Throw Your Own: Anne of Green Gables Brunch

The Lady of Shalott drifts in a pond of raspberry cordial

On January 26, I invited my lady friends over for an Anne Shirley-themed brunch. It had one major flaw from the get-go, which I hope you can learn from: say hello first when you greet your guests at the gate, before you promptly tell them, "Oh, I'm sorry, I sent for a boy." It might make them think they aren't actually invited, or they got the date wrong. They will not beg to stay at Green Gables even though they're girls. It's too soon, way too soon.  Just let the ladies in, and leave the theme for the inside of your apartment, okay?

Decor: 

Braided orange crepe paper, tied at the ends with green crepe paper: instant Anne pigtails for every doorway!

Uncle Buck, dressed as Matthew Cuthbert in the wintertime

Queen Anne's Lace, admittedly fake. Keep an eye out for a glut of bona fide c-h-r-y-s-a-n-t-h-e-m-u-m-s; chrysanthemums.

Food and Drink:

In addition to the raspberry cordial -- which would have been Lindeman's Framboise instead of the ginger ale-vodka-club soda-raspberry syrup combo I mixed up, except I'm not made of money -- I served fruit, three kinds of quiche, roasted potatoes, and carrots.  ("Carrots?!?!")

Instead of drowning in sauce for a pudding meant for Miss Stacy, my brunch's little mouse hid in between two kinds of muffins. 

I regret to inform you that the Lady of Shalott did eventually drown, and Gilbert Blythe did not come by to save her.

Dress Code: 

I greeted each lady with a nametag. If her name didn't already end with an e -- like Anne with an e, of course! -- well, it did for the duration of the brunch. I couldn't stop referring to Caitlin, who became Caitline, as if she were a hard-hitting news program like Dateline. 

Amy!

My invitations encouraged the gals to come in their "finest winter whites, gable greens, and carrot oranges." 

Annie, left,  came in her best "smock-like outfit." Jill was a perfect prairie woman. Sarah eventually started a fight (see "Other Amusements").

Martina's fascinator, what a riot?

Emmy!

Lauren and Jorie

We kept the incomparable 1985 Megan Follows masterpiece on in the background.

Other Amusements:

 I made a slate out of construction paper and foam core (tutorial to follow someday) to break over the heads of any Gilbert Blythes or ornery young ladies.

I was the first to try it out; thanks to Annie for the action shot.

Then Sarah and Caitlin had their own schoolhouse altercation:

Oh, girl, no you DIDN'T call me carrots!

Marilla may not have approved of everything we did -- I'm sure she'd have regarded the whole thing with that very expression -- but we partied on like a band of true bosom friends.  Next stop: Prince Edward Island!