Last week the girls and I planned a special picnic at one of our favorite tea party destinations: the landscaped grounds of Southern Homes and Gardens in Montgomery, Ala.
We had not visited in a while, so setting up our spread reminded me of the girls' preschool days.
For an easy picnic basket, I hot glued mini ball fringe to a basket I picked up at Hobby Lobby. I tucked a couple of cut work lace place mats inside, then filled the bottom with pink paper shreds. An easy menu was quick to assemble, but little touches made our simple choices look special. I slipped cut-out sandwiches and chips into clear party bags, dressed up Starbucks Frappuccino bottles with pretty labels and straws, presented fruit on skewers tucked into a juice glass, and finished the basket with a few sprigs of azaleas from our yard.
Country Tea Party Picnic
Turkey Sandwiches
PB&J Sandwiches
Kettle-Cooked Potato Chips
Fresh Strawberries and Nectarines
Cupcakes
Iced Pink Lemonade
This year we invited special friends to join the fun: the girls' American Girl dolls. Don't they look cute in their matching outfits? We love these coordinating tees and bows from Kat-N-Ty Designs.
Our picnic menu was delicious, but we were most thankful for pink lemonade on this hot, muggy Alabama day.
Pretty floral cupcake wrappers and toppers dressed up these bakery cupcakes. Download the free design from Food Art Party here. The girls were pleased to help their dolls eat their mini-cupcakes!
Six-year-old Emma brought Caroline, named for one of the teenagers at church who has shown an interest in the girls.
And 8-year-old Mary Ashley brought Elizebeth. She loves this classic name but could not be convinced to use the traditional spelling, Elizabeth. Little Mommy's choice prevailed!
Emma and Caroline are ready for fun!
And all these American girls are ready for a country tea party picnic!
Slip off your sandals, and spend a lazy summer afternoon picnicking with us. I'll share more images tomorrow!
"And so with the sunshine and the great bursts of leaves growing on the trees, just as things grow in fast movies, I had that familiar conviction that life was beginning over again with the summer." ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald
