| Black Owned Home Decor Brands to Support / Elle Decor / Home |

As I continue to better myself and maintain a conversation on race and diversity, so are the home publications I have spent years working with. Elle Decor Magazine recently compiled a directory of Black-owned brands that focus on home decor, so the next time you click add to cart, consider doing so by supporting one of these brands, now and always.

| Maya Brenner Initial Necklace / Style |

When it comes to jewelry, for me, I’m a fan of all things personalized and delicate in design. This Maya Brenner initial necklace was one of the first pieces of jewelry I ever bought myself and started with an L initial. Since my initial purchase long over a decade ago, I have added letters and symbols representing my growing family. My necklace has lasted the test of time and I’ve only ever removed it from my neck to add the aforementioned letters and symbols. It’s a beautiful and sentimental piece I hold close to my heart (literally and figuratively).

| Preparakit Mini First Aid Kit / For the Kiddos |

One of my favorite items to keep in Wesleigh’s travel bag or even in the car, this compact first aid kit has everything to keep you prepared for any booboo’s that may occur while you’re out and about with baby. With bandaids of a variety of sizes, antibacterial wipes and fun stickers to make your little one feel better, this take away first aid kit includes 50 items from trusted brands (and it is designed by a nurse and mom of two).

| Watermelon Mock-jito / Eat + Drink |

Watermelon is one of Wesleigh’s favorite fruits, we keep it fresh in the fridge while it’s in season and we grow fresh mint in our herb garden out back so the watermelon mock-jito recommended by my friend, CatwithaK has been a real hit this summer in our house. This beverage is the perfect combination of sweet and refreshing, plus it’s easy to prepare for those short on time and ingredients.

| Young Living Thieves Laundry Soap / Wellness |

To know me means you know I run my laundry machine every day, I loathe a full hamper and love freshly laundered clothes. Throughout the years I’ve been a tried and true Tide detergent girl and then I discovered Young Living Thieves Laundry Soap. I strive to continue to be conscious about the products I buy and their effects on my family and the environment so when I started using Thieves, a plant-based soap with no chemical residue and a wonderful citrus scent, I was thrilled with the results. One 32oz bottle of concentrated soap can wash over 60 loads, perfect for laundry addicts like myself. Give it a spin (pun intended) and let me know what you think.

The post Friday Five | 07.17.2020 first appeared on Lindsey Boova.

Honestly though, I’m mostly excited to set a beautiful table and break out our new Lenox dinnerware and a few finishing touches from La Dentelliere. Our table will be set for adults and children so I thought I’d share how we’ll be dining and a few of the tot-friendly recipes that we’ll be serving. 

I kept our Fourth of July decor and styling classic with a red, white and blue color palette, grounding the table with a polka dot linen. I partnered with Lenox, the American leader in tableware, selecting their classic yet modern Profile dinner plates, fun vintage cherry dot accent plates, all purpose Valencia glasses and Roxbury Red place setting to add a fashionable flair. Tying everything together, I used durable wooden placemats and navy plaid napkins from La Dentelliere, a shop in Westchester, NY that has the most beautifully curated selection of home decor and giftable items.

Putting our Father’s Day gift to use, we grilled up burgers, chicken kebobs and plenty of veggies. I threw together an Avocado Tomato Salad with fresh vegetables from our local Farmer’s Market, a kid-friendly Watermelon Ginger Mock-jito and Rice Krispy Treats, an easy to make July 4th dessert the whole family enjoyed.

I even made sure Wesleigh was dressed for the occasion in her new Monogram Mary customized sweater. We love a good personalized piece!

Avocado Tomato Salad

Ingredients

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Lemon Juice (1 whole lemon)

3 avocados (cubed)

1 pt cherry tomatoes (halved)

1/3 cup corn (optional)

1 Jalapeño (optional)

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

Instructions

In a small bowl whisk together the oil and lemon juice.

Season with salt and pepper (to taste).

In a large serving bowl combine remaining ingredients.

Toss gently with dressing.

Serve and enjoy.

Watermelon Ginger Mock-jito

(as recommended by my wonderful friend, neighbor and recipe developer, Kathleen)

Ingredients

⅓ cup seedless watermelon, diced 

4 fresh mint leaves, plus a couple of sprigs for garnish

1 cup ginger ale

2 lime wedges, cut into halves (4 pieces total)

Crushed ice

Sparkling water

Instructions

In each glass, distribute the watermelon, mint leaves, and lime wedges evenly and muddle the ingredients with the end of a wooden spoon or cocktail muddler. 

Use a little elbow grease to puree the watermelon a bit and get the oils and flavor out of the mint and lime. 

Add a handful of crushed ice and evenly distribute the ginger ale.  

Top with sparkling water and stir lightly.

Garnish with some fresh mint and enjoy.

Rice Krispy Treats

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter

½ tsp vanilla extract

1 bag JET-PUFFED mini marshmallows

6 cups Kellogg’s® Rice Krispies® cereal

Instructions

In a large saucepan melt butter over low heat.

Add marshmallows and stir until melted completely.

Add cereal and stir until well coated.

Transfer into 13×9 pan lined with parchment paper and coated with non stick spray.

Softly spread and stretch the mixture into the pan with greased fingers or a greased.

Cover top with sprinkles.

Let cool.

Cut into 2” squares, serve and enjoy.

The post Easy Fourth of July Backyard Entertaining Ideas first appeared on Lindsey Boova.