playing ladies

On the weekend about 15 of us went out for a morning tea in Sydney's iconic QVB building in the city to celebrate a birthday. There is a posh tearooms on the top floor and on Saturdays it is abuzz with grande dames having morning tea, shoppers having a break and some mothers/daughters - all with a sense of occaison and excitement over this very special treat.

Silver pots of tea were dispatched along with tiered trays piled high with tiny cakes and savories. Everything on rose patterned china and with flutes of champagne to accompany.

It has to be one of the loveliest ways to spend a cold Saturday.

cakes and porcelain

On Thursday I backed some tiny cupcakes for a girl's morning tea which included a 2 year old. She loved them, in fact started climbing on chairs to get at more.

As I laid these out on a dish I bought at Chatuchak market in Bangkok many years ago I thought about the various pieces of porcelain I'd collected and kept with me over the last 15 years or so which have recently become features in my paintings.

Then on Friday, my sister sent me a lovely porcelain dish with delicate patterns all over it so I thought I should photograph a little collection.

You will recognise the ginger jar - this is one of several, and the plate from my sister is in the foreground.

Have a lovely weekend all.

girls' afternoon tea

Christmas afternoon tea for the girls - from left, clockwise:
asparagus rolls (height of NZ old fashioned dainties)
the now-famous Malpas gingerbread in boxes to giveaway
lemon cupcakes with dusted icing (cupcakes had royal icing on them - made with uncooked eggwhite - not good for expectant mums)
bite sized chicken and ginger pies
tiny cupcakes - who are we kidding? we just eat more
gingerbread cookies

the party

Today's party went well. My jewellery parties are mostly about girls getting together and having a bit of a laugh and a chat with gorgeous food and jewellery to look at and try on.

Thought you might like to look at cupcakes and gingerbread I made - the food takes as long as the jewellery to make but everyone likes it and I hope some of the cakes and cookies make their way to kiddies later on.

cupcakes

Today is cupcake day.
and yes, they're pink.