Tea Business Dreams

You Can Host Children's Tea Parties and Make Money

Would you like to get started in the tea business with very little money?  Owning a Children's Tea Party Business is a great way to get started without a location and without alot of effort.

I have been teaching people how to start this business for many years and here is what I have learned.  You are as busy as you want to be!  

If you work your tea business you will have an income flow.  If you don't you won't.  Simple as that. Grab complete details and be fully trained in less than 4 hours!

Visit my site at:  http://www.ChildrensTeaParty.com

 

 

In the meantime here is a fun article I wrote for inspiration:

 

7 Steps To Hosting  A Children's Birthday Tea

 

Hosting a little girl's birthday party can be a big chore with alot of decisions. This article will give you a quick and easy guide to hosting a birthday tea party in 7 simple steps. If you follow the directions you are sure to give a party your friends, family and little one will remember for years to come.

 

Step #1 - Choose a Theme and Order Supplies

The easiest theme for a girls tea party is princess. There are many great party sets designed for this theme which makes it quick and easy to order all the paper supplies you will need. Here's what you should order:

Paper Plates

Center Piece

Guest Gifts - such as beads, tiara's. fans or rings (and a cute bag to put them in)

Cupcake Tiered Tray (unless you have one)

Invitations

Plastic Silverware (silver or gold is best)

 

Step #2 - Gather Tea Supplies

Beg, borrow or steal a real teacup for each girl in attendance. You will also need cloth napkins and a real tablecloth. If you can find napkin rings, bows for the chairs and netting, all the better. I suggest serving both the lemonade and the tea from tea pots. You will need 2 teapots to pour from.

 

Step #3- Plan the Menu and Get Groceries

I suggest the following menu or little girls birthday tea parties.

 

Peanut Butter Tea Sandwiches (cut in shapes)

Ham and Cheese Tea Sandwich (cut in shapes)

Jam and Butter Tea Sandwich (cut in shapes)

Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Grapes and Cherries

Chocolate Chip Scones (get the mix from Target!)

Princess Cupcakes

Lemonade or Strawberry Kiwi Tea

 

All of these recipes can be looked up online. I find that children really like fresh fruit so I try to place them all over the decorative three tiered tray around the cupcakes and other treats. If you have a child who is allergic to peanuts just substitute with a different tea sandwich like turkey and cheese.

Be sure to pick up cute cupcake wrappers and sparkles for the cupcake frosting. You will also want 1 candle for the birthday girls mini cake.

 

#4 Send Invitations with Regrets Only

On your invitation be sure to ask the young ladies to come dressed in their "princess best." Plan just 1 1/2 hours for the party and be sure to state when the girls can be dropped off and picked up. This is NOT an adult party and you want to avoid additional guests. Plan to host the event and have up to 2 helpers and no more.

Make sure to ask for a firm confirmation by 3 days before the party. This will allow you to prepare the right amount of food and set the table with a name card for each girl.

 

#5 Plan Activities

I suggest the following activities: Simple Craft (like making fans),Short Book,Fashion Walk to Music, Photo Shoot (pictures can go home with the girls as a favor). You might also consider starting your event by teaching a short etiquette lesson on manners at the table and how to sip tea.

Be sure to allow 30 minutes for the tea party itself and the opening of gifts. The key is to keep it moving. Plan out each activity and how long you will allow it to go on before moving to the next activity. (no more than 10 minutes is usually best.)

 

#6 Set the Table & Make the Food

If you can, set the table the night before. Put on some relaxing music and have fun with it. Don't try to do it while your kids are up. Do it when you have time to focus and enjoy yourself.

If you need creative ideas for setting a table take some time to Google it. There are many great ideas on YouTube that will help spark your imagination.

 

#7 Meet, Greet & Keep It Moving

Your last step is making sure YOUR little princess knows her responsibilities as hostess. She is responsible to stand at the door and meet her guests. SHE is responsible to be polite and to be an example to the other little girls on how to listen and follow instructions. She is also responsible to stand at the door and thank each guest. If you need to, practice BEFORE they arrive.

Make sure that your helpers have jobs and know when to do what. You can even print out a chart to keep you on schedule.

If you follow these directions this will be one of the most organized and relaxing birthday parties you could have imagined. Go to it... and don't forget to have some fun.

 

 

 

 

Choosing a Tea Party Theme

A tea party is a rare opportunity to suspend time and space with a simple cup of tea and an elegant theme. With a dash of creative inspiration you can whisk your guests off to another land, inspiring and challenging them all within the course of an hour.  Are you game?

