4th of July DIY party decor

Happy Summer, Brassy Apple readers!!!  My name is Jessica, and I blog over at Mom 4 Real!  I am so excited to be here, taking part in S.O.S.  {Summer of Skills} ... thanks so much for having me, Megan!

We are gearing up for the 4th of July here at our house, so I thought I would show you how we throw a party!  Since it's not quite July yet, my daughter Kate and I thought it would be fun to show you some of our secrets and have our own little party in the process!

We started by making these cute little fruit cups using some blue and white polka dot nut cups.

We like to enjoy our parties, so we most of our snacks are just grab and goes...that way you can enjoy yourself and clean up is super easy!

You must have something a little naughty...right?  How about mini cupcakes with cream cheese icing, topped with red and blue berries?  Super yummy!

We usually serve lemonade for the kiddos, and these mason jars make it super fun!

I bought these adorable mason jar lids and paper straws from Mindy Mae's Market...I think they add just the right touch!  I also made my own Chalkboard Vinyl Labels and added them so the kids wouldn't get their drinks mixed up!

Kate and I took an old white tray we had in our garage and Mod Podged some red and white paper on the inside.  Then we added some navy blue vinyl starts to the side...super festive, huh?  We also took a bread crumb container and Mod Podged it with some paper, then glued on some flowers for a cute little utensil holder!

You can't have a party in the summer without watermelon, right?  

Have trouble cutting it?  Let me show you how to Slice Watermelon Perfectly!

For a few added patriotic touches, I added my American Flag Made From A Pallet and plopped some American flags into a couple of wine bottles that I sprayed with chalkboard spray paint.

For one final, fun touch, I added a chalkboard spray painted wooden banner to the front of the table.

You don't have to spend a ton of money to throw a party, just make it fun!  We take pride in making most of the decorations by hand, and it sure makes each party unique!

Thank you so much for letting me share my party with you, I hope you will stop by Mom 4 Real for a visit!

Happy 4th of July!