10 Affordable Table Settings For Summer Party

Impress your party guests with these colorful and creative summer table settings and centerpieces. Take a look at our helpful birthday party ideas to organize a Summer Party on a budget.

1. Green Table Setting with Roses

Don't be afraid to use crystal goblets outside. They add elegance to the table and look right at home next to antique flatware and long, tapered candlesticks.

Miki Duisterhof

2. Bandanna Table Setting

A humble picnic table can be set with as much care as your fine dining table. Dress up a wooden picnic table with an embroidered cotton or lace runner, and use a few strategically placed bowls and plates, like these bandanna-print ones, to anchor the cloth.

Anastassio Mentis

3. Practical Table Decor

Multiple tables can be covered with simple, inexpensive burlap to create one long table for a large dinner party. Railroad lanterns provide illumination as night falls. Sunflowers in almost any type of container are informal — and affordable — floral centerpieces.

Aimee Herring

4. White Table Setting with Flowers and Pears

Improvise a "cloth" tablecloth by criss-crossing strips of burlap from a garden-supply store, then layering lengths of crinkly white gauze over them. The effect is reminiscent of antique linen culled from Grandma's attic.

Natasha Milne

5. Bright and Fun

Place a table on the porch or lawn and brighten the seating with cushions in vibrant prints. Capture spring breezes with banners cut from coordinating fabrics and embellished with aviary motifs. The feather tree centerpiece is adorned with cookies that guests will be given to take home.

Laura Moss

6. Outdoor Oasis

A giant umbrella shields party guests from the blazing afternoon sun, and hanging lanterns will illuminate the table come nightfall. Mix citronella candles with other colorful tea lights to keep away pests, and offer diners light cotton shawls to ward off a chill in the evening.

Miki Duisterhof

7. Pretty Buffet

Enliven a side table with wildflowers in vases and bold colored-glass votives. Offer slices of lime and fresh herbs to add to drinks.

Miki Duisterhof

8. Elegant Garden Table

In the center of the table, single philodendron leaves partner with clusters of delicate 'Limelight' hydrangea in simple glass containers. Sprigs of fresh mint in the glasses nod to the garden theme, while vibrant pink napkins add a pop of color to the white place settings.

Tria Giovan

9.Refreshments

By serving fruity sodas and fresh-squeezed lemonade, party guests can choose which beverage will best quench their thirst. Keep bottles cool in a colorful, striped galvanized tub filled with ice.

10. Colorful Tableware

Feel free to mix and match dishes if you don't have enough of one set — keep everything in your color scheme, and it'll look intentional. Enamelware dishes are sturdier than paper and eliminate trash. Tin lanterns cast a charming glow once dusk settles in.

Debra McClinton

Original Source - countryliving

10 Easy and Attractive Themes for Fall Birthdays - 2014

Fall birthdays are so much fun to create, because there is inspiration all around. Celebrate the harvest with an Apple of My Eye theme or Plethora O’ Pumpkins theme with activities like bobbing for apples and pumpkin decorating. A Gnome Woodland theme is a great way to take advantage of all those falling leaves and of course we can’t forget a Fall Football theme. The possibilities are endless starting with these 10 Themes for Fall Birthdays Party…

1. Magic Party

Fill the day with magic tricks and sweets

2. Little Pumpkin

Surprise your little pumpkin with a party just for him/her

3. Gnome Party

This is one of the cutest parties I've ever seen. The picnic table covered in gnome hats is too cute

4. Spooky Surprise  

If a little someone you know has a birthday around Halloween, give them a haunted spooky theme

5. Cornish Fairy Party

Inspired by the old tales of fairies, this party comes complete with fairy ring and twinkling punch

6. Apple of Our Eye

Throw your child a festive birthday full of fresh fall apples

7. Whale of a Tale

Create an entire party around cute and happy whales

8. Pumpkin Patch Party

Start the day with hayrides and picking out your favorite pumpkin

9. Fall Harvest

Fill the table with sweets made from a delicious fall harvest and decorate with fall leaves

10. County Fair

This birthday can come complete with games and caramel apples on a stick, maybe a fried Twinkie in there?

Source -babble

10 Healthy Non-Candy Halloween Snack Treat Idea - 2014

It’s amazing how I can get my kids to eat things they wouldn't otherwise touch with just a few clever ways of preparing and putting it together. Here are some really creative and healthy Halloween snacks to get you inspired!

1. Mummy Toast

With a few clever placements of sliced cheese and olives, turn a plain piece of toast or pizza into a creepy little mummy snack! 

2. Spider Web Pizza

3. Cheesy Witch Brooms

Use kitchen scissors to slice the bottom half of a cheese slice, wrap it around a pretzel stick, and then use a fresh chive as a string to hold it in place. So easy!

4. Mini Spider Sandwiches

The carrot legs would pair well with a ham and cheese, and maybe the pretzels with their favorite flavor of jelly and peanut butter.

5. Salty Bones

These salty bones can be made with refrigerated bread stick dough. Just slit them a bit on each end, and then fold the flaps to look like the end of a bone, bake, and then serve them with a bowl of warm soup!

6. Celery Mummies

Garden vegetable cream cheese and deli meat make up these cute celery mummies! It’s easiest to pipe the cream cheese on for a cleaner look, and then cut your deli meat into small strips and place them in a criss-cross pattern. Use raisins or dried cranberries for the eyes.

7. Ghost Cheese

These octopus ghosts are pretty easy to pull off considering the string cheese is made to be easily strung and taken apart. Just add them to a snack plate with crackers and fruit, and the kids are sure to fall in love!

8. Hot Dog Fingers

Those little knuckle slices are just enough to make these hot dog fingers repulsive enough for Halloween! Garnish them with ketchup to resemble blood, and an onion slice for the yucky nail.

9. Apple Smiles

Use peanut butter as your glue to hold the mini marshmallows in place. You can make quite a few of these from just one apple.

10. Puking Monster Melon

Use the watermelon and other fruit to fill and let spill out of it’s mouth for display.

Source - listotic