In the following videos I lay out a plan for finding and choosing a successful tea party theme.  Finding a theme that appeals to the masses allows you a greater opportunity to impress a larger audience and thus build your tea business or boost your fundraising donations. 

Join me for 8 minutes and let me share with you my quick and easy method for discovering great tea party themes without ever leaving home!

 

You can enlarge this video for better clarity by clicking the square in the right hand corner.  When you are done just press your escape button to come back for the next video.

 

Here are a few great links to get you going:

Books and More Ideas:

http://www.Amazon.com

Famous Women in History

http://www.lkwdpl.org/wihohio/figures.htm

Tealightful Treasures

http://www.TealightfulTreasures.com

Chick Flicks

http://movies.msn.com/movies/article.aspx?news=143735

 

 

Summer Time Tea Punch

Enjoy the video!

(Join our upcoming Tea Business Class www.StartATeaBusiness.com)

This is a great tea punch recipe! You can make this for your last summertime tea gathering or save it for your fall tea party. Either way guests are going to love it!

To change up the recipe a bit you can use either regular lemonade or pink lemonade. Don't be afraid to use mix up a little and try 7 UP, Sprite, or club soda instead of ginger ale.

*******************************************************************************************

Feel free to print this recipe. Highligh the recipe and in your printer options click on selection. This will only print the recipe.

Summer Time Tea Punch

3 quarts water

8 tea bags  (or 8 tsp of loose leaf tea)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 can frozen lemonade (thawed)

1 quart chilled ginger ale

******************************************************************************************

Fresh Tea Party Idea: Tea and Fairies

Tea and Fairies

Creating Tea Party Magic

   

Teas and faeries just seem to go together, so why not host whimsical tea party based on a fairy theme?

Kids of all ages will love this type of party, and it gives everyone a chance to sample some wonderful floral teas that they may not drink on a regular basis. You can create a magical party with a lot of imagination, and who knows?

Maybe the fairies will make an appearance!

Activities

Depending on the age of guests, you can have a wide range of activities available if so desired. Many arts and crafts activities are fun for kids of all ages. Make wands, create fairy sun catchers (low cost kits can be purchased at craft stores), or even read fairy tales. Guests may also enjoy creating or painting fairy figurines.

If there is a fairy expert in your area or an artist who specializes in fairies and fantasy, ask that person to be a guest speaker. When you start asking around, you may be surprised at how many fairy fans there are! Get creative in the room by making a fairy ring so your guests can step inside and make wishes.

Or think of ways you can make fairy dust, such as mixing colored sands (available at most craft stores). You can also go on a fairy hunt, either inside or out; whether or not you choose to hide fairy figurines or hope to find the "real thing" is up to you!

Decorations

Fairy decorations are abundant; the hard part is choosing. There are many low-cost fairy themed party packs or supplies sold through party stores or online. Purchase lightweight and whimsical fabric to drape around the room, creating an "airy" feel.

Use pastels to create a fairy mood. You can also purchase shiny cutouts such as stars to spread around the tables and floors. If you're in the mood, purchase or make wings for your guests to wear, or as the host, you can dress as a fairy yourself.

Any type of whimsical garden and nature theme will work as well. Create tree and flower decorations or purchase flowers to decorate the tables. Let your imagination go wild!

Music

At a loss for what music will set the mood? Think classical and airy, such as harps or "new age" music. For fairy-specific music, ask your local retailer. Some ideas are Fairy Nightsongs by Singh Kaur and Gary Stadler, The Fairy Ring Suite, by Mike Rowland, Victorian Fairy Harp Music by Elizabeth Jane Baldry, and Come, Gentle Night by Music of Shakespeare's World/Galilei.

Invitation Ideas

You can purchase fairy-inspired invitations at a party shop, online, or make your own. To capture the colors and theme, look into the wide range of specialty papers available through local retailers. Many copy stores offer a broad selection. Create a nice invitation using colored tissue paper cut and place over regular paper.

Take advantage of you computer graphics as well to create unique invitations for your party. If you choose to use glittery cutouts for decorations, you can also include some in the invitations--just remember that while some people will find this fanciful, others may be annoyed if many small pieces fall out.

Foods

Think small and dainty! Finger sandwiches are a perfect choice for a faerie party and a good compliment for tea. Small cookies and deserts are also a good choice, and you can decorate them to match the theme. Fruits, nuts, and cheeses are also an excellent choice. Faeries don't like salt, so avoid these types of foods.

