An Elegant Picnic: Tasha Tudor Style

Our Tasha Tudor day this year consisted of a lovely Elegant outdoor picnic with our  lovely tea cups.

Unlike last year when we hosted our Doll Fair we have had such a busy time lately that I didn't feel we could have such an elaborate event.

Hence our more sedate celebration of Tasha Tudor Day.

It was fairly late in the day when we actually got around to having this little ceremony and so the sun was setting.
However it did provide a beautiful backdrop for our Elegant picnic.

The children who were home and I carried our quilt, teacups and teapots.
We also took out some of my most special Tasha Tudor books and I wanted to read as we sipped tea, or coffee in my case :)

Our basket of Chocolate Sultana Sourdough 'fun buns'  was late in arriving as they were  in the oven cooking. So when we were ready to eat them they were hot and yummy and quickly disappeared.

As for any table decoration or as it were an Elegant picnic you need to have some flowers.
I thought a vase might be in order but the younger ones picked them and put them in  a basket which as it turns out was better as we had a few moments of near spills. So the vase would probably tipped over as well.
I like the basket of flowers better anyway!!

I was only able to read from a few of the shorter picture books as we started to run out of day light and the younger ones were getting restless.
A is for Annabelle, Five Senses,  Pumpkin Moonshine, were the ones we managed before the wild ones ran off and the light faded.

It was lovely having our tea party outdoors and have the children listen.
These two girls are looking so like each other now too.

Moran just had to put flowers in her hair out of the basket.
She is such a fashion designer with a lot of flair!

Me I totally LOVE tea cups and really enjoyed having special crockery outside.
I will be doing this again with any children who are interested........perhaps Rogan.

The other children had a look at some of the books although Myffy and Moran have just started reading The Hobbit and just had to bring  that book along too.

Laying down on a blanket outside to read with a cuppa......life is so good.

Drinking Tea!!!
More please???

Earlier in the day I had a lovely time in the kitchen, which I think is a very Tasha activity.
I made this Sourdough Fruit Cobbler, sourdough bread (stage one) the Chocolate 'fun buns,' muffins, buttermilk and strained my Greek yogurt.

It really was the day for picnics as the younger children wanted to have a picnic lunch as well and took their lunch outside with a table cloth.

Was this a memorable celebration of all the things I associate with Tasha Tudor and therefore want to celebrate and emulate in my life?

I do think it was and frankly I so loved the Elegant Picnic I know I will be doing this again.

Happy Tasha Tudor Day!!

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

Tasha Tudor Day 2014

Tasha Tudor Day - It has snuck up on me this year!!
It always conflicts with our oldest son and his birthday but now he lives away from home and we can not actually celebrate his birthday on the day, I feel free to have my own 'Tasha Day.'

What that means at this stage I am not sure but I am slanting towards a quiet day or evening, with the emphasis on a pretty Tea Time, some craft and a book to read in front of the fire.
I may finally do a make over for our Sparrow Post if I feel inspired too.

Here are some ways we have celebrated in the past -
Last year  2013 we had a Doll's Fair, it was such a fun day and here is the planning stage we usually go through first
Gardening in 2012
Reflections on what this day means to me in 2011
Quotes that remind me of Tasha in 2011
The elaborate Tea Time we had in 2010 and plans we had for this year as well
The books I have collected and my thoughts in 2009
Our Version of  'Sparrow Post'  in 2009

I am looking forward to seeing what everyone else shares this year too!

Blessings to you and your homes,
 

The Doll's Fair :Tasha Tudor Day - 2013

THE DOLL'S FAIR: ( A note to you all. This is a super duper picture edition post. I do this to record for our own memories so click away if you don't want to over indulge in our family memories)

Just saying this phrase: The Doll's Fair, in our family brings back warm memories of the times we had planned and participated in  this event before.
Interestingly enough we had 'played this game' way before the now 'Tasha Tudor Day we celebrate with other interested people.
So today we had our first Doll's Fair in a long time and I thin it went very well indeed.
One thing I need to be aware of with our lifestyle of eating  is that we seriously CANNOT consume purchased food.
So I need to plan ahead and make everything from scratch, no more quick lets just buy something quickly to do a feast day or tea party anymore.

I knew this day would be full on as we had not done much preparation prior,
We had a houseful of very excited little people though as some of them were not even born last time we did this or too little to really remember.
Of course Moran and Myffwyn brought down their special dolls first hing after dressing them ready for an outing.
Amazingly enough Myffwyn's Josefina Doll that she had waited so long for arrived the day before.

