With Fourth of July around the bend, I wanted to share a fun dose of red, white, and blue inspiration from the archives of Fashionable Hostess to inspire you for your upcoming celebrations. Here it goes…

I love mini appetizers, like these salsa cups topped with my summer-time ingredient, diced mango! Top with tortilla chips and pass for the perfect bite-sized snack! Full recipe here.

Loving the passed idea? Martini glasses are such a chic and exciting way to serve guests! Even cheddar popcorn looks elegant, am I right?! And by the way, The Hampton Popcorn is the best {not just because the can is super patriotic!}!!

You guys know my love for an over-flowing cheese board {see more here}. Well for the 4th I kept to all red, white, and blue ingredients and even threw some strawberries, raspberries and blueberries on top for added color. See the tablescape to match in this post.

Not looking for too much work, but of course want delicious flavor? Kick off your party with an over-sized goat cheese crostini topped with cherry tomatoes and hot peppers! Check out the incredibly simple recipe here.

Need a festive dessert? Fill ice cream cups with strawberries or blueberries, top with whipped cream, and finish off with festive sprinkles {these star sprinkles on Amazon are too cute!}.

Ok so the fruit sounded great, but cake and cupcakes sound way better! I got creative and transformed a boxed cake recipe into a gorgeous creation by adding white tea roses and fruits! Check out this post for steps on how I put it all together.

Ok so what about a festive cocktail?! These strawberry rosé margaritas will have guests dancing the day away! Recipe here.

Then last but not least is your tablescape and decor! Who says you need flowers at your table to create a jaw dropping festive centerpiece?! Use a two-tiered platter {mine is from Pottery Barn!} to display red white and blue fruits! More galvanized serving pieces can be found in this post!

Wishing everyone a fab long weekend and a wonderfully patriotic Fourth of July!!

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Photos by Yesi of Simply Lively

While most people think of cheese for appetizers, today I wanted to share a rich and sweet brie that is perfect alongside your desserts. {And with 4th of July right around the corner, the pop of red goes perfectly well matched back to your red, white, and blue!!} To make my Brie Dessert, I needed brie, jelly, honey, berries, and sliced almonds to go on top. How to Make this Delicious Cheese Dessert: Take your oversized Brie {option to bake it at 350 for 10-12 minutes or serve cold! It’s really your personal preference!} and top with jelly of your liking….

Hopefully you saw on my instagram that a few weeks ago we headed for a family weekend getaway at the JW Marriott Marco Island. I shared beautiful shots of the stunning pools, perfect beach, and my insta stories were filled with my kids having a blast splashing in the pool or going down the hotel slides, but today I wanted to share a bit more about the resort and our experience because it was top notch and a place I would HIGHLY recommend for those of you seeking a family-friendly destination. Let me start by saying that the JW Marriot Marco Island is the perfect…

It’s National Sunglasses Day and there’s no better to celebrate than to host a pool party with my go-to shades for the summer in tow! I am loving my KEANAE Olive Tortoise Glasses by Maui Jim. They are perfect for everyday wear, working out {they are so light weight!}, and the tortoise goes with absolutely everything. They also come polarized to block out UVA and UVB rays {and come in prescription}! For today’s celebration, I invited some friends over for a little fun in the sun on my patio. Ice cold champagne, festive stemless champagne flutes, all served on a fab blue tray! For…

Anyone headed somewhere beachy for the Fourth?! Whether you are headed on vacation, to a friend’s backyard, or entertaining in your own pool, there are SO MANY fun accessories on the market that can transform a party into a partayyyy!! Great for decorating or as a little hostess gift, these ideas are shockingly well priced and obviously, so bright and fun! My favorites include the SunnyLife Tropical Cookie Cutters, this limited edition Vineyard Vines and SunnyLife Flamingo Float, this Olli Ella Pom-Pom Basket {a collapsible woven seagrass basket perfect for storing towels or other bathroom essentials}, and these “Cheers” champagne govinos {Shatterproof,…