It's true -- you spend hours preparing a meal and guests end up raving about a 10-minute centerpiece, an easy-to-make napkin ring, or a simple herb-infused drink. Make a big impression with a small detail.

With a little cold water, ice, and table salt, you can chill beverages in time for an impromptu backyard barbecue in three easy steps.

Your wineglass won't end up in the wrong hands when one of these brightly colored name tags identifies it. Use a permanent marker to write the name of a guest on a wide rubber band after placing it around a glass.

To flavor drinking water, add subtly aromatic slices of English cucumber (which are virtually seedless) instead of the usual lemon wedges. Float the thin rounds in a pitcher of chilled water. Garnish each glass with cucumber, too.

Instead of making a marinade with rosemary for grilling, place the herb right on the coals. Almost any meat or vegetable will benefit from this savory smoking.

Don't let an abundance of herbs go to waste. Pluck basil, mint, or thyme and use it to flavor a basic sugar syrup. You can also freeze the infused syrup in ice-cube trays and enjoy it for up to one month.

Instead of serving chips and dip, sate visitors' salty-snack cravings with a bowl of hearty, healthy roasted chickpeas. You can make this treat in less than an hour.

Beef up your condiment offerings for burgers and sandwiches with these four easy blends: peppers, Kalamata olive, sun-dried tomato, or pesto.

This series of leaves runs the length of a table set for dinner. Cuttings from houseplants, leaves from the florist, and trimmings from backyard ferns and shrubs -- each in a little bottle -- form a dramatic table decoration.

To create this illuminating centerpiece, place a glass vase inside another that is slightly larger (secure them with floral adhesive), and then pour tinted water in between them.

Light up a table with this sand-and-shell centerpiece. Use candle adhesive to secure slender tapers to the bottom of a clear glass vase. Pour in a few inches of sand, then arrange shells on top. The vase will protect the flames from breezes.

Pay tribute to the Stars and Stripes (emphasis on the stripes). Red, white, and blue bands of sand dress up votive candles to make flickering lights that are cheerful and fun.

When herb gardens overflow, use the extra yield in a fragrant centerpiece. Mix shapes and textures, and add color with edible flowers and blossoms. This arrangement includes dill, rosemary, mint, basil, thyme, lavender, and nasturtiums.

Bleach is usually off-limits where colored fabric is concerned, but this decorative application gets our full approval. Make a table runner and place mats for your next outdoor meal.

Make a down-home meal more fun with pinwheel napkins made from bandannas (they're inexpensive and easy to find).

A large unfolded map can protect a tabletop from scratches and spills as it sends conversation down unexpected pathways. We've used a world map, but hikers' maps made from Tyvek, a tear- and drip-resistant paper, are a bit more permanent.

Everyday napkins in patriotic hues make festive place mats when layered to evoke star shapes. This setting combines blue linen and red-and-white ticking napkins. If you can't find ones you like, cut and hem fabric into 14-inch squares.

Your guests will love seeing their names in lights. These votives are wrapped in paper, inscribed on opposite sides. This way, others can read the names from across the table -- helpful if people are meeting for the first time.

Create napkin rings as unique as your guests. For each ring, fold a 6-inch length of fabric ribbon in half, right sides facing, and sew ends together with a 1/4-inch seam allowance. Turn the rings right side out, and slip them around rolled napkins.

Bundle place mat, napkin, and utensils in one convenient roll.

Create your own distinctive collection of napkin rings by using cookie cutters. Each person gets a different shape, with his or her napkin rolled up and slipped through the middle.

Match the informality of a summer buffet with rustic serving dishes fashioned from clay flowerpots and saucers.

Use water bottles twice at your summer picnic -- first as ice packs, then as thirst quenchers. Before freezing, pour out about an inch of water to give the water room to expand. The bottles thaw as the day goes on, leaving you another round of cool drinks.

With origami, you can transform your tablecloth into a handy picnic basket. Begin with a 5-foot square of oilcloth, and then follow our illustrated instructions to create your own carryall.

This quick folding trick helps you get a handle on picnic wines, then yields a place to lay your outdoor feast. Start with a square tablecloth that's at least 36 inches, then follow our illustrated instructions.

Breezy afternoons are ideal for lunching outdoors, but they can make a mess of stacked napkins.

Decking your yard with tiki torches is an inexpensive, festive way to bring island style home -- and to light up the night without electricity.

At your next backyard dinner, these tassels made from colorful strands of raffia will keep the wind from blowing your tablecloth into the neighbor's pool.

Give some charm to your ho-hum disposable dishes. First, cut around the circumference of a plate with scallop scissors. Then use a variety of punches to make a pattern. If you like, slip a colored plate underneath a white one to highlight the design.

A few easy folds is all it takes to turn plain paper into cheery cups for servings of fresh fruit salad and more. You could also serve assorted nuts, cookies, popcorn, and other treats in the colorful paper containers.