For some 4th of July inspiration, I have partnered with Astrobrights Papers to provide some bright and happy ideas for celebrating our nation's birthday.  Astrobrights Papers is a line of vibrant color paper, perfect for crafting and party decor, and the colors are super punchy and so fun to work with.

I decided to have a little mini birthday party for the U.S.A. with the girls.  Birthday parties are a language that all little kids seem to understand and a great way to convey exactly what we are celebrating.  From the frequent birthday conversation I have with Vivi, I know the most essential components of a party to her are (1) cake of some kind, preferably with ample frosting, (2) some amount of decor to make it extra delightful, and (3) something fun to wear.

With that in mind, I bought some cupcakes (I won't lie, I tried making a red, white, and blue cake, but it was a disaster.  I can't make cakes look pretty for anything, it seems!), and punched out some watermelon slices and cheese with some star cookie cutters for an extra fun, but simple, party spread.  I made some sweet little crowns and added marabou feathers (which the girls loved!) and made a ton of these stars.  They are surprisingly simple to make, and look so beautiful!  I strung a bunch from the ceiling with baker's twine and taped some to glittery gold pipe cleaners for a slight fireworks effect on the cupcakes.

For the flag backdrop, I was inspired by this nautical flag decor, but went for a more patriotic color scheme. I love using the different shades of blue and red for a bit brighter look, and it makes it feel fresh.  The palette is a mix of Astrobrights Celestial Blue, Lunar Blue, Re-entry Red, Rocket Red, and Stardust White.  I just cut the pieces out with scissors, and enlisted the girls' help to glue stick the different little pieces onto the flags, and taped them up with washi tape.  They aren't perfect, but make for a really fun backdrop (and would be great for photos if you do this for a party!).

Then we brought the girls out, lit the candles and sang "happy birthday America" before we let them dive in.

They absolutely loved it, and the whole concept of this celebration being a birthday really helped them understand it a little more.

This was such a sweet way to have a little extra fun with the girls while celebrating this priceless gift of freedom we enjoy, and I tried to keep it really simple, but delightful.  It's kind of amazing what a few small things can do to make a space feel magical.  It really goes a long way with them, and any excuse to share some creativity together is a good one, for sure!

They look like they are ready for a parade, don't they?  (Their super cute dresses are from here - and they are on sale!)

Thank you so much to Astrobrights Papers for sponsoring this post!  I love working with sponsors who allow me to provide fun and inspiring content.  You can find more inspiration to colorize your life here and you can find Astrobrights on Facebook here!  The paper colors used in this post are a mix of Astrobrights Celestial Blue, Lunar Blue, Re-entry Red, Rocket Red, and Stardust White