Teas

What types of teas are best for a faerie party? Those with a floral flavor such as Bloomsbury Afternoon available through www.Gilly.com or Lychee tea, which is a smooth China black tea blended with the nectar of the lychee fruit, available through www.TeaSource.com.

(C) Dawnya Sasse 2008

Want to learn to make money from hosting tea parties?  Join our online classroom.  www.StartATeaBusiness.com

A Jane Austen Tea Time Party

Jane Austen Revisited-

The Ultimate Austen Lover Tea Time Adventure

by Lady Dawnya Sasse

(be sure to scroll to the bottom to see video on a past Jane Austen event)

 

As time goes by, Jane Austen and tea never go out of fashion. In fact, they’ve both become almost trendy in recent years. So what better way to celebrate Jane Austen’s genius than with a tea party re-creating a few hours of her everyday life?

 

Invite guests to bring along a favorite passage from one of Austen’s books. The invitation can include a pictures of typical costumes from the early 1800’s. Encourage guests to consider wearing a shawl over modern clothes or experimenting with period dress. Empire waists were popular then, as were choker necklaces.

 

Bare polished wood was the look in decorating at the time, so be sure to have at least one dark wooden table to set off your most charming porcelain knick-knacks. Print out some scenes of Regency England from this Jane Austen website: http://www.pemberley.com/janeinfo/rgnclfil.html. Glue them to rectangular doilies and hang three doilies vertically, at least four inches apart, on a long strip of velvet ribbon. Hang heavy tassels from lamp pulls, window shades, and curtain tie-backs.

Greet each guest with the offer of a glass of sherry. Invite them to choose refreshments from a buffet table covered with a white table cloth, with lace borders separating the four areas serving tea, sandwiches, scones, and cookies. Run dark green ribbons through the lace borders for a decorative effect.

Have several card tables set up around the room, covered with dark green cloth. Each table can be set with a small teapot filled with hot water, plus milk, sugar, thinly sliced lemons, napkins, and silverware. The hot water is for refilling guests’ cups if they have kept their tea bags or are using individual tea strainers. Have a plate of sweet butter and a bowl of jelly at each table. Use tall candles in polished brass candlesticks to cast a flattering glow down on the seated guests.

As guests settle in, they can take turns reading their chosen passages from a Jane Austen book. If anyone has chosen a section with several speaking parts, ask for volunteers to act out the scene. If people seem shy about reading to the whole group, let them read just to the people at their table.

The Austen family liked many kinds of music, so you can’t go wrong with anything by Bach, Haydn, or Handel, or with Scottish or Irish folk songs. If you have guests who like to sing, invite them to perform, perhaps accompanied on the piano.

Once each table has four guests, announce the opening of a game of whist. No Jane Austen novel would be complete without a few rounds of whist among friends. This card game is simple enough for players to learn the rules in a few minutes, unlike its offspring, the game of bridge. Give each table a copy of the rules of whist, which you can print out from this website: http://www.pagat.com/whist/whist.html.

Menu:

Sherry

Green and black tea

Sliced chicken and cucumber sandwiches

Dilled salmon and cream cheese sandwiches

Drop biscuits

Freshly sliced French bread

Violet, mint, or rose jellies

Camembert cheese

Pound cake

Almond pudding

Need more ideas?  Here are some photos from a live Jane Austen tea party.

 

 

How To Create A Tea Party Menu

The Steps to Creating a Tea Party Menu

by Jenny Wells www.TeaPartyGirl.com

In order for your tea party event to stand out, remember that the central part of your menu is the tea. The food serves as a compliment. It’s amazing how often this is overlooked. For information on the types of tea and how to brew it, see my article, “The Tea Party’s Most Important Ingredient    “. This article, on the other hand, will lead you through the process of determining your menu.

Start by asking yourself the following questions:

1. How many people am I planning for?
2. Will I do all the preparation of the food myself?
3. Can I do all the serving or will I need help?
4. What is my event’s budget?

The traditional menu for a full afternoon tea usually consists of:

• a cup of soup
• piece of quiche
• side salad
• tea sandwiches
• scones
• sweets/bite-size desserts

It is your choice to deviate from the traditional menu. Consider the season, available produce, time of day of your event, how much work you want to do, your guests needs, etc., and customize the above menu accordingly.

What tea do you plan to serve? Tea pairs with and compliments food similar to wine. The following teas are the best choices for an afternoon tea event:

1. Assam
2. Ceylon
3. Darjeeling
4. Green
5. Lapsang Souchong
   
6. Oolongs
7. Yunnan

Here are some specific food pairings that may apply to your menu.

