The Tea Party or It's OK to be Different

Once upon a time, a group of friends planned a tea party at Miss Camellia’s new home.  What fun… Let’s dress up in our Tilda* finest and we will have lovely treats - cup cakes, finger sandwiches and scones with cream and jam. Everyone can bring a plate. Of course, we will also drink the best tea - French Earl Grey and English Breakfast.

The ladies spent hours poring over their CWA  (County Women’s Association) cook books for the traditional recipes and washed the beautiful bone china cups and saucers in preparation, so that on the day, there was plenty of time  to press neatly their pastel coloured party frocks and for a quick visit to the hairdressers. They all applied their make up with the utmost care and added pretty floral accessories to their outfits in fitting with this special occasion. Looking as perfectly beautiful as “The Stepford Wives”, the ladies all gathered at Miss Camellia’s at precisely 3pm. Oh dear, but don’t look now - Miss Wu is coming up the garden path - and look what she is wearing. Is that really a tea party frock, and anyway who invited her?  She is just not like the rest of us

 Miss Camellia tut tutted, admonishing her friends for their bad manners admitting that she herself had issued the invitation as a welcome to the neighbourhood, and  as they had all declared their  rejection of prejudice and injustice, she knew they would all be overwhelmingly happy to include Miss Wu in their party. It was also evident that Miss Camellia had advised Miss Wu to wear that spectacular pendant.

 Suitably chastened, the tea party ladies thought about their  hasty judgemental comments, smiled, relaxed and genuinely attempted to know more about Miss Wu herself and her exotic dress. What a surprise - she spoke a number of languages, had attended and graduated cum laude from several universities and was a thoroughly nice person - and even loved her scones lavishly spread with homemade strawberry jam and piled high with dollops of cream!  Miss Wu was different, but she was also just like them! 

Photos of Tilda tea cup dolls created by members of Gumnut Dollies Newcastle - http://gumnutdolliesnewcastle.blogspot.com.au/

* Tilda is a craft brand founded by Norwegian designer Tone Finnanger in 1999, best known for its whimsical and naive characters in the form of animals and dolls and cottage chic fabrics.