An English Themed Easter Tea Party

Spring has officially sprung! The weather is getting warmer and the flowers are blooming again here in LA. It’s the perfect time to gather around your outdoor patio or garden with your friends and family, just in time for Easter this weekend. Today I’m showing you guys how to throw a very English tea party, complete with Earl Grey blueberry muffins and gorgeous Spring flower arrangements.

Earl Grey is the quintessential English tea, so when I found this recipe for muffins that incorporated it as part of the flavoring, I had to try it. You guys have seen me do some floral arrangements in the past here on the blog, and while I usually stick to neutral color schemes, this Easter it’s a different story. I went for fun, bright clusters that really get you in the mood for Spring. See how to make both the muffins and floral arrangements below!

Spring Floral Arrangement

For Spring flowers, think bright pinks, purples, yellows and greens. There are a few tricks to getting your home-made arrangements to look professionally done. One tip? Use old containers that you already own! I’m talking antique pots, mason jars, candle holders and even teapots. Using preowned/vintage vessels adds so much character to your arrangements. Another tip is to use 3-4 main colors, with a few bright pops. Here, I used pink, purple, and white for the majority of the flowers, with bright green and yellow as the accent colors. Lastly, make sure you’re trimming your flowers and greens at varying heights. This adds so much more interest to your arrangements as opposed to having everything at one length – it gives that Spring wildflower, just plucked from the garden feel.

Supplies
– 3-5 bunches of different flowers and greens. I am obsessed with ranunculus at the moment, so I went with both purple and pink. These white snapdragons are a fun alternative to my other usual favorite, hydrangeas. I also always try to pick a bushier green with smaller flowers for accent. They also add some structure to your arrangement by helping to fill up space. Make sure your main flower choices have complementary colors.
– Clippers
– Your containers of choice

Instructions
1. First things first, make sure your container is washed and clean. Bacteria in the water can decrease the lifetime of your arrangements.
2. Cut and trim your flowers. Don’t just plop them into the container and be done with it – you want this to look delicate and pretty. Take the time to cut all the leaves that fall below the water line, as leaves in the water could potentially contaminate your flowers with bacteria. When you cut the stems, make sure you do so at a 45 degree angle, that way it maximizes the flower’s water intake.
3. Place your flowers in order size: large, medium, small. The flowers with the larger stems should go in first, followed by the medium sized ones, and the small ones should fill up the “blank spaces” in perfectly.
4. Tender, love and care. As soon as your finished, set your fresh, new flower arrangement in the appropriate placement, and remember to water them and give them enough sun! Try to change the water at least every other day, clean out your vase, and if you’re willing to go the extra mile, maybe purchase some plant food.
5. Last but not least, have fun with it! Again, this is not supposed to be a daunting task – it’s a fun, dainty activity to freshen up the ambiance of your household. It can be a fun project for kiddos too!

Earl Grey Blueberry Muffins

What’s an English tea party without muffins? These ones are inspired by none other than Lauren Conrad. I can’t think of a better combination than my favorite English tea and berries together – so scrumptious. Trust me guys, as soon as you try these, there’s no going back!

Ingredients
1 cup whole milk
3 Earl Grey tea bags
½ cup canola oil
½ cup honey
½ cup packed
light brown sugar
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
4 Tbsp (½ stick) salted butter, cut into cubes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
¼ cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line two muffin tins with paper liners. This can make about 15 to 18, so fill accordingly.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, then immediately remove the pan from the heat – do not allow the milk to boil. Add the Earl Grey tea bags and steep for about 15 minutes, then discard the tea bags.
3. In a large bowl, combine the canola oil, honey, ¼ cup of the brown sugar, the yogurt, vanilla, egg, and egg yolks and stir until evenly mixed and pale in color. Add the steeped milk and stir to combine. Add 3 cups of the flour, the baking powder, and the salt and stir until just combined. Gently fold the blueberries into the batter, taking care not to over mix or be aggressive in your technique (otherwise the batter will turn blue). Divide the batter evenly among the muffins cups, filling them three-quarters of the way full.
4. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ¼ cup brown sugar, ½ cup of flour, the butter, cinnamon, and nuts. Mix together with your hands until a crumbly mixture forms. Sprinkle the streusel topping over the batter, dividing it evenly.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes (note: every oven is different, so be sure to keep an eye on them so they don’t burn), or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy them while they’re still warm!

xx,