1.    Use an Earl Grey or Assam with beef.
2    Use an Oolong or Darjeeling with chicken.
3.    Use a Ceylon with vegetables.
4.    Use a First Flush Darjeeling or Light, Sweet Green or White Tea with fresh fruit.
5.    Use an Assam, Darjeeling, or Oolong with dark chocolate.
6.    Use a Dragonwell with milk chocolate.
7.    Use a Dragonwell, Darjeeling, Ceylon, or Assam with carrot cake/cheesecake.
8.    Use a Darjeeling or Assam with Creme Brulee or caramel.
9.    Use a Darjeeling with a dessert of apples/apricots/currants/berries/pie or vanilla.
10.    Use a Dragonwell with a Brie cheese.
11.    Use a First-Flush Darjeeling with Camembert cheese.
12.    Use a Ceylon with cream cheese.

Now obviously, your menu will include more than one flavor of food, and you many only serve one or two teas (I recommend always including a decaf/herbal for your sensitive guests). However, consider a dominant flavor or two and choose a tea based on the above recommendations.

Variety is important to the tea party menu, as well as presentation. This can be accomplished a number of ways, including:
1.    The use of edible flowers, either in the food or as a garnish.
2.    Drawing from all four food groups.
3.    Incorporating color whenever possible.
4.    Planning your menu to include a quantity of bite-sized quality foods.

Here are a few tips for each course.
Soup~Soup can be vegetable or fruit-based. It can be served hot or cold. You may choose not to serve it at all. Large soup bowls are not needed, soup for afternoon tea can be served in a variety of vessels. I’ve had soup served at afternoon tea in a dematisse cup on a saucer and a punch cup set on a matching glass party plate. Be creative! The richest tasting soups are often cream-based.

Quiche~Often afternoon tea is served combining the soup, quiche, and salad as the first course. The quiche can be individual-sized or a slice from a pie-sized dish. If you choose to serve quiche and tea sandwiches, consider whether they will both include meat and try not to duplicate (i.e. a ham quiche and ham tea sandwich might be redundant).

Salad~Think seasonal. Consider whether you want it to be grain- or green- or fruit-based. Can it be made ahead? How will its colors compliment the soup and quiche if applicable?

Tea Sandwiches~Tea Sandwiches can be made the day ahead and stored in the refrigerator as long as:
1.    Your filling isn’t too soggy
2.    They are wrapped well to avoid them drying out.
I usually plan on three different tea sandwiches per guest. Remember tea sandwiches are finger sandwiches, cut in unusual shapes with the crusts cut off. The sandwiches cut better if cold, another reason to refrigerate them the day before. Use cookie cutters for a variety of shapes and different types of bread for a variety of color. Many tea sandwiches are made open-face to aid presentation. The cucumber sandwich is the traditional afternoon tea sandwich and can be made a variety of ways, even without bread! Here’s one of my favorite recipes from “A Year of Teas at the Elmwood Inn” by Bruce and Shelley Richardson:

Cucumbers with Carrots and Chives

1 large cucumber sliced into medium slices
1 3-ounce package cream cheese at room temperature
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Fresh carrot curls
Pieces of leaf lettuce
Combine cream cheese, chives, parsley, and lemon juice. Blend well. Spread a small amount on top of each cucumber slice. Place cucumber slice on a piece of lettuce and top with a carrot curl. This can also be made as an open-faced sandwich on a round of cracked wheat bread and the spread between the bread and the cucumber with the carrot curl on top.

Scones~scones are the traditional English accompaniment to tea. They can be made less sweet and biscuit size, which is the more traditional English way or larger with a variety of flavors which is more American. Scones are usually served with clotted cream, lemon curd, and/or jam. Many people use mock clotted cream because clotted cream can be difficult to find in America. Here’s a recipe. I like to use Creme Fraiche from Trader Joe’s.

Sweets~Often afternoon tea food is served on tiered trays. Always place the sweets on the top. They are almost always the most beautiful to look at. It is customary for a three-tiered tray to include the tea sandwiches on the bottom-tier, the scones in the middle, and the sweets on top. This alone can make up a one-course (served all at once) light afternoon tea. When planning your sweets, consider how you can include non-white flour-based desserts to help with variety. Some ideas include finger-sized tarts, a chocolate truffle, cups of sorbet, and seasonal fresh fruit.

Planning the menu can be a wonderful time to dream and imagine your event. In time, though, be sure to adjust your menu based on the answers to the questions asked at the beginning of this article. It is customary to recommend a practice run of any recipes that are new to you. If you want to serve a full afternoon tea, but need a few shortcuts, here are a few ideas.

1.    Purchase the soup ready-made. Many delis, including the deli at the local grocery store, provide wonderful “homemade” soups. I have used Trader Joe’s creamy red pepper boxed soup in a pinch with some chives and sour cream as a garnish.
2.    Again, use a deli for your salad. Use bagged lettuce. Grocery stores as well provide many fruits and vegetables     already cut up.
3.    Talk to your local bakery, for bite-sized dessert or scone options.
4.    Decent lemon curd can be purchased jarred, though home-made is superb.
5.    Serve dessert as a separate last course instead of multiple bite-sized desserts. Include the a tea sandwich or two     with the soup and salad and eliminate the quiche.

Enjoy the process! It’s great fun to plan a party and be creative. It’s important to have help, delegate, and do the part you enjoy the most, so as the hostess, you can enjoy your event to. Please contact Tea Party Girl if you have any questions about your tea party menu that this article didn’t cover. I wish you success!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Jenny Wells began blogging as Tea Party Girl in June 2007 "Teaching You the Beautiful and Simple Afternoon Tea". After six months, she ranked in Google's top ten results for "tea party" and averaged over 350 visitors per day. Jenny's blog can be found at www.teapartygirl.com.

Holiday Ideas For Your Tea Business

      Put Up Your Christmas Tree for a Christmas Tea!

By Dawnya Sasse

It’s that time of the year again! The snow is gently falling outside your window. Christmas trees are being decorated and stockings are being hung. Shoppers are bustling and presents are being wrapped. Holiday cheer fills the air. And so does the rich scent of tea!

If you are a tea business owner who would like to celebrate the season of giving, why not have a holiday tea party at your store? Sound like a festive idea? Then let’s get planning today.

First of all, you can start putting your Christmas tea party
together with holiday decorations. For example, you can
set up tables in your store that are adorned with pine
wreaths and holly.

Perhaps you could put a poinsettia
centerpiece in the middle of each table. Next to all of the
tables, you can set up a fabulous Christmas tree.

You can even hang tea-inspired ornaments from it, such as
little glass teacups or teapots. What a lovely conversational
piece your tree will make. If you want your party to be
extra special, why not have all of the guests buy or make
their own tea ornaments.

You will be surprised to see how creative people
can be with tealeaves and tea products.
After everyone’s ornament is hung on the tree, the food and
drinks can begin!

At your store’s Christmas tea party, you can serve bite-
sized snacks. Try some pumpkin bread topped with honey
nut cream cheese. Serve mini roast beef sandwiches. For
the sweet tooth, you can serve fudge squares or delicious
little sugar cookies. Your guests will be licking their lips in
delight.

So you have your decorations, your tree, and your food…
but let’s not forget about the most important thing of all –
the tea!

For a Christmas tea party, you should certainly
serve hot-spiced teas. Try a Ceylon black tea that is
flavored with spicy cinnamon, strong cloves, and flavorful
orange peels.

You can even make a variety of twelve teas and serve
tastes of “The Twelve Teas of Christmas”. The teas you
choose are completely up to you. Your customers will
savor the opportunity to try and then later buy their favorite
picks.

Don’t forget: Never allow your customers to go home
empty handed. When your customers exit the tea party,
you can present them with small gift packages – Christmas
presents – from your store. These gifts can be located
under the tree, and picked up upon departure.

As for gift ideas – cinnamon swizzle sticks and some
sample teas can be wrapped up in colorful Christmas gift
bags to go.

No matter what gifts you choose to give, your party will be
sure to warm the hearts and the souls of all who attend.
Customers will enjoy it so much, that they will come back
to your store for more and more – no matter what the
season.

So have a Merry Christmas and a happy teatime!

(C) Dawnya Sasse

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business
training school allowing students to discover the secrets
of the tea industry, "quickly and easily" without ever leaving
home.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Why do some people succeed in the tea business?
Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar
Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer"
and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini
course http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This article may be distributed freely on your website, as
long as this entire article, including links and this resource
box are unchanged.
Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved.
Tea Events http://www.teaevents.com/

Tea and Faeries- Creating Tea Party Magic

Teas and Faeries

Creating Tea Party Magic

   

Teas and faeries just seem to go together, so why not host whimsical tea party based on a fairy theme?

Kids of all ages will love this type of party, and it gives everyone a chance to sample some wonderful floral teas that they may not drink on a regular basis. You can create a magical party with a lot of imagination, and who knows?

Maybe the fairies will make an appearance!

Activities

Depending on the age of guests, you can have a wide range of activities available if so desired. Many arts and crafts activities are fun for kids of all ages. Make wands, create fairy sun catchers (low cost kits can be purchased at craft stores), or even read fairy tales. Guests may also enjoy creating or painting fairy figurines.

If there is a fairy expert in your area or an artist who specializes in fairies and fantasy, ask that person to be a guest speaker. When you start asking around, you may be surprised at how many fairy fans there are! Get creative in the room by making a fairy ring so your guests can step inside and make wishes.

Or think of ways you can make fairy dust, such as mixing colored sands (available at most craft stores). You can also go on a fairy hunt, either inside or out; whether or not you choose to hide fairy figurines or hope to find the "real thing" is up to you!

Decorations

Fairy decorations are abundant; the hard part is choosing. There are many low-cost fairy themed party packs or supplies sold through party stores or online. Purchase lightweight and whimsical fabric to drape around the room, creating an "airy" feel.

Use pastels to create a fairy mood. You can also purchase shiny cutouts such as stars to spread around the tables and floors. If you're in the mood, purchase or make wings for your guests to wear, or as the host, you can dress as a fairy yourself.

Any type of whimsical garden and nature theme will work as well. Create tree and flower decorations or purchase flowers to decorate the tables. Let your imagination go wild!

Music

At a loss for what music will set the mood? Think classical and airy, such as harps or "new age" music. For fairy-specific music, ask your local retailer. Some ideas are Fairy Nightsongs by Singh Kaur and Gary Stadler, The Fairy Ring Suite, by Mike Rowland, Victorian Fairy Harp Music by Elizabeth Jane Baldry, and Come, Gentle Night by Music of Shakespeare's World/Galilei.

Invitation Ideas

You can purchase fairy-inspired invitations at a party shop, online, or make your own. To capture the colors and theme, look into the wide range of specialty papers available through local retailers. Many copy stores offer a broad selection. Create a nice invitation using colored tissue paper cut and place over regular paper.

Take advantage of you computer graphics as well to create unique invitations for your party. If you choose to use glittery cutouts for decorations, you can also include some in the invitations--just remember that while some people will find this fanciful, others may be annoyed if many small pieces fall out.

Foods

Think small and dainty! Finger sandwiches are a perfect choice for a faerie party and a good compliment for tea. Small cookies and deserts are also a good choice, and you can decorate them to match the theme. Fruits, nuts, and cheeses are also an excellent choice. Faeries don't like salt, so avoid these types of foods.

Teas

What types of teas are best for a faerie party? Those with a floral flavor such as Bloomsbury Afternoon available through www.Gilly.com or Lychee tea, which is a smooth China black tea blended with the nectar of the lychee fruit, available through www.TeaSource.com.

(C) Dawnya Sasse 2007

Want to learn to make money from hosting tea parties?  Join our online classroom.  www.StartATeaBusiness.com

An Old Fashioned Tea

Experience the Charm of An Old Fashioned Tea

As a little girl, one of my favorite past times was playing dress-up.  I had a chest full of dresses, high heels and hats, as well as jewelry, purses and stoles.  Luckily, I had two friends that lived a couple houses down who also loved to play dress-up. We would spend hours and hours pretending we were elegant ladies.

Our “tea” back then consisted of lemonade and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Let's go back to that age of innocence once again for an "Old-Fashioned Tea." 

Dress for the Day!

Many thrift shops have a section devoted to "vintage clothing."  Ask each guest to come dressed in an old-fashioned dress, hat and jewelry.

Set your Table

Use your grandma’s lace tablecloth, cloth napkins, china, and best serving pieces. Don’t forget fresh flowers from your garden or the florist. Wash up your beautiful collection of teacups and saucers to serve tea (or lemonade). Then when your guests arrive, sit back and reminisce about the good old days.

Old-Fashioned Tea Menu

Crab Appetizers,Parmesan Puffs,Asparagus Soup, Shrimp and Avocado Salad, Old-Fashioned Tea Cookies, Easy Butter Cookies, Peanut Butter Pie, Mint Lemonade, Tea

Fan Napkins
Remember how we used to make fans by folding a piece of paper back and forth in an accordion style? You can do the same with your cloth napkins. Beginning at the bottom, fold pleats back and forth; then fold in half. Tie a colorful ribbon around the middle, then “fan” out the pleats.

Crab Appetizers
6 T. margarine or butter
1 (5-Oz) jar Old English cheese spread
1 T. mayonnaise
1/2 t. seasoned salt
1/2 t. garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1 (7-Oz) can crabmeat, drained
6 English muffins, halved

Combine ingredients, mixing until spreading consistency. Spread on each muffin half. Place on tray in freezer until topping is set. Cut each muffin into quarters. Refreeze. When ready to use, place on cookie sheet and broil for 5 minutes.

Parmesan Puffs
1 1/2 c. flour

1 t. salt

1 c. margarine

1/2 c. sour cream

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped green onions

2 T. chopped mushrooms

2 T. chopped ripe olives

Mix flour and salt; cut margarine in until mixture begins to form a ball. Blend in sour cream. Divide dough into 4 parts. Wrap each part and chill several hours. Heat oven to 350°. On floured board, roll each section into a 12x6-inch rectangle. Sprinkle one-half each rectangle with either cheese, onion, mushrooms or olives. Fold dough over to make a 6-inch square. Cut the 6-inch square into 2-inch squares, pressing edges. Continue until all dough is prepared. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 350° for 20 to 25 minutes. May be prepared in advance and refrigerated, then baked for 30 minutes. Makes 36 appetizers.

Asparagus Soup

1 T. butter
1 small onion, chopped
1 T. flour
2 cans (14-1/2-ounce) chicken broth
1 pound asparagus, tough ends discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 t. dried summer savory

Sour cream or plain yogurt (optional)

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and cook until tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add flour and stir 2 minutes. Gradually mix in canned chicken broth. Bring mixture to boil. Add asparagus pieces and summer savory and simmer until asparagus is very tender, about 25 minutes. Cool slightly. Drain asparagus, reserving cooking liquid. Puree asparagus in food processor. With machine running, Gradually add 1/2 cup cooking liquid. Return mixture to saucepan. Season with salt and pepper. (Soup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Top with dollops of sour cream or yogurt, if desired. Serves 6.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad
Salad:
1 pink or red grapefruit
1 white grapefruit
1/4 c. hazelnuts, lightly toasted and any loose skins rubbed off
1 T. unsalted butter
2 firm, ripe California avocados
1 t. fresh lime juice
1/2 lb. large shrimp (8 to 10), shelled and deveined
1 T. vegetable oil
2 c. baby spinach
1/4 c. trimmed sprouts

Vinaigrette:
1/4 c. fresh grapefruit juice
2 t. fresh lime juice
1/4 t. finely grated peeled fresh ginger
1 T. vegetable oil

Make vinaigrette:
Whisk together vinaigrette ingredients with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble salad:
Cut peel, including all white pith, from fruit with a sharp paring knife and cut segments free from membranes. Halve enough grapefruit segments to measure 1-1/2 cups (reserve any remaining segments for another use). Coarsely chop hazelnuts. Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides, then cook hazelnuts with salt and pepper to taste, stirring, until a shade darker, about 5 minutes. Transfer nuts to paper towels to cool, reserving skillet. Quarter avocados lengthwise, then pit and peel. Cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Drizzle with lime juice and season with salt and pepper.

Pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp, turning them, until golden and just cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Toss together spinach, half of grapefruit segments, and half of vinaigrette with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange avocados and remaining grapefruit on 4 plates and top with shrimp, salad, and sprouts. Spoon remaining vinaigrette over salad and sprinkle with nuts. Makes 4 servings.

Old Fashioned Tea Cookies

1 1/2 c. sugar

3/4 c. shortening

2 eggs

4 T. buttermilk

3 c. flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

2 t. vanilla flavoring

Blend sugar and shortening. Add eggs and beat. Combine flour, soda and baking powder. Then add into mixture, alternating flour mixture, then buttermilk and mix. Add flavoring and mix. Roll out and cut. Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 400°.

Easy Tea Cookies
1 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. butter, room temperature

2 eggs

2 3/4 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

2 t. cream of tartar

1/2 t. salt

Combine the sugar and butter in a mixer bowl, beating until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well.

Shape cookie dough into small balls. Arrange on a cookie sheet. Press flat with the flat bottom of a glass. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Makes 3 dozen.

