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Share Your Party Pics!

partysugar — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 08:00:52 -0700

Whenever I decide to host a party the first thing I do is look for inspiration. It can be found anywhere, but I always enjoy checking out pictures of other people's parties for ideas. I love looking at party pics so much I have created a group - Super Special Occasions - on TeamSugar where you can share all of your party pics with me.
If you're hosting a child's birthday party, be inspired by the 8th birthday party just donna recently threw her daughter. The tea party has a girlie, fun pastel color theme. The menu involves crustless sandwiches that are cut into age appropriate festive shapes, and a variety of dainty cupcakes. To check out all the pics from her adorable party, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member just donna

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Tea Party: Food and Beverages

LilSugar — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:00:37 -0700

It's pretty obvious that tea will be the beverage of choice at this baby shower whether you choose to serve it piping hot or iced with lemon.

And, what goes better with the herbal elixir than savory finger sandwiches and sugary treats? From the traditional cucumber to the more worldly roasted turkey and mango chutney, tea sandwiches are a fun way for guests to sample several flavors on a plate.

Get creative with the nibblers by shaping them into bottles, teddy bears and baby feet with cookie cutters. To see what's for dessert, read more.

And, for something to satisfy the sweet tooth, buy some bakery made petit fours (32 lil cakes for $64) in the colors of the baby-to-be's nursery.

Source and Source

Tea Party: Sippers

babysugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:00:03 -0700

Tea parties can be old–fashioned, sophisticated or modern and cool – it's up to you. Set the tone for your tea party baby shower with cups and saucers that fit the mood. Spruce up your wares with these designs that keep things simple and aren't a huge expense.

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Tea Party: Decor

LilSugar — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:00:35 -0700

Forgo traditional flower arrangements and make blossoming tea your centerpiece.

Available in a variety of colorful blends that are sold in boxes ($9), the edible eye candy doubles as a conversation piece.

And, the delightful aromas linger in the air leaving your place party ready and smelling like jasmine, lavender, rose, citrus or whichever other scent you prefer.

To see more blossoming teas, read more.

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Tea Party: Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 13:00:00 -0700

If you're on board with the tea party theme, you might want to check out these simple and creative invitations that I crafted with supplies from my favorite paperie, Paper Source.

To see how to make them, read more.

I'm throwing this party for a friend who decorated her nursery in Tiffany blue, citrus orange, and brown. The couple doesn't know the baby's sex so I also wanted to be gender neutral with the invites.

What I need to buy:

5 1/2" orange square cards.
5" white square cards.
5 3/4" turquoise square envelopes. (note postage is $0.50 for square envelopes.)
Brown grosgrain ribbon with white pattern.
Brown pen for labeling.
Standard hole punch (matching the width of your ribbon.)
Decorative hole punch.
Double–stick tape.
Scissors.

Now it's time to get down to business.

First, decide on the text you want to put on the invitation. You might want to print a sample out on regular computer paper first to make sure there are no mistakes and so you don't waste the pretty (and more expensive) card stock. Once perfected, print out all of your invitations on the printer.
Next, place double–stick tape on the back of the invitation and firmly press it onto the center of the orange squares.
Mark two dots where you want to center your ribbon (about an inch apart) and punch holes on the marks.
Take your ribbon and cut it into 5" long pieces. Thread the ribbon through the holes from front to back so the ends are on the backside. Next, pull the ends through the opposite holes and tighten the slack. Cut the edges of the ribbon at an angle to give it a finished touch and to keep it from unraveling.
Use the decorative hole punch (a heart in my case) and punch a hole in the bottom right hand corner of your envelope.
Place the invitation in the envelope, address, stamp, and toss in the mail!

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April Showers: Tea Party

LilSugar — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 05:00:09 -0700

Just a spoonful of sugar helps celebrate baby!

Whether you know a mama-to-be that was born with a silver spoon in her mouth or one that is into all things herbal, consider toasting a cup 'o tea in her honor.

