fourth of July inspirations

The Fourth of July always reminds me of my childhood Summers in Kansas, my dad's home state.

Our family drove back every year, and we were always there for Fourth of July festivities!

I smile every time I think about it . . . tons of family, gallons and gallons of home-made ice cream, sunflowers, big family reunions, lightning bugs, endless CORN & wheat fields, fireworks, and hot temperatures.

 

My dad's family has some of the most beautiful people I have ever known.

I was so blessed to take my husband and four children back last year to share the special place where I spent my childhood Summers.

And you know what? . . . they were even more beautiful and loving than I remember as a child and teenager.

We won't be travelling to Kansas this Summer, but I thought it would be fun to dedicate this Fourth of July post . . . and all its beauty  . . . to them.

I hope you enjoy! 

For me, the Fourth of July is . . .

home-made decorations

cupcake garland & sparklers

***

red, white & blue

flags

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Sunflowers & daisies

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corn-on-the-cob

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paper straws & mason jars

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old-fashioned candy

gumballs, sixlets, rock candy and BIG lollipops

***

very berry shortcakes!

Red, white and blue are traditional Fourth of July colors, so they're  always a part of my decorations.

I thought I would add green as a compliment this year.

I think it's quite pretty . . . the soft colors remind me of a Summer picnic.

~ hand-made cupcake garland ~

I made these sparkler fireworks using paper straws and fringed silver glitter paper! 

They were so easy and fun to make! 

           . . . and my kids love them too!

 

Sunflowers and daisies fill large white pitchers.  

                                                           They always feel like Summer to me.              

And the details . . . 

          small ice buckets at each table

July is usually HOT, so have plenty of ice for your guests!

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lots of mason jars 

filled with burlap napkins, a paper straw, and silverware

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a Happy 4th of July sign!

I've become a HUGE fan of gumballs!

             Kids love them, and they're fun to decorate with too!

Old-fashioned candies can make a charming addition to any party.

Red, white and blue gumballs and sixlets, ROCK CANDY, and BIG old-fashioned lollipops make an appearance here . . . 

. . .  and they can even make a good old-fashioned chocolate cake more festive!

Caramel popcorn corn-on-the-cob (with red, white & blue sprinkles) might be the cutest thing at this table though!

I thought I would display the caramel dessert with REAL corn-on-the-cob for extra charm.

Home-made ice cream is the  #1 all-American fourth of July dessert, but I think Berry Shortcakes are a close runner up!

So I propose setting up a bountiful Very Berry Sour Cream Shortcake bar/station.  

I smile big thinking of family & friends piling Sour Cream Shortcakes high with fresh whipped cream and berries. Yum!

~ recipe here ~

 I hope you enjoyed stopping by . . . and feel inspired to make your Fourth of July celebration extra special this year!

Happy Fourth of July!

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very berry sour cream shortcakes

Instead of fussing over desserts this Fourth of July, host a . . . 

                                 Very Berry Shortcake bar! . . .

              allowing your guests to assemble their very own shortcakes!

All you need are . . . 

Sour Cream Scones

 ~ assorted berries ~

strawberries, blackberries, raspberries and blueberries

and

fresh whipped cream

 

I make shortcakes using my recipe for Sour Cream Scones.

They're similar to biscuits, but slightly sweet, tender, and moist!

Sour Cream "Shortcakes" are so delicious and easy to make!

The crispy top (courtesy of the baked raw sugar, yum!) . . . make these Very Berry Shortcakes extra special.

A sweet (but not too sweet) Summer dessert . . .

perfect for the Fourth of July!

More Fourth of July inspirations here.

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pink peonies

Peonies are perhaps one of the most beautiful flowers I have ever seen.

I bought several bunches, and displayed them in bud vases at my mom's High Tea birthday party.

They were beautiful. Simply, beautiful.

Bud vases holding these stunning peonies were placed down the center of the table.

They were admired by our guests, as well as other parties enjoying tea and lunch.

I smiled warmly when guests asked if they could take one home.

"Yes, of course!"

I completely understood, because . . . 

Peonies cast magical spells with their beauty.

If you've admired peonies up close and personal, then you understand too.

And then sometimes there just aren't enough words to describe their delicate nature.

 . . . . . . .

Ahhhhh . . . simply, beautiful.

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flower ice cubes with lemon & mint

You've heard me say it before . . .

              It's all in the details.

Yes,  even a simple glass of water can be dressed up! 

When I saw this sweet flower ice cube tray (IKEA for 99 cents!), I had a great idea . . .

     Why not place a small mint leaf and a piece of lemon in each flower, and then freeze them!?

Drop one or two flower ice cubes into a glass of water, and you have a pretty and refreshing drink!

Bouquets of fresh mint have very small mint leaves at the top of each stem.

These small leaves are perfect for placing in ice cubes!

Tips . . .

Place 1 very small mint leaf in the inside of one of the flower petals in each impression, so that after they're frozen, the mint leaves look like the leaf of a flower. They're so pretty.

               Then add a small piece of lemon into each impression. 

Finally, slowly add water. Place the ice cube tray in freezer, until frozen.

After frozen, remove them from the tray and place them in a ziplock bag for easy storage.

 

I enjoy lemon in my water . . . and mint is quite refreshing too!

                  Treat yourself . . . or save them for guests.  

As they melt, each ice flower adds a hint of lemon and mint.

They're pretty and refreshing . . . a lovely detail.

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a summer-inspired birthday dinner

This beautiful card inspired a quiet summer birthday dinner for my mother-in-law, Jeri.

When I saw it for the first time, I smiled . . . and thought of her. 

I love its bright, cheery colors . . . and feminine, fun design.

I am blessed to have such a wonderful mother-in-law.

She has always shown such unconditional love, caring, and giving to her family . . . a beautiful example to us all.

So it was my privilege to help make her special day, extra special.

~ fun mini bunting ~

and white garden roses

With the birthday card I found as my inspiration, I began planning the details of her evening dinner. 

I found this tablecloth in my collection, and thought it was perfect. Isn't it pretty? 

~ buttercream yellow, pastel green, periwinkle ~

and shades of pink 

Since we've been enjoying gorgeous weather here, I set up our dining outside . . . and I'm so glad that I did, because it was a beautiful evening!

In true Summer fashion, I kept our table setting simple . . . 

                  bud vases brimming with white garden roses . . . 

         and place settings of white chargers  and crisp, white plates. 

Playful green bunting stood tall in the center bud vase. 

Sweet wishes on our chalkboard!

And for dinner . . . 

I wanted to serve a simple (yet special) Summer menu . . .

fresh kiwis and strawberries

~

candied walnut & cranberry spinach salad

with Cranberry, Walnut & Gorgonzola dressing

~

fancy poppyseed chicken

with toasted almonds and sauteed Shitake mushrooms

Our kids and I made Jeri ~ aka Grandma ~  a 10-layer lemon cake.

We lovingly named it . . . the Lemon Penthouse Cake!

((Our kids named it after "Fix It Felix's Penthouse" in the movie "Wreck It Ralph."))

((As for me, I named it The Leaning Tower, as Swiss Meringue Buttercream doesn't 

hold up well in heat!))

The Lemon Penthouse Cake was Barefoot Contessa's Classic Yellow Cake recipe  with the zest of 1 lemon . . . . and then layered with fresh Lemon Curd and Miette's Lemon Swiss Meringue Buttercream. I garnished the TOP and sides of the cake with fresh raspberries . . . they were a wonderful compliment! And pretty too!!

It was a pleasant dinner that ended well after the sun set that evening.

There's something magical about good company, good food, an evening breeze, and a sunset. 

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