Alice And The White Rabbit And Me!!!!

“This is the most curious tea party……”

“Curtsey while you’re thinking what to say, it saves time!”

“You’re entirely bonkers, but I’ll tell you a secret, all the best people are!”

As a little girl, I absolutely loved “Alice in Wonderland!” I used to have a little tea set ….

… and I had tea with my own set of animals as we sat around a makeshift table fashioned from an old orange crate.

“We” sat on bushel baskets.

Well, at least I was sitting on a former apple basket while “my friends” were more “propped” up on theirs.

You see, there was Teddy, a golden brown bear with only one eye…. as his other eye somehow was snapped after drooping for a long time on a loopy piece of black thread. 

Don’t judge…remember I was only a child. I’ve never said I was a seamstress…just that I love playing with dishes. 🙂

I never found the errant eye, as it most likely fell free after being transported from play scene to play scene, and Teddy could see just as well with one eye.

Then there was Dolly, the most beautiful doll with golden curls which spilled down on her white dress dotted with emerald green polka dots.

Filling out the table was   “Maria”….who was very special because she was a doll, obviously of Spanish descent. Her hair was a deep black and pulled back on the nape of her neck.  Her dress was bright red with black trim which matched her black shoes.  You see she was a flamenco dancer. AND she was small like a Barbie doll.  AND she never came out of her little square box (roughly 12X12) because her dress was stapled at the hem and up over her head so that it splayed behind her in a brilliant display. I don’t believe she was an expensive doll because Mother bought her for me at our local supermarket.  I believe you had to purchase so many groceries and then paid a little extra for the doll. There were many nationalities to choose from, but I chose the Spanish doll.  She always stayed in her box with the cellophane cover and attended many tea parties while propped up with a stone so she could see the going’s on.

We had great times at these little tea parties.  Much like Alice in her Wonderland trip. 

As you can see, I have been playing with dishes for a very long time.

I started with a buffalo check black and white tablecloth, which matches the black and white napkins that I doubled with a sheer red napkin.

The clock napkin rings have been used in New Years Eve tablescapes for several years. I thought they would be perfect for the “I’m late” emphasis.

I found a deck of cards with a lot of the wonderful quotes from the Lewis Carrol book and I just had to buy them.

 Here you see them scattered near the Alice salt shaker and the white rabbit pepper shaker.

On the other side of the table, the Cheshire Cat salt shaker and the teapot with the cheshire cat peeking out of the lid pepper shaker also are joined by playing cards.

I used white chargers with dinner plates carrying out the black and white theme, followed by 4 of the cutest salad plates. This one has the Mad Hatter saying “take some more tea”!

You can’t have Alice without a key…so there are 4 of them being used as card holders.  Yes, you did see them in the Sherlock Holmes tablescape.

The White Rabbit…I love him.

Alice, of course.

The tea cups and saucers have always fascinated me….I love how the words go in a circle around the inside of the cup.

I used stick flatware, which you have seen in other tablescapes I have used.

Can’t have tea without a creamer and sugar and a teapot of course with a white rabbit near the clock on the lid

I also used two larger white rabbits as part of the mercury glass and candles centerpiece.  I tied black and white polka dot ribbon around their necks.

Don’t ya love the frosted glasses? They sit on coasters which picture Alice saying “I wish I hadn’t cried so much!”  and “This is the most curious tea party” which are adorable.

All the dishes have “Alice quotes”.

“I’m Late! I’m Late!” cries the white rabbit.

I think the little silver heart-shaped spoons look kinda cute sitting across the teacups, and I am sure my little friends, Teddy, Dolly and Maria would have approved.

What do you think?

Have a great day!