Half Birthday party- Regency tea party

Fri Jun 20, 2008 2:03 pm by neimhaille

A few of you may recall I was going to have a half birthday this year, well I have finally booked the hall and have a rough outline of what will happen.

Hall is booked! from 1pm to 11pm (I turn into a pumpkin) July 5th. PM me for details on where, it is out West though.

A day full of tea and refined arts and possibly some silly games (Diablo anyone?) and any ideas anyone can think of. It will be family friendly with no alcohol (not even discretely damp please). There is a bond and I do not want to lose it so if everyone can be responsible with no throwing loo paper or eggs or anything like that;)

Also the doors will be shut once it gets dark as it will be school holidays and people will be out and about being silly themselves.

It will be from after 12 midday with the following definitely on the itinerary:

You will need to provide material for these (4m for each layer)
: petticoat bodices, they may or may not be real but they are a quick and easy undergarment rather than fiddling with stays!
: super quick dresses, starting with the skirt (same pattern as your petticoat bodice!) and moving up to the bodice and sleeves. These are the WS equivalent of the T Tunic. They can be as period appropriate as you like or could be as hurridly made as you like.

: tea throughout the day from a ewer if possible and everyone gets a chance to be tea server.

: Mr Beveridges Maggot. THE dance from the Netherfield ball scene. Yes that one. We will probably all be girls dancing it but I don't care;)

: gentlemanly attire. The Winnowed Spinach society accepts gentlemen by appointment (meaning "you're a bloke? You like tea/one/all of our ladies? You will participate or at least watch bemused from the sidelines without making rude comments? You're appointed!") so we should cater for them. Admittedly they have a far harder task of finding or making suitable attire for such events so a quick guide to what makes a suit more or less appropriate for various events and how to make double duty of certain garments should you wish to. Again the idea is inclusivity not exclusivity. If you want to go to the effort of exquisitely tailored garments we will admire you greatly, though in a lady like manner. But it is not required.

: Tea (trio) sets. What to look for and where. I have a posh set, a set that is decorative only and a cheap modern set. All have their uses and all are just very me.

: games. As seen in the various movies and as not seen. Diablo is balancing a spinning double top on a string and making it jump in the air and do tricks. I can't play it but it is fun to try. Hoops (like horseshoes but less likely to gouge the floor! And card games if anyone knows them from the period. Sharades! not like we play them but you split into teams and create scenes from books or plays. Three tablaeux each for the other team to guess. Read Jane Eyre for a pretty good example.

: music? We may be able to rope people into singing appropriately from the period. I have already said I'd sing Voi che sapete for the ball (though that may not happen ) We can have poetry readings too


Somewhat similar to the mad hatting tea party but more so;) We will be indoors meaning no issues with the weather, there will be several sewing machines available.

If anyone going can please bring $5 to cover hall hire and if we have left over (not likely- unless we get more than 20 coming) it will be put towards future events, and people can request a particular genre for the next one. Also let me know via PM or here if they are looking at going and want more info. Parents or guardians are very welcome. if you only want to come for the afternoon events that is fine too, the evening will be for the sharades and supper and entertainments rather than workshops.

The supper will be a mix of bring a plate and a few silly dishes from the time. Maybe a tiered fruit platter with little nibbles can be provided for during the day.

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