Easy 4th of July Decorations

A collection of blue bottles and drinking glasses makes a charming Fourth of July centerpiece, especially when filled with flags or red flowers, such as these peonies. A blue table runner ties the look together.

Share your patriotic sentiments with guests by labeling oversize buckets with vinyl letters (find them at office supply or crafts stores). Fill the buckets with ice to keep beverages cool during a hot 4th of July celebration, or use them to hold boxes of sparklers.

Create fun blocks of color to bring patriotic spirit to any room. Cover three plywood boards with red, white, and blue fabric. Using tacks or staples, secure the ends of the fabric in the back. Drill wall hooks into the back of each board for hanging.

Editor's Tip: Change the fabric with the seasons and holidays.

Put those spare buttons to creative use and create a fun Fourth of July decoration. Fill a clear vase with red, white, or blue buttons. Place a bouquet of faux flowers or a flag in the vase. A collection of three vases -- one in each color -- makes a sweet patriotic display.

For fun Fourth of July place settings, use denim pockets to contain silverware. Cut denim pockets from worn-out jeans and set to the right of each place setting. To emphasize the patriotic scheme, stencil a bright red star on each pocket. Add a bandana napkin and utensils.

Create a seasonal pillow using understated motifs that can be displayed year-round. Stitch a "USA" monogram onto a plain throw pillow. Use a button fastener (available at crafts stores) to embellish another pillow with buttons in the shape of a star.

Editor's Tip: For an alternative to stitching, trace a diagonal square onto the pillow using a fabric pen, then freehand the patriotic monogram.

Show off pride for our country with this adorable and delectable centerpiece. In honor of the date, display a metal 4 house number inside a vase filled with holiday-color candies. Insert classic sparklers or berry skewers decorated with colorful ribbon flags.

Turn everyday items into a red, white, and blue 4th of July shelf display. Fill a glass vase with white stones or seashells. Wrap books in each patriotic color, and accent with vases or figurines in holiday colors.

Editor's Tip: If red, white, and blue bound books aren't available, fold construction paper over the covers.

Show your American pride with these colorful letters. Buy plain wooden letters (available at crafts stores) and get creative with red, white, and blue acrylic paint. Mix and match solid colors with stars and stripes. Coat the letters with polyurethane for durability.

Celebrate the Fourth of July with a colorful banner of stars. Cut out 5-point stars from red and blue tagboard. Coat the stars with crafts glue and sprinkle with glitter; let dry. Attach a grommet to a top point of each star and string onto lengths of ribbon. Hang the garland from nails or hooks.

Make a bold patriotic statement by sprucing up your front door with a ribbon-wrapped star. Loosely tie a ribbon around a metal star and loop the ribbon around a hook or outdoor light fixture; secure with a knot. Make the star the center focus by hanging a wreath behind it.

This simple centerpiece starts with decorating basics -- a glass hurricane and a votive candle. Fill a round glass hurricane with red vase filler (try small beads, pebbles, or sand). Place a white candle inside a smaller votive cup and nestle it in the vase filler. Embellish with a few star cutouts.

Pay homage to one of our nation's most recognized symbols -- the Statue of Liberty. Download our free pattern and enlarge to desired size. Trace the pattern onto cardstock, cut out, and adhere to a rectangle of cardstock. Punch two holes in the top, weave a ribbon through, and tie onto a chair.

• Download the free pattern.

Make your own bunting for the Fourth of July. Buy several yards of patriotic-patterned fabric (determine length based on where the bunting will hang). Starting at one end, gather the fabric about every 24 inches and secure the gathers with red, white, or blue yarn. Use the same color of yarn to attach the fabric where desired.

Create a patriotic wreath for your Independence Day celebration. Wrap a plastic foam wreath with red ribbon, securing with crafts glue or pins if necessary. Insert mini flags around the wreath. Loop a piece of ribbon through the top of the wreath for hanging, and tie the ribbon ends in a bow. Using crafts glue, adhere a decorative-paper star to the ribbon hanger so it hangs in the center of the wreath.

Take a stroll down the office supply aisle for red, white, and blue rubber bands to decorate candles in a snap. Working from bottom to top, wrap rubber bands in alternating colors around straight-side glass candleholders. Vary widths and colors for interest.

Editor's Tip: Place citronella candles in the cups and use outdoors to keep the bugs away.

Dress up your potted plants for the Fourth. Find containers that are slightly larger than your existing pots. Look for red, white, and blue ones, or paint containers to match the patriotic color scheme. Place your potted plants inside the new containers and they're ready for Independence Day. (Shown: red geraniums and blue lobelia.)

Turn a plain table into something special for your celebration. Simply apply double-stick tape to the table edge to hold a crepe paper streamer in place. Pleat the streamer by pinching the top of it all around the table. Secure the pleats with tape if necessary.

You can pull together this patriotic decoration in a jiff. Just fill an open chest or basket with decorative green grass, baseballs, and red and blue croquet balls. Top it off with a few tiny flags.

Display the grand old flag as artwork for the Fourth. Start with a small flag and gently remove the cloth from the stick. Center the flag on a mat inside a frame with no glass. Glue only the top edge of the flag to the mat so it appears to be blowing in the breeze.

Editor's Tip: If you're hosting a party, make multiples of these framed flags, and write the party date on the mat. Give one to each guest as a party favor.

Set a festive mood with this striking centerpiece. Stack three graduated containers and fill each with florist's foam. Pour water over the foam, allowing it to soak in. Press bright blooms, such as the dahlias shown here, into the foam.

Illuminate the outdoors with these festive porch decorations. Simply glue assorted blue and red ribbon and rick rack on plain white lanterns available at your local home decor store.

Give a handful of plain white blooms a patriotic attitude by poking in some stars-and-stripes pinwheels.

Remember those bracelets we used to slap onto our wrists? Use snap bracelets with an American flag or star pattern to wrap your napkins.

Red, white, and blue striped lanterns can become makeshift centerpieces for your table. Just slip each lantern over a clear glass and tuck a handful of white blooms inside. A solid blue runner across the table will make these decorations pop.

Add some patriotism to your porch by putting red, white, blue pinwheels into rustic buckets and watering cans filled with sand.

Add some fireworks to your dinner table with this clever centerpiece. Turn a ho-hum blue-and-white tray into a patriotic display by inserting red votive candles in clear holders.

This festive banner can be hung anywhere. Type "July" on your computer and enlarge the font to desired size. Print and cut out the letters to use as patterns. Trace and cut out mirror pairs of letters from red, white, and blue patterned paper. Cut out pairs of stars in various sizes, too. Glue each pair with patterned sides facing out. Once dry, punch holes in the cutouts and string on a ribbon.

Two-tier dessert trays are a fast and easy way to embellish any holiday party. For the 4th of July, place red and blue votive candles on the bottom tier and novelty flags and desserts on the top.

You can instantly whip up custom dishes for your patriotic party by adorning white plates with red and white candied stars fastened on with frosting.