Make Home Yours - Americana Touches for July 4th!

Happy 4th of July!! We're spending a quiet day at home, without any home projects - just relaxing... and house sitting for neighbors who went away. Jeff is doing some grilling, and later tonight, we'll head over to a local park (ironically called Fourth of July Park!) to watch the fireworks. Hope you enjoy a fabulous July 4th - either with friends & family - during a staycation or relaxing during a weekend away! 

Happy 4th of July!

Land of the Free - Because of the Brave!

Although we're quietly celebrating America's birthday today, I did layer in a few simple Americana touches to our home for July 4th... Most of it was created with books (I've collected from travel + secondhand shops), flags mixed with faux & fresh cut greens, plus pulling out a few red & blue dishes - the blue & white chinoiserie accents were just shifted from another room -- and I made a simple vignette at the entrance mixing a thrifted chair I recently refinished (details posting shortly!), and tossed my favorite denim jacket on it, along with a simple flag pillow...

 

 

 

Summertime - Stars & Stripes! 

(Lamp + Black Shade + Panels from HomeGoods)

And if you know me: my must have for summer are fresh palms (picked up 2 for $14 at Lowe's in May!) They not only added a dash of green to the space for summer, but having them in the planters on the end tables gave  them height + they're easy to move to the deck to water...

 

Secondhand stars - a trio previously rust, I painted flat white - the third is on the front door en lieu of a wreath...

 

Sleepy Sephora and a summer afternoon nap... 

 

Fresh cut greens + shells I collected from a recent trip back to Florida (Vero Beach!) earlier in June... 

 

A (fuzzy) sneak peek at the latest fabric wall art I created (from secondhand bamboo frames + a table runner!) - and another sweet pic of Sephora. Love her - and she really loves it here!

 

My bicentennial glass cylinder, I thrifted back in Florida (2010) and I pull out every July 4th... 

 

Stripe melamine plates and solid cobalt dishware from HomeGoods nested inside of 1 of 2 woven trays I scored at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore (High Point)...

 

Great photo book of America, I picked up at a consignment shop...

 

Collected thrift books, topped with a frame from HomeGoods - The picture is from us on Newport Beach, CA last May for our anniversary (why keep all those memories on your phone?? Print a few faves and frame them!)

 The third star really pops on the front door - and relates to the pops of white flowers I've planted...

Happy 4th of July!

Stay safe & thanks for stopping by!

How was your July 4th?

Although we're not exactly where we'd like to be to have spent the fourth - or any holiday - I made the best of where we're at. In the morning, I swept and watered down the front of our home and Jeff hosed down the backyard before I added a few extra flags to our plant containers to display some Americana spirit outside. Inside, I pulled together our red, white and blue plates, napkins and drinking cups to go with our food filled fourth. We kicked off with breakfast of pancakes with strawberries and whip-cream on blue plates. Lunch was snacking on some fried chicken and chips while we watched The Nathans Hot Dog Eating Contest, opening ceremony for The Yankees playing the Twins, and the John Adams series on HBO (let me rephrase that: I watched while Jeff was napping! lol). Later in the afternoon, grill master Jeff grilled us some juicy burgers and franks, which we had  along with the potato salad I made the night before... When darkness came, we headed over to a local park we had gone to last year to watch a fireworks display, and came home to cool down with some chilled watermelon slices. It was definitely a food filled day (and weekend!) to say the least - I think we're both still full today!

 

Pulled together all our red, white and blue...

 

Had a patriotic breakfast of red, white on blue...

 

 

Snacked on foods throughout the day, we don't usually eat at least not all in one day!! lol

 

I pulled together a simple Patriotic Centerpiece in the kitchen - easy to switch back for summer (just removed flags and switched cobalt glass for turquoise!) The Federal style - Bicentennial cylinder I thrifted a few years back has become a tradition to have out now each July 4th!

 

For the centerpiece:

The flags - I had.

The cylinder was thrifted in FL (I think in 2010)

The starfish and shells are also Florida travel treasures.

The blue glasses are from Goodwill AZ (2012) along with the recently thrifted basket-tray (2014)

The sandy burlap runner I picked up at HomeGoods - and makes a great neutral summer back-drop for the centerpiece...

 

 

Our flags were flyin' (and napping!) inside and out!

