So many of you are new around here (thank you!) that I thought I’d pull out last year’s Fourth of July picnic party to share with you. This is actually the party that started Double the Fun Parties! Kori of Paper & Pigtails featured this party on her blog, and it was my first party feature.

I put this party together for under $36 using free printables from Paper & Pigtails and Hostess With the Mostess.

This year, just our family of four was on hand to celebrate Independence Day, but I still wanted to make it special for our six-year-old twins — and keep to a very tight budget.

4th of July Picnic Activities

In the afternoon, I spent about 10 minutes swooping crafts into a red plastic tote and adding ribbon to water bottles. Everything else I already had in my stash: wooden “I heart USA” dolls, nail polish, and beads. We headed to the back yard for a little mommy and me time to eat marshmallows and craft together.

You can find wooden dolls like these in craft stores. They come with markers, but you might want to substitute those markers with washable markers or crayons.

Paper & Pigtails’ cupcake toppers turned into décor for the white treat boxes — so cute with the scalloped top and added ribbon. I used the boxes for the girls’ crafts and as favor holders on our dining table, where they held sparklers.

The girls love stringing pony bead necklaces. It’s always an easy, low-mess party activity.

It’s our silly little tradition to paint our toenails in holiday colors. For kids, I think a one-coat, instant dry nail polish is simplest option.

4th of July Dinner

We moved inside for dinner, because otherwise, it’s just too hot here in July.

I turned to my own collection of scrapbooking paper and embellishments to make the Happy 4th of July banner, complete with little star buttons at each corner.

Dinner was my daughters’ menu: burgers, corn on the cob and watermelon. Since it was just the four of us, we kept it simple and didn’t create anything lavish. Our table was topped with a $5 find tablecloth and set with child-friendly melamine I already owned.

4th of July Dessert Table

The dessert table featured HWTM’s “hope your hungry” sign and labels. I included York Pieces (my husband’s favs); red, white and blue chocolate stars; Jones soda and our traditional American Flag Fruit Pizza, which the girls helped me bake. The backdrop was made of dollar store paper lanterns and fans hung from ribbon at various lengths. The serving pieces, red glass plates, ribbon, paper and table runner were all from my collection.

After dinner, we lit our sparklers and put the girls to bed way too late. Aside from food, I spent $5 on paper lanterns and fans, $2 on straws, $5 for the red tub, $6 for the frame, $8 on sparklers, $8 for placemats and $1.50 for the treat boxes. My total for the party was $35.50, with much of the expenses for reusable items. Just right for our little family celebration.

Vendor Credits

• Party styling and photography: The Party Teacher
• “Hungry” printable and food labels: Hostess With the Mostess
• Circle printables: Paper & Pigtails via Catch My Party
• Red tote: WalMart
• Quilt: Better Homes and Gardens for WalMart
• Dinner dishes: Better Homes and Gardens for WalMart
• Tablecloth: TJ Maxx
• Red placemats: WalMart
• Paper lanterns and fans: Dollar Tree
• White treat boxes: WalMart
• Cake stand: Home Goods
• Apothecary Jars: Michaels and Belks
• White platter: Tuesday Morning
• White frame: TJ Maxx