Having friends and family over for a Fourth of July cookout? Impress them with fun adornments like lanterns, drink markers and an easy-to-throw-together centerpiece. Keep the kids occupied working on these projects so you can focus on the main event -- the food!
Decorate the table
If you're taking the time to cook, you shouldn't have to put the dishes on a plain table! Make the setting as delicious as the food: Opt for bouquets of flags, instead of flowers, as a centerpiece. Anchor the flags in red, white and blue gum balls to add a bit of holiday-themed color to the spread.
Hot-knifed cotton and natural-wood staff miniature U.S. flags, $0.40 each (4-inch x 6-inch), $0.60 (6-inch x 9-inch) and $0.90 (8" x 12");
Keep track of your cup
Decorate plastic cups with red, white and blue rubber bands, and then have the children write each person's name on the white rubber bands. All your guests will be able to keep track of their drinks. Wrap utensils in a colorful napkin and place a set in each cup.
Batten down the dishes
Stop your paper plates from blowing away by putting them out in a dish rack. A small flower arrangement in the cutlery cup is a nice finishing touch that makes the whole display look pretty and welcoming.
Create a patriotic welcome
You can never have too much red, white and blue on July Fourth!
1. Place a star wreath just beside the front door. You can make one in minutes: Glue paper stars onto a wreath form with a glue gun, and then adhere wide grosgrain ribbon to the inner and outer edges.
Shown on house: 16-inch styrofoam wreath, $8; Hang it from a 3M Command hook so you'll be able to remove it easily.
2. Cut paper lanterns from colored paper and string them between porch columns. Decorate them with paper-edging scissors and star punches. Tape on handles, and then push simple string lights through the handles. You can hang strands of lanterns along your porch railings, wrap them around porch columns, or dangle them from the edge of a buffet table.
Star paper punch, $5, and pinking shears, $5;
3. Weave a wide banner between porch rails. Make one yourself by gluing large paper stars onto long lengths of plain red fabric.
4. Decorate the steps with pails full of pretty wildflowers. Give ordinary galvanized flower buckets a unique look by painting red, white and blue stripes and pasting paper star cutouts on them.
Galvanized French vase (13-inch), $8;
5. Stick small flags into the ground and poke others into your hedge.
Paper stars, $4 for a set of 9, and pillow (18-inch x 13-inch), $26;
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