custom inspiration board: fired up in red, white and blue

Kelly is having a first birthday for her 'little firecracker' around July 4th and wanted to create a festive red, white and blue firecracker theme. Here are some suggestions on how to light up and spice up the look for adults and kids alike, so it feels more like a birthday party then an all-american patriotic celebration...

Theme: Firecracker

Party Ideas
Colors: red, white and shades of blue
Setting: an outdoor backyard bbq for children and adults- should last into the evening for lighting effect.
Decorations: set the tables with bright patterned cloths or plates. Leave a wrapped confetti popper at each place setting. Create a bouquet of pinwheels for each centerpiece or consider blue and white hydrangea with red garden roses. hang a mix of lights, lanterns flags and fans from the trees, porch etc, and as the sky grows dark light candles and pass out sparklers.
Food: serve a mix of spicy foods like jalapeno burgers, hot wings, buffalo peanuts, cajun chips etc with some american classics to cool things down (coleslaw, mac & cheese etc). serve up red punch to drink and offer a classic dessert combo of cake or cupcakes and ice cream (see martha's templates for cupcake toppers and ice cream cone wraps).
Favors: hand out bags of hot tamales or atomic fireballs candy for the kids, sparkler packets with matches for the adults.
Other: the birthday girl would look like quite the firecracker dressed in a party tutu, perhaps with some sparkly red shoes or a star wand as accessories.
Photo Credits
Row 1: invite via bella figura; matches via twig & thistle; fireworks via getty images Row 2: cake via oh joy; drink umbrellas via martha stewart; tutu via tiny belles boutique; table setting via style me pretty Row 3: flags via etsy; pinwheels via better homes & gardens; popper via hwtm; Row 4: plates via pottery barn; cupcake toppers & ice cream wraps via martha stewart, sparkler packets via birthday girl