If you’re not done yet with your menu list, try the grilled lime corn recipe. This healthy grilling recipe It’s a perfect grilled recipe for your Independence Day celebration. You can have it done on the side of your main grilled meat recipe. You will never fail to impress your guest with this tasty grilled lime corn.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Lime Recipe

Corn on the Grill Ingredients:

8 ears fresh corn, husks removed

Vegetable cooking spray

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

1 small garlic clove, pressed

1 tablespoon lime zest

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro

Garnish: lime zest

Grilled Corn Directions:

1. Preheat grill to 350° to 400° (medium-high) heat. Coat corn lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle with desired amount of salt and pepper. Grill corn, covered with grill lid, 15 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally.
2. Meanwhile, stir together butter and next 5 ingredients. Remove corn from grill, and cut into thirds. Serve corn with butter mixture. Garnish, if desired.

You should be able to serve at least 8 persons with this tasty grilled lime corn recipe. And this can be done in around 30 minutes only. This is not only easy but a quick grilled recipe that you can make. The lime doesn’t only provide a great flavor but an appetizing aroma as well. You definitely have to try this one of a kind grilled corn recipe.

For more summer food recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Free Labor Day Patriotic Kids Crafts & Activities

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Here are just a few fun and free activities that your young party goers can do:

Patriotic Printables or Coloring Pages:

It looks like this Labor Day is going to be a hot one! So maybe set up a blanket or picnic table under a nice shade tree and turn it into a coloring station. Fill colorful bins with crayons and markers and print out some free coloring pages online. There are numerous sites that offer free or low cost coloring printables that follow the Labor Day theme. For example, Enchanted Learning.com has free printables that allow children to color in images of what kind of job they would like to do when they grow-up ̶ what a perfect theme for Labor Day!

We love these Etsy shops coloring pages for your kids:

Patriotic Printables

These printables are cute for 4th of July or Labor Day activities

Patriotic Kids Crafts: Make a Patriotic Flag:

What better way to celebrate this iconic American Holiday than by waving around the red, white and blue stars and stripes of our flag?

Children can easily make their own flags with construction paper, straws, and tape. Simply have them color a flag on a sturdy piece of construction paper and then tape or staple the straw to the side of their homemade flag. They will be sure to have fun waving their own creation while singing our anthem.

Another, easier option is to download printable flags such as the ones on examiner.com and have the children simply cut them out and glue or tape them to a wooden dowel or straw.

This patriotic banner kit is perfect for little hands to make from Etsy shop Sweet Pea Sprout.

Patriotic Sparklers:

A Labor Day bash is not complete without sparklers! Provide sparklers for all your party goers’ ̶ young and old alike! Just be sure to have Mom or Dad light the sparklers and assign a parent to watch over the kids while using them – the sparklers may be small, but they can get hot!

Have a fun and safe Labor Day weekend!

For more patriotic kids crafts on Stagetecture, click here.

Fourth of July Outdoor Decoration: Fun Lawn Decoration Ideas

Image via: BHG

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Add Festivity to the Outdoor Table

The outdoor table where you enjoy breakfast or lunch on a holiday, or just relax with your family at a lazy evening should be decorated. At first, paint the chairs in red or blue color, or a combination of both. Then, decorate the table with napkins, runner, and other accessories. Make a runner of trimly pressed bandanas. Use the colors blue, white, and red to keep the look fresh and the table in theme.

Shiny Mini-Tables

Instead of setting up a big table, you can set up a number of small tables in your lawn or backyard. Give them a festive twist by placing battery-operated camping lantern or garden stake lights under the tablecloths (use full-length tablecloths in this case). Use colorful cloth or taffeta as tablecloths for extra shine. When the lights will be lit at night, the mini tables will look like a bunch of colorful hot-air balloons about to take off the ground.

Image via: Savvy Sugar

Cheer with Pinwheels

Pinwheels may sound childish but the Fourth of July is about fun too, right? Make pinwheels with red, white, and blue papers that will reflect the theme of the Independence Day and mimic the fireworks you will see later on. Put them on tall vessels and line them along with your sideways. You can also garnish your outdoor table with pinwheels. Fill four to five slim vases with cheery paper pinwheels and place them on the table, giving it a festive look.

Décor with Colorful Potted Plants

Mark the edges of your lawn with colorful potted plants. A tower of potted plants marking a tread-on-me path can distinguish your lawn from that of your neighbors. Gather three potted plants of different sizes and stack them on one another with saucers in between. Make two or four such showpieces and put them in pair at the opening of the lawn path. Finally, pop in a pair of flags on the pot that is on the top. The pots can be painted in red, white, and blue. You can also fill painted pots with red, white, and blue blooms, and line them up along your driveway, on your front stoop, or deck.

