Sunshine and Sippy Cups

Big thank you to Pier 1 and Mom Central for partnering with me to show off the coolest summer entertaining and patio decor! #Pier1OutdoorParty #Sponsored #MC

You guys know by now how much I love to entertain. And how much I loooove to be able to entertain outdoors. We have an inground pool, a big garden and play area, and a pretty large concrete patio right off the kitchen. But, with twenty seven zillion kids here each day – plus what feels like just as many dogs – the patio was in need of some serious love. So I “shopped” through our garage for things we weren’t using, scoured the house for a few more useful pieces, then went window shopping online at Pier 1 for extra inspiration.

I knew I wanted more color. Lots of fun, bright, cheerful colors. Orange, red, blue, yellow, pink. And that’s totally what Pier 1 is all about this summer! Don’t you love it? So much happiness in this collection of outdoor oasis goodies. So, then I set out to our local store to see what else they had for me to check out….

One of the first things I noticed was their awesomesauce collection of outdoor seating – I mean, how could this gorgeously bright-colored set of cushions not totally brighten your day each morning, right? Love the mix of colors, textures, and patterns. SO much fun!

And they’ve got pretty much the most ginormous selection of colors and styles and prints for patio cushions that you can imagine. {Do you want to guess which ones I picked out? Stay tuned to see if you’re right… :)} The prices are awesome, there’s almost always a sale, and the quality is really great. I always look for things like loose strings, unfinished stitching, pattern print pieces that don’t match, etc – but these were all awesome. And I swear, I probably touched almost every single one of these while trying to decide, lol.

And – if you’re not a fan of bright and bold, they have lots of options for more subdued colors too. I absolutely love this blue combo of more natural blues and whites. Simple, classic, but still so summer. So – when shopping at Pier 1, there’s totally something for everyone. Click over to Instagram to check out another fave of mine that’s in more simple, cool, calm colors. There are so many types of pretty :)

Once you have seating and cushion-y goodness taken care of, you need accessories, am-I-right-or-am-I-right? I mean, what girl doesn’t love some accessories? Here are some of the options:

• Hanging lanterns and beautiful outdoor art.
• Solar lights, battery-operated party lights, and outdoor candles.
• Beautiful servingware that’s as functional as it is gorgeous.
• Gorgeous trays, perfect for transporting food and drinks from indoors to out.
• Awesome ways to serve those drinks – mason jar style drinking glasses or fancy stemware. Beautiful pitchers or casual dispensers. Platters, serving bowls, chip and dip trays, and more!

Again, something for everyone :) And of course, we can’t talk accessories without talking about table accessories – like place mats, dishes, napkins, and stemware. Check out my current favorite that we’re using right now….

So fresh and pretty and summery!! I love the look of layered napkins – and honestly, who doesn’t need that, really? One to lay across your lap, but another to wipe your fingers on. Because you really don’t want to wipe your fingers on the one that’s setting on your clothes, right? Add in a totally casual place mat that will wash and wear well, plus some fun dishes and a beautiful glass for wine – you can’t lose :)

But even on the sunniest of days, the lights go down. So – you need some awesome outdoor lighting, right? I picked up some gorgeous lanterns at Pier 1, plus this totally beautiful color-changing, battery-operated, lotus flower candle. It can also float in water, and I can’t wait to set up a pretty centerpiece with it soon. But even just sitting on the table, it rocks. Totally sets a mood as it cycles in between colors. Definitely one I’ll be stocking up on now that I’ve seen it in action.

I also got some awesome battery-operated lights to line the gazebo on our patio. Aren’t these so pretty? And there are LOADS of options at Pier 1 stores or on their website. Like, loads. And, here’s a peek at how some of my Pier 1 lighting looks even when not turned on, during the day – my super cool citronela candle, and lanterns.

And…. How do you entertain without some food, right? So, I made up this super simple and super yummy watermelon salad for our recent BBQ – on a gorgeously simple Pier 1 white serving dish. LOVE.

Make sure to check out the amazing goods and super summer sales at Pier 1 today – even if you don’t have a local store, you can shop Pier 1 online here. And leave me some comments below with YOUR favorite summer entertaining ideas, or trends you love for outdoor decor :)