Invitation to an Afternoon Tea

Sweet Invitation to Afternoon Tea

When I was little, tea with my mother was a very special occasion.  If I had had a bad day, or a bad dream, it was a source of comfort.  If I was doing something that I didn't want to do, it was an incentive (The trying-on of last years clothes was a tea party AND fashion show!).  If I was needing a friend, it was a vehicle for shared secrets.
On these days, she would bring out a tiny china tea set with hand painted roses on it.  When the pot was filled with herbal tea, the lemon cookies stacked on a plate, and pretty paper napkins tucked under the saucers all of it would be arranged on a tray and brought to a munchkin sized table to share.  I felt like such a grown up during those moments.

Now that I'm older, I still love tea, and all of the fun ceremony that goes with it.  (Instead of feeling like a grown up, it allows me to pretend that I'm a lady!). In particular, I love going to afternoon tea with my dearest girl friends and, of course, my best friend of all, my mother.  The dainty finger sandwiches, fruit and pastries; the linen napkins and silver tea pots; the women dressed up in pastels and lace so that they look like delicious cupcakes: what could be more fun? 

This Mother's Day, I've decided to throw my own tea party for the fabulous moms in my life.  

The first order of business?  A beautiful and fun handmade invitation!

Okay, Let's Do This:

DIY Tea Cup Invitation

First, I found a teacup shape online that I liked, printed it and cut the shape out of some pretty scrapbook paper. 

I affixed the bottom and sides of the teacup to a coordinating piece of paper (leaving the top open).  I then cut that paper slightly larger, creating a pretty border around the outside and a pocket inside.  

The information for the location was printed on cardstock, and then cut to the shape of a tea bag.  I backed it with the same cardstock, and added some pretty pieces of lacy doily to the back (does anyone else HATE the word "doily"?)  

 I also printed out a tiny quote about mothers, shaped it like a tag and backed it, leaving a small space at the top.  After punching a hole in the "tea bag" I tied some pretty ribbon to the top and then attached the other end with a spot of glue between the pages of the "tag."  

 

A pretty invite NEEDS a pretty envelope (it's a requirement).  I found a plain white envelope that would fit the cup, and covered the top with a coordinating scrapbook paper. I gave it some flair with additional scrapbook paper, stickers  and stamping.  (If you plan to mail these, be careful not to put anything on the envelope that could potentially cause a problem with sorting machines.)  

Finally, I tucked the tea bag into the slit at the top of the cup, and slid the entire invite into the envelope. 

Who could resist this sweet little invite? 

Tea Cup Invitation