My "Summer's Not Over Yet!" Party
Last weekend I threw my party in the backyard - one last blast of summer with my neighborhood friends! It was PERFECT!
My husband put up "fairy lights" and it created a truly magical feel - not sure my photography captured it well
I started creating my menu after the Evite went out - I decided on a variety of appetizers and margarita's .
Every night I
and I put the
menu in a pretty gold frame! So elegant!
Sometimes the easiest thing is the thing that puts it over the top!
I attached the "margarita" sign to a Hall pitcher that I filled with sunflowers. Did you know you can't drink out of Hall pitchers that were made in the 1950's? Lead poisoning! 
I tried to make as much ahead of time as I could get away with. So I made specialty ice weeks ahead of time. What is specialty ice? Ice with lemon and limes frozen in the middle!
It will work with the margarita's and with water or even a glass of white wine!
It also played nicely into my summertime venue and my color scheme of yellow, green and white. Did the citrus decide the color scheme or did I? I can't remember, but it worked great because my serving platters are all white, and yellow and green are so summery.
Finding yellow and green polka dotted paper napkins sealed the deal! How do you make the ice? Find a silicone muffin pan, that's the trick. This way it's pliable for popping out the ice.
Warning! These pans are completely unstable!
My first batch landed all over my kitchen floor! At least it was only water, imagine muffin batter?!
Put a regular cookie sheet under the pan to keep it stable. Then I popped them out and stored the ice in a freezer bag until party time!
What's next? Shortbread cookie cups for my sweet appetizer - lemon curd filled cookie cups top with a blueberry. Super simple! I just used lemon curd from a jar and made the cookie cups ahead of time. Basic shortbread recipe but I baked 
in a mini muffin pan and used a small spoon to make the wells for the lemon curd. Bite sized delights! Pre-made cups stored in the freezer. I don't think I have a solo picture of these - but I have leftover cups so I am going to serve them again at our upcoming block party!
This is my other "sweet app" waiting to go out side- doughnut hole and fruit skewers. Again, super simple but boy were they a hit! Oh, look, that's my stomach medicine in the background - ginger root and seltzer water.
Ginger is really
good for calming a stomach. You see, it hadn't rained here in MONTHS, honestly, months! What was it doing all Saturday morning and early afternoon? Pouring!
It wouldn't have been the end of the world to have the party inside - but it was so much prettier outside! So, I admit - my stomach was in knots until it finally stopped around 2 pm - just in time to set up.
I even found the cutest way to lead people to the backyard - a vintage bar sign!
My husband attached it to a post and staked it in the ground in front of the garden path
How cute is that?
I didn't have a chance to take a picture of the path, but I had purchased battery operated lights to help lead the way down to the backyard
That's the jigger to measure individual shaker margarita's if it came down to it. Turns out, I made the two pitchers kind of strong - so it was just enough!
And the extra wine and beer that everyone brought helped that too -no driving from a neighborhood party, so why not?!
The day before the party, I roasted the tomatoes for the a crostini recipe, horseradish sauce for the roast beef bruschetta, the olivanda for the olive crostini's and caramelized the onions for my onion and goat cheese tartlets.
I mixed up and froze my pitchers of margarita's in two separate freezer bags to refill the pitcher in one easy step
When I tasted a small spoonful before shutting the freezer door, I thought they tasted strong because it was noon on Friday. Nope, just strong!
If that's the only thing I can complain about, believe me - I am not!
One last touch on the outdoor setting - my table arrangements! Mason jars filled with cut lemons (limes are more expensive than lemons right now. I used 6 fresh limes per pitcher of margarita's - worth the price because the fresh juice made a good tasting drink) The baby's breath flowers are from 2 bunches that were only $4.99 a piece - and look, it's all in the color scheme!
I found lobster roll or hot dog paper boats to use instead of paper plates - so easy to balance in one hand!
The garden gate leading up the path - I had made silk ribbon flowers for a hat I wore to a garden wedding a few years ago - perfect place for it!
It was a great evening, I am really happy. I believe all my friends had a really good time too.
Just in case it did rain, I wasn't going to cancel or send my friends home, so I had the living room in full summer as well.
The red door (which will stay red for a while!) and the seashell wreath and navy bow
The quilt on the wall
The pillows on the sofas and chairs
to this little sassy bird! 
This pillow didn't get done in time - next summer!
It can stay summer in the house a little longer -sunflowers last a long time I think.
but...I am going to put away my summer party shoes!
Good night!
Pam
