I was preparing my bloomers and gloves you see, for that special occasion rushing towards you and me…
When I heard voices in the distance.
Faint voices, hidden voices, tiny voices.
I went outside and looked around quizzically…
And right there, in the middle of the garden, I saw little fabric garlands, streaming from foxglove to foxglove.
A tiny voice said, "Hello Dearie, so glad you could join us…"
I felt myself falling, the way your belly drops when you are riding a roller-coaster.
I was getting smaller…
And smaller…
And smaller…
But of course, I thought to myself…
Wonderland in the Midst.
Shrinking girl.
Makes perfect sense 😉
So, I tiptoed towards the chirping happy voices…
And then, I caught of glimpse of them. Oh, my lovely little friends.
Friends I had lost touch with. Friends who in part, guided me to the little world I choose to live in, where imagination reigns!
Faces I had forgotten.
My heart skipped a beat…
You know that feeling you get, when you see lovely folks that you used to work with (that you liked), or old friends that you have lost touch with (whom you enjoyed), and you get this deliriously giddy feeling in your soul?
And, just like that, you realize that you missed them, and you didn't even know it?
Well, that is how I felt when I saw my little friends…
You might remember them from long lost travels and adventures over the past few years?
If not, that's okay, they are overjoyed to make your acquaintance 😉
Thanks to Wonderland, and all it inspires, we get to mingle and sip tea and go mad.
A year, a whole year, has past since the last fête.
Can you believe it??
And now, we get to do it again.
That is the true magic.
Just a few more days my friends!
Time is slipping, and enchantment is around the bend, in the fairytale forest…
(image above from Alice music video -link above - Avril Lavigne and Dave Meyers)
I can't wait, can you?
🖤,V
ps: If you are not on the party list (left hand side-bar), and you want to be (or vice-versa), please e-mail me. I am bound to have made a mistake, so if you are not on the list, it was not intentional. Simply let me know and I will pop your name right on there 😉
Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a year! That is about when I found your blog and I read through all the tea party blogs that had linked up! While I’m not a participant, I will enjoy reading them all again this year.
I am so excited! And I have missed all the little mice you used to work with! I think about them now and then! Are you noticing my over-use of exclamation points?! That is how excited I am about the party! YAY!
V~
I am soooo excited!!! WAHOOOO 🙂
so excited!
so excited!!
so excited!!!
very pleased to make the acquaintance of your little friends….cannot wait to see them on Saturday 😉
I love a pre-party party and so do your little friends! I was looking at last year’s pictures and realised I have been looking at the same flowers and using them in my photos as I did last year. I was quite in fantasy land on Sunday as I was getting things together. I am glad there are so many people who love to play in this magical world too! See you soon!
I am all of a flutter! My party frock is being stitched with magic buttons and sequins and I’m knitting tea bags to carry my cakes home in!
Your photographs are simply magical! They inspire me so! Thank you!!
hello Vanessa,
I’m not in the sidebar yet… I commented on one of your previous posts, I guess about a week ago, but you must have missed it in the preparation for the party !
Could you add me, cause I can’t miss this party after being here for the first and second one !
greetings from Belgium
Inge
web.me.com/pinkepinke
Oohhhh! your little friends are ever so delightful and don’t you just love when they spring out of your past and into your future? They are the best playmates me thinks ;-).
Dearest Fanciful One, your last image is both dreamy and spooky all at once. Makes me wish I could step into the picture. Have you seen the movie yet, my friend? I love the Queen of Hearts…so funny!!!!
I put my announcement up on my blog and I’ll see you bright and Early Saturday morning…YIPPPEEEEE!!!!! I can hardly wait ;-).
much love, Cori
no, i can’t wait vanessa!!!
i’ll post my party one day earlier if you do not mind!!!it will be my 100th post and i’d like to celebrate it!!!
thanks for 1 year of inspiration(i met you last summer on the net!)
Oh my… excitement is rising “in da garden”… so glad to meet your tiny friends!
