Explore Summer with Evite

Disclosure-I'm part of the Evite Influencer Program and have been compensated for this post.  All opinions and photo's, except the invitation photo are my own. 

When Evite  asked me what I have planned this summer I knew just what I wanted to share.  My husband and I always take the week of 4th of July off and enjoy exploring around our city of Portland.  While a lot of people go out of town to enjoy fireworks on the 4th we stay home and watch the neighbors show down the street.  It's pretty impressive and goes almost all night.  

Evite has a lot of great summer invitations.  

This 4th of July invitation will tell your friends they're in for a fun evening celebrating the holiday.  

Set out the lawn chairs and make them all cozy with pillows.  You don't have to spend a lot of money on pillows.  I picked this one up at Target's Dollar Spot.  We love spending summers in our backyard.

Fire up the grill on the 4th of July and make it less stressful.  When your friends ask what can they bring, take them up on the offer.  Have your friends bring salads, drinks, chips, dips etc.

Want a cookie?  I love Loft House cookies.  They are so soft and it's hard to eat just one.  I could bake cookies myself and there's even a Loft House cookie recipe but summer is suppose to be about lazy party fun.  Plus who wants to bake on a hot summer day. So pick up those cookies at the store, enjoy more time with friends and keep that oven off.

Dress up the dessert table with holiday linens.  My secret when it comes to linens?  Fabric.  I love fabric but can't sew so when I see a fabric I love I buy enough to fit my table.

Get more summer party ideas here.  #BeThere #Evite

Shop this party:
Invitation:  Evite 
Flag Pillow: Target Dollar Spot 
Stars & Stripes Straws: Sugar Diva 
White Paper Star on Straws: Fancy and Fold
USA Necklaces: Fred Meyer
Cookies: Fred Meyer
Table Linen: Jo-Ann Fabric and Crafts 
Nutcracker- Cost Plus 
Candy- Rolo's, Stars and round chocolates by Sweetworks 



I am part of the Evite Influencer Program and have been compensated for this post.

Father's Day BBQ

Happy Father's Day! 

For Father's Day I went with a grill theme and since I'm always picking up party supplies on sale, thinking, "I know I'll use this for something", I already had everything you see on hand. 

Grilling makes me think of red checks pattern and these napkins were in my stash. I'm always picking up fun napkins on sale. They never go bad and you always need napkins. 

 BBQ's and Solo cups, they just go together. I added a POP of colour with yellow and white striped straws from Sweets & Treats Boutique. 

Homemade BBQ sauce to go.  Be sure to come back to the blog on Wednesday for the recipe. 

You just can't have a BBQ without ant's trying to sneak away with your treats. 

 Triple Berry cupcakes using the recipe from The Cupcake Diaries. I added more berries to the mix then what the recipe called for. mmm berries. The book suggests to top the cupcakes with the buttercream recipe. I tried to make the buttercream frosting but it never got light and fluffy. It also tasted too much like confectioners sugar to me so I used a canned frosting that I had on hand. To the canned frosting I added some strawberry extract. 

 The cupcakes were good. They're not a sweet cupcake. Very mild taste to the cake because the berries are the star of these cupcakes. If I make these again I think I'll try a cream cheese frosting. Or maybe add some coconut to the cake mix.