- well more ridiculous rather than unreasonable - to really want a girly tea set?

[JoshandJamie]

I have secret yearnings for a girly tea set. Something pretty, dainty, probably floral but possibly not. Along with the tea set I want a tiered cake stand - probably white/cream. I also want pretty floral bunting. And I want to combine all three and have a lovely, girly tea party with lots of little cakes or tiered cream-filled big cakes and dainty sandwiches. All of this will take place on a sunny morning or afternoon, with no husbands or children in sight.

The tea might possibly give way to champagne at some point...

But in reality a) I don't really think any of my friends would go for this type of thing (they'd all just want to move swiftly onto the champagne) and b) it's only likely to happen about once a year - if that, so doesn't justify the cost of getting a lovely girly tea set, does it?

Maybe it's because I'm surrounded by boys, but my inner girly-girl is dying to get out. My husband thinks I'm barking. Am I?

Absolutely not! I think its a lovely idea, I'll come!

In fact, I'll even provide the tea set!

I painted my very own girly tea set when I was preggers with no 2.

What bliss to go to a pottery painting cafe and make something lovely.

I've still got it in my dresser, I love it.

Buy something lovely and keep it in a glass doored cupboard so you can enjoy it all year round

Can i come too please.
I could bake a cake if required.

No way!

Get one. There are some really pretty ones around atm.

Sounds like a lovely plan

It all sounds lovely.

Or you could compromise by mixing a plain white dinner set with some fabbo girly cups and saucers and the cake stand.

And you must have Fondant Fancies as your "bought" item because they are the height of girliness - but please save the lemon ones for me!

I have all of the above - so not barking exactly, perhaps eccentric? I do have dd though?

The tea set is a special one, when DH and I got married - having been together for most of the previous 12 years and DD was our bridesmaid - we had a low keyish do.

Hiring enough plain white croc for afternoon tea worked out the same as buying lots of different teas sets from local charity shops, each person had a matching plate, cup and saucer, but different from each neighbour. We also had a multitude of tiered cake stands, borrowed and charity shopped. WE then redonated them back to the shops.

The effect was supremely boho chic, with simple pink hydrangers and starched white linen.

I kept my fave set and we use it for girly tea parties, full on scone and jam ones, on a regular basis - they always give way to fizz!

I thought everyone would say that I was having some kind of crisis. So glad you agree that it would be nice. And of course everyone is welcome. Bring cakes!

If you know of lovely tea sets, please let me know where you found them!

Marmaduke - that sounds amazing! Exactly what I want.

oh how lovely... Can I come too? I will bring the sanwiches if that helps..

umm, me too, please

I have shedloads of the stuff, mostly from ebay - or you can find specialist websites eg this is one of my favourite patterns

although love the mismatched look too

I make a great lemon drizzle cake - may I come?

btw if you are having a tea set midlife crisis - does that make it a China Crisis? or merely a storm in a teacup?

Have you been watching Sex and the City, by any chance? It often makes me feel like this. Some cute stuff here...

keepcalm - my DH definitely thinks it both a China Crisis and a storm in a teacup.

JackieNo - sadly I haven't. It all started a while back when I went into a tiny shop in Bucks and it was girly on steroids. Since then I've been having tea party fantasies.

Thank you JandJ it was 5 years ago so many of my pals thought it was an odd idea to start with, but it did look great.

I already had heaps of pretty flowery/patterened bunting I'd made for DD's 3rd birthday in a village hall when she was scared of balloons, we hung that inside the walls of the marquee.

Right - I am DEFINITELY having this for my next birthday - although that sadly takes place in March which doesn't really work with the whole summer tea party thing. Hmmm.

JandJ if your friends don't want to come i will, its a wonderful idea

YANBU - the local pottery industry is on its knees and needs MORE folk to buy girly teasets!

Marmarduke, that sounds lovely!

March is fine! There'll be daffodils and tulips out, which defo signal the start of spring and that'll make it even more spring like! You should write little pretty invites too. My girl friends would lap all that up! I want one too now!

It sounds like a brilliant idea and you don't have to spend a fortune either - I got a fab silver cake stand from church fair for £1, and my sister recently got a lovely antique tea set in perfect condition from local charity shop ... if it only costs a couple of quid you don't have to feel like it's only for a special occasion.

Sounds completely reasonable to me. I want a tiered cake stand too. I also want a set of Xmas crockery, but not enough money or space in the kitchen cupboards to justify it for a few days a year.

Oh how luverly I'd come!

And marmadukescarlett - your wedding sounds fabulous.

Ooh, you've inspired me, must go and hunt out my very girly frilly tea set inherited from a great-aunt. With a cake stand and pink rose pattern. I was given it when I was in my early 20s and thought 'yuck' but now I think I might be coming round to it!

(and can I just point you in the direction of this rather lovely retro picnic set - I suspect you might like it as much as I do)

ooh that's fab JackieNo. I think I foresee a weekend of browsing round antique/charity shops soon.

I'd come to your girly tea party

I wanted a tea pot as my one and only wedding present (everyone else was donating to honeymoon)... still haven't sorted it 3 years down the line Couldn't find one I liked, and we then decided we'll take the children and they can paint us one.