Aaah Foxgloves – I love them. I have one solitary pink one I insisted on buying this year after searching for them everywhere. Hard to find here, unfortunately.
I was just working on my garden today in preperation of the tea party – and it’s a heat advisory day telling people to stay indoors. But how can I when it’s nearly time to party?? 🙂 Love the mini tea party in the garden. You read my mind. LOL
It’s almost time! My very first blog party! I am so excited…
I am soooooo excited for a very Important date & can’t wait!
Oh Miss V. I am afraid you will need to take my name off the list of participants. It is unfortunate because I have so been looking forward to some deliciously mad fun, but the party is slap bang right in the middle of the time I am moving to Arizona and I am afraid I may not be able to make a post. I am very sad about it, but I suppose there is always next year…..
I can’t wait….it’s only a few steps away and I’m so excited. The stage has been set and photos are still being taken. There are always new things to see and place. Even the movie is all inspiring. This weekend is going to be so exciting… It’s when the fairies make their entrance. See you all very soon.
Oohhh ooohhhh!!!! I had the wrong word. It wasn’t spooky, but otherworldly or ethereal…those were the words I was looking for ;-).
Can’t wait! I hope my guest are not late!
que lindas imagenes!!
falta poco wooo hoooo! I can´t wait!
xoxo
I am soooooo excited!!! 😀
oh
yes
yes
yes
we are over here
getting
smaller
and smaller
with Large Party Ideas
Brewing.
🖤
Hurray! I can’t hardly wait for the party…or is it? I can hardly wait for the party! Any whooo…I am mad as a hatter, and as puzzled as Alice with curiosity as blogland comes together for your wonderful Mad Tea Party! So happy that you began it…did I say I was confused? There is just too much excitement in the air, the hookah smoking caterpillar is fogging up my mind with visions of a Cheshire Cat floating in mid air and a myriad of creatures clamoring to be at the party…And what a party! All day long to visit so many wonderful sites filling my head with tea party madness…I hope I can wait! Oh! My ears and whiskers! Is that the White Rabbit I just saw? I’d better follow him or I may lose my way. Ta Ta, my Dear Miss Fiddle Dee Dee…or is that Tweedle Dee Dee? I think I’ve had too much ‘drink me’ for my own good. I seem to be channeling Alice’s spirit…until Saturday then? Must be running off! My flamingo just flew off and the Red Queen is quite mad…oh…she really is mad…we’re all quite mad here you know.
=^..^=
I am quite ready for this mad tea party!!!!!
The days are long and I hear your song sending happy twittering the whole day long and it makes me see what a delight it will be to wake in wonderland with all of our friends, what fun it will be.
I must post early and I will leave it up, such a list of work and fun ahead this week. Thanks dear V for doing this party! blessings.
I’ve been madly working on my blog post for this party. I am SO jazzed for this!! I can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait, can’t wait……
Ta-TA! – Kathy
Exciting, exciting, exciting! I’m so very happy to meet your little friends – ’twas so nice to be introduced to them. I can only imagine the wonderful treats you have in store for us. And I’m excited to be visiting everyone for this most delightful event! Theresa
Oh Fanciful One of the Royal Gypsies, YOU are the magic! It’s you who brings us all out to play. JoY! OMGoodness OMGoodness OMGoodness!!! your new Fairytale Forrest is AMAZING!!
🖤🖤🖤 I LoVe 🖤🖤🖤 I must go look again and again. **blows kisses** and sings a happy little song ♫♪♫ Deb ♫♪♫
I can’t wait!
Dearest Mademoiselle Vanessa,
Your lovely little friends are very dear! Thank you so much for introducing us to them!
I have been busy with the finishing touches on my Mad Tea Party! I am very, very excited to invite everyone to The Tearoom and to visit everyone else’s parties as well (most especially yours!!!)
Until then,
Betty
It is just around the corner!!??!! Amazing how time flies!
Hugging you
SueAnn
WOW! Very cool & very exciting!!!
I’m giving myself till noon to finish up then I must head out to photograph before the afternoon thunder storms arrive:) See you Saturday V!
