Last Hurrah to Old Glory

Having more patriotic decorations has been very important to me this year.  I have boxes full of Fall, Halloween, thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentines, St Patricks Day, Easter, Spring and even Summer decorations.  But for those many patriotic holidays during the summer months, my decorations were just pathetic.  

I have been busy crafting away the last few weeks.  See the 2 pervious posts for the deco mesh flag wreath and the 2x4 block flag.  I think they are really cute.  Well, this will be my last project for this year as my family is moving to a new place in August and I need to get decluttering and packing this family!

I have been several different variations on this project and took several and combined them into what I created. Here it is:  

What do you think?  I love the weathered look!  What to make your own set?????  Here's how:

How to:  This is the tutorial I used: Click here >> Firecracker Tutorial

My changes and additions: 

• My blocks were cut at 7 inches, 5 1/2 inches and 4 inches.
• On the Red block, I used painter's tape and painted the white and then reversed and did the red
• The stars and the USA are stenciled using my favorite font and press n seal paper.  
• See the previous post for directions.  
• To distress: I sanded the edges and face with my hand sander.
• Then I used watered down brown paint and a strip of white cotton fabric and rubbed the paint on and then of.
• I used a clear coat to seal it all up!
• I had some rope twine leftover from a project, SEVERAL YEARS AGO, so I used that for the wick.
• I used a drop of wood glue down the hole and then stuck the twine down the hole!

Cost to do this project:
The 2x2x8 piece of would was $2.09.  This will do 5 sets if you use the same measurements I did.
Paint, stencil and wick was all free from my stash.  My little set was .42 cents!  SCORE!!!!!!!

Here is a few of the projects I found on Pinterest that inspired this project.  

Firecracker Set #1

Firecracker Set #2

Firecracker Set #3

Happy 4th of July, Ya'll!

                                  

Patriotic - the More, the Better!

I have been very discouraged by the news over the last few months.  I feel like I live in a country where we have lost our patriotism.  I am one person and cannot change the world, but I can change my world.  My goal this summer was to have more decorations in my house that are patriotic.

I didn't start with very much.  A few sets of red, white and blue lights, a few flag candle sticks and a few paper stars.  Pathetic, right????  Well, I set off on Pinterest to find a few ideas and boy did I find a few.  My first project was a wreath!  See the previous post!  I think it turned out great!

My next projects were not projects at all.  I was in the grocery store of all places and they had 4th of July stuff on sale!  Score!  The 3 words signs were $1.79 each.  The metal firecracker was $2.99 and the God Bless America sign was $2.49.  Can you say cheap and in my budget!!!!!!  AWESOMESAUCE!

  

After my little shopping spree, I still felt like I needed a little something more!  With kids being home, it is hard to go to the craft store so I was thinking about what I could do and it came to me!!!!!  I bought 2 2x4s last summer to do a block flag project and never got around to it.  I had the wood, the paint and the stars!  So off to break out the circular saw I got for my birthday in 2011 that I have been too afraid to use.  I got brave and fired it up and cut my wood.  1 2x4 did 3 flag sets and then I had 3 pieces left and did the USA block set.

Supplies: 

1 2x4 piece of wood - $2

Saw to cut wood

Burlap Ribbon - $4 which was 1/2 off on sale

Package of 4 -2 inch stars - $2.47

Red, white, blue and brown paints - Under $1 each

Sand paper and/or hand held electric sander - hand on hand

Foam paint brushes - had on hand

Hot Glue gun to stick on the star - Had on hand

Cost of project: under $10 for 3 sets of the flags and 1 set of the USA blocks

How to:  This was my inspiration and also a great tutorial.  Click here >>> Flag Blocks

What I did different from the tutorial:  

1. The block that is painted blue, I cut it at 3 inches so it would not be taller than the white block. 

2. I painted all sides on by blocks to seal them in. 

3. I used watered down brown paint to give a more aged look after I sanded the painted blocks.  You use an old cloth or papertowel and rub a small amount of the paint onto the block and then rub it off.  You could also use stain and it will rub off better.

