Victorian Garden Party

 This month has been a roller coaster and while there is much to tell, honestly each thing deserves it's own post. We will start with Emma's 17th birthday party.

All week the forecast promised rain. The day dawned wet and grey with no chance of clearing. The day before we made the call to bring in the outside table so we could accommodate the group of 11 girls.

Miraculously, an hour before the party, the skies cleared, the sun came out we were left with the most beautiful day we had seen this spring. We were able to scramble and set up croquet, wrap the fence and tree in tulle and put benches, quilts and pillows around the yard.

We started with food and kept it simple with finger sandwiches, nuts, fruit and sparkling beverages followed by dessert.

After opening presents, the girls played a rousing game of croquet while we cleared and cleaned up and I set the room up for straw hat decorating. The table was full of ribbons, flowers and other embellishments.

I always love to see how the girls make a project their own, creating something that is unique to them. That is my favorite part of any creative gathering.

Afterwards it was back outside for more croquet and an extreme amount of photographs.

I love how Emma's friends get into the spirit of her parties. These events have taken on a life of their own. This year really was my favorite so far. I kind of wish we had saved it for the final hurrah next year, although I've already started planning that one!

Honestly these parties are exhausting but I enjoy them so much and Emma helps so much and is so appreciative. I don't even try to hide the fact that I'm living my birthday party dreams vicariously through her.

I adore these last two pictures. I want you to take notice of the purple croquet ball in the picture above. While they were playing, people were actually stopping behind the house to watch them as if they were watching a movie. I think people didn't quite know what they were seeing.

This last photo could have been taken 100 years ago. Such lovely girls and so sweet to come celebrate our girl on the occasion of her seventeenth birthday.