Saturday, June 26, 2010

Mad Hatters Tea Party ... A Curious Dream

It had been a long time,
an age it seemed since the book had been picked up, loved and brought to life.
A light shroud of dust wrapped around it's spine and the pages were beginning to yellow and mottle. There had been at least one instance with a book worm.


 It was a day such as any other when the Hatter decided to slip between his story's pages and into the room.
There he saw a girl sat at a table reading.
"Alice!" he shouted excited
.
The girl paid no attention, so he shouted again.
"Alice!"
Again there was no reply.
The Hatter quickly slipped back between the pages and returned with a small bottle and a handful of the reddest berries.
He placed them where the girl would find them and scurried off into the garden chuckling to himself.
"Oh" said the girl out loud when she saw the tiny bottle and the delicious looking berries.
She ate a berry. Red currants, delicious, my favourite.
She soon ate them all.


"Oh do hurry up Alice" called a voice from the garden
The girl followed the voice down the path.

"Where are you, who are you?" questioned the girl.
Some how the garden seemed different. Almost as if it were watching her, listening and whispering.
She felt sure she heard the roses sssh each other when she walked past. And was absolutely certain that the moon daisies had giggled.What a curious day it is turning out, thought the girl.

When she reached the mock orange, she heard more voices.
"Hello.... is there somebody there?"  she asked.
She pushed her way through a gap in the hedge and what a surprise she got on the other side.
A tea party. The strangest she ever saw.

 "You took your time" said a mouse.
"Your late!" said a white rabbit.


"Three minutes and forty two seconds late, to be precise" continued the white rabbit tutting and tapping his pocket watch.
 "But"... replied the girl
"No but's my dear" exclaimed the mouse.



"Come along Alice, oh do sit down" giggled a lion.


"But I'm not Alice" said the girl accepting tea and an iced cake that was offered to to her.

 "No buts" said the mouse again.

 Then the whole crowd began to laugh and laugh until the rabbit spilled his drink.
"More tea anyone? " spluttered the Hatter.
 How very odd thought the girl.
"Don't think but drink tea" said the stone lady " Lavender or mint?"


"Mint please " replied the girl
But when she put the cup to her lips  she soon discovered that it was empty.

" Curry biscuit or sugar mouse?" offered the doll.


" Why is a raven like a writing desk?" asked the Hatter.


And they all began to laugh again.
"Silence" shouted the mouse.
The lion snorted and tried to suppress another giggle.
"More tea anyone" said the doll again.
The girl held out her cup and the Hatter  poured.


 However this time the cup was not empty but instead held a playing card. The queen of hearts.

 "Wait a minute...I know this story" announced the girl.
She looked at the book she hadn't realised she had brought with her.
Quite suddenly she felt so tired and her eyes so very heavy.


 She yawned and so did the lion.

Then there was a smell of old paper and the girl opened her eyes. She had fallen asleep and was resting her head on the book she had been reading.


 There on the table beside her was the fairy sized dish of redcurrants that her Mother had picked for her.


"Hmmm a curious dream indeed!" said the girl ...

********

Thanks for visiting.I hope you enjoyed this little tale.We had lots of fun doing it. A big thanks to my beautiful daughter for starring as the girl :) x and for my son for wearing the mask :) x  And more thanks again to Vanessa for organising it. :) x


I leave you with a bit more of Wonderland.

48 comments:

  1. Lovely!!!Did enjoy it, please can I play next time?

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  2. This was beautiful, Karen. Your daughter makes a most lovely Alice. I always enjoy my visits with you - thank you for hosting a wonderful Tea Party! Sincerely, Theresa

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  3. Now, that was surely entertaining, Karen! Such a beautiful little girl, and it's amazing how cooperative she seems to be! Haha. :D :D

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  4. A lovely Tea Party. Your daughter is truly adorable.

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  5. Charming!!!
    Thank you for taking me back
    to the days I often forget about...
    Blessings

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  6. Loved it!! so dreamy! Please do stop by my blog and join my tea party as well!♥

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  7. Really lovely, I wondered if you would be joining in - so clever to use all the things around your home and your daughter makes a good Alice.

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  8. Lovely, you have the perfect models.

    I must say that I am enjoying visiting your blog and listening to your music list, it is the perfect accompaniment to painting!

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  9. Well I don't think it was a dream at all! How could it be - it all seems so real? Love it!

    ♥ Alice Maria-Thérèse Afiori in Wonderland ~ blog.afiori.com

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  10. Wonderful images. Nice to see fact and fiction blend, I know it well. Happy Mad Tea day to you and yours!

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  11. That was fantastic, the story the pics and little Alice, loved it!
    BTW Your art is so amazing!
    xo-jj

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  12. Oh oh oh oh that was wonderful..I loved the whole thing...what beautiful shots of her!! The whole thing was delightful!!
    Hugs, Sarah

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  13. ~*~*~*Hip hip hurray it's Tea Party Day!*~*~*~

    What a magical tale!!!

    Thanks for having me at your tea party! if you haven't been already, you're cordially invited to my mad tea party! Have yourself a mad sort of day! :)

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  14. Karen this is really lovely! Well done to your daughter (I guessed it was her!) What does she think of being a star?! My daughter, similar age, recently was the 'star' in her older brother's film t college and was mortified when it was in the final end of year show! xx

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  15. Wonderful photos! - what fun!