Image via: Pinterest

Cheery Chinese Lanterns

Another inexpensive but fun lawn décor idea is to run paper lanterns up the branches of plants and trees. Use bright-colored orbs or belt white orbs with red-, white-, and blue-striped ribbons. Their colorful glow will enhance your outdoor and add to the curb appeal of the home.

Image via: May Arts

Hope these Fourth of July lawn decoration ideas will help you enjoying the holiday with a full festive mood. This 4th of July instead of just getting patriotic decorations from your local convenience store, try these fun decor ideas for your outdoor home!

For more DIY ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Essential Dos and Don’ts for Summer Weddings

Do – Wedding Tips to Consider

Wedding Reception Menu: Serve Light Food

Heat and heavy food don’t mix. Stick to the farm-to-table trend and go for a seasonal menu that includes local fresh produce and grilled entrees. Choose grilled fruit skewers and Gazpacho shooters for appetizers and tarts and fruit pies for dessert. You can also add festive touches like frozen cocktails and popsicles. Look to our food recipes category to search for recipes.

Summer Weddings: Provide Heat Relief

You and your better half may love the sun, but don’t assume all your guests do. Make sure you provide heat relief in one way or another. If your wedding is outdoors, offer some shade or portable air-conditioning systems. You can also have ushers pass out cold hand towels across the rows before the ceremony starts. Scattering decorative tubs or baskets filled with water bottles near the ceremony site is also a great idea.

Wedding Planning: Send Save-the-Dates

Most people vacation in summer especially families with school-going kids. You should therefore send save-the-dates early enough to ensure people mark their calendars early.

Don’t – Wedding Tips to Avoid

Summer Bride Tips: Overlook Sun Protection

Sunburn can give a whole new meaning to “the blushing bride.” Prior to getting dressed, apply sunscreen to areas of your body that will be exposed and tell your bridal party to do the same.

Summer brides should wear foundation and moisturizers with SPF. However, they should try them out beforehand to ensure they don’t cause allergies.

Forget to Keep your Wedding Guests Comfortable:

Arrange for citronella candles to ensure your guests aren’t disturbed by bugs as they eat or interact. Summer brings with it a lot of bugs that can get in the way of your celebrations. Talk to the person in charge of the venue in advance to ensure bugs won’t be a problem.

Summer wedding planning is fun and interesting. Keep these tips in mind and make your wedding stand out from all other summer weddings.

Memorial Day Picnic:  Salmon Crab Cakes Recipe

Image via: Fine Cooking-Tom Douglas

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Total Time: 30 min.
Serves: 46

Ingredients

½ cup of Miracle Whip or Mayo with Olive oil
1 ½ cup of Club Crackers (Crushed)
½ cup of Green Onion, finely chopped
1 Egg
1 pkg (12-ounce) of Imitation Crab Meat
1 can of Salmon
2 tbsp of Vegetable or Olive Oil

Optional: 1 tbsp of Crushed Red Pepper, for spice

Image via: Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Directions

1. First take the Mayo, 1 cup of crackers, onion, egg, crab meat, the Salmon and mix it well in a bowl. Then let the mixture sit in the fridge for 30 min.
2. Then heat the oil in a skillet, throw a pinch of the mixture in the pan to see if the oil is hot enough. If the oil sizzles after the pinch is in then the oil is hot enough.
3. Take the cake mixture and begin forming patties the size of your palm. You can use your hand or a spoon to help scoop out portions of the mixture.

Image via: Kalamazoo Gourmet

• Roll the scooped out portion in your hand then press down with your palm to create a burger pattie shape and place some of the remaining crackers on each side of the patties.
• Once you have made the pattie place it in the skillet, cooking 4 minutes on each side or until the patties turn brown. Repeat the process until the entire mixture has been created into patties and cooked.
• When removing them from the skillet place them on a paper towel covered pan to help soak up the excess oil from the patties.
  • If you prefer not to have the salmon, then just use more crab meat instead. Also with the crab, place it on a paper towel and dab to help drain the excess juice, so the mixture won’t be so messy or fall apart.

For more Memorial Day picnic recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

How to Create the Perfect Memorial Day Picnic

Image via: Lowes

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How to Create the Perfect Memorial Day Picnic

Plan Ahead

In order to not get overwhelmed the last minute, planning ahead is essential. Make a list with the menu, the necessary utensils and a few things to entertain the kids with. Buy the items that don’t get spoiled at least a week before Memorial Day, like all eating and drinking utensils and tablecloths or blankets. Also think about the decorations and make sure you have everything you will need. While choosing the decoration, keep in mind the cause of the celebration and decorate accordingly. Decide early on whether you want to have an all patriotic decoration or a more discreet Memorial Day décor.  Stars, the colors blue, white and red, flags and banners are all great to be used at such an occasion.

