{Real Parties} July Fourth Gathering

Time has really flown by this year! I can't believe we will be celebrating another holiday this weekend. July 4th is less than a week away, but you still have time to organize a fun get together with friends. Here is stylish, yet simple way to spruce up your party space!

Laura of Live Smile Celebrate created a quaint setting and what I love most about the party is that she pulled items from around her home to be used for decor. I love repurposing items from home!

Laura purchased the Stars & Stripes collection by Shindig Parties for only $9!! This is a printable file, so you still have plenty of time. Target was her next go to source where she picked up lanterns and a few other decorative items.

The red table from IKEA was perfect for this party. The printables by Shindig really made the table pop!

The food table eld a lot of yummy items including pulled pork, corn on the cob, cucumber salad, mac n' cheese on mini spoons, pasta salad, parfaits, cupcakes and more!

I always try to send guests home with a favor, even if the event is small. At this party, Laura sent guests home with gumballs in a pint size dispenser. Adorable!

I can't wait to see the parties you al create this weekend and on Monday! Happy July Fourth!

Sources

Styling and photography - Laura of Live Smile Celebrate

Printables - Shindig Parties

Paper Daisies - Polka Dot Market

{Party Inspiration} A Chic Red, White & Blue Fete

I hope everyone had a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with family and friends!

Although this red, white and blue weekend has come to an end, another patriotic holiday is right around the corner. Here is some GORGEOUS party inspiration from Style Me Pretty complete with a Float & Milkshake bar!

I hope you were inspired by this beautiful setting. I think my favorite style element might be the wine bottle wrapped in blue and white twine! Visit Style Me Pretty to see more photos from this breathtaking photo shoot.

{Inspiration} My July Fourth Table Setting

This weekend, I decided to put together a table setting to hopefully provide you with some inspiration for your own July Fourth celebration! The classic patriotic color scheme played a part, but I tried to give it a slight twist by using navy and white nautical stripes as well as use a royal blue and white vase as the focal point.

I used red and cream kitchen towels which I found at Ikea to give the look a more vintage vibe. The napkins were placed in inexpensive patriotic pails from Target's dollar section.

I love the trend of brining the inside out, so I used one of our book cases as the dessert and beverage area.

IZZE sparkling soda (in red of course!) was set out along with semi-homemade apple pie cupcakes and fresh fruit to snack on.

I love the preppy striped cupcake liners that I found at Michael's and decided to top off the cupcakes with miniature sparklers. I will post the apple pie cupcake recipe soon!

And now for a more kid friendly version...

All I did was swap out the glass plates for paper plates and set them on top of white scrapbook paper place mats where I wrote each guests name on in blue marker. You could even go a step further and use plastic cutlery and glasses instead depending on the children's ages.

Happy July Fourth everyone! I would love to see pictures of your celebrations!

Sources:

Navy and white fabric - Ikea

White tablecloth - Distinctive Details

Patriotic pails - Target (dollar section)

Cupcake liners, sparkler toppers, striped ribbon, scrapbook paper & paper plates - Michael's

Kitchen towel napkins & white bud vases - Ikea

Galvanized 3 tier server - Pottery Barn

{Inspiration Board}: Mad for Madras

I love the look of madras if it is done right. The cotton fabric serves as perfect inspiration for an outdoor summer gathering. You could even use the plaid as your July Fourth backdrop if you find the right color combination. Layer it over a burlap tablecloth and you'll have the perfect outdoor setting.

The perfect picnic setup deserves the perfect outfit as well! I love this madras shirt from J. Crew and these metallic white cuff shorts by Alice + Olivia will dress up the outfit just a bit. These suede taupe sandals from Victoria Secret complete the outfit. I actually have them in black and wear them often!

images: melamine plate {boatman gellar}, red tulip arrangement { jl designs}, bonfire & table setting {style me pretty}, madras shirt {j crew}, white shorts {shopbop}, suede sandals {victoria's secret}

July Fourth is Upon Us

July Fourth will be here before we know it! Besides the fact that Houston is pretty unbearable during the summer, I love this holiday because we always get together with family and friends at our ranch and consume lots of yummy food that blows my diet. Here is an inspiration board I put together to get you in the spirit.

Whether you are hosting friends at your house for an afternoon bbq or a weekend of guests, set the mood by sending out invitations. I love the modern touch of the navy and white trellis pattern on these cards found on finestationery.com.

Another way to get guests excited upon their arrival is to decorate your front door area. The ladies of Door Couture have some really fun ideas and offer DIY instructions.

William Sonoma always offers the neatest tools each holiday. I love their apple pie molds! Baking an apple pie has never been so easy...or cute!

Caspari is a go-to brand for me when I am looking for chic paper plates and accessories. I also often visit potterybarn.com for party decor inspiration. I love how they filled mason jars (which you can find at the grocery store) with simple blooms and tied coordinating ribbon around the top.

Have you seen Martha Stewart's patriotic collection at Grandin Road?! I love the dessert tablescape she created and the tubs and striped banner, especially, will add flare to your party.

Let the planning begin!

{Memorial Day Weekend} Host a Pie Swap

Here is a last minute party idea for your Memorial Day celebration this weekend. Host a pie swap! Or if you already have a casual get together planned, ask each guest to bring a pie for everyone to sample. What is more American than pie?!

If you're not a baker, but want to impress your guests, William Sonoma now offers pies from Bubby's in New York! And let me tell you, they are delicious. I was a frequent customer of Bubby's when I lived in New York. Or you can order divine pies from Royer's in Roundtop, Texas or the Goode Co. which is right here in Houston.

Fellow Houston party planner, Angela from Fantasy Celebrations, put together a gorgeous patriotic tablescape last year that was showcased on HWTM. Visit Angela's Facebook album to see many pictures of the table along with lots of DIY inspiration!

Image Credits:

pies (william sonoma), patriotic tablescape (fantasy celebrations), outdoor seating (pottery barn), rasberry tart on white cake plate (pottery barn)