Since tea is available in a wide range of varieties, you can go traditional classy with a silver service, petit fours and crumpets or shabby chic with mismatched cups and saucers and flavorful finger sandwiches or modern sassy with sleek sippers and fresh innovative eats. To see other ideas, read more.

And, you can throw the festive affair in the comfort of your home or take it outside for a garden party feeling. If you choose the latter to set the mood, suggest your guests wear a festive hat.

Happy Hour: PomTea Spritzer

partysugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 11:59:31 -0700

In case you haven't noticed, I've been talking about tea all this week in order to mentally prepare myself for the afternoon-celebration spring-tea party that I am hosting tomorrow. I'm not a skilled tea brewer, I have much more experience mixing cocktails, and this evening I am going to practice brewing a few pots of tea to ensure that I don't pour out anything too bitter or strong at mañana's fiesta de te. Emily is going to come over and act as my drink tester and to reward her for sipping the teas, I thought I could stir together a drink that uses up the fresh brewed tea. A mixture of pomegranate juice, iced tea, and vodka, this sounds like it might even be good enough to serve at the party! To look at the recipe, read more

PomTea Spritzer
From Extra Tasty

1 part Vodka
A splash of Raspberry liqueur
2 parts Pomegranate Juice
1 part Sparkling water
1 part Iced tea
A splash of Honey

Mix to taste: In a pitcher combine one bottle of Pomegranate Juice (recommended: blueberry, for extra antioxidants) with a generous amount of decent vodka, a quick splash of Chambord, about a cup of Iced Tea, and sweeten with a good squeeze of honey.
Stir until the honey is dissolved and dump in the seltzer water, enough to be fizzy but not watered down. Enjoy!

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Come Party With Me: Tea Party - Music

partysugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 06:53:19 -0700

I'm a little tea pot short and stout, here is my handle here is my spout, when I get all steamed up hear me shout, tip me over and pour me out. A preschool song may not be the best selection for the chic afternoon tea party I am hosting tomorrow, but it certainly fits the theme. The floral invitations have been sent, the sweet and savory baked goods have been prepared, my patio is the perfect picture of spring in full bloom and all I have to do is brew the tea and hit play on the stereo. Only I haven't compiled a playlist... it's a party where the conversation is more important than the music, so a soothing, relaxing, gentle background noise is what I am looking for. To see my contemporary classical musical suggestions for the tea party, read more

When I was younger I spent many an hour in front of a mirror in a leotard and tights as a ballet dancer. I enjoyed listening to classical music in ballet class and still take pleasure from listening to it today. Contemporary classical is what I'm after here, the whole concept behind this event is to take the stuffy idea of a tea party and make it modern for today's hostess with the mostess. Anything by composer Philip Glass is always great (you may not know him, but he does the soundtracks for movies like The Illusionist and The Hours) and you can't go wrong with his solo piano music. The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe is another wonderful option. BuzzSugar suggested putting several soundtracks like the music from The Piano and Pan's Labyrinth into the disc changer and hitting random. Have an awesome selection of songs that would be right on for my tea party? Do tell me about them below!

Come Party With Me: Tea Party - The Look

partysugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 05:59:13 -0700

This week I am putting together a tea party plan for you to follow when you want to host an afternoon tea sipping soirée. Contrary to popular belief, tea parties can be a great, contemporary way to celebrate the arrival of Spring (or a baby or a marriage). My fingers are crossed in hopes that this Saturday will be a glorious sunshine-y day and that we will be able to sit outside in my courtyard while we drink tea and nibble on finger foods. I invited a small group of girlfriends earlier this week with pretty little floral invites. The buffet will be set with a dazzling array of sweet and savory classic tea snacks and I'll pour several pots of freshly brewed tea as well as offer a green tea martini to those friends who are in the mood for a cocktail. To see how I'm turning my house into a spring haven, creating a lady-like look with lots of fresh flowers and tea inspired accents, read more

First things first, decide where you will arrange the buffet. I'm planning on hosting the party in my front garden; I live on a cul-de-sac and have a small courtyard that will conceal guests from the street. I plan a lot of parties and have several fold out tables in various shapes and sizes. I'll set up a long, low, rectangular table with the tea and cups. On the round table I'll place the food platters.
You should have one chair for each guest to sit, relax, and enjoy their cup of tea. If you don't have enough, chairs can be rented cheaply from you local party supply store.

