Clever Mad Hatter’s Dinner Tea Party Ideas

Posted Jan 16, 12 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse cards, playing, reuse frames, picture, tea | 1 Comment

As you can see, getting ready for your Mad Hatter’s tea party is half the fun. Below are some ideas to get you started.

Seating

It is fun to have guests sit randomly around the table: it encourages people to make new friends. To achieve this, have guests as they arrive, pic a card. The cards should be arranged face down. I used cards from an incomplete deck. Creative reuse is better than buying new. The card they choose (B.) can either correspond to card (C.) that is already placed at each place setting. Or have the number on card B match the number on the chess piece.

Name Tags

Also, card B can be made into a name tag and pinned on guests using a safety pin. To make the name tag, use a self-adhesive sticker. Name tags are helpful when you have a lot of guests that don’t know each other. Alternatively, guests can choose their own names such as Tweedle Dee, or Alice…

Game

The number on “A” can also be used in a game. The chess pieces are arranged around the table in numerical order. During random times during the party, the Queen can announce “Switch” and all the guests that have an odd number must move over to the next odd number. Only the odd numbers will rotate. In the book, everyone leaves their dishes and gets new ones- in this version; guests carry their dishes with them. It’s cumbersome, odd and delightfully fun. It also promotes mingling of guests.

This wooden chess set was given to me. It was missing one or two pieces but I kept it because I saw possibilities! I painted the pieces red and glued on a number.

Chairs

Chairs need not match. Use a winged backed chair for the head of the table if you have one.

Key

An antique key like this one is a nice touch. I painted this one gold. Miss-matched tea cups are easy to find at thrift stores. This one was a thrift store find.

Framed Card

The queen of hearts card can easily be framed with a thrifted frame. No mat required.

Painted Roses

Painted roses are easy to make if you are lucky enough to find some second-hand white roses.

Cake Stands

I made this cake stand from a thrift store glass and plate that I glued together. The cards were salvaged from an incomplete deck. Make several of different heights to make a stunning dessert table display.

Vintage Clock

Because you don’t want to be late.

Drink Me

I found this bottle at a thrift store. I washed it carefully and added a label that said “Drink me.” Add a sign near the food that says “Eat me.”

Well that’s all I’m going to post today.

Click here to see more of my tea party ideas such as this purple painted tea pot.

Coffee Pot Make-over: Stunning Purple Painted Pot

Posted May 10, 11 -Filed Under home décor (recycle and upcycle), party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse pot, coffee | 1 Comment

Make a thrift store coffee pot into something much more fun and interesting. You can use it as a vase with flowers or use it to serve a beverage.

This coffee pot was silver plated but it didn’t look good anymore because the silver was worn away in places and couldn’t be properly polished.

I used very fine sandpaper: the kind for metal work. I sanded the exterior of the coffeepot. Sanding helps the paint to adhere to the metal. Also, I recommend using a metal primer before applying a top coat of the color spray paint that you desire. I say, why not go bold?!

I painted mine purple because it looks good in my daughter’s room with the collection of thrift store tea cups she has.

I also used this coffee pot as part of the décor during a Mad Hatter’s Dinner Tea Party. Most of the feathers were collected over the years from my chickens when they molted. A few peacock feathers etc. came from local farms. The feathers are bunched together in small bouquets and tied to the top of chopsticks and then arranged in the pot.

Playing Card Streamers

Posted Apr 10, 11 -Filed Under party décor (recycle and upcycle), party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse cards, playing, sewing | 3 Comments

Using a sewing machine, simply sew down the middle of a playing card. When you reach the end of one card, add another. Do not cut the thread; rather keep sewing to form long streamers. I used a deck that was missing a few cards. Why use new cards when you can use an incomplete deck. If you know people with kids, chances are someone has a deck with a card missing.

I used these card streamers for décor at a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party but they can also be used for a Poker party.

Mad Hatters Tea Party: Half A Cup Of Tea?

Posted Apr 2, 11 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse cups, tea | 1 Comment

Sometimes a person only wants a half cup of tea. You need a special cup for this in Wonderland. I thought this would be an amusing addition to my Mad Hatter’s Tea party.

This is my cup of tea: creative, fun…

This cup was originally part of a night light that I got second-hand. I simply detached it from the light bulb: carefully. Then I used some bathroom calk to “glue” the half cup to a saucer. You can actually glue it if you prefer but I wanted the option to easily make it back into a night light.

Moss Filled Tea Cup: Party Table Decoration

Posted Mar 24, 11 -Filed Under crafts (recycled materials), garden (gardening info and eco-friendly project ideas), gifts from recycled materials, party décor (recycle and upcycle), party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse cups, tea | 4 Comments

I wanted a little more green on the table for my Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Because it was early March, there wasn’t a lot to choose from growing outside. I did however; find moss growing in some spots around my house. So here are the inexpensive yet pretty moss teacups I made.

I used second-hand tea cups. I choose cups from our collection that were the most worn and would be the least likely to be used for drinking tea. I filled them with potting soil then I dug up a circular clump of moss. Moss doesn’t have deep roots like other plants so you don’t have to dig up much soil with the moss. I then arranged the moss on top and watered it. Be careful not to over water. Mist regularly!

So simple and pretty.

Mad Hatters Tea Party: Hanging Photo Taking Frame

Posted Mar 24, 11 -Filed Under party: Mad Hatters Tea, reuse frames, picture | 1 Comment

This second-hand frame is given an upgrade coat of red paint to be used at a Mad Hatters Dinner Tea Party.

I set up a picture taking station for guests to take pictures of each other in costume. I just found a blank wall (by moving furniture out of the way) and hung the frame from the ceiling with some kite string. Having a camera on a tripod is a bonus if your party is after dark but isn’t necessary.

Have fun!

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    Are you having any trouble understanding some of the instructions? Feel free to send me a quick e-mail at HesterJane@FunInTheMaking.net. I’ll do my best to answer your questions. Do you have any suggestions regarding a specific post? Maybe you have a better way and would like to share it with the other creative people visiting this site? -Hester Jane