Party Like it’s 1776!

Some people think that Valentine’s Day is the most romantic day of the year, but I usually have more luck on the Fourth of July. I worked at camps during my summer seasons of high school and college and inevitably there was a summer romance. I’d like to say that we broke out in song like some ‘Grease’ suuuummmmmer niigggghhhhtttttssss (if you didn’t read that as if Jon Travolta was singing it, you did it wrong 😉) & even though that might not have been the exact scenario it was fun!

Summertime romance was beginning to blossom as my parents prepared to celebrate the Fourth. I really wanted the guy to spend some time with my family but didn’t want it to be awkward so we had some family friends over to help buffer the situation. After the fireworks, he & I took a walk in the warm July breeze & he officially asked me to be his girl *insert literal and figurative sparks flying*. The next summer rolled around & held the same patriotic celebration. The only difference being that the boy was different. I was on a pretty good streak here with my patriotic dates & you know how much I value a tradition… haha! Anywho, it just became a running joke with those friends that Independence Day (kinda ironic now that I think about it…. 😂) was right around the corner, so who was the stud to join us for the celebration?

The only lasting romance here is my love for the Fourth & I can’t believe it has taken me this long to write a patriotic post! Let’s put this party together!

I’m Just Here for the Food

A couple Christmases ago I was gifted a Southern Living party cookbook & this was the perfect holiday to flip through the pages in search for Americana recipes from the South. What made my mouth water first were the brownie ice cream sandwiches. Name something more summer-y I dare you! I had this great expectation of the perfect homemade ice cream sandwiches. Y’all! Ice cream sandwiches are hard, okay? So below you’ll see delicious brownie sundaes with festive sprinkles… lol. I like putting dessert first, but salty snacks are just as important. This avocado salsa caught my eye & stole my tastebuds. I love that the tomato brought a vibrant red to the plate. (And blue corn tortilla chips are a game changer!) Next up was the only recipe not from the cookbook: hot dog curly fries. Are there any ‘The Kitchen’ fans out there? I recently saw an episode devoted to the dog. The hot dog that is and Jeff made a fun finger food twist to the classic cookout staple. My favorite part – they are the easiest & I do mean easiest things to make. He also offered neat “dippers” but I’m a classic mustard & ketchup gal. You can’t have a Fourth of July celebration without watermelon & mine came into play with a refreshing cocktail: a watermelon mojito. *Chef’s kiss* because this drink is so very tasty with or without rum.

No Pests at my Party, Please

I’m turning into a pretty crunchy girl & by that I mean I’m a big fan of essential oils & ridding toxins by using natural products. I was so excited to find these natural (& beautiful) ways to keep the bugs off. Along with a DIY bug spray, I loved putting together these summertime luminaries with fresh citrus slices & rosemary sprigs plus a few drops of oils.

• 

• 

• 

Dyn-o-mite Confetti Party Favors

Inspired by The Confetti Bar’s cracker poppers, I decided to re-create them with a firework-worthy twist. Simple, cute, & crafty! I think ‘Pop Rocks’ would be a blast to add to these too!

No Dishes? No Problem!

I am missing my mother’s arsenal of entertainment dishes here in TN but I had so much fun thrifting serving vessels for this post! Everything but the largest luminary glass came from Goodwill. It was a cool treasure hunt & cost effective way to start curating my own collection of party ware. I flipped over the cutie basket tray!

Thanks for partying with me! I hope this inspires you in your own Independence Day planning & may the Fourth of July fairy firefly cupids be ever in your favor. 😉💥