Red, White, and Blue Party Test Run

I am not a sports person, unless you consider DIY and home décor a sporting event. But every two years when the world comes together to compete in The Games, I go fan girl. From the lighting of the caldron to the closing after party, I. Am. There.

This year I’m going to throw a party/get together/any excuse to hang out with friends party for The Opening. Well, that is unless I win Cost Plus World Market’s Red, White & Blue London Sweepstakes. The grand prize is a trip for two to the London Games, including tickets to the Opening Event and three sporting events. That’s my only chance of getting to London to see the Games in person because they won’t let me the towel girl for the men’s platform diving team.  *pout*

What do you think of my test run buffet table?

But if I don’t win tickets, I want one of my friends to win so you should enter via the Cost Plus World Market Facebook page or enter the Sweepstakes through the World Market site through June 16, 2012. Be a pal and take some up close and personal photos of athletic men in teeny tiny swimsuits for me, K?

I hit World Market to look for red, white, and blue Americana décor realness and do a dry run for the party. Because:

• I shop more often at World Market than Husband would like sometimes. Unless it’s a holiday, his birthday, “Oh hey we need kitchen stuff”, or “let’s find some interesting ingredients and cook them tonight for dinner.”

• World Market sells their items with minimal packaging. That makes my little green heart feel better.

• You can food shop around the world. Husband and I get at least one foodie gift from World Market every Christmas. I have it on good authority Santa likes to shop there and fills our stockings with World Market goodness.

• I got a World Market gift card.

First, I hit the home décor section of the store. When I think Americana, I think retro, the nautical style small town I grew up in, BBQ, and not just red, white, and blue. I’m buying items for a specific party theme, but I want them to have longevity (another reason I shop here.)

 More than a few what Americana means to me items that caught my eye.

I picked up a set of flag pennants for the table since I can use them for the Fourth of July. Husband thinks they are cool because they look like Captain America’s first shield. I also bought a red cotton tablecloth and matching napkins since my current red table cloth needs replacing.

Then I hit the food section. My adventurous international foodie heart went into overdrive! 

I didn’t buy the bottle caddy but it gave me a great idea for something I already had at home!

The retro real cane sugar sodas will be a nice treat for the nondrinkers. 

I had to grab the Americana Huckleberry soda for Husband. 

His favorite line in the movie Tombstone is, “I’ll be your Huckleberry.”

Here’s what I ended up buying.

Somehow the hat and butter dish also jumped into my cart.  
I need and have been looking for both.

Here is what I did with my current World Market purchases, plus some old World Market purchases (the basket, stones, and the takeout bowls) and a few things I had around the house (the star fabric hot pad I made, the Tower Bridge Photo I took, and some of the white dishes.) I will use the grill rack to steam the hotdog buns on the grill. Then I will use it to serve the hot dogs. Because you don’t get any more Americana than hot dogs and strawberries!

I took inspiration from the World Market bottle caddy I saw in the store, 

to use a bottle caddy I got as a gift basket and now use to hold towels to hold 

condiments and silverware in mason jars.

  

I used lifts and levels on the buffet table. They never fail to impress.

The secret is I cover empty boxes with a table cloth to create the look.

The dry run worked out, especially after sampling the Sweet Potato Tortilla chips and Huckleberry soda – YUM!

Check out the Cost Plus World Market site , follow World Market on Twitter, and friend World Market on Facebook   for sale information, décor, and party tips.

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Disclosure: This shop has been compensated by Cost Plus World Market, but all my opinions are my own and long time readers know I can be very opinionated.