A Victorian Tea for Brienne

November 27, 2010

It started with the cake. While hiking one day last month Celine and I were having a discussion about cakes. Looking for an excuse to bake one really. Brienne's birthday was the perfect opportunity.

The discussion went from there into planning her a party. And what a sweet party it was.

This year the kids and I were very intentional about using our unique talents and gifts to give Brienne a birthday party she would love. The fact that my children are both old enough to do this for their sibling (thereby lightening mama's load a bit) and have the heart's desire to do this for their sister gave me warm fuzzies all month long as we planned together.

Celine was in charge of menu planning and overall party theme and design. She is a designer by nature and loves details.

Her own interests include the Victorian era and she has a lot of knowledge of that time period from her reading and research. Brienne has a love for all things fancy and so it was that a Victorian Birthday Tea Party was planned.

Out came the lovingly mismatched fine china teacups (gifts from a bridal shower) that I mostly store in a kitchen cupboard, for such a time as this. On the menu was thinly sliced cucumber butter sandwiches (crusts cut off), tea biscuits, Victorian sponge cake and of course tea, served with milk, sugar and lemons.

The last flower bouquet of the season adorned the white, freshly-pressed table cloth.

The artwork was done by our very own artist-in-residence. Laurent was responsible for the invitation art and painting the mural that transformed our dining room into a tea room overlooking a Victorian garden.

And of course we dressed up in the all the finery we could rustle together out of the dress-up closet and from a last minute trip to goodwill.

Mommy's job in all of this was to organize and oversee the whole production. A job I am quite suited to if I say so myself.

Using our personal talents and strengths to bless Brienne for her birthday was such a special way to plan a party. Brienne was further blessed by her party guest, a friend who shares the same love language - gift giving. This lovely little girl gave of her own valued possessions and crafted goodness (no trips the store or plastic do-dads) to show Brienne how much she was loved. It was simply beautiful.