tea Vinaigrette

Tea Sandwiches:  Curried Egg Salad on Wheat

Steinway Key Chicken Salad with Black Olive Tapenade

Asian Spoon w/BBQ Shrimp on Creamy Grits

 

 

Scones w/Strawberry Jam and Mock Clotted Cream

Tea - Strawberry Green

 

 

Palate Cleanser - Jasmine Tea Sorbet in Vintage Egg Cup

 

 

Scones & desserts sat ready on the tea cart.

 

 

Dessert:  Shortbread Lemon Squares

Pecan Tassies

Earl Grey Chocolate Truffle

 

 

Lori [Center] with Piano Teachers Ruth and Betty

 

Lori and Me

 

After we ate we went into the living room for some music enjoyment.  Ruth and Betty  played separately as well as a duet.

Lori has a beautiful voice, and reluctantly sang for us while Betty accompanied her.

 

Come back tomorrow for 2009's tea where the theme was "All That Jazz" in New Orleans, Louisiana.

 

 

 

A Musical Birthday Tea Party

Today is a very special day.  My firstborn child, Lori Annette, came into the world at 11:11 a.m. at a small Air Force hospital in Altus, Oklahoma - which makes her an "Okie."   She weighted 5 lbs. 15 oz. and was 19 inches long.

Just home from the hospital in her pink outfit.   We were so thrilled with our new little bundle of joy.
   

 

 

Ten weeks old at her Baby Dedication wearing the same dress that I was Christened in. 

 

 

6 months old

 

 

1 year old

 

 

2 years old

 

 

First day of Kindergarten

 

 

Eight years old

 

 

High School Graduation

 

 

We blinked and our baby grew up...

 

 

And got married... Just like the song from Fiddler on the Roof:  "Is this the little girl I carried?... I don't remember growing older, when did she?...  Wasn't it yesterday when she was small?...  Sunrise, sunset, Swiftly flow the days [and years]!"

 

 

A mommy-to-be [and a grandma-to-be]

 

 

Fast-forward to 2007 when Lori was approaching a milestone birthday.  I wanted to do something special for her, but I didn't know what since I had already given her a tea party the previous year for friends and family.

 

Lori took piano lessons from grade school through her high school freshman year, and had two teachers  spanning those years.   One day she casually mentioned that she hadn't seen either of her teachers in several years and would love to see them again.   That set the wheels in motion as to what I would do for her birthday - a surprise tea party with her piano teachers as special guests.

 

The tea party had to be musically themed, so the first thing I did was order a baby grand piano music box [that played Happy Birthday] from www.musicboxattic.com for the centerpiece.  I had the photo below from her first piano recital that would be a part of the tablescape too.

 

  

 

I splurged and ordered musical dinnerware for the occasion [from www.pianosupplies.com]  and made placemats from music themed fabric.

 

 

Menu

 

 

We began with a warm cinnamon roll - signifying a warm beginning.

 

 

Rhapsody Strawberry Soup

 

 

Sonata Salad

 

 

Savories

Steinway Piano Key  Sandwich - Turkey, Cheese & Olive Tapenade

Opus Sandwich - Carrot & Pineapple

Concerto Sandwich - Curried Egg Salad

Treble Clef Stuffed Tomato

 

 

Dessert - Symphony Brownies 

 

 

The "Birthday Girl" with her piano teachers, Betty and Ruth.

 

  

 

She was totally surprised by her two special guests, and we spent a wonderful afternoon together.  I didn't initially plan on making it a yearly  tradition, but this year will make our sixth tea party with her piano teachers.  I've expanded it the past couple of years to include Lori's two daughters too.  This year's tea party is  scheduled for September 15th. 

 

I've changed the theme every year, so no two have been the same.  This year's tea will be an Anne of Green Gables Tea with an emphasis on Kindred Spirits.  Over the next few days I will be sharing photos from Lori's succeeding  birthday teas.

 

 

Happy Birthday, Lori!

You've brought us so much joy.  We love you!