60 of our favorite simple, quick, and clever ideas to help you make this your best summer ever.

Any pale-colored paper lantern can be covered with tissue circles (buy them precut -- no scissors required) for a charming fluttery finish.

Pretty pots can do more than hold flowers on an outdoor table. They can be used to protect dips and other dishes from party-crashing insects. Lift the pot by sticking one finger through the drain hole, or create a handle by cutting an 18-inch length of 1/4-inch cord and knotting the ends together. Thread the looped end through the drain hole in the flowerpot.

Cool down a room-temperature bottle of wine in record time with this handy tip. Wet and wring out a linen dish towel, wrap it around a bottle, and place the wine in the refrigerator for half an hour. Can't wait that long? Try the freezer for 15 minutes.

Warm, luscious, and smoky, this hors d'oeuvre gives a whole new meaning to the term "grilled cheese." Choose a wheel of cheese with a thick rind and an inside that's soft but not runny, such as Camembert. Brush rind with olive oil, and grill cheese directly on oiled grates over indirect heat until warmed, about 2 minutes per side. Serve immediately with grilled baguette slices.

A spirited holiday celebration calls for a fun take-home treat, like this goody bag of candies arranged to resemble the American flag.

Start by partially filling a 2-by-10-inch cellophane bag with blue candies to stand in for stars. Then add red and white candy sticks to mimic stripes. Tie the bag with red waxed twine, and don't be surprised if you catch yourself humming "Stars and Stripes Forever."

Fashion a set of napkin rings in no time.

Cut 9-inch lengths of grosgrain ribbon or twill tape. Notch 1 end, or cut it at an angle. Loop the other end through 2 D rings, wrapping ribbon around the rings' straight edges, and glue it to itself (with fabric glue). Center a rolled napkin on the ribbon; thread the ribbon's free end through the rings as you would a belt, and pull it snug.

Dress a serving tray or two in jaunty stripes.

No one will mind finding these little creatures sniffing around the crudite platter -- and the kids won't mind eating them.

Keep your garden hose from cutting into flower beds when snaking around a corner by adding a homemade hose guide.

Use this trick to keep ice cream from dripping out of the bottom of a cone: Drop in a mini marshmallow or two before you add your scoops.

Bamboo candles, which have built-in shelves, are a pretty way to decorate the table the next time you're entertaining, both indoors and out.

Take advantage of berry season with a colorful, flavorful spread: Fresh fruit butter is delicious on bread, scones, and bagels.

Set a playful tone for summer parties with lantern-themed invitations.

These easy-to-make coasters suggest the casual atmosphere of the seaside with their cheerful hues and nautically inspired coils of cotton rope.

When even boiling water raises a sweat, brew refreshing iced tea in the refrigerator.

Flowers and candlelight are nothing new, but together they create tabletop decorations fit for relaxed summer entertaining.

Pretty paper goods are no match for an unruly summer breeze at an outdoor party. River rocks help keep plates and napkins where they belong.

Sprinkle a custom seasoning onto vegetables and meats before cooking, or pass it at the table.

These flowers add a tropical touch to any party. But they're not just sweet by day -- they're also radiant by night.

A few easy folds is all it takes to turn plain paper into cheery cups for servings of fresh fruit salad and more.

Salute guests at your next outdoor party with garlands made from ribbon in nautical-themed stripes and solids.

Set the table for a whole season of festive cookouts by giving it a new summer coat. We used red, white, and blue, but any color combination would work.

Cold drinks, slippery with condensation, can slide around on a plastic or metal tray, so line it with a sheet of cork to hold glasses steady.

Your guests will love seeing their names in lights.

A bottle of icy vodka makes a dramatic bar decoration when it's encased in a frozen layer of colorful flowers and fruit.

Grilled vegetable slices add color and flavor to cookouts, but the small pieces are prone to dropping through grill grates. To give them a safety net, put slices of summer squash and other produce on a stainless steel cooling rack placed directly on the grill. The tight metal grid will keep vegetables from falling through the cracks.

Turn away pesky ants for days on end with this nontoxic repellent.

