DIY patriotic tiered tray fireworks display

How to make Fourth of July firecrackers from a scrap piece of wood dowel rod

Looking for an idea to fill up your 4th of July themed tiered tray? These little mini firecrackers are so easy to DIY and make a big impression on those rustic displays.

Along with these red, white, and blue fireworks I made these star & stripes patriotic themed wood tags to go with my farmhouse tray too.

I love everything about these little hand painted firecrackers. I love how uneven the white lines are on the smallest blue firework. I love how the polka dots are so dainty on the mid sized white firework. And I love how varied and primitive the stars look on the largest red firework. I think they look so perfect on my coffee bar tiered tray for the 4th of July.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you need

• 3- 1” dowel pieces cut to approx 3”, 4” & 5” predrilled holes for wire wicks

• red, white, and blue acrylic paint

• large paint brushes

• small paint brushes

• paint tray

• canvas drop cloth to protect your surface

• rustic wire (can find at most home farm & feed stores)

• jute

• scissors

• hot glue gun

• hot glue stick

1.CUT & DRILL A HOLE

I used an old dowel rod for my mini firecrackers. The previous owners of our 120+ year old home had used this thick dowel rod to hold curtains in what is now my craft studio. I couldn’t just toss out a perfectly good dowel rod like that so I put it up in the garage till I found a project to use it on. This patriotic craft was it!

I cut the dowel to approx 3”, 4” and 5” pieces. This does NOT have to be exact. If you think those are too tall or not tall enough adjust your dowel pieces to fit your needs. I used a tiny drill bit to make a hole in the top of each wood dowel piece. This will vary by the size wire you use.

2. PAINT EACH DOWEL

I chose to use the colors: bright red, English blue, and white for my patriotic colors. Any blue, red, or white will work though. I painted the smallest firework blue, the middle firework white, and the tallest firework red.

I added 2 coats to the red and white fireworks and 3 coats of paint to the blue firework. The blue didn’t seem to have as great of coverage so a third coat was needed. To speed up the drying time I used my handy heat gun.

3. ADD POLKA DOTS

I added polka dots to the white medium sized firecracker. I took a small detail artist brush then lightly dipped the wood end of the brush in red paint. I gently dotted red dots all of the firecracker.

After I was happy with how many red polka dots were on the firecracker I wiped the end of the paint brush off then did the same thing but with blue polka dots.

4. PAINT THIN STRIPES

Just like with the patriotic wood tags I free handed the stripes on the blue firecracker. I actually love how uneven these turned out. They look hand painted and not super crisp (which I love crisp lines on lettered wood signs but for this craft I really wanted a handmade look). I have an artist brush that I have trimmed to a point to use for crafts when I need a thinner brush.

Jut like with the polka a dots I lightly dipped the tip of my brush this time into the white paint. Then I semi steadily and slowly painted stripes going horizontally around the blue firecracker.

5. PAINT LITTLE STARS

I could have used my Cricut to make perfect stars but I wasn’t going for perfect with this 4th of July craft. I wanted primitive looking stars and I’m so happy with how they turned out. I used the same artist paint brush that I used for the stripes to paint the stars. I lightly dipped the tip of my brush into the white acrylic paint then painted the stars super old school like crisscrossing my lines then filling the middle in.

I tried to paint the stars so that they didn’t look identical.

6. GLUE IN WIRE WICKS

I didn’t realize my glue gun wasn’t really in the camera frame when I did this step so you can’t see it in the pic. I trimmed down the wire pieces as I went to get the perfect size for each firecracker wick. I used my precise tipped hot glue gun to add a tiny bit of glue to the bottom end of the wire pieces, working on one firecracker at a time. Then I quickly placed the wire piece in the drilled hole in the top of the firecracker.

7. WRAP WITH TWINE

After paint and hot glue were dry I placed the three firecrackers together. Then I took a piece of jute/twine and wrapped it around the firecracker bundle a few times and tied it off with a little bow.

Oh my goodness I LOVE how this little wooden bundle of firecrackers turned out!

Check out the other handmade pieces of my farmhouse 4th of July coffee bar tray below

Free standing wood stars

Distressed wood tags Fourth of July themed

DIY 4th of July wood tags

Easy 4th of July wood tags for rustic decor

I love those little wood tags. They are oh so cute and fit perfectly on a farmhouse style tiered tray. You can literally create these wooden tags for any occasion or season AND they are SO cheap to make! Especially if you have scrap pieces of 1x4’s around.

For my 4th of July themed coffee bar I told myself to get an early start because I would totally put it off and not make all the things in time to both share with you all AND get my display up in time to enjoy it for the holiday. So I got my butt in gear, cut myself some wooden tags, put on some makeup & real clothes and went live on my Facebook page while I made these little wooden patriotic tags.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you need to make Fourth of July wood tags

• wood tag cutouts (click here to see how to make them yourself)

• red, white, and blue acrylic paint

• wood star or star template

• jute or twine

• paint brushes

• sandpaper

• heat gun (if you want to speed up the drying process)

• chip brush for antique wax

• antiquing wax

• scissors

• lint free cloth

• paint tray

• canvas drop cloth to protect your surface

1.PAINT THE WOOD TAGS

Since these are patriotic themed wood tags I went with the colors red, white, and blue.

I painted two of the tags all white, when the first coat was dry I painted a second coat on them. Sorry for the grainy pic I took snips for my fb live I did to create these.

Then I painted the third wood tag blue. I used an English blue and not a true blue so it would tie in better with my rustic farmhouse looking home décor.

2. PAINT RED STRIPES

Unlike my chunky 2x4 wood flag where I used tape and got a cleaner look I just eyeballed the stripes on these wood tags and was happy enough lol! But if you want a little cleaner lined look to your stripes you can use masking or painters tape to make the lines a little straighter, even, and more crisp.

I painted 3 stripes on each wood tag. One down the center then one stripe on either side of the center stripe.

3. ADD A STAR

You can free hand this, use an adhesive stencil, a cardstock stencil, or trace a wood cutout of a star like I did. I had a leftover star from a Christmas ornament that I didn’t use so naturally I put it with the rest of my hoarded craft supplies. I centered it on my wood tag then traced around it with a pencil.

I took a small paint brush and painted a thin coat of white acrylic paint. After that was dry I painted a second coat over it.

To help speed up drying time I used my heat gun. This tool was so inexpensive and comes in handy all the time!

4. DISTRESS THE WOOD TAGS

If I was not in my house I would have used my sander for this step. But since I was inside I used 150 grit sandpaper. I focused on the edges and corners and lightly went over the fronts of each wood tag.

5. ANTIQUING WAX

If you’ve read some of my other posts you might know that I LOVE antiquing wax for my distressed pieces. This stuff is so good and gives pieces such a primitive look.

If you want a more in-depth tutorial on how to use ANTIQUING WAX I created an entire post on how I use it on my craft projects.

6. ADD TWINE TO YOUR WOOD TAG

The last step is to add a piece of twine to your wood tags. I went with a thicker jute for my tags since the hole I drilled in the 1x4 tags was on the larger side.

That’s it! These wooden tags are so easy to create for your rustic 4th of July decorations. If you have any questions leave them in the comments below.

Happy Crafting and be sure to check out more DIY craft tutorials below.

DIY hello sunshine stained wood sign + FREE SVG

DIY STENCILED HELLO SUNSHINE SIGN

Make this simple and chic hello sunshine sign to display with your warm weathered décor. I used my old school Cricut Explore to make this wood sign but you can use any vinyl cutting machine you have. Be sure to grab the FREE SVG in my free resource library to make this exact design (find the link below;) )

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you need

• prestained wood base (I made a square from a 1x8)

• white acrylic paint

• paint brushes

• paint tray

• matte finish mod podge

• oramask stencil film

• transfer tape

• vinyl squeegee

• weeding tool (I picked mine up from the dollar tree)

• Cricut cutting machine

• Cricut Design Space

• green Cricut cutting mat

• FREE hello sunshine SVG

Want to learn more techniques for painting wood signs? CLICK HERE to check out my list of DIY sign painting tutorials for the most crisp clean lines for your lettered painted signs.

The type of stenciling I used for this wood HELLO SUNSHINE sign is called REVERSE STENCILING. I also used this stenciling technique on this BLESS OUR NEST wood sign. I love this technique when I’m only using two colors, the base color and the letter color. It gives super crisp lines and is really quick to do.

1.CUT THE STENCIL

Upload the HELLO SUNSHINE SVG into Cricut Design Space (or the program you are using with your fancy cutting machine). Then add a square to the canvas. Size the square so it’s about the same size as the wood base you are using. I sized mine to 7.25” then resized the HELLO SUMMER SVG till I was happy with the size of that. This process isn’t a must, you can just cut the SVG out without a square around it BUT adding this square does make centering your design much easier when you go to stencil the design.

Once you happy with the size select both the SVG and the square and center them. After they are centered and still both selected use the Cricut SLICE feature to slice the SVG out of the square.

Now you should have 3 images. You will only need the square that has the circle cut out of it so delete the two other circle images.

This is what your canvas should look like when you are ready to hit MAKE IT in Cricut Design Space.

I used ORAMASK STENCIM FILM and the Cricut GREEN cutting mat. I set my machine dial to cut vinyl.

2. APPLY THE STENCIL

When weeding this design you want to weed out the CIRCLE and the MIDDLE PIECES from the letters.

Use transfer tape to easily transfer the image onto your wood base. I’ve used LOTS of different transfer tapes and this brand is one of my favorites.

PRO TIP: you can reuse your transfer tape over and over again. As long as it is still tacky and fits the design you want to transfer you can use it. I often use my transfer tape 3-4 times before getting a new piece.

Align your stencil then press down using your hand and a vinyl squeegee. Working from the middle and then out press out the air bubbles.

Now, roll your transfer tape off your design. Be sure to go slow, especially with this design as it has delicate lines that can rip easily.

3. SEAL THE STENCIL

This step isn’t an absolute must but you’ve already worked this hard why ruin it with paint bleed? I always hate myself when I skip this step so just save yourself from a kick in the butt later and seal your stencil before you paint ;)!

Paint a SUPER THIN layer of matte finish mod podge all over your design. Essentially what you are doing is filling in all of those tiny little air bubbles that you can’t see that are between your stencil and your wood base with a clear layer. This keeps your paint from filling in those air bubbles, aka: paint bleed.

Be sure you are painting the thinnest of thin layers when doing this step. If it’s too thick your paint will peel up with your stencil when you remove it…again speaking from LOTS of sign making experience lol! Then let that dry completely before moving on to the next step.

4. PAINT YOUR DESIGN

After your mod podge seal has dried you can paint your design. The lighter the color the more layers you will likely need to cover your design completely. For your first layer of paint you want to paint it on thin enough so that you see the wood grain through the paint. I used white acrylic paint for this project and painted 3 coats total.

After you apply the first layer wait for it to dry completely before moving on to the second coat. If you need a third layer of paint repeat the drying process again then paint the third layer.

5. PEEL UP YOUR STENCIL

After your happy with the paint coverage it’s time to peel up the oramask stencil film. I personally peel my stencils up while my paint is still wet but some prefer to peel after their paint has dried, both ways work. Grab one corner of the stencil and peel it off toward the opposite corner.

Then using your weeding tool CAREFULLY peel up the lettering inside of the circle. I ended up grabbing a sewing pin for this as my weeding tool was a little too large for the job.

Let your sign sit and dry completely before displaying in your home with the rest of your summer decorations.

I just love how this little sign turned out! It’s so simple and it can be displayed with both spring and summer décor. I extra love double duty decorations!

If you have any questions about this DIY craft tutorial or any others on my blog please reach out.

Check out more sign painting tutorials below. Happy Crafting!!

Dollar Tree moss bunny peeps on wood + FREE SVG

EASY SPRING CRAFT

DIY DOLLAR TREE SHEET MOSS BUNNIES + FREE SVG

Need an easy & inexpensive spring or Easter craft? This little moss bunny sign will fit in perfectly with your farmhouse or rustic decorations! And it won’t break the bank!

I love the Dollar Tree and I also love my Cricut machine. So when I can make projects combining the two it’s like fireworks in my craft room! Today I made little moss peep bunny cutouts using both my Dollar Tree find and the help of my never fail me Cricut machine. Be sure to check out this DOLLAR TREE BOOK STACK if you love this spring dollar store craft.

This spring Easter craft was super easy, crazy quick and it represents my gaggle of girls. I am a momma to four daughters so I wanted there to be four little moss bunny peeps to represent them <3 !! It just so happened to work out perfectly that I had a 10” piece of scrap wood I originally made for a different craft over a year ago {yes I’m one of those craft hoarder ladies} to use for this simple DIY. So there was no need to cut, paint, or stain anything today at least.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Here’s what you need

• moss sheet

• scissors

• glue gun

• glue sticks

• piece of scrap wood

• cardstock

• Cricut cutting machine

• green cutting mat

• Cricut Design Space

• FREE PEEP SVG- grab it in my free resource library
  
  
  

1. WOOD BASE

I used a piece of scrap wood from another project. It was already cut, stained, and painted so I didn’t need to do that for this project. If you want to know how to get that distressed wood look check out this DIY sign painting post.

2. CARDSTOCK BUNNY

I used my Cricut to cut out a cardstock template. You can grab the same SVG I used from my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY. That is my personal library where I share all of my free printables, SVG cut files, and patterns. This is a much easier way for my readers to get access to my freebies rather than filtering through emails or worse deleting an email that contains a file you needed.

You will only need ONE cardstock bunny no matter how many bunnies you plan on cutting out of the sheet moss.

If you are new to the Cricut world be sure to check out my post on the top 10 supplies & accessories you need to get started using your Cricut cutting machine.

2. TRACE

I flipped my sheet of moss upside down on my craft surface. Then I traced around it using a dark colored permanent thick marker. I tried doing this with a pen but it didn’t work out so great so I grabbed the closest thing to me I could find that would work, a permanent marker. This was a little tricky only because the moss backing is so uneven but since I’m not a perfectionist it worked just fine.

I tried to fit all four bunnies on one side of the sheet so I could make the most of my $1 find lol!

3. CUT THE MOSS BUNNIES OUT

Using a pair of regular scissors I cut the peep bunnies out of the moss sheet. Some of the moss fell off in some pieces leaving it looking a little bare in spots but don’t worry if that happens to you. You can fix that at the very end.

4. GLUE

Before I glued my moss bunnies down I placed them on my piece of wood so I could make adjustments before they were glued down.

Then I used my fine tipped hot glue gun to glue them in place.

For the little areas that were bare I glue some leftover moss in those spots. You couldn’t even tell once I was finished that I had to add moss.

That’s it! So quick and easy. Click here for more DIY DOLLAR TREE CRAFTS.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.

DIY Tiered Tray signs for 4th of July with Rae Dunn inspired SKINNY FONT

DIY 4TH OF JULY TIERED TRAY WOOD SIGN

RED, WHITE, AND BLUE rustic mini signs… yes!! Tiered tray signs are all the rage right now. If you’ve been on Pinterest, Etsy, or anywhere in between then you’ve definitely seen these little farmhouse looking beauties! They are usually made using a simple design and just tie in perfectly with the whole clean rustic look that’s in right now.

If you’re wanting to make your own mini wood signs it’s actually pretty easy to do. I make my tiered tray signs from 1x4’s that I cut down using my miter saw BUT even if you don’t have access to power tool you can still make your own mini wood signs! I’ve put together this DIY PATRIOTIC CRAFT KIT you can grab online in my shop. It comes with everything (except paint brushes) you need to make your own Independence Day signs at home. No need to go out and buy any fancy equipment or tools, especially if you don’t plan on making a ton of DIY craft projects.

If you are wanting to take the sign painting world by the horns be sure to read these 6 must haves for painting wood signs. I share the basic must haves to get you started on your own sign painting journey.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional. This is just a way I can help add to our family finances to raise our four daughters. Please know I would never recommend a product or service I do not totally stand behind.

DIY 4TH OF JULY WOOD SIGNS FOR TIERED TRAYS

Here’s what you’ll need to make your own set of patriotic wooden signs

If you purchased the PATRIOTIC DIY SIGN PAINTING KIT your wood blanks will come pre-stained. You can skip to the step #3

• pine 1x4 cut into these lengths: 6”, 10”, 12”

• Cricut cutting machcine

• Cricut Design Space

• Cricut green cutting mat

• oramask stencil film

• transfer tape

• vinyl squeegee

• stenciling sponge

• red, white, blue, black acrylic paint

• paint brushes

• stain color of choice

• lint free cloth

• gloves to protect your hands when staining

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi sander

• 120 grit orbit sand paper

• xacto knife

• FREE CRICUT 4TH OF JULY CUT FILE

1. CUT & PREP YOUR WOOD PIECES

If you purchased the 4TH OF JULY DIY CRAFT KIT you can skip this step. If not you need to cut your 1x4’s to 6”, 10” and 12”. I use a miter saw to cut mine then give them a quick sanding with120 grit sand paper using my orbit sander. I stain my pieces then let dry for 24 hours. Once dry I sand around the edges to give it a distressed look. Now they are ready for paint :)!

2. CUT YOUR STENCILS

Cut out your stencils on your cutting machine, I use an older model Cricut explore and it always does a perfect job! I highly recommend using Oramask stencil film to cut your stencils out of. This material is specifically made for stenciling and performs very well. Weed your design and apply transfer tape to it so it is ready to go. Get your FREE Cricut cut files here to use for this exact 4th of July project.

3. PAINT YOUR BACKGROUND COLOR

Using a dry brush apply a THIN coat of paint on the front side of your wooden bases. For a more rustic look apply the paint so that it doesn’t touch the edge of the wood base and so that it a little uneven. Let that dry then paint a second coat. Let the second coat completely dry.

4. APPLY YOUR STENCIL

Using your vinyl squeegee apply your stencil to your painted wood base. Once you feel it is adhered good slowly remove the transfer tape off of your stencil. The best way to do this is to start at one corner and slowly roll the transfer tape off of your blue stencil material. PRO TIP: you never want to pull up when removing your transfer tape, this will cause your stencil to pull up as well. Use your finger to rub the exposed area of the stencil to work out any puckers or air bubbles.

5. PAINT YOUR STENCIL

Cut your stencil sponge into 3-4 sections, depending on the number of different colors you plan to use. Lightly dip the end of one of your stenciling sponges into your paint of choice, dab off excess paint onto a scrap piece of cardboard (or something similar) then using an up and down dabbing motion dab it onto the exposed areas of your stencil. Your paint coverage should be super thin, you want to be able to see the background color at this point. Let dry. Once dry dab on a second thin layer. If you are happy with the coverage you can move on to step 6. If you want a little more coverage wait for the second layer to dry then dab on a third layer of pain

6. REMOVE YOUR STENCIL

Using a sharp xacto knife or sewing pin peel your stencil up while your paint is still wet. Be careful not to touch the wet paint. Let your painted wood sign dry.

7. DISTRESS

This step is completely optional. If you want a little more rustic look lightly go over the front of your wooden sign with a sanding sponge or piece of sandpaper. I personally like adding this touch to my signs to give it a more farmhouse look. Wipe off the dust with a lint free cloth and you are ready to display them on your tiered tray.

Painting with nature, a creative and fun experience to enjoy with your kids

Painting with nature, have you tried this with your kids? If not you are totally missing out on a ton of fun and creativity! I’m a momma to four girls and I LOVE that my almost preschooler loved it just as much as my middle schooler. So this craft is truly one for all ages.

What made this even more fun was that the girls gathered their own materials. They each went hunting in the yard and selected some really cool pieces of nature to paint with. Some of the nature items they found were dandelions, tree leaves, clovers, broken acorn shells, seeds from inside of pods, tree bark, and I know there’s more I’m forgetting. They really enjoyed this part. Watching them pick up the different materials that nature was offering and thinking how that would look on their paint canvas was too cool to see.

If you want to paint with nature but you need a mess free option be sure to check out my post on how we painted with pine cones. I don’t think my girls got a drop of paint on them for that project.

After you read this kid friendly DIY craft be sure to check out my other fun projects that are kid approved. Click here to go to my kids craft projects.

 Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

This is such a great activity to do outside if you can. If you can’t no worries I promise it will be just as fun! We gathered our nature painting pieces from our backyard but if you don’t have a backyard you can take a stroll around the park or even just down the sidewalk. The kids are sure to find some useful nature pieces there, even just a twig and a dandelion are perfect for this craft.

HOW TO PAINT WITH NATURE, AN EASY AND FUN CRAFT FOR KIDS

Here’s what you’ll need

• pieces of nature, let them gather whatever their creative hands can pick up

• canvas, we used 4”x6” canvases we found at the Dollar Tree

• food coloring, we used these gel ones

• acrylic paint

• water

• paint tray

• paint brushes

• aprons

• table covering, I invested in drop cloths for my crafts and LOVE using these!

Let the kids get messy! Getting messy is all part of the creative process. We kept our nature painting outside. I put a drop cloth over our patio table and had my girls wear aprons. The older three daughters wear adult aprons like these that we tie up on the neck and the youngest daughter wears a kids apron. With all the crafting we’ve done over the years these aprons have held up really well.

We used a combination of food coloring and acrylic paint to paint our nature canvases. I thought a watercolor look to these would be really pretty but we didn’t have any watercolors paints to use. Food coloring on the canvases turned out AMAZING! They looked just like watercolors, well they did at first but then the girls kept painting over their masterpieces to get them just right lol! We also used food coloring during our TIE DYE experiment and those turned out way better than I thought they were going to. Read about how to TIE DYE with food coloring here.

Painting with nature process is overall pretty simple, here’s how-

ONE- Gather your pieces of nature, canvas, paint and other materials and prep your work area

TWO- If you’re using food coloring you can mix that in your paint wells on your paint tray. I used a medical syringe, like the kind you get from the pharmacy, to squirt water into the paint well, this way I didn’t overfill them, then added drops of food coloring. I used a paintbrush to mix the water and food coloring together and that worked great.

THREE- Get creative and start painting with nature. I just let my girls paint with whatever and however they wanted. The only rule I had was to not argue lol! Let’s be real here, crafting with multiple kids, especially preteens, isn’t always the most enjoyable when the bickering starts. My girls know that if they start arguing with one another there's a good chance momma will make them pick up and put everything away. It’s a wonderful way to keep the peace.

We found that painting on the leaves worked really great for making prints of them. The key was to not apply too much of the food coloring mixture/paint.

Then press the leaves, or other nature items, onto the canvas.

If you want a good print of it press gently, don’t push it around this will cause the paint/food coloring to smear and will not give a good crisp print.

Here’s a leaf print my oldest daughter, who’s in middle school, made. I was actually surprised at how much she enjoyed this nature painting craft. She took her time and carefully picked her nature pieces, colors, and placement of all the things.

Just remember, if their projects turn out to be a crazy dark blog looking painting embrace it! Tell them they did a BEAUTIFUL job and enjoy the time you spend together creating. These are special memories you’ll look back on <3!

Let me know if you have any questions about painting with nature. Happy crafting!

DIY repurpose an old drawer into an American Flag

HOW TO REPURPOSE AN OLD DRAWER INTO AN AMERICAN FLAG

Before you pass up on the dusty old drawer that’s sitting on the side of the road you might want to think of all the amazing things you could turn that in to. Years ago my father in law had a huge old drawer sitting under his carport just collecting dirt and debris. I loved it! Even covered in gross beat-up contact paper I could still see the it’s potential of being something beautiful He told me I could take it home and then it sat in the basement collecting even more dust for years. Finally I pulled it out from the depths of the basement over the weekend and told myself I WOULD transform this old drawer this week!

 Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I really wanted to paint something American on it and after going back and forth in my own head I decided a simple flag would be perfect for this old drawer. I had thought about stenciling a big US map on it or even some lettering but with everything I already have on my plate I decided I should just keep it simple. Besides I don’t have a ton of vinyl and transfer tape to spare since I’m running low and shipments are taking a little longer than normal at the moment. With a little painters tape and a bit of vinyl I was on my way to making a simple rustic American flag.

Here’s what the old drawer looked like before I gave it a full facelift.

And this is what the old drawer looks like now. I definitely made a few mistakes but overall I’m loving how this rustic flag turned out.

If you are planning on doing a lot of stenciling on wood click here to read this post on how I save money on stenciling film.

How to make your own rustic flag

If you have an old drawer hanging around and collecting dust you can transform it into a rustic looking flag like I did with this one.

Here’s what you’ll need

• old drawer

• red, white, and blue paint

• paint brush

• painters tape

• masking tape

• chipbrush

• antiquing wax

• oramask stencil film

• transfer tape

• vinyl squeegee

• xacto knife

• sandpaper

• 50 stars Cricut cut file

• lint free cloth

Helpful tools

• Cricut cutting machine

• Cricut design space

• green cutting mat

• Ryobi sander

ONE-The first thing I had to do was sand it down. This drawer originally came with some gross contact paper attached to it. I had done the majority of taking all of that off when I first got the drawer. I removed the contact paper as much as I could then used the sander to help take off the rest. I started with 60 grit sandpaper on my handheld sander then worked my way up to 120 grit. the contact paper left behind some sticky residue but with a little elbow grease I was able to get all of it off. Then I used a lint free cloth and a vacuum to get off all the dust.

TWO- Using a dry brush I painted the inside of the drawer white. I used flat white indoor paint for this. When I brushed on the white base I made sure that all four sides didn’t get painted right up to the edge and I made the edges really uneven. I wanted it to look rough.

THREE- I measured out how big I wanted the blue area on my flag to be. I am not 100% happy with the size of this but it’s there to stay now lol! I taped that square off then started taping off my lines for my red and white stripes. I did this the same way I did this scrap wood 2x4 flag. I didn’t measure out my lines, mainly because I’m not a super precise person. I used the top edge of the drawer as my guide then taped off my stripes using wide painters tape. I did not make a true American flag though I only have 7 stripes total on mine.

FOUR- Once I had my stripes taped off I painted the exposed stripes red. Then let them dry and painted then with a second coat of red paint. I peeled my tape up while my paint was still wet.

FIVE- I stenciled the 50 stars on this rustic flag but did it a little differently than a typical stencil. I did what’s called a reverse stencil on this just like I did with this 4th of July leaning porch sign . I used my Cricut and Cricut design space to cut out 50 stars. You can get my free Cricut cut file here. Since my stars were wider than 11.5” I had to cut them out on two separate pieces of stencil material. But it wasn’t bad at all to piece them together. I did have a big OOPS moment when I weeded away a star. Thank goodness for an honest husband who told me it looked good other than missing a star! I was able to paint in the missing star before I had applied the wax, praise the Lord!

SIX- Using transfer tape I applied the star stencils to my flag then taped off the stripes. To cut down on paint bleed I sealed them with a thin layer of white paint. After that was dry I painted that part of my flag blue, let dry, then painted another layer of blue. While the paint was still wet I peel up the star stencils and the tape. I did have a little paint bleed but nothing too serious. This is when I added the last star that I missed :/.

SEVEN- I used my Ryobi sander to distress my rustic drawer flag. I used 120 grit sandpaper and lightly went over the entire flag then focused on random areas here and there. After I was happy with the distressing I wiped the sawdust off with a lint free cloth.

EIGHT- If you’ve read any of my other tutorials you probably know LOVE my antiquing wax. I use it for so many of my craft projects and of course used it for this one too. I used a chip brush and lightly applied the dark wax to my flag. If you’ve never used this stuff before please be aware that a little goes a LONG way. I usually dab the end of my brush into the lid then dab off on a cloth. Since I didn’t have a cloth handy for this DIY I used my apron.

I can’t wait to hang this rustic flag in our living room! We plan to keep it up year round and I know every time we look it we will think of fond memories of my father in la

I hope this post inspires you to give an old drawer a makeover! If you have any questions on this DIY or any of my other tutorials please feel free to ask away:)!

Happy Crafting!

Just starting out using your Cricut? See the top 10 supplies and accessories you need to get started.

DIY 4th of July painted wood stars

HOW TO PAINT FREE STANDING RUSTIC WOOD STARS FOR YOUR INDEPENDENCE DAY DECOR

These DIY wooden stars are sure to tie in perfectly with your patriotic décor. Whether your red, white, and blue decorations are seasonal or you leave them up all year round you'll definitely want to add these adorable wood stars.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

These are especially a perfect project for those scrap pieces leftover from other DIY projects. Click here to see how I cut these out using my Cricut machine and Ryobi scroll saw. If you don’t have all the tools to make this craft happen or just don’t have the time you can grab your DIY craft kit here.

Watch the how to video below or keep scrolling for the written rustic 4th of July stars tutorial

Here’s what you’ll need:

• FREE STANDING WOOD STARS (grab your craft blanks here)

• RED, WHITE, AND BLUE ACRYLIC PAINTS

• PAINT BRUSHES

• SANDPAPER

These little rustic wooden stars are SUPER EASY to paint. I am actually thinking about making a few more and staining them instead of using paint. But for now I’ll admire the red, white, and blue ones.

ONE- Paint a thin layer of RED, WHITE, or BLUE paint on each star. Let dry. After the first coat is dry go back and add a second layer of paint on each of the three stars. Let dry.

TWO- Once your stars are completely dry use your sandpaper to distress them. Focus on the edges, corners and lightly on the front/back of each wood star. I use 100-150 grit sandpaper when sanding these by hand. If I use my orbit sander I use 120 grit.

THREE- Use a lint free cloth to remove all the dust from sanding the wood stars. You can finish them off with a polycrylic spray or wax. I didn’t use antiquing wax on these but if you wanted to make them extra rustic try using these techniques for dark wax.

DIY 2x4 chunky wood flag

HOW TO MAKE A PRIMITIVE AMERICAN FLAG

I love a good scrap wood project. That was the inspiration behind this DIY chunky wood flag. I have shelves full of scrap pieces of wood in my workshop, aka my garage lol! I just can’t bring myself to toss out perfectly good pieces of future projects. I had been wanting to make one of these 2x4 flags for a while now and since we are all on lockdown I thought now would be the perfect time to make one and share the DIY with you all.

I didn’t just use a 2x4 to create this wooden flag. I also used a scrap piece of 2x6 that we have loads of leftover from a bunkbed project we made for our four daughters. And when I say we I really mean that my husband made because I pretty much just stood there and handed him things as he needed them.

If you don’t have all the tools to make this project happen grab your DIY CRAFT KIT HERE

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Be sure to check out a few of my other 4th of July patriotic themed projects: RAG WREATH, LEANING PORCH SIGN, and this HANGING WOOD FLAG

MAKE YOUR OWN RUSTIC WOOD AMERICAN FLAG

Here’s what you’ll need

• 2x4x5.5

• 2x6x5

• red, white, and blue acrylic paint

• paint brushes

• sand paper

• masking tape

• 1.4” wide star cutout

• pencil

Helpful tools

• Cricut cutting machine

• Cricut Design Space

• Cricut cutting mat

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi sander

ONE- If you didn’t grab a DIY craft kit the first thing you want to do is cut your wood pieces. Use your miter saw to cut the 2x4 to 5.5” and the 2x6 to 5”. You will place the 2x6 on it’s side so that it stands 5.5” tall. Use your sander to give them a quick sanding. I use a cordless Ryobi sander and really love it! Then wipe all the sawdust off with a lint free cloth.

TWO- Paint the 2x4 completely blue. You will have to wait for the front to dry before you can start painting the back. Since this is a dark color one coat should be enough but you can paint a second coat if you aren’t happy with the coverage.

THREE- Paint the 2x6 completely white. Wait for the front to dry before you paint the back. After all sides have dried you’ll want to paint a second coat of white paint to get a good coverage. Let dry.

FOUR- Take your cardstock star cutout and trace around it with a pencil in three places on the front side. I staggered mine because I like that look but you can place yours wherever you’d like. Try to trace lightly so that it’s easier to paint over. Using a small paint brush paint inside the star outline. A thin layer works best so you don’t have streaking. Paint a second layer once that layer is dry.

FIVE- After your white block is totally dry you can start painting on your stripes. To get even stripes you want to use masking tape. Be sure your block is standing at 5.5” tall before you start applying your tape. If you are using .75” masking tape you will want to start at the top and apply a piece of tape all the way around but apply your tape so that it hangs off the top slightly. This way you aren’t left with a super thin stripe on the bottom. This first piece of tape is called your spacer piece.

Then take another piece of tape and apply it directly below your spacer piece. Remove your spacer piece and then apply it directly below that second piece of tape. You will do this the whole way down your 2x6. This is what it should look like when you’re done.

SIX- This step isn’t 100% necessary but it does help with reducing paint bleed. Take your white paint brush and paint a super thin layer of paint where the tape and the wood meet, the seam. Let dry.

SEVEN- Where the wood is exposed paint that red. Let dry then paint a second coat. While the paint is still wet peel up all the tape. Let dry.

EIGHT- After your blocks are dry you’ll want to distress them. Take a piece of sandpaper, or your orbit sander, and distress both blocks. You want to focus on the edges and then lightly go over the front, back, and sides. When you’re finished distressing you want to wipe the dust off with a lint free cloth.

Enjoy your new American flag décor! Like with all of my DIY projects if you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Free standing wood stars using your Cricut

One thing I never thought I’d be doing is using my Cricut to help me cut out shapes and letters from pine boards. When I got my very first Cricut machine about a decade ago I always thought I’d just be using my new fancy cutting machine to cut paper and make decorations for my kid’s birthday parties. That’s was the case for the first few years. But now my Cricut craft horizon has been broadened and I’m using it for more than I could have dreamed!

Pairing this wonderful little machine of magic with my power tools has been a GAME CHANGER for my crafting abilities. And it can be for you too!

If you’re not totally comfortable using power tools I totally understand and know it’s a very real fear. I was in that same boat not that long ago and slowly was able to put that fear behind me. Here’s a list a power tools that I recommend all lady crafters get. I started off small, mastering the handheld sander, this thing can be SUPER intimidating, then worked my way up to being able to using all the power tools with no hesitation.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

USE YOUR CRICUT TO HELP YOU CUT OUT WOOD PROJECTS

Here’s what I used:

• CRICUT EXPLORE

• CRICUT DESIGN SPACE

• CRICUT GREEN MAT

• CARDSTOCK

• PENCIL

• RYOBI SCROLL SAW

• RYOBI SANDER

The first thing I did was decide how big I wanted my wooden stars to be. I always have scraps of 1x6 boards so I decided 5.4” at the star’s widest would be a good size. I opened up my Cricut app on my computer and added a simple star from the shapes section.

I highlighted it and clicked on the width, since that had the biggest number, and changed it to 5.4”. I left the image locked so that it would be proportionate.

I set my image to cut. Added a piece of cardstock to my green mat and set my blade to light cardstock then hit cut. I also want to add that you can use an older machine like I’m using. I have yet to buy a Cricut Maker, even though I would LOVE to have one but my Cricut Explore is getting everything done for now.

After my cardstock template was cut out I used that to help me cut out the a wood star from a piece of pine.

I traced around the star using a pencil then used my Ryobi scroll saw to cut the shape. If you’ve never used a scroll saw it’s a lot like using a sewing machine. Don’t go too fast or you will not get as precise of a cut.

When I’m cutting out shapes that have lots of angles I don’t do one continuous cut. I cut till I get to an angle then back out. Then make another cut from the opposite side to meet at that angle point. This is just works for me, I know everyone is different so you'll have to find your own rhythm.

I hope you can use this new information to help you explore all the possibilities of what your Cricut can do. You can take it so much further than just card making and vinyl projects.

Like with all of my tutorials if you have any questions please ask away. I am happy to try and answer :)! Click here to check out how I finished my wood star cutouts.

DIY mini Easter wooden tags

MAKE YOUR OWN RUSTIC WOOD TAGS FOR EASTER

DIY mini wood tags for Easter. How to use your Cricut to make wood signs for Easter. Make your own farmhouse tray mini signs for spring.

I can’t believe how popular these little wood tags for Easter are! I keep selling out of this spring DIY craft kit almost daily. Since the entire country is basically on lockdown this kit is giving people a much needed creative outlet. I am SO happy to be able to provide this joy to so many around our nation, especially at a time like this.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

In this crafty tutorial I’m going to show you how to stencil these wood tags for Easter. If you’re wanting a tutorial on how to cut wood tags you’ll want to go here. I share the measurements, angles, and even the drill bit size to make the twine hole in the middle.

DIY RUSTIC WOOD TAGS FOR EASTER

Here’s what you’ll need

• mini wood tags (you can buy these precut tags if you don’t have the tools to cut them yourself)

• stencil material

• transfer tape

• acrylic paints - gray, pink, yellow, blue, white

• sandpaper

• paint brush

• stenciling sponge

• twine

• masking tape

• vinyl squeegee

• CRICUT SVG for hangin’ with my peeps —> CLICK HERE

• free SVG for bunny image & happy Easter —-> CLICK HERE

Other helpful tools I used

• Ryobi miter saw

• Ryobi sander

• Cricut Explore (you can create AMAZING projects with an older model Cricut like this)

• Cricut Access

• Cricut cutting mat

If you love these rustic wood spring tags be sure to check out this super easy Dollar Tree moss bunny craft.

Cutting your wood pieces

1. First you want to cut out your wood tags. I used my Ryobi miter saw to do this. Cut a 1x4 in to 3 5” long pieces. On the top of each 5” piece measure in 1” and make a mark. Set your miter saw to 45 degrees, line it up with your 1” mark and cut. Flip your tag over and do the same to the other side. 

