30 Red, White, and Blue Ways to Rock the 4th of July

Jun 20, 2013

Ohhh say can you see, by June’s early light, that the 4th is almost here, and it’s time to spread some cheer! We know it might seem a little early to start planning for the 4th of July, but it’s just about two weeks away! From mason jar cocktails to washi flags, here are 30 ways to make sure your Independence Day rocks.

Rocket Favors

First, what rocks more than rockets? ;) (via Martha Stewart)

Ombre Independence Day Cake

Red, white, blue, and everything in between, this ombré cake was just featured in InStyle this week! (via Brit + Co.)

Blue Glassware

If you can’t find blue glassware, try making your own with recycled bottles and blue glass glaze. (via Better Homes and Gardens)

Bandana Bunting

If you’ve got an extra bandana or two floating around, you can easily turn them into festive pennant banners. (via Hostess with the Mostess)

5. Americana Pool Float ($12): Nothing says the middle of summer like spending an entire day floating in the pool.

Fruit Stars + Stripes

Who says eating healthy can’t be as cute and fun as a cake pop? (via Brit + Co.)

7. Striped Straws ($5): Never underestimate the power of colorful striped straws.

8. Portable Flag Flask ($18): If you’re heading on a camping adventure for the long weekend, be sure to pack a handy portable flask.

Lantern Vases

How cute are these lantern-turned-vases? (via Better Homes and Gardens)

10. Studs and Stripes ($20): While it might seem extreme to get a new iPhone case for every holiday, we love this patriotic style for any time of year.

Washi Cake Bunting

Forget about bunting for your walls – make bunting for your cake! (via Brit + Co.)

Push Pop Cakes

Speaking of cake, loving all the stars and stripes in these little pushers. (via Love from the Oven)

Snow Cone Cupcakes

That title is not a joke. These snow cone looking treats are actually cupcakes! Well done Bakerella, well done. (via Bakerella)

Flag Napkin Rings

Create an all-American table setting by turning flags into napkin rings. Bonus points if you include sparklers in each place setting. (via Better Homes and Gardens)

15. American Summer Denim Shirt ($58): Pretty sure we could live in this shirt all summer long.

Berry Cones

If you’re heading on a picnic, bring a whole bunch of fruity cones to keep energy high. (via Better Homes and Gardens)

Crepe Paper + String Lights

We love this romantic decoration – perfect for a 4th of July wedding, birthday party, or dinner for two. (via Style Me Pretty)

Mason Jar Beverages

What’s a holiday without a mason jar? (via Celebrations At Home)

Washi Flags

The only thing that makes striped straws cuter? Washi tape! (via Brit + Co.)

Star Garlands

A star hole punch and a sewing machine is all you need to whip up this fun banner in a matter of minutes. (via Anna Leahart on Flickr)

Stars and Stripes

So fun – love how the paint chip stripes come through in each letter. (via Rebekah Gough)

Summer Berry Cream Cheese Pie

Berries and cream cheese – nom. (via Curly Girl Kitchen)

Duct Tape Banner

You can also use a whole bunch of duct tape to create colorful bit of bunting. (via Becoming Home)

Confetti Popper Rockets

Create confetti madness for kids and adults alike! (via Alpha Mom)

Pinwheels Party

We love the playful look of this pinwheel-themed party. (via Hostess with the Mostess)

Patriotic Panna Cotta Shooters

How fun are these? We love the layers of panna cotta.(via Sprinkle Bakes)

Bike Decorations

If you’re biking in a 4th of July parade this year, or just love showing your patriotic side, download these printable decorations and rock your wheels. (via Martha Stewart)

Red Velvet Ice Cream Sandwiches

Red velvet stars? Yes please. (via Farmgirl’s Dabbles)

29. American Flag Leggings ($30): Just this once, we’ll go ahead and let you wear tights as pants ;)

30. Suzy Kuzy Beer Mitt ($40): And lastly, this insanely patriotic beer mitt. That’s all.

7 “Impressive” Whole Foods Deals Will Save You Major Cash On Your Grocery Bill

I truly feel like I’ve been living under a rock when it comes to what’s good at Whole Foods. Turns out, they’ve been hiding some really impressive deals on groceries in the shadows, but I’m here to shed some light on ‘em. Whole Foods offers savings every week, and I’m fully convinced that my local Whole Foods will be seeing a whole lot more of me from now on.

Scroll on for details on Whole Foods’ top deals to shop starting today!

Kaboompics / PEXELS

1. BOGO 50% off packaged soups (Tuesdays)

Tuesdays and Fridays are the main days of the week that Whole Foods offers savings on their groceries. The first amazing deal for Tuesdays is BOGO 50% off packaged soups – perfect for this time of year!

They’ve got every kind of flavor from minestrone and chicken noodle to Italian wedding and broccoli cheddar. Their packaged soups average out at about $9 per 24-ounce tub, so saving 50% on one when you buy one is pretty good, especially for meal prep purposes.

Lukas / PEXELS

2. $2 off classic and organic rotisserie chickens (Tuesdays)

You can take $2 off two kinds of Whole Foods’ rotisserie chickens every Tuesday. Their classic rotisserie chicken goes for $9 while the organic version sells for $13. I love using rotisserie chicken for soups, sandwiches, wraps, and pastas, so getting a whole chicken to use for recipes all week long for just $7 is so nice!

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

3. $8 large cheese pizzas (Friday)

Sometimes you just do not feel like cooking on a Friday evening after work – that’s where this Whole Foods savings hack comes in! Every Friday, you can get a large cheese pizza for $8. While there’s nothing wrong with a plain cheese pizza (nostalgia galore!), I’d take advantage of this deal then bulk up my slices with various toppings like peppers, pepperoni, and olives.

