July Monthly Mood Board – American Made

Hello July!  Summer is in full swing and last month was spent fully enjoying every last bit of it.  We will be kicking this month off with Fourth of July celebrations in just two days.  You may want to spuce up your outdoor space and get ready for a backyard BBQ.  You may even be grabbing your favorite beach towel and heading off to the beach to catch some fireworks this weekend.  However you choose to celebrate make sure to do it with friends and family.

In honor of the fourth, this month we are celebrating everything American made.  We will be sharing great places to find furniture that is Made in America, speaking with a furniture maker, sharing some great American made design finds, and showing you great places where you can search for handmade goods made right here in the U.S.A.

With that being said throw on some red, white, and blue and get patriotic.  This month we celebrate things made right here in our own backyard!

Summering in the US Capital: Visiting Washington, D.C.

Guest Post by Chelsey Gike, Wedding planner at Ready to Rock Weddings and Events

One of my favorite spots to visit in the summer for the amazing sites and so many fun things to do is D.C. My husband and I absolutely loved wandering the streets, discovering historical landmarks, tasting some amazing food and visiting the best museums in the country. Sure, it’s not a typical ‘summer destination,’ since it doesn’t have a boardwalk or a beach to lounge on, but I promise, it’s worth the trip.

Your first stops should include all of the common tourist spots; The White House, The Lincoln Memorial, and The Capitol, to name a few. They will probably be pretty packed, but they are staples in a proper visit to this capital city. Then it’s important to prioritize which museums you want to see; if you are going to be in the city for a while, you can spread the visits out. If you are doing a long-weekend style trip, you won’t be able to visit each spot, so you’ll have to pick the ones that are most important to you.

When we visited the city, we did the ‘typical tourist’ thing and got passes for a hop-on, hop-off bus and it was the best decision and use of money ever. The guides are always so helpful, it’s impossible to get lost, and it’s a perfect way to see the city! If you are looking for great food, Washington has that too; some wonderful restaurants, lovely cafes, and they even host a wonderful market on Sundays, if you are looking for a picnic.

If you are heading to D.C. and want to enjoy some time in the great outdoors, aside from walking from sight to sight, there are some other great locations in the area that are easily accessible. The National Arboretum, Gravelly Point, and Dumbarton Oaks are just a few of the park spaces and lovely spots to enjoy a break amongst the trees. Another great element of visiting Washington is the cost-factor. It’s a great spot for travelling on a budget! All of the museums are free, and so much of the sight-seeing can be done on foot, that you barely have to spend a dime to have a great time.

Tips for a Fabulous Backyard BBQ

It is that time of year for getting together with friends and having a great backyard BBQ.  The season calls for it on its own, but there are a few more reason coming up that will make you want to host your own BBQ.  Father’s Day is upon us and we all know Dads love to grill up some meat and enjoy time with friends and family.  Hop ahead a few weeks and we will all be celebrating the Fourth of July.  Both of these occasions are the perfect time to host an outdoor party and celebrate with friends and family.  Today we are sharing a few of our tips to make sure your BBQ is one of the best and you still have time to enjoy it yourself.

First you will want to get your outdoor space ready and prepped for guests.  Maintain the lawn, set up seating areas, spruce it up.  If you are looking for great tips to get your space ready for a party then check out our tips to Make Your Space Summer Ready.  Once you follow those tips your space will be ready for a party at a moment’s notice, meaning you won’t have as much prep to do for your BBQ.

Decide who you want to celebrate with and invite your guests.  Plan for a few more in case they bring a friend as well, a BBQ is always fun with more people.  Decide on a menu, will you be providing all the food or do you want your guests to help out with side dishes and dessert and do your BBQ potluck style.  Be sure to let guest know when you invite them so everyone knows what is expected.

image via The Gunny Sack

Be prepared and prep as much as you can prior to the event.  Chop vegetables ahead of time, marinate meats, and get your space set up and ready.   Keep things simple.  Set up a drink station so guests can serve themselves (tips for this here).  Set up a table for the food and plates close to the grill so guests can serve themselves will all the sides and then load up at the grill before heading off to eat.

image via Hostess with the Mostess Blog

Looking for some fun ways to serve at your BBQ?  Have a gourmet burger bar like the one we found here on the Card Store Blog.  Set out paper bags filled with chips and containers with vegetable and dips like they did on the Hostess with the Mostess Blog.  This will make it easy for guests to grab food and go mingle.  Set out plates and silverware so guest can easily grab and go as well.  We love these Al Fresco Dinnerware Picnic Packets from The Gunny Sack.  Of course you don’t want to forget dessert.  Make this easy as well and serve desserts in mason jars (another great grab and go option).  We love this S’mores Dessert Trifle in a Jar from Mom Endeavors, but you can find lots of options by searching on Pinterest if you want something else.

image via Mom Endeavors

Lastly, you will want games.  Set out some lawn games like corn hole, horseshoes, or even crochet.  You can even set out water balloons and water guns for the kids (or adults) to have a water war.  Always a fun option if the day gets a bit warm.  Now start planning and throw you best backyard BBQ yet!

4th of July Firecracker Ice Cream Recipe

This Independence Day you should treat yourself to something delicious, patriotic, and easy to make.  That is why we are sharing this simple recipe to make a great tasting vanilla ice cream with red, white, and blue sprinkles and a surprise pop courtesy of Pop Rocks!

4^thof July Firecracker Ice Cream

Makes just over a Quart of Ice Cream (10 ½-cup servings)

 

INGREDIENTS:

1               cup whole Milk

¾             cup granulated Sugar

Pinch of Salt

2              cups Heavy Cream

1              Tablespoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Red, White, and Blue Star Sprinkles

5              packages Red Pop Rocks (ours were strawberry flavored)

 

DIRECTIONS:

1. Make the Base: Use a medium sized bowl (choose one that is easy to pour from) and a whisk to combine the whole milk, sugar, and salt until all the sugar is dissolved.  Next, stir in the heavy cream and the pure vanilla extract.  You will now want to refrigerate this for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Make the Ice Cream: Once the base has been chilled you will want to process the base according to the instructions for your ice cream maker.  I have a Cuisinart ICE-21.  Turn on the ice cream maker and pour the base into the freezer bowl.  I let it churn for 20 minutes till it became thickened.  Next add 4 packages of the Pop Rocks, saving the last package to sprinkle on top the ice cream when serving.  Let that mix in a couple minutes and then add your red, white, and blue sprinkles (you can add a little or a lot, it is up to you).  Once the sprinkles have mixed in the ice cream will have a soft serve consistency to it.  If you would like a firmer ice cream put it in a container and freeze for another couple of hours.     Note: If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can pour the base into a quart sized Ziploc bag and seal tightly getting as much air out as possible.  Next, place the smaller bag into a gallon sized Ziploc bag and fill with ice.  Then sprinkle 4 tablespoons of salt over the ice and seal the bag, again getting as much of the air out as possible.  Now the fun part; wrap a towel around the bag or use gloves and shake the bag for the next 5-8 minutes until it thickens and sets into ice cream.  Once it has set take the smaller bag out and pour the Pop Rocks and sprinkles in then place back into the larger bag.  Make sure to surround it with the ice then squeeze and knead the bag to mix in the additives.  Once it is all mixed and shaken again you are done.  To get a firmer ice cream once it has set up place the quart sized bag in the freezer to further set the ice cream.

3. Sprinkle with remaining Pop Rocks just before serving for an added explosion of fun!   Enjoy!