A few ideas to help you to start organizing for the upcoming 4th July Celebrations ..Yummy recipes, downloads, crafts that will make your day extra special !!
| 908023_orig.jpg |
If you are a regular reader of Maisonvogue's blog you will know by now that I am British and living in Alabama , USA now for 20 years ....I like to enjoy the celebrations of 4th July , Independence Day in the US but of course always remind myself that I am celebrating getting rid of the British !! ..ha! ha!
So I thought I would share some ideas for you to make to add to your celebrations
I have included the lovely Vintage image above for you to download and use as you wish ..they would look great spray glued on card and then used as a decoration on the plates of your place settings ..or make several and attach them to string at the top or pretty ribbon and make flag buntings out of them to decorate your home, front porch etc.
So I thought I would share some ideas for you to make to add to your celebrations
I have included the lovely Vintage image above for you to download and use as you wish ..they would look great spray glued on card and then used as a decoration on the plates of your place settings ..or make several and attach them to string at the top or pretty ribbon and make flag buntings out of them to decorate your home, front porch etc.
| 68c93fd1b7ff9c642f1113aed7feaed7.jpg |
 Have the children help you cut out watermelon stars and add blueberries for a lovely healthy food and table display  Such fun and the children will love it , would be great for the evening get together for the fireworks ..go to your local Dollar store and buy these glow sticks, necklaces, spoons etc and decorate your table to glow in the dark ..super fun  
|  Layer mason jars with rice that you have colored with food coloring and place a tea light or an American flag in them ..not both as it could be a fire hazard ...Place them on the tables or up the driveways ..very simple and easy ..you can buy mason jars from the thrift stores very cheaply  An old wood palette painted with the American flag or a great idea for a small log or branch ..make holes for candles and paint the log in the American flag ..what a wonderful center piece  | ||
I thought this heart download could be used for lots of things including decorating the front of a mason jar and wrap a piece of twine or raffia around it ..then it could be used for drinks, candles, holding items of food or even utensils and silverware
Recipe for this American Flag Cake
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup Butter softened
9 Eggs (whites only )
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon red gel food color
1/4 teaspoon blue gel food color
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
( Philadelphia soft cheese)
1/2 cup Butter softened
2 pounds (8 cups) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. (180c) Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.
Place sugar and 3/4 cup butter in another bowl; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add 1 egg white at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with 1 1/2 cups milk, beating at low speed after each addition just until mixed.
Divide batter in half; tint one half red. Divide remaining batter in half; tint one half blue and leave other white.
Pour each batter into individual prepared pans. Bake white and blue layers 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake red layer 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Loosen edge of cakes by running knife around inside edge. Carefully remove cakes from pans to cooling rack; cool completely.
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating at low speed after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and enough milk for desired spreading consistency; beat until well mixed.
Cut domed top off red cake horizontally to create flat top. Cut remaining red cake and white cake in half horizontally, creating 5 layers total.
Cut 5-inch circle from parchment paper. Cut domed top of red cake and 1 white cake layer into 5 inch circles, using parchment paper guide. Set outer rings aside. Repeat process with blue layer; set inner circle aside.
Place 1 (9-inch) red layer, cut-side up, onto cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) white cake layer on top, cut-side down. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) red layer on top, cut-side up. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
Place blue cake ring on top. Spread 1/4 cup frosting around inner edge of blue cake layer. Place 5-inch white cake, cut-side up, in middle of blue ring. Spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Place 5-inch red cake, cut-side down, in middle of blue ring.
Trim top red layer to create flat cake top. Spread thin layer of frosting over entire cake; refrigerate until set. Frost cake with remaining frosting.
Ingredients
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plain flour)
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups sugar
3/4 cup Butter softened
9 Eggs (whites only )
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon red gel food color
1/4 teaspoon blue gel food color
Cream Cheese Frosting
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
( Philadelphia soft cheese)
1/2 cup Butter softened
2 pounds (8 cups) powdered sugar (icing sugar)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
Directions
Heat oven to 350°F. (180c) Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans; set aside.
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in bowl. Set aside.
Place sugar and 3/4 cup butter in another bowl; beat at medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, until creamy. Add 1 egg white at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture alternately with 1 1/2 cups milk, beating at low speed after each addition just until mixed.
Divide batter in half; tint one half red. Divide remaining batter in half; tint one half blue and leave other white.
Pour each batter into individual prepared pans. Bake white and blue layers 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Bake red layer 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on cooling rack. Loosen edge of cakes by running knife around inside edge. Carefully remove cakes from pans to cooling rack; cool completely.
Combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup butter in bowl; beat at medium speed until fluffy. Slowly add powdered sugar, beating at low speed after each addition until smooth. Add vanilla and enough milk for desired spreading consistency; beat until well mixed.
Cut domed top off red cake horizontally to create flat top. Cut remaining red cake and white cake in half horizontally, creating 5 layers total.
Cut 5-inch circle from parchment paper. Cut domed top of red cake and 1 white cake layer into 5 inch circles, using parchment paper guide. Set outer rings aside. Repeat process with blue layer; set inner circle aside.
Place 1 (9-inch) red layer, cut-side up, onto cake plate. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) white cake layer on top, cut-side down. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Place 1 (9-inch) red layer on top, cut-side up. Spread with 1/2 cup frosting.
Place blue cake ring on top. Spread 1/4 cup frosting around inner edge of blue cake layer. Place 5-inch white cake, cut-side up, in middle of blue ring. Spread with 1/3 cup frosting. Place 5-inch red cake, cut-side down, in middle of blue ring.
Trim top red layer to create flat cake top. Spread thin layer of frosting over entire cake; refrigerate until set. Frost cake with remaining frosting.
Get the Children to help make their own T shirts ...some paint and cheap white Tshirts from the craft shop or Walmart would be great for this fun family project
A yummy layered trifle is always a lovely idea ...in the flag's colors ..spoon out and enjoy..so refreshing
I like to cut my strawberries in half , put cream or better still cream cheese on the top and decorate with blueberries ...makes a great change from dipped strawberries ..and very , very , yummy in your tummy !!
Finally , but not least have the children or just have fun yourself and put dollops of red, white and blue craft paint in a mason jar or jam jar and swirl it around the walls of the jar , not too much as you want it slightly transparent ...once dry pop in a small candle ..with a flag if you like but PLEASE make sure that the flags are on tall sticks and securely fastened ..as you don't want burning flags ...that would be a disaster !!
Hope that this gave you a few ideas to make your festivities more enjoyable ..have fun and be careful