Prepare the menu

The menu should consist mainly from finger food and other easy to eat meals, like sandwiches, kebabs and salads that can be eaten cold as well. In addition, fruits are always a great idea, like strawberries, blueberries and watermelons. As for dessert, cupcakes and cookies are just ideal for picnics. Make sure to make some clever food combinations in order to have some blue-red-white snacks. For example, fill jars with layers of yoghurt, strawberries and blueberries to create a great visual effect, along with a healthy snack! Don’t forget about drinks and refreshments. Always pack some extra bottles in case something gets spilled.

Image via: Pinterest

Packing for Memorial Day Weekend

After making all those preparations, it would be a shame if anything would be left behind. The best thing is to make themed checklists with all the items that will be needed. Involve all family members by assigning one list to everyone; one can take care of drinks and cups, another of tablecloths, utensils and blankets and so on. This way it will be easier to keep things organized and involve everybody to build up expectation for the celebrations.

Image via: Alexan Events

Keep in mind that this whole picnic has one purpose only: having family quality time and paying tribute. Don’t let minor things like a runny sandwich or a misshaped brownie disappoint you or spoil your good mood!

For more Memorial Day ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

People start observing the Labor Day holiday since 1880s to show honor to the workers for their contributions to the society. Like other holidays, people celebrate the day with parties, outdoor activities, traveling, cooking, and enjoying time with their family. Throwing a party is a very common Labor Day activity. Check out these theme ideas for your Labor Day party:

Image via: LoulaM via Flickr

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Southern States Theme

Southern states can be the theme of your party that will celebrate the trends and culture of the country’s southern states and Hawaii. You can create a combination of exotic Hawaiian and typical southern atmosphere by decorating your yard with tiki torches and red, white, and blue Christmas lights. Fill the air with some compilation of Hawaiian music alongside scores of jazz and blues. Choose a menu that includes southern recipes along with a few traditional items.

Image via: Pinterest

Old-Fashioned Block Party

An old-fashioned block party is a great way to know your neighbors, especially if you have newly shifted into a neighborhood. Without arranging for everything, ask the guests to bring games, music, and food to share. To make the party interesting, you can throw an old-fashioned dance party that can be enjoyed in the warm night. Dancing under the stars with retro dress up and swing music or big band will be a treat to everyone.

Image via: Party City

Back-to-School Theme

Many people miss their crazy school days and rear a secret wish to relive those days sometimes. So, recreate the school spirit into your backyard with plenty of cheap eats, rocking music, and your old pals from those raging days. Apart from that, you can enjoy the party by playing softball, volleyball, flag football, and some lawn games like croquet, horseshoes, bocce, etc. Instead of the backyard, such a party can be arranged in a beach too. The warm sand and bonfire will allow you people to squeeze the most out of the fleeting summer days.

Carnival Theme

You can decorate your Labor Day party after the summer carnival theme too. In this case, the decorations and necessary accessories should be colorful and music should be loud to bring the carnival feeling. Multiply the enjoyment by setting up booths for the guests to play games and win prizes. Arrange for easy but competitive games. Set up bottles and see who can knock down the highest number of bottles with a single strike of baseball or set up a dartboard and watch who can hit the bull’s eye. In such a party, you can serve typical carnival foods like hamburgers, corn dogs, soft pretzels, and lemonade.

Image via: Celebrity Party Planner

While many people like to concentrate on patriotic themes, you can include a unique mix of decorations and foods representing cultures around the world because Labor Day has a universal appeal that appreciates the hard effort of all the working people around the world.

For more Labor Day ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Labor Day is here and it’s time to celebrate!  Time for BBQ’s, back yard cook outs, and maybe the last pool party of the year. How about we get creative by adding a punch of the good’ol red, white and blue to our homes? The best way to really add the ‘wow’ factor to your décor is via the front yard, after all isn’t that the place that everyone sees first? Here are some great ways to turn the front of your house into the most patriotic on the block:

How to Add Patriotic Red, White and Blue to your Front Yard

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Dress Your Door

Why not turn your door into a huge American flag! It is super easy and makes a big impact to neighbors passing by.  Before long the entire neighborhood will be gathered at your door to admire your handiwork.

Simply cover the door with a long panel of craft paper and adhere with double-stick tape. Then paint on your flag! If you dare to get messy, then let the kids get involved. You could even use scrunched up tissue paper for the stars for a cool 3D effect.

