The idea of women gathering for tea and fellowship is nothing new; ladies have been enjoying each other's company over tea since the days of iron kettles and quilting bees! In today's modern world, "tea time" doesn't have to mean porcelain teacups and pinkies up, just like crafting goes far beyond crochet and needlepoint.
I recently hosted a girls' get together where I gave the "tea party" concept an updated spin, and invited guests to get "crafTEA" while enjoying Lipton's new line of refreshingly bold herbal varieties. {And some snacks, of course!}
With spring in full swing and the temps rising daily, Lipton's fruity flavors like Lemon Ginger, Peach Mango, Berry Hibiscus and Apple Cinnamon make amazing iced beverage options for parties. I didn't want to make my guests decide between the mouthwatering varieties, so I brewed all four flavors and created an Iced Tea Bar!
In sticking with Lipton's unique medleys, I crafted a menu featuring similar flavor notes:
To give this party a no-stress, casual vibe {and give myself a break!}, I opted for cute paper plates, plastic flatwear and paper napkins so that cleanup would be a breeze. I wanted to expend my energy on crafting, not on washing dishes! Colorful wrapping paper served as table runners, adding extra decor to the table for just pennies.
I set up a cozy work station on my coffee table {my favorite place to craft when my toddler and dog aren't trying to wreak havoc on whatever I'm making}, marking a place setting for each guest with a small basket of everything they would need for our craft project: Tile coasters. To keep the work space mess-free, I taped down a large sheet of kraft paper and added a flourish with the same wrapping paper I used on the buffet table.
Each basket contained 4 tiles {right from the home improvement store}, a pair of scissors, a small bottle of decoupage glue/sealer, a sheet of small felt pads, a wide paint brush and, of course, extra Lipton tea bags wrapped up for them to take home as a party favor! In the center of the table, I set out a variety of sheets of decorative scrapbook paper that would be used as the design on the coasters.
I've hosted other craft parties before and I have to tell you, having individual supply baskets for each guest is the way to go!There was no waiting on scissors or pausing while someone else used the glue, keeping the creativity flowing. Plus, the baskets were SO cute and very inexpensive since most of the items came from the dollar store. An all around win!
The girls absolutely loved getting to choose their tea flavors {several went back to try the others once they got a taste!} and add fruit or a splash of somethin' somethin' to their iced tea for a total custom tea-drinking experience. And the snacks? Finger foods made the perfect accompaniment for cold iced tea and a laid back atmosphere.
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| Anyone else see some bubbles in that iced tea?? 😉 |
We may have not been able to use our coasters right away since they had to dry completely, but I just know each guest will pull them out proudly next time they need a place to set an ice cold glass of Lipton this summer!
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| To make tile coasters: 1. Cut decorative paper to fit the tile. 2. Coat the tile with a thick coat of decoupage glue. 3. Carefully stick the paper to the tile, smoothing to get any air bubbles out. 4. Apply a thick coat of decoupage glue to seal. Allow to dry competely. 5. Stick anti-scuff pads on the bottom of the tile in all 4 corners. DONE!
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Want to host your own Lipton Iced Tea Party? Here's a coupon for $0.75 off any one Lipton Black, Green or Herbal 20 count tea! Cheers to that!
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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