Julia styled this colorful Fourth of July fête for St. Louis AT HOME magazine from start to finish, beginning with the invitation and working through every element of the party décor. Fortunately for Julia, the party was set on a friend’s farm in Illinois, so she could rely heavily on the natural ambience and put her focus on her areas of expertise: table and menu design. For tips on styling this party, visit Julia’s blog. For the entire party backstory, download the July/August 2009 article in AT HOME. (Aside: This image was an alternate cover that didn’t make the final cut, even though it was Julia’s fave!)