Make a Yard Flag

This is one for the kids, but Mom’s be warned it will get messy! Use an old piece of plywood (whatever size you want your flag to be, but remember you will need to hang it, so you won’t want it too heavy). Then have the kids dip their hands in either red, white or blue paint. Direct the kids to use their handprints to create the stars and stripes of the flag as in the image below. Allow to dry and then you can add chain and eyehooks to hang from your front porch or tree in your front yard.

Voila, your home is fully Americanized and ready to greet all your Labor day guests. The great thing about these decorations? You can save them and reuse them again next year for your July 4th or Memorial Day celebrations!

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

As Labor Day weekend is just knocking at your door, most of the people have become busy planning barbecue party or weekend camping. Others may have been concentrating on decorating their home and yards with blue, white, and red and cooking up feasts. Check out some food and fun ideas for your Labor Day party:

Image via: Backyard City

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1. Celebrate with a Cook Out

Labor Day party is a good occasion to say a proper goodbye to the bounty of fresh vegetables and fruits of the summer season. Throw on the grill whatever you can – juicy berries, sweet corn, sun-kissed tomatoes, and summertime favorites like ribs, steaks, lobster, or anything else.

Bratwurst – The German heritage food is an all-time hit and tastes even more delicious when hot off the grill. Bratwursts, fresh buns, various toppings, and ketchup will make a killer combination. You can spice up the dish by serving it with pickles, savory mustard sauce, and caramelized onions.

Fruits & Vegetable – Grilled fruits and vegetable will make great Labor Day menu items. You can use them for making salads, desserts, and drinks too. For example, you can use the most popular tropical fruits banana to make a tasty salad item. Prepare this item by mixing up mashed bananas, chopped cherries, drained pineapple, sour cream, lemon juice, sugar, and whipped topping.

Try the Red Berry Sangria Recipe on Stagetecture, here.

Image via: Foodily 

2. Fun Activities

A Labor Day party will remain incomplete without some gaming activities for both adults and kids. Letting the kids to choose their own games will be most fun and less stressful. However, organized group activities will not be a bad idea too.

Games – Games are a very good way to create a festive mood. Any type of games like horseshoes, badminton, scrabble puzzle, softball, volleyball, making bubbles, or just playing with balls will allow everyone to have great summertime fun.

Camping & Hiking – Camping trips and day hikes are popular Labor Day activities. Pile the necessary stuffs into a few cars and take your guests to the desired place. Everyone should bring their own food and drinks in such trips. However, each of the hikers can bring a separate item and share with others.

Image via: Rocky Mountain Blue

3. Arts & Crafts – You can ask every guest to show off his/her hobbies. They can display whatever they are good at – dancing, singing, rapping, acting, mimicking, miming, etc. You can also arrange for small competitions like a drawing competition in which the best drawing will be rewarded. The Labor Day is often considered as the last chance to say goodbye to the long and lazy days of summer by partying out or making any outdoor activity. Make your last minute summer memories fun and pleasurable so that you can wind up the season with a smile on your face.

For more Labor Day holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

This weekend, you may be planning to host a holiday get-together with all your friends.  Labor Day is a patriotic holiday like the 4^th of July, but there are plenty of ways to differentiate the two holidays and put your own stamp on the normal red, white, and blue theme.  Consider doing your own end-of-summer themed party that includes more of the colors of oncoming fall like rich burgundy, bright yellows, and warm oranges.  Here a few popular alternatives to red, white, and blue to get you started on using one of these or inventing your own Labor Day theme!

White Party

The old rule is that it’s not fashionable to wear white after Labor Day, so why not go out with a blinding flash of, well, white?  Ask guests to wear white, and decorate using white tablecloths (plastic ones will be stress-free), balloons, and flowers.  Use plain white T-shirts and fabric markers to let guests create their own party favor by designing their own shirt.  This theme may be better-suited for adults who won’t be playing football in the grass.  Just watch out for ketchup.

Image via Hannas

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Back-to-School Party

To send the younger generation off to school properly, and bring out your own inner child, host a back-to-school party for kids and their parents.  Decorate the table with school supplies (which also make great party favors) and set up schoolyard games like hopscotch and jump rope to get back in shape for recess.  Feel free to replace the red, white, and blue with fall colors for the school season like school bus yellow, burnt orange, and earthy browns for a more muted palette.

Image via Catch My Party

Denim Party

Since the spirit of Labor Day is to celebrate the American workforce, have some fun with the blue-collar work ethic and make sure everyone wears as much denim as they can find.  Set aside a door prize for the most unexpected item of clothing: a kooky vest, an all-denim hat, who knows!  For table centerpieces, fill simple toolboxes with dinner essentials like silverware, napkins, and condiments.

Whatever your plans may be, have a safe and happy Labor Day weekend!

For more holiday ideas on Stagetecture, click here.