Nadin Sh / PEXELS

4. 12 for $12 wild caught oysters (Friday)

Ooh, fancy! Every Friday, Whole Foods’ wild caught oysters go for $1 a pop. Buy a dozen for just $12, and you’re golden. This deal would be perfect for a bougie at-home date night.

Pixabay / PEXELS

5. BOGO 50% off packaged sushi rolls (Friday)

This is another great date night pick! Buy one packaged sushi roll, and get another 50% off on Fridays only. From rainbow rolls to California rolls, this Whole Foods savings hack has my cravings going crazy.

Minchephoto Photography / PEXELS

6. $10 family-sized tiramisu (Friday)

Got a hankering for a sweet treat? Don’t fret – you can shop a whole family-sized serving of tiramisu at Whole Foods for just $10 every Friday.

Kseniia Lopyreva / PEXELS

7. $12 bottles of prosecco (Friday)

The death of the work week and start of the weekend is obviously a cause for celebration, and Whole Foods has you covered with $12 bottles of Presto prosecco every Friday. Cheers!

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Elle Fanning "Uncontrollably Sobbed" During One Of Dakota's Movies As A Kid

As much as I love celebrity couples, I love celebrity sibling relationships even more. And Elle and Dakota Fanning are two sisters I've grown up watching since I first saw Dreamer in 2005. Considering Elle Fanning is only five months older than me, and I have a sister of my own, this is one relationship that feels particularly familiar. And while Elle has also watched Dakota Fanning act since we were kids, Dakota just revealed seeing Elle onscreen is just as special for her.

Here's why Dakota & Elle Fanning get emotional seeing each other onscreen.

Elle remembers "sobbing" during one particularly emotional Dakota Fanning movie.

“When Elle’s in anything, it makes me feel it deeper,” Dakota Fanning said at TheWrap’s Power Women Summit on December 3. “She never can fully disappear into a character totally for me as her sister. She obviously does an amazing job, but I’m always gonna see my little sister a little bit.”

And Elle is just as touched by Dakota's roles, and remembers "uncontrollably sobbing" after seeing Now Is Good, a movie where Dakota's character was dying of cancer. “Because it was my sister, I had a real traumatic reaction after that premiere and the screening,” Elle says. “Obviously the acting, but it was something felt on a deeper level.”

“I’m doing this job, I’m an actor because my sister started before me and I watched her,” Elle continues. “I wanted to do exactly what my big sister wanted to do.”

And their movies have also made an impact on everyone who watches them.

When Brit + Co caught up with Dakota Fanning at the world premiere of The Watchers, I had to ask about one of her most iconic movies: Uptown Girls. "I love it," she says of TikTok memes and edits giving the movie new life. "It's nostalgic for people who are kind of around my age, who grew up watching that movie, I think it's like a comfort movie for people. And so I love that people are still revisiting it and loving it. And maybe now that everyone's older [they're] understanding different things about it."

Dakota starred opposite Brittany Murphy, who also had roles in movies like Clueless, 8 Mile, and Girl, Interrupted. Brittany passed away in 2009 when Dakota was 15. "I loved Brittany so much and I still miss her," she says. "So anytime that she has, you know, a moment where people think about her is also nice."

You can see Elle Fanning in A Complete Unknown, in theaters December 25, and you can also stream Dakota Fanning's new show The Perfect Couple on Netflix now.

pop culture relationships celebrity

13 Yummy Christmas Cookies From Around The World

Heaping plates of Christmas cookies are synonymous with the holidays. It seems that nearly every country around the globe has their own variation on the holiday classic. In fact, some of these regions have been making their version of Christmas cookies for literal hundreds of years.

If you’re looking for a way to reconnect with your heritage, or maybe just want a little baking inspiration, check out our picks for the yummiest Christmas cookies from around the world.

The Noshery

Mantecaditos con Guayaba

These may look like ordinary thumbprint cookies, but these almond shortbreads from Puerto Rico are filled with a special guava marmalade. (via The Noshery)

Broma Bakery

Meringues

French meringues are a classic crumbly egg white cookie with a chewy interior. These get an extra European twist with the addition of Nutella. (via Broma Bakery)

Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

Alfajores

Deeply flavored dulce de leche, a caramel made from whole milk commonly found in Spain and many Latin American countries, is the key ingredient in these super pretty sandwiched Christmas cookies. (via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.)

Fancy Peasant

Melomakarona

These Christmas cookies that hail from Greece get their sweetness from a generous soaking of fresh honey! (via Fancy Peasant)

Very Eatalian

Baci di Dama

The name of this Italian treat translates to “lady’s kisses” — how adorable is that? These bite-sized cuties are made with ground hazelnuts and filled with a dollop of dark chocolate. (via Very Eatalian)

Cooking Classy

Linzer Cookies

These Austrian Christmas cookies are typically made with raspberry jam, but feel free to get crazy with a filling of your choice. Plus, the gorgeous windowpane look will make them a prize takeaway at your next cookie exchange. (via Cooking Classy)

Olivia’s Cuisine

Basler Brunsli

If you’re hanging out in Switzerland around Christmas time, you’ll definitely see these chocolate treats around. They’re often described as Swiss brownies due to their deliciously chewy texture. Perfect with a cup of eggnog or coffee! (via Olivia’s Cuisine)

Cilantro Parsley

This post has been updated with additional reporting by Meredith Holser.

Lead image via Pretty. Simple. Sweet.

cookie recipes dessert recipes christmas cookies international foods christmas recipes