Autumn High Tea

High Tea and good friends are a perfect fit!

My friend Cathy had a milestone birthday recently. My gift to her was a High Tea at StoneGable for her and 5 friends of her choosing. 

Yesterday, StoneGable dressed in Autumn finery, opened it's doors and hosted 6 of the most special and beautiful women I know!

The inspiration for the High Tea were these stunning tea cups! Last year on a fall trip to Southampton I happened upon a store brimming with dinnerware and a more than fabulous sale!

I brought home lovely high end cups and saucers, all in blues and rusts. Here are just a couple...

Each tea cup and saucer were originally priced over $100.00... but I got each one for $5.00! Yes, I promise that is the truth! Sounds like a tall tale.. later I found out this store went out of business and this was their final close-out sale. I call that perfect timing!

The table continued the rust, blue and white theme of the tea cups.  I adore these hues together and decided to amp up the color for this tea party!

Each place was set with a stack of rust and blue plates with white as an accent!

You might recognize both blue floral dishes. The bottom dinner plate has been used in many tablescapes (HomeGoods). 

The blue and white dessert plate is Mikasa Indigo Bloom, a beautiful line of Mikasa dinnerware!

The bottom rust plate is used as a charger (HomeGoods) and the square rust accent plate from Pier 1 adds texture and interest to the stack.

I LOVE the shape of these sweet bowls. The pedestal is so delicate! 

A bittersweet napkin ring encircles the little sherbet dish and adds some of nature's beauty! 

SG TIP: use lots of "sticks and twigs" to add interest to your table!

Rust napkins that look almost like raw silk have such a pretty warm brown ruffled edge (Pier 1). These napkins remind me of a taffeta ball gown. 

The napkin rings are a plume of soft rust feathers (Pier 1). They work so well with the napkins to bring elegance and a touch of whimsy to the table.

Water goblets in shocking cobalt blue (Pier 1) give this table a big splash of color!  The shape of these goblets are very simple! The color says it all!

Little stout white tea pots (Reading China And Glass) sit on blue willow plates. Each lady could choose her own tea flavor from my tea box. Keeping the tea pots all the same preserves an already busy table from getting too overwhelming! 

A French Leaf is put under each pot to catch any drips!

Vintage silver plated flatware give a sense of formality to the Tea Table!

Each place had their own little coblat vase of garden flowers. There is something so girly about a little vase of flowers of your very own!

The center of the table is filled with garden mums, marigold and salvia as well! They spill out of a large toile planter (HomeGoods) in a very casual just-picked manner.

Big rust mercury glass globes (HomeGoods)  literally sparkle with candlelight!

I like candles on a table even in broad daylight! They make everything look better!

The pretty blue and white salt and pepper shaker sit on a toile plate (Old Millhouse Shoppe).

The table is set and ready for High Tea! Did you know that High Tea got it's name from the height of the table tea was served on and not the formality of the event? It's true!

THE MENU

Assorted Teas

Savories

Cream Of Mushroom Soup

Pimento Cheese Roll Ups

Orange Poppyseed Mini Muffins With Ham And Honey Mustard Butter

Chicken Cashew Salad In Phyllo Cups

phyllo cup recipe here

Mimi Quiche Lorraine

quiche recipe here

Endive Spears With Bleu Cheese, Toasted Pecans, Oranges And A Balsamic Reduction Drizzle

Scones

StoneGable Sour Cream Scones

See recipe here

Whipped Clotted Cream

Lemon Curd

Blueberry Jam

Sweets

Chocolate Mousse In Chocolate Cups

Chocolate Chip Shortbreads

Pecan Tarts

Mini Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

Remember to