The Woods at Whippoorhill: Miss Manners Valentine Party 2017

I've been posting a lot lately, trying to catch up on everything I've been up to. All those things are exactly what keep me from having the time to post as often as I'd like. Oh, well! Bear with me and we'll get caught up...eventually!

But I did want to finish off all things "Valentine's Day" related, and today does just that. I've shared the Valentine's Day tablescape I created for my family, as well as the recipes for the amazing $4 filet mignon, creamy potatoes au gratin, and the super easy cannoli dip we had for dessert.

Yesterday I shared the tablescapes for the Valentine's Day Banquet that our church youth group hosted for the Senior Servants group.

Today I want to show you the details of our last Miss Manners party. Usually these are hosted by me or Nancy, but our sweet friend, Beth Forrester, has hosted twice! A few years ago, she threw a fun pool party for the girls. This year, she offered to host a Valentine's party. Nancy and I gladly accepted!

Let me give you a little background before we go too far. First, Beth has two girls in our Miss Manners group. Second, she and her husband, Jim, are the coordinators for our Senior Servants group at church. They are always looking for a good program for the group's monthly fellowship at church, so we decided to let the Miss Manners girls do something for them. More about that later.

Jim and Beth own Forrester Realty and Construction in Wetumpka, and their office is in a beautiful building in the historic downtown area. Beth chose to have the party there.

She covered the two large drafting tables to serve as buffets. I love the repurposed piece of old wood that is now a tray. See it above left? She also pulled out her grandmother's lazy susan and used it for the cupcakes. Love it!

Another view of the tables. See that gorgeous exposed brick? I thought they had whitewashed it. Actually, when they bought the building, it had been owned by a lawyer who had broken up the space into offices and plastered the walls. When the plaster was removed, the bricks had a hazy white color to them. I love it!

Everyone loves cupcakes!

Here's a closer look at the piece of old wood that's now a tray. What's Valentine's day without a little chocolate? That peppermint bark was divine!

Red hots and jelly beans added color and spice!

The girls loved the heart-shaped PB&J sandwiches, and I loved the cheese straws!

Iced shortbread cookies literally melted in your mouth.

She rounded out the meal with pretty fruit skewers.

Festive flowers in pink, red, and white!

Each girl brought valentines to hand out. These are the ones I made.

Conversation hearts were a fun addition to the coffee table.

We decided to let the girls have a fashion show at the March Senior Servants dinner and model hats that they made themselves.

Nancy, Beth and I cleaned out our craft closets and brought all kinds of goodies for them to use.

Ribbon, flowers, feathers, lace, butterflies...

even stickers!

The girls brought one of their own hats from home...

it could be a bonnet, baseball cap, cowgirl hat, whatever...

And they used our goodies to decorate and transform it to match their personalities.

Aren't they cute?!

My daughter, Jewell, and Beth's daughter, Claire, are mentors. They have aged out of Miss Manners, but they still come and help us and the younger girls. They helped the girls with the hot glue guns!

Nancy, Beth's Mother, and Beth, enjoy a little time to fellowship. Aren't those chairs cool? They were used in the movie "Big Fish" which was filmed in Wetumpka a long time ago.

Beth had hung bags for the girls to use to hold their valentines. We let them go two or three at a time and drop them in their friends' bags.