Party Down

Last week I was poking around at some deck chairs, easing into spring, and now I've gone zero to 60 and feel like having a party out there. It's probably just the warmer weather luring my brain away from all of the other things I want/need to do around the house instead (the trim is almost painted! so close!), but here I am thinking about corn on the cob anyway. So, as one does, I hit Pinterest and found some cute tips for those of you do ARE planning to entertain, maybe for Memorial Day weekend.

chalkboard menu  //  s'mores  //  flowers  //  food labels  //  lights  //  beer bucket

>> Post a menu. This one and the next go hand-in-hand, so let's hop down there...

>> Label the food. If you're having a larger get-together with several kinds of grub, it's good to let people know what's what, especially if anybody has allergies. Posting a menu by the entrance can give folks a heads up (since everybody always asks), and then labeling individual items can help if a couple of things are similar.

>> Use a drink bucket. I just like how these look. Coolers are fine and will work just as well, but you have to admit they're not the most attractive things in the world. A galvanized tub is on my list o' things to get for the deck.

>> Have a "make-your-own" area. This is a good way to give guests some variety without putting a ton of work on your shoulders. The picture above is for s'mores, but this idea would also work well for sliders, sundaes, or nachos.

>> Flowers are your friend. Since you're outside anyway, flowers make sense for the decor. I never worry about putting a ton out, but having a couple of pretty things on the table is a nice touch. The vintage-can-as-a-vase is cute and way less fragile than bringing an actual glass object outside.

>> Don't forget some lights. Our neighborhood has a ton of mature trees, so it gets pretty dark in our backyard at night. If your pals are sticking around after the sun goes down, invest in some globe lights or a lantern. Ain't nobody got time for tripping on the way to the food.

Are you ready for an outdoor shindig? Who wants s'mores? I'm ready to go find a vintage can like that and stick some flowers in it. Maybe there will be some good estate sales this week...

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