After seeing the girls bring down their dolls Arwen had to race back up and get her Caroline Doll too.

So first things first we needed to have cash for the Fair and so in the spirit of the traditional Doll's Fair in A Time to Keep we found the button jar and divided up all the available 'cash'

I made quick little paper bag purses by cutting a brown paper lunch bag in half and then half the other way, sticky taping up the cut side

Arwen was the helper to put the buttons in each bag

She filled them while I drew on them so we new who had what  bag. This avoids disagreements later on.

When all were finished we piled them till later

However someone needed to show me how clever she was.

Next up: We always have a sign as entry to the fair and Myffy and I worked on it together.

All ready to be put up......

Then Myffwyn and Vellvin started working on  the individual stall signs.

In the past we have made booths for all the fair items to go into (I really need to find those old pictures to share) but in our quick version of the Doll's Fair we just had tables out side.

I did make a paper banner to go up (not long enough as it turned out though) and we put up streamers and balloons to create a party atmosphere so all we need now is some food and then some Doll's and their owners.

It really was a beautiful afternoon.Yes  it took that long to get all organised and to pick up Anna-Lisa and bring her over for her first Doll Fair.

This table still had more food coming to it after I took the photo

We definitely needed some flowers for those Dolls to buy

What is a fair with out a book stall and of course we had to have the Tasha Tudor books as the main attraction.

Don't all little Dolls and girls need some bits and bobs to brighten their day?

A glass (well plastic cup in this case) of 'vino?' No it's cranberry juice and home made sourdough bread pizza's

The sweet table:  Yes this was the huge sugar hit for everyone.
But how can you resist those little tea cups. We had them at our first Doll Fair and we  made them for Arwen's birthday earlier in the year and they are just so adorable.

Our outdoor seating arrangement for everyone to relax and enjoy the day on.

Get ready the fair has been opened.
Come on in and get your money bag to begin the fun!!

The first lot of dolls being escorted to the fair

These girls are waiting anxiously

And these girls are a bit impatient

Arwen tells them it will be very soon now

So what can a boy bring to the Doll Fair? Well Woody of course

On your marks, get set.......GO

Corbyn is the first of the mark

But Arwen is close behind......

Yes you had to pay entry!

Come on Moran you are holding up the line

Yes Rogan we will accept horses and teddies as a Doll substitute

Trahaearn just loved paying the entry. I think he used almost all his money before he even started on the food.

Some of the dolls were given a tree house advantage

Kinda cute I think

Yes there was great rejoicing over the food.

I really did not get a chance to spend my money as I was the roving stall holder.

A  few  no actually a lot of photos of the general eating and fun of the day

Vellvin giving her dolls  an edible tea cup each

Mildred with her tea cup

and Violet has hers

Lets just say the eating was BIG

Corbyn paying again

and playing with the hooters

See me eat!!!

Hi Anna-Lisa

Myffwyn bought me some flowers. How sweet!

Everyone enjoying themselves

Flowers and stuffed toys

The money was pretty much gone at the end of the afternoon

Arwen had to have a book. Good girl sweetie

These were the flowers Vellvin bought for me. I am so blessed  to have such thoughtful children.

And then there was a buying war. Where everyone started buying me things

Yes she loves her book

Using up the last of their money

I forgot to get a plate full of food until the end and then the children kept giving me food.

A saved plate of goodies for Daddy

Trahaearn started carrying Woody around

Some of the sweet posies made by the children the day before

This was so cute- Arwen started to pour drinks for Trahaearn

He waited patiently each time and paid his money too

Moran reading her book she purchased

I came across this little scene as I was packing up later on

Just too sweet

And of course Corbyn had to have an accident and hurt the leg he broke.

And so it came to pack up and I pretty much did this with Arwen and Moran.

I did love my banner

Well Mummy are we done now?

And we are done!!
By this time the other children were back inside not feeling too well from all the 'sugar full, wheat full' as it is now in our family. Like I said at the start I really need to be better prepared and avoid this pit fall.

I did have grand schemes of after the children were in bed sitting down with a lovely warm drink in one of my teacups and flick through some of my favourite Tasha Tudor books and watch her DVD's.
Sadly this did not happen  as I fell asleep putting little ones to sleep too.

When Arwen was asked "Do you want to do the Doll's Fair next year?"
She emphatically said "YES!"

If you made it to the end of this post :) I thank you for sharing in the memories we had today.

Blessings to you and your homes,