Spots & Stripes Tea Party

You may be wondering what a tea party has to do with a Melbourne based Professional Organising business entitled Bless this Mess.  Quite simply I wanted to share a little bit about my life with you, whilst also providing an example of how having an organised home and life can leave you time to enjoy the more important things, like celebrating.

I love a good party, don’t you?  Even more so I love making my children’s birthdays into something really special and putting that loving touch into the event by doing as much as I can myself.  We recently celebrated our eldest daughter Chloe’s fifth birthday. Celebrate we did with two parties on the day!  One in the morning for all her kindergarten friends, then again in the afternoon for family and close friends. You only turn Five once and it is an age that encompasses so many milestones.

Chloe and I fell in love with and were inspired by many parties featured on Amy Atlas over the past twelve months.  I dreamt of hosting a tea party themed around our Paper Eskimo invitations and Chloe had her heart set on a tea pot cake, complete with an Angelina Ballerina figurine.  Once we laid our eyes on one such buffet on Eat, Drink, Chic and their free D.I.Y. printables the organising began.  A more recent event styled by Leo and Bella was also a strong base for pulling all our design ideas together. The pink colour palette along with the stripes was the perfect set-up. We played on the ‘Mad Hatter Tea Party’ theme just a little, incorporating the ‘Anyone for a Spot of Tea’ banner and  tea bag tags to brighten up our plain white tea pots.  Completing the picture we hired children sized tables and chairs from Dalgarnos Hire. We even had a Jewellery and Nail bar for all the girls!!

It was a little girls paradise and many of the big girls wanted to stay and join in. We certainly had enough food to accommodate everyone and combined store bought and home made items within the buffet.  Our favourites included the cake pops, marshmallow cones,  pink lamingtons and even pink lemonade.  Additionally, all the traditional party foods were represented including fairy bread, party pies and sausage rolls, party frankfurts and finger sandwiches.  All of the children left happy with a personalised ‘Merry Unbirthday’ loot bag full of sweet treats and more bling!

It was great to take the time to search for local suppliers and event stylist companies and we focused on Melbourne based business’, many of who advertise in Peekaboo Magazine and Little ONE baby. All of who provided various elements of inspiration for all the vital accessories needed to make this day purely special. Local Opp shops were fantastic for simple, inexpensive props such as demitasse tea cups and the cheese dome.

Planning in advance for this party enabled us to spread out the cost, search for the best price and suppliers and put it all together ourselves with very little to no stress. My wonderful Mum provided the moral support, was my assistant chef and even took on the role of painting all the girls nails.  My Dad even helped out making approximately fifty mini pink lamingtons.
My girls also loved being involved in all the cooking we did in the week leading up to the big day and the all important ‘taste testing’. The greatest joy was to share in the excitement and fun had by the birthday girl herself, a smile was never far from her sweet lips.

We hope you enjoy the eye candy!!
Robyn Amott @ Bless this Mess
Suppliers Listing:   Invitations, Loot Bags & Tags, Bunting, Napkins  & Table Runner – Paper Eskimo Pink Spotted Paper Straws – Lily Chic Events Tissue Paper Pom Poms – Ah-Tissue Menu Stands – The Inspired Occasion Pink Smarties & Polka Dot Plates – Sharnel Dollar Designs Coloured Tin Buckets – Nicholson Imports Mini Glass Milk Bottles – The Little Big Company Ribbons – Brown Paper Packaging Apothecary Jars – Pearl Rock Home Photo Frames – The Reject Shop