I’m a [...]]]> One of my favorite features in the latest The Party Dress Magazine was the burger bash photo shoot I did…..preppy seersucker, bold stars and a hint of patriotic pizzazz.  A burger bash is the perfect time to gather friends and family this Fourth of July.  Good food, and good friends….that’s what the holidays are about, right?

I’m a sucker for seersucker, so our party was designed around a blue and white color palette, with pops of red!  Floral pomander balls made from craft-store carnations served as centerpieces. The festive party space was dressed up with pennant banners, polkadot and striped paper fans, centerpiece sticks, lanterns, and coordinating food tent cards, candy jar tags and cupcake toppers.

I love creating buffet tables with bite-size food – so for this bbq, we made an assortment of burgers – sliders with brie and carmelized onions, cheeseburger kabobs, and burger bites served on waffle fries.  Cups of fries and fresh pickles complimented the main course, and everyone saved room for dessert!

A patriotic dessert table was full of candy, cupcakes with fondant stars by Two Sugar Babies, hand-iced cookies by Allyson Jane, cupcakes, and s’mores kits for the kids.

To create a fresh take on a traditional Americana picnic, we mixed in a traditional red, navy and white [...]]]> The latest issue of TPD Magazine has tons of creative ideas for hosting a stylish Fourth of July party.  Today, we are showing off the details of a patriotic picnic with pure Americana style from Anders Ruff.  Enjoy!

To create a fresh take on a traditional Americana picnic, we mixed in a traditional red, navy and white with some accents of aqua and kraft.  Some of the graphics have a “distressed” feeling, making it feel like a classic American Fair.  Pinwheels and firecrackers give off the vibe of summer and celebration, and we mixed inmodern patterns to give it a fresh feel. This collection was designed to be versatile for any summer BBQ or 4th of July celebration.

The dessert table had navy with white modern dot backdrop, paired with a classic white tablecloth and a kraft paper overlay to make it less “formal” and give off the vibe of a true american fair celebration. Galvanized metal played a role throughout the entire party, but in small doses.  Metal lanterns hung from the ceiling, and a printable pennants banner from our collection hung on the front of the table.  A stunning cake by Got What It Cakes served as the centerpiece with a bright pinwheel decor. “All American” caramel apples sat on top of the cupcake tiers with a printed party flag, pinwheel cookie pops by by Oh! So Yummy, white chocolate covered strawberries gave a fresh “summertime” feeling, and kraft paper bags were filled with candy as a party favor.  S’Mores kits and festive sparklers and matches that were embellished to coordinate were on hand for some patriotic fun.

Images by Becca Bond Photography

Image via Melissa [...]]]> One of my readers sent me the link to this party…..a playgroup 4th of July party where the hostess used my free 4th of July printables to make the cupcake toppers.  They look fabulous, don’t you think?!  Have you downloaded yours yet?

Image via Melissa Vaughan Photography

These playful stripes were created by layering colorful rubberbands around a votive candle holder.  Simple, right?  So next time you are strolling thru Office Depot, take a peek at the colored rubber bands [...]]]> L-O-V-E this idea from Better Homes and Gardens!  Perfect for the 4th of July, but also a great tip for dressing up any table:

These playful stripes were created by layering colorful rubberbands around a votive candle holder.  Simple, right?  So next time you are strolling thru Office Depot, take a peek at the colored rubber bands and get inspired!

In my quest for finding a new, never-been-seen-before-at-the-family-bbq dessert, I came across these three recipes – and now I’m stumped!  What’s a girl to do?  They all look delicious and pretty (which always helps in my book!).  So, help me decide!  Which do you think looks the most appetizing?!

Looking for some last minute decoration ideas for your fourth of July bbq?  I fell in love with all three of these ideas……

First, turn your 3-tier serving piece into a 3-tier centerpiece!  Perfect for either your dinner table or a buffet table!  I love how they stacked the three different color flowers, it creates a sophisticated [...]]]>

Looking for some last minute decoration ideas for your fourth of July bbq?  I fell in love with all three of these ideas……

First, turn your 3-tier serving piece into a 3-tier centerpiece!  Perfect for either your dinner table or a buffet table!  I love how they stacked the three different color flowers, it creates a sophisticated “patriotic” look!

Second, fill cylinder vases with red, white and blue gumballs and insert a collection of American flags.  This is a great idea for the kids table and would also be darling on a dessert table!

And lastly, the floral pomander balls…..this is one look that I just can’t get enough of lately!  Insert white and red carnations (a great use for these inexpensive flowers!) into a styrofoam ball, and then place on top of a vase, large candlestick or even on a cake plate!  They look darling clustered together, too.

Images: 3-tier arrangement (myhomeideas.com), candy centerpiece (sorry – I can’t find the source!), carnation pomander balls (countryliving.com)