Mad Hatter's Tea Party

Today saw the return of the Mad Hatter's Tea Party at Bromham Mill. So we followed the White Rabbit (jumping in the car being the modern day equivalent) and went to join in the fun.

We decided to start our visit by seeing what the craft stalls had to offer. We stumbled upon Boodles Doodles, a charming collection of hand-stitched and painted framed keepsakes, covering any occasion you can imagine, and commissioned work is accepted. There were also beautiful cushions displaying some of the designs, including a fantastic tribute to the poppy installation at the Tower of London. See more details at the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Boodles-Doodles-Mobile-Ceramic-studio-and-Art-workshop-specialist/163911506979450?fref=ts. I have a few friends that might be receiving these as gifts myself.

Moving on, we made friends with the gorgeous Rudi, face and inspiration of Rudi's Doggy Bakery.

I don't currently have a canine companion (a work in progress), but if I did this business would be on my hit list, providing goodies, treats, even cakes, beautifully packaged for doggy pals everywhere. They had the perfect selling devise, who could resist this face?! And such a good model! If anyone has a four legged friend and wants to treat them, I'd really suggest checking these guys out. Their products are gorgeous, customer service is excellent and they are generally just an incredibly likeable duo who obviously love man's best friend. Find them at www.rudisthedoggybakery.com and take a look at what they have to offer.

 Next up was Humber's Preserves, a favourite local company of mine, who produce some of the loveliest preserves in the area. First encountering them at last year's Apple Day celebrations, I still have some glittery Jingle Jam residing in my fridge, a christmas special of theirs. They travel around the county selling their lovely wares and can be found at www.humberspreserves.co.uk.

Taking a look at a few more lovely stalls, we stopped to chat with the lovely ladies manning the Bead Orchard stand (www.beadorchard.com). Tracey Horne and Janet Thomason produced handmade beaded jewellery which, as well as being incredibly detailed and rather lovely, are stand-out, bold, different pieces for those who love their jewellery to show individuality. I treated myself to one of their gorgeous charm bracelets, complete with teapot and cupcake charms (very much in keeping with the theme of the day!), with lots of room left to add more.

I wasn't the only one indulging in a little splurge. Having convinced my mum to come along, she thoroughly enjoyed flicking through the greetings cards found at the Unique Handmade Cards stall, choosing 10 stunning cards to whisk off home. There's no website for this one but you can contact the lovely Birgit at birgitdas@hotmail.co.uk with any questions.
She also bought an embroidered ring to pop by for yours truly until my birthday rolls around again, and I've solemnly promised to forget it's existence until then!

Aside from craft stalls, there was plenty going on, including flamingo croquet:

painting the roses (to keep the Queen of Hearts happy):

Alice characters wondering all around, entertaining everybody:

and general merriment all round. A lovely relaxed atmosphere, we had a really enjoyable time wondering around, having a look, grabbing a bite to eat, and generally just enjoying the lovely attention to detail that has gone into turning Bromham Mill into a setting fit for a fairytale. Teacups hanging from tree branches, playing cards and cupcakes adorning bushes and the actual tea party itself created a whimsical environment, and the kids and adults alike seemed charmed and a little bit enchanted with it all. The fun continues tomorrow from 10am until 4pm. I'd recommend you visit and get caught up in the fall down the rabbit hole!