(As featured on Paper & Pigtails.)

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.

I turned to my own collection of scrapbooking paper and embellishments to make the Happy 4^th of July banner, complete with little stars at each corner. Luckily for me, Hostess With the Mostess and Paper & Pigtails offered too-cute printables, which I used for the kids’ activities and dessert table.

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.

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.

Dinner was my daughter’s 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.

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

“Hungry” printable and food labels: Hostess With the Mostess

Circle printables: Paper & Pigtails

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