4. I used wooden stars instead of paper so that it would last through the years.

5. I used a clear coat sealer on all sides to protect from weather and children!

6. I used burlap instead of ribbon because I like the look of it!  

7. It did take longer than 30 minutes, but I did add in extra steps!  Even if I did just want she did, it would have taken me longer!  I guess I am a slow poke!!!!!

Here is the picture of the 3 completed sets!  Cute, Right?????

USA Blocks

These are super easy!  I don't really have a tutorial per say, but I just cut the wood to 3 1/2 inches and painted them the same time/way as I painted the flag blocks above.  

The Stencil of USA:  I found my favorite font on my computer and made the letters 3 inches tall and printed them out.  I used Press 'n Seal Wrap and pressed it over the letters.  Using an exacto knife, I cut the letters out.  I peeled the paper off the Press 'n Seal and then put the Press 'n Seal onto the wood blocks.  Then you dab or dot the paint onto the stencil, let it dry for a few minutes and then peel the Press 'n Seal off.  And then you have stenciled letters!!!!

Sand and then distress with the brown paint and water mixture.  Seal and you are done!  

I am still wanting to do a few more projects.  Here are a few I am thinking about: 

Firecrackers #1

Firecrackers #2

Firecrackers #3 

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!

Deco Mesh Patriotic Flag Wreath

Posting this was an after thought so there are no how to pictures, but I will post links to other blogs where I got the idea and the tutorial on how to make it myself.

My design inspiration: Click here >>>Flag Wreath Inspiration

I loved this wreath and set off to make one on my own!  When I got to Hobby Lobby, I found the heart shaped wreath and thought that would be cute!  My Hobby Lobby was out of the red and white stripe ribbon so I went with a roll of each of the solid colors.  I like the inspiration version, but I love my version!

Supplies: I got all of my supplies at Hobby Lobby, my craft store of choice!  If you watch the sales, the deco mesh will be on sale for 50% or you can go 3 days in a row and use your 40% coupon.  Your choice.  Note: Week of June 17-21, 2013 it is on sale for 50%.
3 rolls of 6 inch Deco Mesh Ribbon - $5.99 per roll
1 Heart Shaped Wire Form - $2.47 (in the floral area)
1 package or roll of thin floral wire - had this from a project - probably less than $3
Package of tiny stars - package of 10 were $1.47
White craft paint - hand on hand but under $1
Wire Cutters - if you wire is thin a pair of scissors will work
Pair of Scissors

Cost of Project: Under $25 and if the ribbon is on sale that drops the price to $14.  Coupons will save you more!

How to: This link is a great tutorial.  It is actually for a Christmas Wreath which was my first project with Deco Mesh!  That one turned out beautiful too!  LINK HERE>>>> Wreath tutorial.

HOW TO CHANGES: You will notice in the tutorial they use a greenery form.  For this Flag Wreath, you are using a wire form.  What I did was make a few loops, tying it down with the wire and then would push them together to make the scrunchy look.  I hope that makes sense?!?!?!?!  Tie, push & scrunch, and tie together - REPEAT!!!!!!

If you look at the back you can see where tied 3-4 loops together as I went along.

 

For the Blue, I did loops to fill from the top center until I got to the first support divider which is about 1/2 way down the left side.  For the red and white stripes, I did 4-5 loops per color and alternated. If you can see in the picture above, I did not cut the white or red ribbon.  I just weaved it along the back as I went along.  

To finish this off, I used a pipe cleaner and made a hanger so that I could hang my new creation in my front entry.

This project took about 4 hours to complete!  It is pretty easy and almost impossible to mess up!  Deco Mesh is a super easy product to work with!  I love it!

I hope that you can follow this post and make your own.  You are welcome to ask questions in the comments and I will do my best to try to answer them.