Peanut Butter Pie
1 12-ounce box vanilla wafers, finely ground (3 c. crumbs)
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted
8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. condensed milk
1 c. confectioner’s sugar, sifted
8 to 10 ounces Cool Whip (3 c.), more for garnish
Semisweet chocolate shavings, for garnish
Unsalted peanuts, for garnish

Heat oven to 350 °. Place vanilla wafer crumbs in a medium bowl. Pour over the melted butter and stir to combine. Divide equally into two 9-inch pie tins. Press mixture onto bottom and up sides of pie dish. Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove to a rack to cool completely. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment combine the cream cheese, peanut butter, and condensed milk. Mix until smooth. Add confectioner’s sugar. Using a large rubber spatula fold in 3 cups Cool Whip. Pour mixture into cooled pie shells. Decorate cake as desired with more cool whip. Garnish with chocolate shavings and peanuts. Refrigerate or freeze until firm.
Makes two 9-inch pies.

Mint Lemonade
1/2 c. fresh lemon juice
1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. packed fresh mint leaves
2 c. water
3 c. ice cubes, cracked if large

Blend lemon juice, sugar, and mint leaves in a blender until leaves are finely chopped and sugar is dissolved. Add water and enough ice cubes to fill blender, then blend until smooth. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

Serve with a Golden Yunnan Tea served hot or iced.

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Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business training school allowing students to discover the secrets of the tea industy,"quickly and easily" without ever leaving home.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Why do some people succeed in the tea business? Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer" and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini course http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This article may be distributed freely on your website, as long as this entire article, including links and this resource box are unchanged.
Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved. Tea Events  http://www.TeaEvents.com

Christmas Tree for a Christmas Tea

Read this article but keep in mind, while tea parties with friends can be fun, tea parties for MONEY is always MORE FUN.  Take this same idea and incorporate it into your new tea business.  I would be thrilled to show you how!

Put Up Your Christmas Tree for a Christmas Tea!

By Dawnya Sasse

It’s that time of the year again! The snow is gently fallingoutside your window. Christmas trees are being decorated and stockings are being hung. Shoppers are bustling and presents are being wrapped. Holiday cheer fills the air.
And so does the rich scent of tea!

If you are a tea lover who would like to celebrate the season of giving, why not have a holiday tea party?

Sound like a festive idea? Then let’s get planning today.

First of all, you can start putting your Christmas tea party
together with holiday decorations. For example, you can
set up tables in your store that are adorned with pine
wreaths and holly.

Perhaps you could put a poinsettia
centerpiece in the middle of each table. Next to all of the
tables, you can set up a fabulous Christmas tree.

You can even hang tea-inspired ornaments from it, such as
little glass teacups or teapots. What a lovely conversational
piece your tree will make. If you want your party to be
extra special, why not have all of the guests buy or make
their own tea ornaments.

You will be surprised to see how creative people
can be with tealeaves and tea products.

After everyone’s ornament is hung on the tree, the food and
drinks can begin!

At your Christmas tea party plan to serve bite-
sized snacks. Try some pumpkin bread topped with honey
nut cream cheese. Serve mini roast beef sandwiches. For
the sweet tooth, you can serve fudge squares or delicious
little sugar cookies. Your guests will be licking their lips in
delight.

So you have your decorations, your tree, and your food…
but let’s not forget about the most important thing of all –
the tea!

For a Christmas tea party, you should certainly
serve hot-spiced teas. Try a Ceylon black tea that is
flavored with spicy cinnamon, strong cloves, and flavorful
orange peels.

You can even make a variety of twelve teas and serve
tastes of “The Twelve Teas of Christmas”. The teas you
choose are completely up to you. Your friends will
savor the opportunity to try and then later buy their favorite
picks.

Don’t forget: Never allow your friends to go home
empty handed. When your customers exit the tea party,
you can present them with small gift packages – Christmas
presents – from you and yours. These gifts can be located
under the tree, and picked up upon departure.

As for gift ideas – cinnamon swizzle sticks and some
sample teas can be wrapped up in colorful Christmas gift
bags to go.

No matter what gifts you choose to give, your party will be
sure to warm the hearts and the souls of all who attend.
Friends will enjoy it so much, that they will want to come back.

Have a Merry Christmas and a happy teatime!


(C) Dawnya Sasse

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dawnya Sasse is the creator of the ultimate tea business
training school allowing students to discover the secrets
of the tea industry, "quickly and easily" without ever leaving
home.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Why do some people succeed in the tea business?
Discover how to "Unlock the Secrets of the Billion Dollar
Tea Industry from the Comfort of Your Own Computer"
and make your tea dream a reality. Free audio mini
course http://www.StartATeaBusiness.com

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

This article may be distributed freely on your website, as
long as this entire article, including links and this resource
box are unchanged.
Copyright 2006 Dawnya Sasse All Rights Reserved.
Tea Events http://www.teaevents.com/