Spring is the theme so use pastel colors, white, and green to reflect rebirth and light.
I'll dress my table in white eyelet tablecloths with periwinkle satin trim (to match the invitations). White cotton eyelet is a cheap fabric that is easily washable and can be used again at other outdoor events.
Floral print cocktail napkins and small pretty clear glass plates will pair perfectly with the dainty menu.

Fill old tea tins with water and fresh flowers. Choose flowers that complement the colors in the tea tin: yellow, white, or pale pink keep with the theme.
Set up an outdoor umbrella for guests who prefer to stay out of the sun. Likewise, if it's cooler set up an outdoor heater or fire pit.
Cherry blossoms are in season for only a short part of the year and I'll take advantage of their beautiful blooms by scattering branches around the yard.

The party should be over before nightfall, so candles are not necessary.

How would you decorate your garden for a springtime tea party? Tell me your ideas below. Tomorrow, last, but not certainly least, the music.

Come Party With Me: Tea Party - Drinks

partysugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 06:58:32 -0700

It's tea time! This week I'm planning an afternoon tea party. On Monday I sent out beautiful floral invitations to my girlfriends and yesterday I put together a menu full of scones, tea sandwiches, and shortbread cookies. Now it's on to the drinks, the tea of the tea party. Start by picking out which teas you will offer your guests. You could make several pots of the same kind, or a few different kinds. I am a fan of options and will brew a couple different kinds of tea. At all of my parties I like to offer an alcoholic beverage, so for those who are in the mood for an afternoon aperitif, I'll shake up a green tea martini. For my tips on brewing the perfect cup of tea and the recipe for the mar-tea-ni, read more

In honor of the tea party that I am planning this week, I thought it was necessary to go over a few basic suggestions for brewing a warm, wet, wonderful cup of tea.

To ensure freshness, store in an airtight container in a cool, dark space.

A good cup of tea is only as good as the water used, so choose fresh, flowing, cool, bottled/filtered water.
Take care when measuring out the tea because the tea's strength and flavor depends on the quantity of tea in the pot and the amount of steeping time.
Generally one bag or 1 teaspoon of leaves is considered a 1 person serving.
Do not overboil the water because once it begins to lose oxygen, the flavor of the tea will weaken.
The most important step of tea making is the correct brewing time. Brew for too long and the tea will taste bitter, brew for too little and the tea won't have maximum flavor.

Tea Brewing Time Chart
Tea Type Steep Time (in minutes)

black tea 3-5

herbal tea 5-10

green tea 1-3
Wrap the teapot with a towel or cozy to retain heat while steeping.
Strain tea leaves or remove tea bags before pouring into a cup and enjoying.
Milk dissolves the best into hot tea so plan accordingly.
Do not leave tea uncovered for a long period of time after brewing - drink or refrigerate to retain antioxidants and prevent bacteria from growing.
For the best tea, fill a teapot with hot tap water to warm it up; likewise warm up your teacups in a cup warmer or with hot tap water.

**Tea Brewing Time Chart**
Tea Type	Steep Time (in minutes)
black tea	3-5
herbal tea	5-10
green tea	1-3

Green Tea Martini
From That's The Spirit

Ice
1 ounce green tea, chilled
2 ounces citron vodka
1 teaspoon Cointreau
1 teaspoon simple syrup
Orange twist

Fill a shaker with ice. Add green tea, vodka, Cointreau and simple syrup.
Shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.
Garnish with an orange twist.

Makes 1 cocktail.

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What are your secret tips for brewing the best cup of tea around? Please share them with us below. Next up on the party plan to-do-list: the look.