Hello friends!
Today I’m excited to share a thrifted summer cottage style tea table with you! Every season of the year and every season in life has reason to celebrate. I hope you will find inspiration in this simple reminder to slow down, step outside your routine and enjoy your blessings!
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My inspiration for this tablescape started with the blue Spode water glasses Matt’s Mom gave me one Christmas. They are elegant, simple, and have beautiful blue etching.
From this starting point I created a tea time board on Pinterest to pull my ideas together and to find more inspiration. Next, I shop my tea things to see what will fit the color palette. Lastly, I make a list of what is lacking and head to the thrift shop! Here are a few of the inspiring pins from Pinterest.
The color palette is mint green with pops of blue and purple. The place settings will be mismatched as well as the tea cups.
I love the idea of using vintage tea tins as centerpieces for the faux lavender and lily-of-the-valley stems from Amazon.
On the menu is always something sweet and something savory. Quiche is an easy way to go and in individual ramekins quite special. My sweet neighbor (who is helping me host) has offered to bake a lemon cake and a showstopper it was! How I wish I’d snapped a picture of it!
For party favors I’d like to make some homemade candles with pressed flowers. I found a tutorial online, and once again my kind neighbor pitched in. Really, she lends a helping hand with nearly every project over here and I don’t know what I’d do with our her!
After returning from the thrift store I staged everything on the bar near the dining room table. It is such fun to see the color palette beginning to come together! Except for the items that were gifts, or that I ordered from Amazon, nearly everything you see here was thrifted…
- Tea cups & saucers: $4 or $5 each with several of them only $2 to $2.50!
- Plates (salad & dinner size) about $1 to $3 each.
- Vintage platters $4 to $5 each.
- Sugar bowl $7
- Vintage floral tea tins $3 to $4 each.
- Milkglass cake stands $15 each
Be thrifting the dishes for these occasions not only are they affordable, but the low cost removes fear of breakage for me as the hostess and for mothers of small children. It is lovely to see sweet little faces sipping out of a fancy tea cup!
Now it is time to make our plans a reality! If you are interested in the mint green tassel table cloth, the crocheted edge napkins, crocheted table runner, or the Spode water glasses be sure to check the description box below the video for links.
Creating tablescapes like these to share with others is tremendous fun, and especially a blessing to see the delight on children’s face when they are seated. Somehow this reminds me of the spring and summer issues of Victoria magazine!
This cobalt blue oriental tea pot was a splurge on my part. Turns out I’m kinda picky about teapots! I’m perfectly happy to spend $4 or $5 per tea cup, and $1 to $3 per plate to balance out spending more on the statement piece of the tea table. Besides, it doubles as decor the rest of the year!
Some of these tea cups I’ve had for years. What sweet memories they hold…
Here is a tea party favorite: Jeweled Fruit Pie ~ we have it nearly every year! It’s a lightly sweetened, chilled custard-y dessert with a vanilla wafer crust. It’s dreamy smooth, refreshingly cool, and packed with fresh summery fruits…
Another welcome face to show up on the tea table is the traditional shortbread in some form or another ~ or biscuit as the English would say.
This is my favorite flavor, lemon! Absolutely perfect with a cup of Earl Grey!
Friend, today’s visit was a delight! I hope you enjoyed our time together. I’m already looking forward to our next visit. Until then, thank you for dropping by and take care.
Warmly,
Rachel
What a gorgeous spread! I can’t wait to try the shortbread.
Good afternoon, Miss Fran!
I hope you enjoy the lemon shortbread!
I loved it all!
Yay, I’m glad, Miss Kathy!
Thank you for stopping by to visit!
So very pretty, thank you for sharing. I always look forward to your YouTube videos, and will be going to check that new video out! HAVE a beautiful day and God bless you.
Thank you, I appreciate you stopping by!
The table scape is lovely, I love all of the matching patterns! Like you said, it makes me think of Victoria Magazine…maybe one day 😉 I have the matching vase for that cobalt blue oriental tea pot. You gave me a lot of inspiration here. I have been wanting to host a tea party for my nieces and gives me a great place to start! I have a Pinterest board labeled “Pretty in Pink” and the planning has been so much fun. The intentional planning is so much easier than when I would go out and just start looking for things to buy.
Yay for another tea party hostess!
You will love every step of the way, and your theme sounds adorable. I just wish I could see your tea table! Have a lovely day, Joanna!
Your tea parties and so beautiful Rachie. And, your videos are getting better and better. You’re putting a lot of work into them and it shows.
Thank you, Matt.
I couldn’t do this without your help!
Your tea table looks lovely. I would love to try your lemon shortbread recipe. Wish you were my neighbor. I would love to have you to join me for tea. 🫖☕️❤️
Hello, Miss Debbie!
I’m glad you enjoyed the tea table, it would be delightful to visit over cookies & tea with you!
Thank you for stopping by!