Well, after all the planning and anticipation, our neighborhood 4th of July party went on without a hitch!

Mr. Wonderful and I had a lot of fun, which is a good thing, because happy hosts make for happy guests. Hostess Rule #1: Nothing’s worth getting all stressed out about! Trust me, I’ve been there! Guests pick up on your stress and no one relaxes.

Hostess Rule #2: Have plenty of seating! I brought this bench home from the shop…love the color! And we even spread a painters drop cloth with a table cloth on the lawn, which lots of people enjoyed!

My model was gracious enough to demonstrate improper picnic blanket etiquette, hogging the whole blanket!
But without him, I don’t know how I could have managed. There’s lots to be done!

Hostess Rule #3: Make lots of bouquets, on the cheap! For a total of $8.99 spent on red carnations from Costco, I made four bouquets, using flowers and greenery from the garden. If you have a shady spot on your patio or garden, plant hydrangeas! For the last few years, I’ve been planting hydrangeas and little by little, there are more blooms each year. Great for bouquets!

Finally, Hostess Rule #4: Keep it as simple as possible, especially for informal get togethers! I put a sign out, welcoming people and asking them to “come on in!”. (Sign compliments of Mr. Wonderful!) Once in the door and greeted, I direct friends to our self service bar. and when folks say “What can I bring?” I tell them how wonderful they are…which I really mean…and then suggest an appetizer or salad. I find people usually want to contribute to a group effort. We couldn’t have done it without them!

Dear friend, Jini, was the first to arrive. I wish I had taken more pictures of the food and guests, but I got busy and forgot all about it. You know how that goes. Thanks so much for visiting!

Until, next time, best wishes!