We had a lovely Fourth of July with friends. Yummy food plus relaxing in the backyard is just what the doctor ordered. I hope yours was great too. The shot above is my favorite of the day. My son snatched the cowboy hat off my head and started to play peekaboo with it. I think he looks great in hats but wears them so rarely.
OK, let’s back up a little now. A few weeks ago I had posted an inspiration board for July 4 which I used as my starting off point for our celebration. The inspiration board helped me zero in on the fact that I wanted our barbecue to have a country feel. The minute I knew that I was able to easily select the fabrics and ribbons below in the discount fabric district in downtown Los Angeles. The color scheme is distinctly red, white and blue, without being obviously so, which was perfect for me.
After that, it was just a question of deciding on a menu, something delicious with a fresh-from-the-farm vibe. An heirloom tomato salad, french country potato salad, and bowls full of fresh berries for a decorate your own cupcake stand, definitely hit the mark. I had planned to make watermelon and basil margaritas for the grown ups; I had seen the recipe on the Martha Stewart website and it sounded simply divine. But in my quest for a healthy balance of fun and theme I decided it was one item on the menu that required too much attention given the casual occasion with friends and kids. Below is a collage of the end result.
I hand made the bunting banner using the fabrics and used the remnants as a kiddie table tablecloth and a buffet table runner. One of my favorite details of the day was the star-shaped ice cubes for the kids’ watered down raspberry juice. My last minute flash of inspiration was to use my son’s wagon as a drink cooler. I really liked the vintage red truck from the inspiration board and thought that the wagon was a practical stand in that provided a similar feel. Everyone at the party asked where I got my three-tiered stand, so in case you are wondering, you can buy it here. I hope you enjoy the final result, I enjoyed putting it together.
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