Patriotic BBQ Weekend

Made this my new banner. I found this sign @ Oriental Trading Company. Love that place! I love the meaning the sign has/good American Values!!! We had a great 4th weekend. How was every one's Holiday weekend? We hosted 2 family gatherings this year. Back to back BBQ's. Alot of fun. I didn't even have time to get many photos. I manage to get some to share. We had our annual BBQ in the porch...we made up the porch into a eating area. This year we had to have the buffet table in the kitchen area. We just put a new gas stove in the porch....and it limited the area. I could only fit the eating table in the space. That seem to work out alot better/as I made my buffet table alot bigger(added a table) and all the food was in one general area(the kitchen). My kitchen is right near the porch anyway. Check out the tables:
Loaded with food:

Porch and eating area: I bought new plates(from Target) but ended up with same color scheme(blue/and Green).
Tried to make the outdoors cozy too...and added some new plants:


I made some Fun Mini Pies for party favors to take home. I got the idea and Tool to make the pies from Williams-Sonoma. I also bought the Williams-Sonoma Jam(mix berry and apple and peach) to fill the pies. I found some cute cupcake boxes(in 4th July colors and patterns)to put the mini pies into. I was scared the pies wouldn't fit in the cupcake boxes but my measurements were correct...and they fit just right inside.


Here what the tool looks like and how I used it:

Can see how I had to cut out top crust and bottom crust. It's not the easiest tool but once you get it down it's not so bad. Mostly just rolling out alot of dough. To save time you could buy pre-made dough.

Thanks to Midwest Living Magazine I got a another great inspiration ideal.....to make pretzel sparklers. Very easy treat and makes a great display on the buffet table.



Just buy Pretzel rods and white chocolate chips and fun patriotic sprinkles assortment. Melt the chocolate and dip pretzels into the chocolate.....shake off as much of the dripping chocolate as you can...and than sprinkle and decorate ontop of wet chocolate. Let sit on wax paper in fridge to harden. Makes it alot easier if you have plates or bowls with wax paper underneath when you decorate the pretzels. That way you can use whatever drops and have less waisted sprinkles. Cuz the sprinkles will go everywhere otherwise. That why you need to shake as much of the chocolate from dripping(this will take time) as you don't want the chocolate dripping onto your sprinkles on the plate(so you can reuse the sprinkles)plus it keeps it from getting messy looking dripping chocolate pretzels. That's not pretty~LOL! Real easy party favor dessert and it will sure to be a hit. It was for mine. My hubby likes them cold from the fridge but you can have them sit out too. The chocolate just gets a little softer that's all but it shouldn't melt unless it's put somewhere hot.

I had alot of Patriotic eye candy around too...check it out

Jars filled with Patriotic tootsie rolls, mints, cherry candies, and hot tamales and Nibs. Set out the patriotic lollipops in a form of a pinwheel look on a glass plate. Bought some items from Oriental Trading Company(stacking stars), found a weird ugly patriotic cow...just had to have it...it was bizarre! ha~ Had my berry wreath and patriotic teddy bear in my front entry. To top it all off/a patriotic Cake from my Brother in law's bday.
some photos of everyone at the BBQ:



All my family attended except for Francine...she will be visiting a week later.
The end of the night I lit the candles....for a night time glow.

A very good Independence Day indeed! Thanks everyone that brought food, beverages and pitched in......the party was a fun time. Thanks all for making July 4th special weekend!