New Tableware + The First Day of Spring = Afternoon Tea At Home With Friends

Although the temperatures outside might indicate otherwise, yesterday was the first day of spring. Can you believe it? We're nearing Easter already! It seems like I was just dragging my Christmas tree out of the house yesterday. To celebrate, I invited a few of my friends over for afternoon tea. But secretly? I just wanted to an excuse to use my new plates and bowls from Amara.com, a website I often browse for home decor and furniture since it carries so many of my favorite brands, like Missoni Home and Pols Potten (the brand behind these plates of my obsession!).

There's a story (sort of) behind these plates. I've had my eye on this colorful set for ages. I first spotted them in a store 8 months ago, right before we moved into this house, and gravitated towards the whimsical pattern then. A few months later, I noticed them again at a restaurant in Mayfair. So when I stumbled on them again at Amara.com, I knew that it was meant to be!

Armed with nine mini cupcakes from Lola's bakery (which I had carefully brought home from Holborn), I woke up early on Saturday morning to make Rice Krispie treats and brownies, before scattering some paper decorations I found at Tiger (for £1!) on our dining table. Coincidentally, the paper decorations matched our plates and coasters perfectly. I like to think that it was all planned, but it so wasn't. I'm the furthest away from 'the hostess with the mostess' stereotype you can get ... typically, I throw a bunch of things together, cross my fingers, and hope for the best.

My friends arrived with gorgeous bouquets of tulips, so by the time we sat down to take our first bite of cake, it looked like I lived in a flower shop! But I love tulips and, along with daffodils and cherry blossoms, they always remind me of spring.

Sometimes, it's nice to have a small group of friends over who don't know each other very well but who you know will get on like a house on fire: we talked everything from weddings (my friend Jilly is getting married in August) to business plans (my other friend Erin is developing her own line of natural beauty products and they are AMAZING - stay tuned!). It felt grown-up, but fun.

Did you celebrate the arrival of Spring this weekend? I'm looking forward to stepping out of black opaque tights and into light jackets (and a whole new collection of shoes, ha!). Hopefully we won't have to wait much longer in London.

My Pols Potten plates and bowls were generously provided by Amara.com. Shop their extensive collection of tableware here. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Angloyankophile! All opinions are my own.