Last-Minute Tablescape Ideas for Your Memorial Day Gathering

Elevate your Memorial Day gathering with quick and easy patriotic tablescapes.

ByABC News
May 25, 2015, 6:59 AM

— -- If you're looking to elevate your Memorial Day gathering, you can do that quickly and easily with patriotic tablescapes.

Katie Brown, editor in chief of Yahoo Makers, appeared on "Good Morning America" to show how you can decorate your tables -- even at the last minute before your get-together.

Brown, who appeared on "GMA" as part of the Yahoo Your Day collaboration, showed ABC News' Reena Ninan some options.

Here are instructions for making the items Brown demonstrated plus a few others. You can use them for your gatherings all throughout the summer.
A String of Flowers
Materials: 2 dozen Marigolds; 1 dozen carnations; embroidery thread; embroidery needle
Tools: Garden snips

Instructions
1. Snip your marigold and carnation flower heads off right at the base.
2. Thread your needle with embroidery thread doubled over, but do not make a knot.
3. Begin threading 4 marigolds, then 2 carnations, then 4 marigolds, then 2 carnations (you can make whatever pattern you like).
4. Tie a knot at the end to secure your flowers.
Adult-Only 'Poptails'
Ingredients: 1 ½ cups ruby red grapefruit juice; 1 cup simple syrup; ¼ cup vodka; raspberries

Instructions
1. Combine grapefruit juice, simple syrup, and vodka in a pitcher with a pouring spout.
2. Drop raspberries into each mold and divide cocktail evenly between them.
3. Cover the molds with a sheet of aluminum foil, folding it around the edge of the mold to hold it in place. Then poke a lollipop stick through the foil into the center of each mold. Freeze your popsicles for at least six hours.

All-in-One DIY Picnic in a Bucket
Materials: Bucket; bandana for placemat; paper napkins; plastic utensils; bottle charms; salt and pepper; elastic; plastic wine glasses; paper plates; burlap ribbon; bubbles for fun
Tools: Scissors

Instructions
1. Cut a length of burlap ribbon and tie it around the bucket.
2. Open the bandana and lay in the bucket as a liner.
3. Put the paper plate and the wine glass in the bucket.
4. Fill the mini bottle charms with salt and pepper and place them in the bucket.
5. Cut a piece of elastic and tie it around the plastic utensils. Bonus! It can be used as a hair tie on a hot day as well!
6. Put the bubbles in the bucket for entertainment.

DIY Leftover To-Go Boxes
Materials: Disposable plastic plates or bowls; Large red rubber bands; Disposable utensils; Paper napkins
Instructions
1. Fill your plate with leftovers.
2. Place another plate on top, inverted.
3. Wrap two rubber bands around the plates to secure them.
4. Wrap and plastic knife and fork in a paper napkin and wedge it underneath the cross of the rubber bands.

No-Bug Glass Covers
Materials: Flower petal cupcake liners; flower stickers; straws
Tools: Awl

Instructions
1. Pierce a hole through the top of your cupcake liner, large enough for the straw to pass through.
2. Place a flower sticker on the top of your cupcake liner.
3. Place the cupcake liner on top of your glass, and poke the straw through the hole.