Printer-friendly versionI've spent most of my life in mostly lush, green places (at least in summertime), and the Sonoran desert still feels a little alien to me, even after living in the Phoenix area for 12 years. But it certainly does have its own exceptional beauty.
The muted colors, the rugged landscape, the expansive views. It's good to work on a project that celebrates the natural beauty of this area.
Working on the Gold Rush BBQ party was really the first time I embraced all the desert and all it had to offer in a party, instead of fighting against it. Instead of wishing for deciduous trees, I enjoyed the beauty of the palo verde. Instead of cursing the ubiquitous dust, I admired the soft neutral color palette. Working on this party made me love and appreciate the place where I live in a way I never had before. I could still do without the scorpions and 118 degree summer days. ;-)
The kids, who have lived here their whole lives, didn't need to learn the lesson I did. They just loved it all.
Activities were kept simple. This wasn't a big birthday bash, it was a fun, casual, BBQ get-together with good friends. Cooking hot dogs and roasting marshmallows around the campfire, frolicking and playing in the wide spaces, and enjoying each other's company were all we needed for a magical evening.
We found some fabulous western themed glitter tattoo stencils from Faketoos, so had to include those in the fun, of course!
A campfire, good friends, good food--that's all we needed for a magical summer BBQ.
Firelight, a full belly, good friends--yep, life is good.
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