my boyfriend suggests going to a toy shop like Toys R Us and getting the Erector Set toys. Some of the parts are metal and some are plastic but you could always spray paint the finished product with silver then dab rust around the joints for a realistic look. Then you just hot glue a papermache tea pot or a real tea pot on top of it. The bf has also found a few sets online on the expensive side that are fully functional.....can actually walk but it's not really nessesary if you're just looking for a cool centerpiece. I thought I'd include some pics of Dormouse and March Hare from the game to show you more of how the Mad Hatter is....He's a Twisted scientist/Doctor that's supposed to be the representation of Alice's Doctor in the Insane Asylum she's kept in. The March Hare and Dormouse are some of his experiments....





Some videos from the game:
<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/29PtdaVhTi0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/29PtdaVhTi0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>

<object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lG_-3T1Tljw&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lG_-3T1Tljw&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object>

I just found the soundtrack online and now am enjoying it emmensly....I love the creepyness

__________________

It's Halloween, ghosts around, lock your doors, don't be alone

Thanks Samhain thats a great idea!

__________________
Linus: You've heard about fury and a woman scorned?
Charlie Brown: Yes, I guess I have.
Linus: Well that is nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of tricks or treats!

When I made a teacup with mouse legs, head and tail for the Harry Potter Halloween 'Transfiguration Class', I took a plastic mouse and cut it up and attched the pieces with super glue...worked great.

__________________

Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus

I want a mad tea party so bad. You need this I got mine in disney world
Google Image Result for http://www.treasurekingdom.com/mm5/graphics/00000001/Tea323.jpg look around onlie you'll be able to find it. I have 2 lose leafe teas the green jsmaine and the mad tea party blend which is amazing. they also have a really cool set that has 12 diffrent teas.
Google Image Result for http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3622/3422182447_469f771b9f.jpg

__________________
Can you stake my heart?

Hey GDfreak! Thanks for the post those look great. Mango tea must be fabulous Im definately going to look into getting some of those

__________________
Linus: You've heard about fury and a woman scorned?
Charlie Brown: Yes, I guess I have.
Linus: Well that is nothing compared to the fury of a woman who has been cheated out of tricks or treats!

We're doing Wonderland this year as well (been dying to for YEARS), and I plan to have a few different "areas" mimicing scenes from the book.

The entrance will be "through the looking glass" with a giant mirror frame & hanging shredded silver fabric, so you have to pass through to enter wonderland.

Bloody/red painted roses & the queen's cards

the creepy jumbo flowers with faces who sing

Clocks & timepieces

Keys and doors of all sizes - easy to make with paper even!

Teaparty - I'm picking up teacups + saucers at the goodwill and spray painting them silver + black, my test worked out last week - though I'm not planning on eating out of them, just gluing stacks together and possibly hanging them from the ceiling.

Cheshire cat "pieces" everywhere - just creepy eyes poking out, or a tail here and there

Queen's croquet - hedgehogs + flamingos

I haven't finished "Through the Looking Glass" yet, but I think chess comes into play, so a giant chess board and figures would be awesome.

Psychadellic smoking area - for the caterpillar


Food Ideas:
Mini sandwiches (she keeps changing sizes - so you could do jumbo or tiny anything for this. Also planning to do mini spinach dip in thumbprint bread bowls)
Stolen Tarts (linzer-style heart cookies)
Stuffed Mushrooms or Mushroom Caps (for the magic mushroom she eats)
"drink me" signs in cute fonts on all the booze
"eat me" piped onto cupcakes & petite fors

__________________
http://www.heathereve.blogspot.com/

Heather, sounds like you've got some good ideas going there! I'll be excited to see yours and Spooki's party pictures!

__________________


My Etsy Shop

Hi ~ Ani from Oregon ~ I too am doing a Malice In Wonderland theme in celebration of upcoming AIW film by Tim Burton (Johnny Depp to be the Mad Hatter) ~ Im doing mostly macabre ... Id like to do three sections in my house (need advise on best how to ....which I'll post another question elsewhere)
1) a tunnel at entrance representing "down the hole"
2) opens on the Mad Hatter tea party
3) and a checkered path that leads to a spiral going no where in the scary forest (aka livingroom)

The tunnel is whats stumping me . Anyhoo in answer to your Scary tea party question ... Im doing mine like a Tea Party that was left centurys ago ...inspiration Disneys Haunted Mansion ballroom table

I got a 1 1/2 foot rubber rat with scary teeth that Im putting a lil hat and bow tie on as the dorm mouse...and a dead guest..(skeleton with Mad tea party dressing on) and lots and lots of spiderwebs.

How to put dust on???? (of course before the food) is the question?

and one more lil secret ~ I have porcelin cream tiles in my diningroom and kitchen...not very macabre ~ so Im taping down plastic black n white checkered tablecloths ...like a checkered floor...and up one wall (inspiration ~ Tom Pettys video ...Dont come around here no more)
Hope that inspires ya ~ since were doing the same theme ~ please feel free to converse ~ I just love this ~ fun fun fun!

Sorry YouTube wouldnt allow the embedding of video .... go to this link to see

www .youtube.com/watch?v=b5H0wUo37RY (bring the www and .you together in URL)

or go to YouTube and type in .... Don't Come Around Here No More

Discovery Home has a show called "Party Girl"... Cathy Riva, the host of the show, threw a Mad Hatter Party that was pretty neat-o. She used wheat grass as a table runner... and had over-sized cupcakes.

There are a few clips from the show here:
Party Obsessed: Cathy Riva- Mad Hatter Tea Party