2015 Annual Hostess Tea - it's Mardi Gras time!!!

We had an EXTREMELY busy weekend.  Katie took off Friday and came to help me cook and prepare for the Annual Hostess Tea yesterday.  She ended up getting sick, so unfortunately, was not much help, but did a little here and there.  I had two days to prepare and everyone else was a big help with cleaning and setting up.  We had a great time at the tea and am already looking for a theme for next year.  

Would you like to see some photos?  Of course you would!  The theme this year was Mardi Gras which made for lots of fun and great masks!  First, the food:

Dessert table:  Bread Pudding with Bourbon Sauce and Vanilla Sauce, Mini King Cakes, Pralines, Beignets with Blackberry Sauce and Chocolate Bourbon Sauce.  Thank you to Laura Diamond for loan me Mardi Gras decorations!  I did add the Mardi Gras Nutcracker to my collection this year.  

These mini king cakes were my favorite thing to make.  Each one had a baby hidden inside.  

Drinks included Creole Coffee (with chickory, molasses and cream), lemonade, sodas, tea and of course, Hurricanes.  With rum or without.  

Mardi Gras pasta salad, Muffuletta Pinwheels, Creole Shrimp Deviled Eggs.

Shrimp Po'Boys with lots of sauces and sweet and spicy pickles.  

Red Beans and Rice, Gumbo and Hot Crawfish Dip on toast. 

Some mini corn muffins to finish off.  

Now for the set up:

Each person received instructions, a menu, 5 strands of beads (for a game), a name tag and a hurricane glass filled with candies and a stamping goody.  

Sale table...

...and more sale table.  

The door prize table (everyone received a door prize).

Samantha even decorated the bathroom for me.  

I'm so happy to have had 24 of my hostesses come to the event.  I had sent out 37 invitations, but this was still a great turn out.  Some of these wonderful ladies even hosted two or more times!!

Around the table left to right:  Carol, Janet, Jennifer, Kat, Kathy, Riki

Sue, Jan, Cathy, Kelli, Michele, Velita

Vicky, Stephine, Deanna, Cheryl, Carrie, Lucy.

Elaine, Sherry, Janet, Christal, Michelle, Teresa

And now for the masks.  Most of these were completely homemade, some were store bought and some were store bought then embellished.  

Vicky and Stephine

Carrie and Lucy

Deanna and Cheryl

Sue and Jan

Cathy and Kelli

Michele and Velita

Janet

Riki.  This mask was cut from mesh and she used slick fabric paint to create this cool, flexible filigree look.  

Christal and Michelle

Janet and Elaine

Sherry - competely "hand"made!  

And now for the mask contest winner:

KAT!  She had her husband cut out the base pieces of the mask and she did a beautiful job painting and decorating this stunning show piece.  

If you want an exclusive invitation to the Hostess Tea next year, make sure to book a workshop with me during 2016 - the sooner the better!!!