Making your own homemade 4th of July decorations isn't only a great way to save money... it's also a great way to decorate for a 4th of July party in a totally unique way. Because when you make your own 4th of July decorations, you can be sure that nobody will have the same thing! Now, I'm not the most crafty person in the universe. So the homemade Fourth of July decoration ideas here are all easy to do-- you don't need to be a craft guru to pull them off beautifully.

If you're looking for homemade decorations for the Fourth because you're planning a party, you might like some of the other resources at my 4th of July Party Planning Headquarters, including:

• 4th of July Decorations
• Planning a Fourth of July Party
• Fourth of July Centerpieces and Table Decorations
• Fourth of July Yard Decoration Ideas

When it comes time to decorate for the 4th of July, most people don't consider all the empty space that is their windows! And while paper stars and other window hangings look great, some of the easiest homemade 4th of July decorations can be done with window paint.

You don't have to be an artist to buy a stencil and paint red, white, and blue stars, American flags, and other patriotic symbols in the windows. And taking them down.... easy! All you need is a wet cloth and you're done.

If you're looking to decorate an indoor or an outdoor space for a 4th of July party or picnic, Chinese lanterns are a fun and inexpensive way to do it. You can always buy pre-made patriotic Chinese lanterns, of course. But you can also buy plain white ones, and paint them in patriotic colors and symbols with plain old paint. It's easy, it's fun, and it's something the kids can help out with.
This is my favorite homemade 4th of July decoration for a dinner or buffet table! These centerpieces are so easy to put together. Just buy or use clear glass jars, large white candles, and white rice... what could be cheaper? The patriotic effect is made by tinting your long grain rice in shades of red, white, and blue.

Of course, you leave the white rice plain. But for the red and blue tinted rice, you can check here for instructions on coloring your rice with food coloring for this and other craft projects.

Also, check my July 4th Centerpieces page for more ideas for homemade centerpieces for the Fourth. (coming soon!)

Patriotic flag bunting looks great both as an inside and outdoor decoration, and is one of the easiest homemade 4th of July decorations you can make. All you need to do this is glue, scissors, construction paper or poster board, a ribbon, and stickers, glitter, etc., for decorations.

Using a triangle shaped stencil, mark and cut out the number of flags you need to cover the length of your ribbon. Decorate each flag individually as desired, glue to your ribbon, and hang wherever you like!

Think salt dough ornaments are only for Christmastime? Think again! Painted, glitter-coated, decoupaged, or whatever, salt dough ornaments make great homemade 4th of July decorations, as well as favors, place setting markers, window hangings, etc.

To make these, cut out patriotic shapes such as stars, flags, bells, etc., using a basic salt dough, oatmeal dough, or cornstarch dough recipe. Decorate as desired in patriotic colors and patterns. Have fun with it and let the kids help out!

This little sign is so simple, but such a cute addition to your 4th of July decorations. It simply consists of a plain red clipboard with a festive 4th of July sign clipped to it.

Some good uses for this homemade 4th of July decoration include a door hanger, to identify different types of food at the table, to describe the menu of of 4th of July party food available, or to display a copy of the Declaration of Independence as part of your table decorations!

These little candle holders look so cute hanging over a buffet table or hanging from the trees outside during a 4th of July picnic or BBQ. And while they look super cute and special, they're actually pretty easy to make!

To do something similar at home, simply buy straight-sided small mason jars, and place a few 4th of July decorative tidbits in each once. Using medium-to-light-weight wire, create a loop to hold each mason jar, as well as a hook for hanging. Place a white votive candle in each, and tie with a decorative patriotic ribbon.

This simple homemade 4th of July decoration is also a good one to translate to any holiday-- do a version for Christmas, Halloween, Easter, you name it.

What's more American than a classic box of popcorn? These little boxes work so great as centerpieces, favors, or just little decorations to place around your home.

Starting with a simple plain popcorn box (you can find them for sale really cheap here), fill it with 4th of July decorations and goodies, including candies, flags, flowers, pinwheels, red white and blue tinsel, you name it.