To ensure that kabob ingredients obey when you try to flip them -- instead of staying put as the skewer spins -- spear them on two skewers. The extra handle also decreases the likelihood of meat or vegetables breaking free and dropping into the coals.

City dwellers who spend the weekend at a country home may not know what poison ivy looks like, or whether they are allergic to it. As a friendly precaution, a color picture can be laminated and hung by the door or packed for a hike.

The smooth, flat slabs normally used as stepping stones last for years under any weather conditions -- a quality that makes them ideal as outdoor tabletops.

Enjoy this frozen fruit dessert without a lot of bother or even an ice cream maker.

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

Having company? Serve them leftovers. Create a delicious spread with any combo of hard cheeses (for tang) and soft cheeses (for texture) lying around in your fridge.

Whether the materials come from your backyard or a garden center, its easy to incorporate natural elements into the centerpiece of an alfresco dinner.

This quick folding trick helps you get a handle on picnic wines, then yields a place to lay your outdoor feast.

To prevent condensation from forming an unappealing icy crust on ice cream, you can press waxed paper against its surface before you close the container. Follow this process each time, and every scoop will taste as fresh as the first.

Make mealtime more fun with pinwheel napkins made from bandannas (they're easy to find and inexpensive).

Turn away picnic-table pests with inexpensive sewing supplies: embroidery hoops and muslin. Buy hoops that are slightly larger than the rims of your pitchers and serving bowls. With pinking shears, cut cloth squares two to three inches wider than each hoop. Position a piece of fabric in each hoop to create handy covers.

Like a swimmer at the beach, seashells need a good shower before they're ready for the house. Getting all the grit out of the shells by hand is a challenge; instead, slip them into the utensil basket of the dishwasher, and run them through a cycle. They'll be clean and ready for display when they come out.

Don't let an abundance of herbs go to waste. Pluck several types of sprigs -- we used basil, mint, and thyme -- and use them to flavor this refreshing, sparking beverage.

Make multiples of these scoops-on-a-stick and you won't have to spoon ice cream one serving at a time in the middle of a party.

Two of the earth's elements combine in a stunning, yet easy-to-make centerpiece that's perfect for your next outdoor party.

Learn our secret for the most flavorful grilled meats and vegetables.

It's one of summer's perennial questions: How do you get sugar to dissolve in a cold glass of tea? The answer can be found in an easy recipe for simple syrup.

Decorating jars of homemade preserves is a cinch with cupcake wrappers, available in many patterns and colors at the grocery store. Invert two (for opacity), and place them on top of your jar. Use a rubber band to hold them in place; tie with waxed twine or ribbon, and remove rubber band.

Beef up your condiment offerings for burgers and sandwiches with these four easy blends.

Enjoy sweet summer corn in a new way -- as an hors d'oeuvre for a casual party.

Vines appear to defy gravity -- and let your wall show through -- when they climb without supportive woodwork.

Add whimsy, color, and a hint of summer's bounty to plain white or light-colored kids' clothing and sneakers -- or to a tote bag or note cards for yourself with stamped blueberry patterns.

Come your next backyard dinner, these tassels will keep the wind from blowing your tablecloth into the neighbor's pool.

Learn how to use an untimely kitchen tool to help you prepare lemonade and other summer refreshments.

Light up your yard for an outdoor party with these glowing tiki torches.

These child- and fish-safe poles are really for attracting fish so kids can get a good look; there is no barbed fishhook.

Dress up standard summer flip-flops with these whimsical decorations.

Satisfy your craving for a tart, crunchy pickle made from not just cucumbers, but any variety of garden vegetables with a recipe so easy, you'll forget about their store-bought cousins.

Celebrate summer with a colorful sundae party, setting out toppings in fortune-tellers, those folded-paper staples of childhood.

Here's an easy technique for turning strawberries into a juicy compote that's delicious spooned over ice cream or cake.

Flexible and strong, willow edging is a traditional English garden border whose form is naturally in line with its function. The willow branches have even been known to take root and sprout, creating a living, organic boundary. Here's an easy way to make this classic edging for your yard.

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.

Here's an enticing way to present poached shrimp at a summer meal: Spear them with seaside-themed utensils.