Easy DIY 4th of July Centerpieces

With 4^th of July parties being planned, finding ideas for interesting centerpieces is a must. Here are a few inexpensive and quick ideas that will be useful as well as decorative.

Candle holders centerpiece

Whether your party is outdoors or indoors, a centerpiece with candles is always fashionable. A cluster of country style candle holders for your outside table will be perfect for holding down a tablecloth as well as useful for lighting sparklers. If fireworks aren't allowed in your area, they will still add ambience while you and your guests are outside in the evening. If they're no longer needed on the table, but would be more useful along a block wall or at the edge of a walkway, you don't need to worry about them breaking. When it's time to clean up, toss them in the recycling bin and make new ones next year, or use them until the summer ends. Patriotism never goes out of style!

What you need:

• Any kind of can, either the heavier soup cans or lighter aluminum drink cans
• Red, white, and blue paints and a small paint brush with stiff bristles
• Sharp knife or ice pick for poking holes in the heavier cans
• Craft scissors for cutting designs in the aluminum cans
• Tea light candles or small votive candles

Use knife or ice pick to carefully poke holes in a pattern in the heavier cans.
Cut top off the aluminum cans and cut small shapes in the sides with scissors.
Paint patriotic designs on the cans.
Place a tea light or votive candle in each can and they're ready for the 4^th!
If it's windy, place a handful of gravel or sand in the bottom of the can so it won't blow over.

Sand design centerpiece

What you need:

• Glass containers of any shape (square, fishbowl, cylinder, etc.) Mix or match them.
• Decorative sand - one bag each of red, white, and blue. Craft stores carry these for $2.99/bag.

Carefully layer the sand in a pattern of your choice. If you're using a dark tablecloth, start with the white sand for a sharp contrast.

Depending on the shape of your glass container, you can add something different to each: small flags, flowers, tall bursts of foil stars, tea lights, or tapered candles, all of which can be purchased at a crafts store for $1 or less.

Painted Terra Cotta Pots centerpiece

What you need:

• One larger terra cotta pot and two each of descending sizes to go on either side.
• It will look like this: - o O o -
• Red, white, and blue paints and a small paint brush with stiff bristles
• Green florist's foam and assorted plastic or silk flowers to go with your theme OR
• Live green plants or flowers for each pot.

Paint patriotic designs on your pots, making them the same or different, depending on your taste.
Arrange plastic, silk or live plants or flowers in each pot.
Group pots in a straight line or horseshoe shape, depending on your needs.