Tea Party -6yr- Coloring Story Book

INVITATION: I designed invitations online from a create it yourself website.  I found a perfect picture of a teapot, teacups, and a little girl pouring tea to her bears.  The front of the invitation said, Tea for you and tea for me won't you please come for tea." "You are codially invited to celerbate Brianna's 6th Birthday with an afternoon tea." (Party Details) "Wear your fancy dress and floppy hats more fun.  Cute baby dolls or cuddly teddy bears are invited too." 

DECORATIONS:  I found the decorations in a couple of different places.  First I found tables cloths and teacups at a second hand store.  For the tablecloths I found flat bedsheets that were the perfect size.  I also found a whole package of white cloth napkins and a matching set of 8 teacups and saucers.  On a website I found some oversized tissue paper flowers (24") small tissue paper flowers (10") and teapot photo frames. 

As far as the centerpieces a relative was collecting old teapots and had a box that he didn't like and was going to toss them out. I snagged them up and put three of the small tissue paper flowers in each teapot.  

ACTIVITIES:  For activities I had made up a coloring story book using the plot from Alice in Wonderland calling it "Brianna in Wonderland".  Any time a character would show up in the book (ex. Cheshire Cat Queen of Hearts) the children wrote in their own names and became part of the story. 

Once the chidren (and some adults) finished coloring their pages we put the book together and had story time.  The children had a lot of fun listening to the story they were part of and seeing the pictures they had created. As mentioned earlier we also made Teapot picture frames that the children put together. 

When the children had arrived in their party dress we took pictures of them with the birthday girl.  My sister had printed off all the pictures so we could send the photo frames home with the children.

Before cake time the children also go to decorate their own cupcakes.  I had made a bunch of plain cupcakes and had colored frosting in bowls and tons of different types of sprinkles.  The kids had a blast decorating and devouring their creations. We also put on a nice little show with all their children doing their best "I'm a little Teapot" impressions while we all sang along. 

COSTUMES:  Costumes weren't required but the invitation did state that everyone could wear their fancy party dress and floppy hats.  

PARTY SNACKS: We had peanuts butter and jelly finger sandwiches that had been cut into tiny triangles fresh baked cookies ham and cheese finger sandwiches that had been cut out in flowers mini eclairs and powdered donut holes  Our "tea" was "Fancy Blue Tea" aka Blue Kool-Aid.  I had one little girl ask me if she could just have some real tea.  We also had iced tea for the grown-ups.  I did have one little girl ask for some real tea and with her mother's approval I provided. 

CAKE:  I made two boxed cake mixed and baked them in my medium Pyrex bowls.  When they had cooled I crumb coated them and put them in the freezer overnight.  The next day I made marshmallow fondant and colored it purple and pink.  I then placed my indidual came domes together to make a circle cake.  I added some pieces here and there and formed it into the body of a teacup.  I then iced it again and placed the fondant onto the teapot and smoothed out.  I used more fondant and toothpicks to create the handle and the spout.

The cake came out much better than I had expected and the parents were all surprised I had made the cake myself.  The chidlren didn't really pay attention to the teapot cake since they were busy making their own cupcake creations. 

FAVORS: At the end of the party we passed out goodie bags filled with candy and toys that we found at the dollar store.  We also sent the children home with their picture frames they had made earlier in the party not complete with a picture of themselves and the birthday girl."