Tea for... Sixty!

Last Sunday I hosted afternoon tea for sixty of my female friends. The idea was to invite as many people from various walks of my life over the years as I could. Invariably there were several friends or groups of friends I had to leave out - not because I wanted too - but simply from a practical point of view. It would have been wonderful to invite everyone I know. How lovely it would have been to invite all the people I've met through blogging too, but that might have required another whole party of its own! But perhaps you would like to join me here for a virtual tea party...

I have been filling the freezer with cakes over the past four weeks and on Sunday morning whilst I finished off making sandwiches, the men in my family got busy laying tables with vintage china, pretty cloths and flowers and blowing up ballons etc to decorate our village hall.

There were scones with clotted cream and homemade apricot conserve.

As well as cakes of all descriptions... brownies, sponge cakes, bakewells and macarons... there were biscuits...

I spotted these "tea bag cookies" on Pinterest the week of the party and knew that they just had to be made. Fiddly bits of nonsense that were probably not the best idea when I was catering for so many but worth every second. They were just the sort of detail I wanted on the afternoon.

As the guests arrived, my team of gorgeous helpers sprung into action pouring glasses of Prosecco and cups of tea, handing round cakes and sandwiches... my four sons above and my stepson and grandson below...

As well as my brother and his stepson, and my soon to be stepson-in-law and not forgetting Stewart of course.  All the special men in our family in fact!

And then the guests arrived...

And here they all are... some ladies I've known for over thirty five years and others who are recent friends or members of the family. But it was such a lovely gathering and a brilliant atmosphere. I wish I could let you hear it, so much laughter, chat and catching up.. as one guest said "As you approached the hall it sounded like a children's playground"!

There was an impromptu speech...

And it wouldn't  be a party without cake. Of course I made my own... I got what I wanted that way! Several layers of a gin and tonic sponge and buttercream 'naked' cake with fruit and flowers.

It all added up to one very happy sixty year old who had just the sort of party she wanted...

Tea, cake, lots of fabulous friends... and the odd glass of Prosecco too!

I couldn't have asked for anything more!

Although we are still eating left over cake!