Last-Minute Party Decorations You Can Make in Minutes

It's 6:00pm, and your friends let you know they might "drop by" for dinner. Next thing you know, you've got a head count of more than 10 and you're hosting the shebang of the century. How to jazz up this fete? Make these fast and easy decorations and you'll look like you've been planning this party for years.
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Easy Summer Flower Display

Juliana Sohn

Step one: Pick flower. Step two: Put flower in vase. Repeat until you've accrued the appropriate amount of vases. Finally: Enjoy lifelong eminence as heralded decorator. 

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Floral Confetti

Mmm ... It's the middle of winter and there were no nice flowers at the supermarket. Even the petals of the cheapest flowers are pretty and elegant when artistically sprinkled across the table like confetti!

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Customized Party Cups

Jen Causey

The easiest way to decorate for a party? Pawn off all the hard work onto your guests. Set up a decorating station near the entrance of your home and encourage guests to personalize their cups. Every party needs a little arts and crafts. 

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Cupcake-Paper Carnations

You most likely have cupcake wrappers left over from your last baking experiment. So, quick: Make a few of these adorable cupcake-wrapper carnations and use them around the house as decor. 

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Washi-Tape Tray

Washi, the ever-popular patterned tape, can be used for nearly any decorating purpose. Make stripes on a serving tray or make a statment with large, patterned letters on your walls.

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Stamped-Paper Tablecloth

Butcher paper and a few stamps can go a long way, especially when there's a party at stake. If you don't have rubber stamps around the home, try using an old wine cork to make a polka-dot tablecloth. 

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Votives with Herbal Accents

Aaron Dyer

Get twiggy with it: Attach sprigs of various herbs (i.e., that bunch of rosemary you'll never actually use) to candleholders for an easy, woodsy accent.

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Zip Tie Garland

Kate Mathis

Plastic zip ties prove their use outside of luggage tags! This loopy, lovable garland will come together in minutes -- just in time for the guests to arrive. 

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Natural Elements Centerpiece

Grab rocks from your backyard (or other neighboring green space) and arrange nicely in the center of the table. Voila! Time to "rock" and roll. 

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Basket Centerpiece

Fill a few baskets with assorted fruit and use them as a seasonal centerpiece. Hard-core decorators can add tiny bows for an adorable touch. 

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Fun Floral Straws

All the napkins are in the wash? Never fear! Here's an easy way to jazz up that stash of paper napkins. Pro party planner? Yes. You. Are.

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