Hey hey, lazy, hotter Summer days are here!
Wanna make some memories this Summer? Whether its a romantic picnic for two, a family outing, a class picnic, a big gathering of family and friends, or a special birthday or anniversary celebration there are a few secrets to making a Summer picnic into a lifelong memory!
1) Picnic Planning!
Like most things, the devil is in the detail, and the better you have planned your picnic (obviously, it will look effortless) the more fun you will have. Start by picking a date, and inviting the lucky picnic attendees! Use this fabulous, editable chalkboard design to get everyone excited about the picnic and get your RSVP’s in so you know how many peeps you’ll have and who they are.
Part of the picnic planning is thinking about who will be there. If you have some older people, they might not want to sit on a blanket on the floor and a deck chair might be better. If there are lots of kids, perhaps being nearby to a play area would work well. It doesn’t hurt to think about ablutions too, and make sure you are near a facility. Sorry, but a planner has to think of everything!
2) Authentic Touches
There are many ways to create the ultimate picnic experience. One is to use beautiful, authentic touches such as a proper, old-fashioned wicker picnic basket and real silverware. You don’t HAVE to do this, there are plenty of more modern ways to transport your picnic goods around, but the old fashioned way just looks so damn gorgeous!
And speaking of iconic picnic items, we HAVE to chat about the picnic blanket! A nice big one will do. Ideally, one that is lined on one side so that no damp comes through. If you’re feeling super crafty, you can turn an ordinary blanket into a gorgeous picnic blanket, by sewing a layer of laminated cotton to one side. That’ll stop the pesky damp pushing through while you lounge!
3) The MOST important – The Food!
Ah. Here’s the bit we’ve all been waiting for – the food! What you pack and how you pack it is REALLY important! Remember that you’ll be eating on your lap, so finger foods like cheeses, cold meats, beautiful breads, crackers, crudités, dips and fruit work well. And packaging in rustic brown paper bags or cardboard with these gorgeous, chalkboard (editable) labels just finishes it all off. Only one word can be used to describe the effect – sublime!
A red and white gingham-checked theme brings in all that classic, authentic picnic imagery – we have included a red and white check picnic banner and crafting paper so you can add that classic element quickly and easily.
These gorgeous, editable chalkboard labels and red and white twine make each and every item look so special and picnic-perfect, don’t they? And the best thing is, you can create your own tone when you edit the labels. You can be direct, by labelling the food and telling it like it is, and you can also add a bit of quirk to your picnic, by using other phrases such as ‘Drink Me’ and ‘A little birdie told me you were hungry.’
When it comes to drinks, nothing quite beats a delicious homemade lemonade. Or store-bought lemondade, or a bottle of bubbly. Don’t forget to bring some water along too! Oh yes, and depending on your drinks, a bottle opener!
4) Practical Considerations
And while we’re busy being all practical, a lighter or matches comes in handy if you’re including a fire, candle or barbeque in your picnic plan. And other must-haves on your picnic tick box are salt and pepper, sunscreen and insect repellent. Refuse bags and aluminum foil prove very useful for items to be thrown away and for leftovers. And baby wipes never go amiss for cleaning small (or larger) hands.
5) Activities
Besides the most important activity, which is eating all that yummy food, you might want to think about bringing along anything you need for after-eating activities. Is it a lazy lounge on the blanket with a great book? A listen to your iPod while staring at the clouds? Or a more active afternoon of baseball, frisbee or swimming?
Most importantly, get inspired, make those memories, take some photos and have loads and loads of fun!
Sunshine & Picnics!
