"ELEGANCE ON A SHOESTRING"

Welcome to the first annual NCCF Tea
Party--"Elegance on a Shoestring." This year's theme was centered on how to have an elegant time amidst a downturned economy. Our church hosted this fun event last Thursday evening. About 5 ladies from our church hostessed tables, bringing their own dishes, tablecloths, napkins, and decor. It was very, very elegant!

The lovely tea was followed by an "I Got It At A Garage Sale," fashion show. Actually people modeled outfits they got at garage sales, thrift stores, or made themselves. We highlighted Proverbs, chapter 31 and talked about how this virtuous woman clothed herself and her family, yet 'her husband had no need of spoil.' Scripture describes her in ways that help us see that she was obviously very economical and yet elegant. We've heard lots of great comments about doing the tea again next year.

I personally believe that we women need "occasions" to dress up and feel special. It was almost like being a little girl again! And it is good for the little girls among us to have these special occasions too. Our world is constantly challening women and girls to be more aggressive and masculine. Occasions like our little tea party help to promote delicacy and feminity. So few of these events exist anymore for girls to practice social graces. You can see from the pictures that children's tables were included to make the party fun for the little ones. That was my mom's idea and a lady from church made placemats to color on and put crayons on both children's tables. Each little girl received a beautiful miniature china tea pot or cup to take home. Their tables had bowls of animal crackers placed at intervals for them to enjoy and apple juice was served so that they had a "tea alternative" that looked like real tea!

I wish I had gotten a better picture of the cream puff swans. I made them and sat them on a glass dish. Then I sat the dish atop three ice rings to keep them cool. I had frozen the ice rings in bundt pans a few weeks earlier, placing flowers in the water. The ice was a floral sea upon which the birds floated all evening! Take a longing look at some of the other elegant food! We also had a chocolate fountain.

The next few pictures are of the lovely tables. My tables are in the last table picture. Also there is a picture of me modeling my 1970's style prom dress made from 88cent/yard fabric that I found on closeout. The cuffs and sleeves were made from a lace curtain panel that I purchased at a thrift store in Nashville. I estimate the cost of the dress to be less than $20 not counting the pattern. I think I paid a dollar for my shoes, my purse was homemade crochet, and my shawl was a gift from a friend. All the models had lovely outfits that were inexpensive in some way. Our models ranged in age from 5 1/2 mos.--to 80 plus years. Baby Sophia (my youngest granddaughter) was the littlest model of the evening. Her aunt (only about 6, carried her down the aisle!)

It was a great evening celebrating God's goodness to us even amidst harder times. I wish you all could have been there! Blessings, LORI

FOUNDER'S FRIDAY-TEA IN OUR HISTORY

I had such a nice little photo to post today to go along with my title, but our computer is acting up and because of a series of technical difficulties I was not able to post it--please bear with me.

I thought this little sentiment was appropriate for today as April 15 Tax Day Tea parties went on all over the country yesterday. I went to one myself and even got brave enough to take a turn at the microphone! (Not too difficult for me!)

Did you know that the original Boston Tea Party was "held" in response to what were considered acts of tyranny by Great Britain? After the British put a tax on tea, several patriots, dressed up in disguises, snuck aboard a ship in the harbor and dumped hundreds of crates of tea into the waters. The date was December 16, 1773. Their opposition to the tax was that the colonies had no representation in the government that taxed them. The feeling also prevailed that the new tax forced tea to be purchased from basically one source. Sound familiar?

But did you also know that another Tea party style event occurred in Edenton, North Carolina? A group of ladies signed a proclamation in 1774 in protest to the tea tax. It was rare and unusual for women of the time to be so openly political.

I don't know if anyone knows the names of all the patriots that participated in these "tea parties," but their contribution to the founding of the nation will never be forgotten. It's often the not-so-famous grass roots folks that make the difference in history.

In other cities of the colonies the tea "problem" was handled in different ways. In South Carolina the tea was unloaded but then stored in a damp place where it would be ruined for sale and consumption. In other harbors the ships of tea were never unloaded, but sent back to England with their cargo.

So, the next time you drink a cup of tea, remember what an important role it played in our history, although in a roundabout way. How about using your next cup of tea as an occasion to thank the Lord for your freedom and to pray for our country? Blessings, LORI