And although our fireworks display in Chandler wasn't as nearly as powerful of a patriotic display as seen in Brooklyn from the Macy's Fireworks in NYC - we did get out for a bit and actually felt a foreign substance while we watched - Drops of Jupiter called RAIN! (It hasn't rained here in AZ in over 115 days! It didn't last long (like the fireworks) but it was nice to feel again... however brief.

 Time to get back to simple summer smoothies now!

How was your July 4th weekend? Did you go on a mini vacay? Or host a staycation at your home? Hope you had a Happy 4th!

Thanks for stopping by!

WELCOME JULY WITH 10 PATRIOTIC PAINT PROJECTS!

Welcome July! This month, why not paint something red, white, or blue? Or all three? Who knows - you may even inspire a little neighborly display of patriotism - and it's paint, so you can possibly change it up again after a while! Paint is one of the easiest and least expense ways to change the look of a room, furniture, home decor, a tablescape or even make a ordinary everyday object a little more spectacular. Here are ten red + white + blue paint projects to get you inspired... and inspired for this upcoming July 4th...

 

Go Americana in the dining room, the kids bedrooms, or mudroom with Ralph Lauren Paint in red, white, or blue...

 

Paint a Patriotic Flag from a Pallet...

(originally created by Michelle from Sweet Something Designs - however, page no longer available)

 

If you have a shed, detached garage or a barn - go all out Americana with a Patriotic Paint Door...

Gather some branches and Paint a Patriotic Twig Flag...

 

Paint Patriotic Pillows

Great paint project for burlap, sailcloth, cotton duck, or even a drop cloth!

 

Great idea if you have wood stairs inside or concrete steps as your stoop, try a painted runner...

 

We're renting so I can't paint our stoop, but boy would I love to paint a runner!! What a dramatic difference it could make for summer curb appeal!

 

Refresh your Adirondack chairs with a Patriotic Pattern...

 

Paint a bench with a Patriotic Flag...

 

Have extra mason jars from canning? Paint yourself a Patriotic Centerpiece...

 

And this one is probably my FAVE:

Paint a Patriotic Picnic Blanket - great for the lawn or table!

Have fun! Happy painting! and Welcome July!

Thanks for stopping by!

 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!



Hope you enJOY a wonderful FUN filled day - surrounded with your friends and family. I love the way my friend James tweeted it - "Happy 4th of July everyone! Lite a sparkler, eat homemade ice cream and give thanks for the freedoms which still makes America the greatest!"



HAPPY 4th OF JULY!!

PROUDLY display your flags TODAY!!

Have a GREAT day!!

PATRIOTIC PLACE SETTINGS: JULY 4th IDEAS

Although I didn't recreate any new July 4th tablescapes for this year (yet) here's a few ideas I'm re-sharing from the tablescapes I did last year. From frozen blueberry chillers, to tea towel or bandanna napkins, to mixing household items like paisley or stripe fabrics with starfish - salute summer this July 4th with some of these tabletop tips!

Add blue or red food coloring to your fave glass containers.

This was a $4 score found through thrifting and it's etched with an eagle...

These colors don't run - so show them off in a vignette

created with book stacks in red, white and blue.

Layer your backdrop (wall) with a grouping of classic B&W framed beach photography - frame your own travel photos or find some to mix in from HomeGoods.

Gather together all your fabrics and patterns you think

you could use to tablescape with.

Create simple stars & stripes door decor from a

patriotic scarf and graduated starfish on twine...

Relate your coastal home decor to your tablescape for cohesive style...

Freeze blueberries and use them as chillers in your beverages...

Create a more traditional centerpieces using various size flags...

It can also be relocated from the dining room to the living room...

Dollar Store bandannas make for fun & patriotic napkins...

Layer in some stripes with your star dishware....

Since these colors don't run, layer your runners for a banding effect

and add bold stripes to your tabletop. Slip cover chairs with white pillow cases, and add pattern draping a patriotic patterned tea towel...

Dollar Store patriotic paper lanterns, turned upside down,

can cleverly add a little height to your tablescape...

Colorsplash your place settings with a

colored plate to coordinate with your accent wall color...

Those blueberry chillers are another way to give

clear glasses a splash of color...

Oversized scallop shells can be a stylish alternative

to a salad plate.

The above ideas, although shown inside, can still be applied outdoors...

But in case of rain - you're ready! =)

What are some ways you patriotically

style & decorate your tablescapes for the 4th of July?

Happy 4th Of July & Independence day!

LINKING POST TO:

A Stroll Thru Life - Tabletop Tuesday

Between Naps On The Porch - Tablescape Thursday