How lovely it would have been to be able to join you and to invite you to tea.
However, sadly I will not be able to join this year. Mr and Mrs. Hatter were so looking forward to it.
You see two things have happened…one I had an operation on my hands…doing well now 🙂 The other is that my family from Denmark is coming on Sunday :)Preparations for their arrival has taken first priority.
Perhaps next year at Mr and Mrs. Hatter’s place.
Hi Vanessa,
Such a charming charming post. Miss Joyce and I who adore your style had our little photo shoot today. Now I am happily photoshopping (in a very Vanessa style) our little Mad Hatter tea. She brought over her little Alice and Mad Hatter. They are the cutest ever!!! I can’t wait for Saturday. See how happy you make everyone. Miss Vanessa inspiration has flown all the way to New England.
Happy Happy creating.
Karen
I can’t wait to visit all the tea parties. I simply can’t wait. Love this post today. Next year maybe I will participate.
Vanessa alas it has been too long since my last visit 🙁 I always love to escape to your magical blog – hope you and your fur babies are well and looking forward to your party x
SO excited, I have my photos all ready to go and I am itching to share them!! 🙂 ~Lauren
You’ve spun a most magical and enchanting vision!! I’m curious and getting “curiouser and curiouser”. Can’t wait to find out more! jenn
See you there! I’m eager to join in the magic! ~ Sarah
I just found out about your party, and I have worked on something. I would love to be a part. Thanks!
Your post is charming! Those are the most adorable little characters.
XO,
Sheila 🙂
I can’t wait for the magic to begin.
Pure joy!
xo-jj
Vanessa, oh yes, we are all excited about the tea party this year. Lindsey and I have been busy little bees cooking up magic! See you Saturday! Twyla
I know that feeling Ms. V…and what a lovely one it is 🙂 I have missed you soooooo! It’s been a whirlwind of a time with the move and all, but I am gradually trying to get back into the swing of things. I gotta get my post ready to go for the morning, wheeeee…
Then I’m off to sunny San Diego, I’ll wave when I fly over you 😉 😉 My man is in Arizona as we speak (near Tombstone me thinks) and he may have to go back soooon, oh I am so trying to sneak in on that trip too, tee hee. Are you close?
I know you are having a mad time getting ready for the festivities, but I wanted to let you know I hadn’t forgot 😉 Oh no, I could NOT forget a Mad Tea party my dear!
See you ever so soooooon (with my pinky up)…
Jamie 🙂
It is the eve of the party and I can hardly believe it is nearly upon us! I have much to do to get ready and I’m watching the clock tick while I wait for my day job to end. I’m super excited for tomorrow and will swing by with bells on!
I just added my name. Just found out about it. I will be here ready to party!
Sherry
So very excited! I’ve been working like…well, like MAD getting all of my goodies and my giveaway ready for tomorrow! Can’t wait!
With love,
Christina
Yaaay!
Here it’s already been tomorrow for 3,5 hours so my post is up as of NOW! 😀
http://blog.afiori.com/2010/06/alice-in-tea-party-wonderland-and.html
I love the mouse with the tea pot! What fun!
Miss Fancy Pants!! Well, it wasn’t in the cards for me to join in but I wish you the best ‘spot of tea’ as the weekend unfolds.
Madly missing you~
D.
Hi Ms Valencia, Will you be writing and photographing a children’s book? I always find inspiration on your blog when I am creatively blocked. I get so excited with all the beauty. Thank you for sharing. =)
Hi Vanessa, good thing I remembered that around my wedding anniversary you hold your Mad Tea Party – I had a photo shoot today that will work perfectly, please count me in!
xoxo
Saucy
Thanks…just so cute! This is one of the highlights of the year for me! I am so grateful for the effort you put into it!
Suz
Katsui
we want the recipe of this red cake!!!
How lovely it would have been to be able to join you and to invite you to tea.
However, sadly I will not be able to join this year. Mr and Mrs. Hatter were so looking forward to it.
It is the eve of the party and I can hardly believe it is nearly upon us!