Everything lightens up when outdoors. Food, clothing, decor and moods all shed a layer for a more low key approach. If you have the option to dine outside, you’ll take it.

Shop for what’s fresh, which makes for a simple meal that cuts on prep time.

Find an ideal location, eschew perfume for bug spray, and choose a theme. I began with a denim tablecloth, which follows the same principle as blue jeans as a foundation piece that goes with everything. The flowers set the color scheme, with vibrant pinks, oranges and pops of color, all welcoming hues after a winter season.

When creating your outdoor menu let nature also takes its course. I shop for whatever looks freshest, which translates to the taste, table and its design. Prosciutto, French cheeses and fresh breads make a simple, delicious meal.

Outdoor Entertainer To Do List:

Base your colors and design scheme on what’s available in nature, such as the flowers, fruits and produce. Even your cookies can follow a pattern.

Gingham cookies make for a styled dessert.

Choose classic pieces, such as gingham patterns, a quality picnic basket and summer madras linens.

A great picnic basket with a classic madras tablecloth offers the option of a movable feast and more seating.

Push the adornments, like a bunting cake topper and sprinkles, to transform a simple occasion into an event.

Even if your kids baked the cake, it looks great with a cake topper and sprinkles.

We all love parting goods. Staying true to the theme and style, treat bags with seed packets are a simple gesture from the host.

Seed packets in a treat bag for a goody bag that hits the theme.

This isn’t a Robinson Crusoe, camping/eat-bugs-for-survival scenario but when you tell your child that you are going to invite their friends over and serve insects the silliness erupts.

Circular sandwiches with a simple tomato head.

Caterpillars on a stick look fantastic on a classic tablecloth.

It can’t be any simpler, or tastier, with healthy versions such as grapes on skewers with eyes made from dollops of cream cheese and raisin eyes or a caterpillar created from alternating white and wheat bread cut into circles with the top of a can.

Have some fun with gummy worms and butterflies by adding them to fruit or freezing in ice cubes for “bug juice.” Continue the simple, classic style by serving drinks in bale jars with striped straws.

Make a slight hole into an apple and stick in a gummy worm.

Peanut butter crackers become spiders by inserting pretzel sticks within and making eyes out of raisins. Also add to the gummy worm fun by placing on donuts pricked with holes.

What makes a good frank? One simple technique, lightly poach first. Then slice along the middle and grill with the bun. It may be the warmer temps but I definitely have hot dogs on the brain.

The same amount of brainpower goes into planning a party as in designing a room. You create a mental checklist of the colors, patterns and accents that will compose your theme. The main difference with entertaining is you get to eat your results.

My almost 6-year-old son had his baptism. (Yes, he outgrew the christening gown worn in our family for two generations but it pulled on the emotions to hear him recite his vows). A spring milestone is the ideal reason to throw a party.

Weeks before the event I absorb what’s available in the market, florist and bakery. I then correspond highlights to what I have at home. The Type A in me has my china and party pieces organized by holiday and season. If I were Tripe A I would toss the tattered boxes for large, clear plastic receptacles but I only foresee time for such a project when Luc enters middle school.

Since this was a brunch, I knew I would serve muffins, breads and spring colored pastries. The sweets overpower the substantive since a frittata is not as pretty as foiled candies. I do have a weakness for well-dressed goodies.

Similar to matching a dress to accessories, blueberry muffins work well on a navy gingham pedestal plate. I dressed Luc in a checked shirt as well as the dog’s collar because you can never stretch a party theme too far, especially with kids and pets.

Just a week till the event Luc and I visited the local bakery that monetizes their frosted items with metallic and any grade and color topping imaginable. We ordered an assortment of cupcakes with blue and pink sprinkles to correspond with the pastel movement. In storage I excavated pastel plates to complement the sweets. The flowers were simple. Since it is officially spring I went with basic arrangements of daffodils, hyacinths for their sultry scent and classic pink roses (bought 2 days before so they will have the ideal open bloom).

On the way home from the baptism I picked up miniature cupcakes adorned with flowers and petit fours from Wholefoods, my version of crash shopping. My close friend who I’ve known since rainbow mobiles were all the rage brought macarons in an assortment of flavors that rival jellybeans from a candy bin. Good friends just know.