I know its not even Christmas, but we creative ladies think ahead. My friend and I are hosting our annual library tea this year and changing it from Christmas time (way too busy) to Valentines weekend. So, my dear on-line crafty friends I need ideas for decorations, favors, etc. Last year we served English foods such as scones, clotted cream, finger sandwiches, etc. This year is open for anything fun. I am thinking heart shaped cookies, pink fluffy salads, etc. What are your suggestions? And now here is your main contribution please.... we usually have about 100 guests at 2 sittings. What are some easy, quick stitching ideas for door prizes? I am thinking potholders, pin cushions in tea cups, appliqued kitchen dish towels, scented puffs for drawers, tissue carriers for purses, .......what else? Oh, we are also teaming up with breast cancer awareness and giving out pink ribbons and pins. Thanks in advance for all your help. :)

This is a clever idea - that looks to be fairly inexpensive and quick and easy to make.

"matchbook style" pin and needle holders

http://www.quiltingboard.com/t-44414-1.htm

What about making quick market bags. Simple bag to make, fun to own if your the winner.

It's a library.......how about bookmarks? Maybe a covered journal?

I've heard of them being "High Tea" with ladies wearing hats and little girls wearing their best dresses (if they even have them nowadays!) and everyone on their best behavior. Pictures being taken and sold of the attendees, gift certificates to the library's used book store, cookies, gingerbread and other goodies sold.

Every member can bring their own tea pots and cups, if any. Our women's club has this every few years, and it is a hit, but a lot of work. Fancy table cloths, linen napkins, High Tea with no airfare to England!! Lovely (SOFT) music in the background.

How about felt or wool heart shaped pincushions? You could make them in red and pink. Or coasters/mugrugs? Someone posted earlier on a thread a mug rug with a pocket for a tea bag and spoon, looked fairly simple to make, there may even be a tute for it.

What about a box of chocs similar to the one on this website. You could use a smaller box or even put just 1 "choc" at each placesitting:

http://suzysartsycraftsysitcom.blogs...lates-pin.html

Diannia

This sounds like great fun!! I saw a pic in the paper over the summer about some ladies that did something similar in my area. They had the biggest hats you've ever seen.

I have a great recipe for cranberry shortbread cookies if you'd like it. They taste great, make a lot and have the look of being expensive (of course the white chocolate doesn't hurt either).

OHHHHH!!!! this is going to be really fun!!!!I like Ramona's idea of a high tea. you could for door prizes do tea rugs. (really cute mug rugs for tea cups in a set of 4 maybe) and maybe a really big prize of a lap quilt pink ribbon bargello. the pin cusion tea cups is also great. you could hit the antique shops and flee markets for the tea cups. the hat idea is also really great idea. and for young girls you can have them "make" their own hats. it would be a great thing for a mom/grandma auntie to do with the girls they bring. And really get the girls into the hats.

WOW! Wonderful ideas already! My son is a professor in London and I have been to high teas, cream teas, afternoon teas etc. High means a meal like our supper, cream is just desert, our library in between with finger foods. My friend lived in England for 15 years and is a wealth of information. This is open only to adults, we have 20 tables each decorated with tablecloths, dishes, centerpiece by individuals, take photos, all food donated, ticket sales benefit the library, we dress up with some hats (especially the Red Hat group!) and have a great time. Our entertainment last year was a visitor from England and I told stories of my trips and our English, Irish and Scottish foreign exchange students. Wish I could invite you all. Keep those ideas coming. I will shop the after Christmas sales for heart ornaments too.

You could do mug rugs. coasters, dinner for sweetheart couple, heart shaped sachet bags. There are so many things you can do for Valentines Day. Maybe a pretty Valentines Cake. If you could get some fresh cranberries during that time, I couldn't here but maybe where you live you could. When my children were small during this time of the year, I would take a bag of fresh cranberries, wash them really well, beat some egg whites, dip the cranberries in the whites, then roll them in granulated sugar. Made a good healthy snack for the kids. Just tart enough and just sweet enough.

Maybe give prizes for best hats, and make felt shaped hearts, red, pink and white for first sec and third prize ribbons. Or use them for the winners of the door prizes. That's what we do now instead of ribbons for our quilt ribbons at the fair. They are made with cloth with felt numbers. sewn on a cloth square, with a safety pin on the back. These are then pinned onto the winning quilts.
You could use pink lemonade or pink punch and get a heart shaped rubber or glass mold and freeze some of the punch and let it float in the center of the punch bowl, I know this is to be a tea, but that would be something different instead of tea, or make hot spiced tea and use some pink lemonade to freeze and let it float.

A friends church does a Tea every year. They access the local college for music (like violin or harp) and to help with set up and cleanup (sororities need to accumulate volunteer community service hours). The menu is always varied...something like chicken salad sandwich and green salad and tea of course. The table is set with borrowed go china (the variety is stunning.)

In keeping with the holiday, how about seeing if anyone has fallen in love or met their intended/husband/wife in England and have them tell their "love story" for Valentine's Day as part of the entertainment? Also, perhaps a bit of a talk on the history of "courting" in England? As a door prize perhaps hankies made with some pretty lace? Or potpourri filled heart shaped lace to hang in a closet?

Hope this helps! Sue