Entertaining

Three Tea Party Essentials

/ Kalen / 1 Comment

Earlier this year, I began hosting semi-formal tea parties in my home as a way of connecting with friends, acting hilarious, and making some new memories and cute Instagram photos. We deemed ourselves the “Seasonal Tea Society” and talked over tea and I think the memories we created during that time will stick with me for a loooong time. We also got semi-critical of ourselves during a craft project, but I’ll mostly omit those details.

“Look somewhat snobbish but also friendly!”

So… you want to throw a tea party? It doesn’t matter if you’re familiar with it or not (I wasn’t)! It’s something fresh to do and beats out the regular get-togethers people have come to expect. Here are my tips:

  1. Pick a theme. Alice in Wonderland, Springtime & Sunshine, or Iced Tea & BBQ are all good ones. Having a theme for your tea helps guests understand how to dress, what to expect, and gives them the heads up on if they need to bring anything. Teas can be informal or formal or anything in between. The purpose is sharing time with others, but we did all think there was something fun about dressing up. Probably because most of us usually wear work-out clothes though we’re never working out.

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    Spring tea setup, perhaps?

  2. Plan ahead. Places like Dollar Tree and the Target dollar spot area in front of the store have so many cute things you can use from banners and cute straws to cake stands and napkins. I also like shopping Goodwill for old tea cups and saucers (the more mismatched the better) and places like Oriental Trading if you plan to do a craft or activity. Allow yourself to spend some time on this tea party… make your guests feel really special. I even made a tea party playlist!

    We did a teapot painting craft. The teapot planters were from Oriental Trading!

     

  3. Serve several teas. As a Steeped Tea consultant, I can tell you that everyone’s taste is VERY different when it comes to this drink. You might want an iced version along with hot, and I would have something caffeine free available as well. Don’t forget various sweeteners – honey, Stevia, and regular sugar cubes are most popular at my house. I also like a splash of milk because in another life, I was British.

    Shop my site for loose leaf tea, they’re all so yummy!

    Now it’s time for you to do your own party! And I want to see pictures if you do! Tag me on Instagram or Facebook #homeinkentucky and maybe I’ll send a free bag of tea your way for your next get together. Enjoy & happy sipping, friends! #pinkiesup

Summer Party Themes

/ Kalen / Leave a comment

Those that know me know I love to party. And one of the best parts of owning your own home is entertaining, in my opinion. Having neighbors, friends and family members come see your place, shoving everything into closets and hoping no one randomly asks for a tour of your garage, and then theming it up and having some fun makes the hot weather a little more tolerable, am I right?

Here are a few fun summer party themes to stir up your imagination!

BBQ and Bandanas

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The traditional BBQ but with a twist. You mix up an appropriately themed cocktail, grill out some hotdogs and hamburgs which are budget friendly, and to decorate? Put bandanas as placemats under the plates. Party-goers can take them home as favors afterwards or use them as napkins!

 

 

Ice Cream Bar Screen Shot 2016-07-22 at 8.56.43 PM

Have your guests each bring a topping, and you supply a few different flavors of ice cream and cones! Dip the sides of an ice cream sandwich in colorful sprinkles for a grab & go option. Keep your colors pastel and soft and for the party game? Have guests guess the number of chocolate chips in a jar, winner takes it home for their next ice cream craving!
Flamingo Friday Screen Shot 2016-07-22 at 9.01.26 PM

This is one of my favorite themes! Ask guests to wear pink in honor of this wacky but lovable bird. Buy some flamingo themed goodies, serve pineapple upside down cupcakes, a veggie tray, and pink lemonade. Play a game of Twister to see how good you are standing on one leg, winner takes home a plastic flamingo for their yard!

 

 

And… Four Fun TIPS for Summer Parties:

  1. Freeze water balloons to act as ice cubes in drink buckets.
  2. Keep bugs out of your drink using a cupcake wrapper with a hole in the middle upside down over the straw.
  3. Be a good host and have some natural bug repellent and sunscreen in an easily accessible bucket.
  4. Keep dirty shoes out of your house with a sweetly subtle sign on the front door that says, “Come on around back!”