Red, white and Royals: How to decorate with KC pride for the Fourth
Kansas Citians are as patriotic about our hometown baseball team as we are our country. Why not combine our love for both in a combo-themed barbecue bash this Fourth of July? All you have to do is add in some baby blue.
You can find ready-made decorations at any home goods store, and our Royals’ near miss at a 2014 world championship and early success this year have increased the fervor for gear supporting the boys in blue. But we decided to keep our table simple, classic and homemade — and brimming with American and KC pride.
Centerpiece
An artificial turf runner isn’t quite the Kauffman’s meticulously trimmed grass, but it provides a base layer of greenery. Get one custom cut at Lowe’s to fit your table.
Vintage blue Ball glass jars hold profuse hydrangea blooms; make them festive with shiny party picks. Hard baseballs wouldn’t work for this potted plant hack, but foam baseballs with their stuffing removed lend themselves well to the project. We picked these up at U.S. Toy, cut off the tops, added soil to the base to keep them upright and inserted Cocktail Vodka begonias. One ball gets a lift from an inspirational brick courtesy of Farmdog Studio.
Place setting
Classic white plates, blue glasses from a thrift store and red shop towels from Home Depot make an eco-friendly place setting when compared with throwaway paper plates and plastic utensils. Crown each plate with a wearable party favor.
Shot glasses — perhaps to be used to celebrate our win over rivals the Minnesota Twins this weekend? — hold hand-clappers and vintage game tickets. You could turn them into applause-worthy name-card holders.
Railing
Pennants show pride, and they don’t have to be elaborate. We cut these out of felt sheets purchased at Hobby Lobby for $1 per four. Trim them into triangles and add words if you like. This is an easy project to do with the kids.
Flowers that look like fireworks are a lot safer and last a lot longer than gunpowder explosions. “Peppy” red petunias and “Estrella Voodoo Star” verbena make pretty potted blooms all summer on your deck.
Glove shot
Think outside the bowl with your snacks. A glove makes a handy way to share yummies. Try boxes of Cracker Jack and Big League Gum for a throwback treat.
Cookies and bucket
No fete is complete without food and beverage. Treat your sweet tooth to cookies from local bakery Swoon and wash them down with Jones soda, which comes in an array of colors. Keep the drinks cold in this metal bucket found at Rally House/Kansas Sampler.
Hot dog plate
When you fire up the grill, these heavy-duty tongs from Rally House/Kansas Sampler will save you from singeing your fingers.
This story was originally published June 27, 2015 at 6:00 AM with the headline "Red, white and Royals: How to decorate with KC pride for the Fourth."