    Won't you join us for tea at our
    Mad Tea Party - Fairy Tale

    http://lenorita-lenoramoore.blogspot.com/2010/06/mad-tea-party-2010.html

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  16. Lovely and magical! I had such fun in your mad little dream! Alice certainly is a beautiful girl, and lucky to have such a mother!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    ~Christina

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  17. A curious dream indeed! Thank you for inviting me. Have a great weekend! Twyla

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  18. You have a lovely daughter and your tea party was enchanting! I like the lion making an appearance too. Please stop by my tea party mermaid adventure on my blog IvasCreations.typepad.com . You make wonderful art. Look forward to more.
    ~ Iva

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  19. Hi Karen,
    Your party was lovely! Your daughter was adorable and your pictures looked so antique and rustic :-)
    Thank you for stopping by my party as well !!
    I hope you visit again soon !
    -Justina
    La Boheme Magique

    http://labohememagique.blogspot.com/

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  20. Wow...a delightful tale...and your art...truly gorgeous!!!

    When I'm not busy party hopping, I will be sure to come back and peruse your art and Etsy Shop in detail :) I'm a Folloer now, so I can do that with ease...haha!

    Thank you for having me!

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  21. What a delightful tea! I love the beautiful images! THank you for the tea!

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  22. Fabulous story! Thank you for having me for tea I had a lovely time. Thank your daughter and son for being such a great part of your party!

    Happy Tea Partying!

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  23. Thanks for a lovely visit to your Tea Party. Beautifully done.
    Debbie

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  24. This is such a lovely story
    I love your tea party!!!
    Have a wonderful week,
    Suzanne x

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  25. Beautiful photos and an enchanting story :) I love your artwork too, Karen!

    Please stop by my blog for another tea party!
    http://cosmicgoddessblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/were-all-mad-here.html

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  26. Totally charming tea! Thanks for including me. I hope you'll have time to stop by and have a cup of tea with me. ~ Sarah

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  27. Such a lovely tea party...thank you for sharing tea with me!

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  28. Hello! It was not long ago that I found your blog and remained charmed by the unique, fairy atmosphere of your drawings, their themes and colours.
    I enjoyed your Mad Tea Party! As if I was there. You all managed to take me to Alice's world... I think your daughter feels Alice and was perfect for the role! Congratulations to your children and you!

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  29. Karen, how absolutely enchanting! I want to be there. I must say that the participants in this adventure are very charming. :-)

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  30. Thank you for inviting me to your magical and atmospheric tea party!!
    Such a beautiful Alice and a noble lion :)

    Thank you for visiting mine ;)

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  31. Happy Tea Party to you and you and you!

    What lovely pictures!!

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  32. What a lovely tea party! Beautiful artistic photos! I hope you will have some time to stop by my tea party for a spot of tea. Don't worry it's never too late!
    anaboocreationsbysylvia.blogspot.com
    Hope to see you there!
    Sylvia

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  33. Hi, Thank you for letting me venture through your garden during your Tea Party. I had a great time. the tea and the sweets were amazing and so was the company. I met so many sweet people. I hope that you will come to my party.
    momentsinaneye.blogspot.com

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  34. What an enchantingly mad tea party! Love the story and your Alice is adorable! Thanks for having me!

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  35. This was adorable! I loved the whole thing.

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  36. Thank you for inviting me to tea! It was lovely! Where on earth did you find the tea cup with the hearts on it? It's gorgeous!

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  37. Such a magical tea party, and what a lovely Alice! :) ~Lauren

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  38. Oh so lovely! And your daughter makes a most beautiful Alice x

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  39. Lovely story, your daughter is perfect as Alice:)

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  40. What an absolutely delightful party! Bravo to your son and daughter and to you, too! Loved it all... the suspense, the story, the photos, the characters! A perfectly lovely tea party. I hope you will allow me to return the hospitality...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  41. Oh such a lovely party! and so civilized. I went to one but the white queen didn't speak to me and the hatter lost her hat and on top of all that the white rabbit was definitely not white and even though he apologised it was not at all what I expected. Chaos "rained" and a guard ate chocolate! I ask you....Too much, too much.

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  42. Thanks EVER so much for such a delightfully Mad Tea Party. I so enjoyed myself. Great photos.
    Anyway, if you can get the chance, please do come and visit me for some more Mad Tea, in the Secret Enchanted Forest at:
    http://greenandwhitegarden.blogspot.com/2010/06/mad-tea-party.html
    ~Vicki

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  43. Oh, I love this!
    Your daughter makes the perfect Alice, doesn't she?!

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  44. Oh, how lovely that was! Your beautiful daughter..the stunning photos and clever narrative..I was carried into the story as surely as if I was there!

    Thank you so much for having me to tea!

    Lynette

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  45. Curry biscuits :-0 Lovely Party Post
    So many parties I am working my way through the list when I have time to browse :-) You are invited to tea and to join my giveaway,every day is an unbirthday, there is still time :-)

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It's great to hear from you! :-)