2. Now drill a hole in the middle of the top of each piece. This is for your twine holder to go through.

3. After you have that done give each piece a quick sanding. You don’t have to get crazy with this, it’s not a fine piece of furniture. I use 120 grit sandpaper for this and that’s it. Just enough to take off that shine it has when you get it from the lumberyard.

   WATCH THE VIDEO OF HOW I MADE THESE USING MY MITER SAW

Stencils

You can use any cutting machine to create your Easter themed stencils. I use my Cricut Explore to make all of mine. If you have and are using a Cricut you can get the HANGIN’ WITH MY PEEPS image to use here. You can use my FREE SVG’s for the bunny image & happy Easter cutting files here. I use Oramask stenciling film to make my stencils. While it is a little more expensive than other materials I have found it works the absolute best for stenciling.

Painting (the fun part!)

First a thin layer of gray paint on each wood tag. Be sure it is a thin layer, you will still be able to see the wood grain through the paint. After the first thin layer is dry you can paint a second thin layer. You don’t want more than two layers of base paint on your wooden tags, or any painted wood sign. Too much paint will cause issues when stenciling with base paint peel up, which can be impossible to fix sometimes and honestly it just plain sucks to have to go back and fix.

2. After your base paint is completely dry you can apply your stencils to all three wood blanks. Apply your transfer tape to your stencils (if you bought my DIY CRAFT KIT this step has already been done for you). Peel the paper backing from your stencil/transfer tape. Go slow.  Place your stencils sticky side down on the front of your painted wood tag. The front is just whichever side you prefer best ;). Using your vinyl squeegee, if you don’t have one you can use a plastic store rewards card, and rub the stencil to that it adheres to the wood. Slowly peel the transfer tape away from the wood leaving your stencil attached to the wood. I find that it works best when I roll the transfer tape away, check out this DIY PAINTED WOOD SIGN TUTORIAL for  a closer look at how to do this.

3. Use masking tape to tape off the edges of your stencil so you don’t get paint on areas of the wood tags that you don’t want paint on.

4. Using one end of one of the sponges dip it in the white paint. You need very little paint, the more paint you use the more paint bleed you will likely have. Dab your sponge onto the exposed areas of your stencil. The coverage should be VERY faint. Let that dry and repeat up to three times. You don’t want to apply more than three coats as this could cause issues with paint peel up where you just stenciled. If you want the cute little bunnies to be different colors paint them white first then finish them with two layers of your preferred paint color. I painted mine in pink, blue, and yellow. Giving them a white base first will allow the colors to really pop if you are painting on a dark base.

5. Peel up your stencils and tape. Using an xacto knife helps to remove the middle piece of the stencils.

Distressing

After your paint completely dries from stenciling you can start distressing your wood Easter tags. I LOVE this technique because it’s super easy and quick. Using sand paper or your sander give a quick sanding to the edges, corners, and lightly on the front of each wooden tag. Wipe off and dust.

Adding twine

Probably the easiest step is adding the twine. Decide how long you would like your twine hangers to be. I think I measured mine at 12” or so. You’ll need 3 pieces, one for each wood tag. Feed one piece of twine through the hole in one of the wood tags then tie it in a knot.

You’re ready to display your Easter wood tags in your home. I know it may seem like a lot of steps written out but really these are super easy and quick to DIY once you get going on them.

Like with all of my DIY tutorials if you have any questions please reach out. Leave a comment below or send me a message on one of my social media pages. You can find my links at the top.

Happy Crafting!

How to make your own corsage with faux flowers

DIY YOUR OWN CORSAGE WITH FAKE FLOWERS

Real corsages are gorgeous! But they can be a little pricey, especially for being a small part of the fancy attire. Our small town held a father daughter dance and I really wanted my girls to feel extra special and wear a corsage. Since my husband was taking three of our four daughters I figured it would be more cost effective if I ordered them from a big chain grocery florist. I looked online and they were $20+ per corsage plus $20 for my husbands boutonniere. A total of $80 for accent flowers…that was not in the budget. What I did instead was take a trip to our local Walmart and picked out some inexpensive flowers, hair ties, and floral tape. I spent a total of $13 and everyone got a beautiful corsage/boutonniere to wear to the fancy daddy daughter dance.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional. This is just a way I can help add to our family finances to raise our four daughters. Please know I would never recommend a product or service I do not totally stand behind.

I’ll be honest, I tried to make one for the oldest of the four daughters when she was in the first grade and it turned out awful! I used a real flower that was WAY too big and it seriously looked like a Pinterest fail! This time around I extra crossed my fingers they would turn out as a win and thank goodness they did! The girls got SO MANY C0MPLIMENTS on them at the dance.

DIY FLOWER CORSAGE

Here’s what I used

• faux round roses

• faux babies breath

• faux spring flower bunch

• green floral tape

• felt

• scissors

• wire cutters

• black hair tie (pony tail holder)

• hot glue gun

• gorilla glue hot glue sticks

Make this DIY even more inexpensive by visiting your local DOLLAR TREE. They have a great floral selection depending on the season.

I found everything I needed at Walmart. I already had the glue, glue gun, and felt on hand so I didn’t need to pick those up. I also had a ton of supplies left over. I used some in their hair for little accents and then still had some left over. I couldn’t believe it cost around $3 per corsage to make. That beats $20/ wrist corsage any day!

1. I cut a rectangle that was smaller than the width of one of my daughter’s wrist. This is what I glued my flowers to. Then, I cut a second rectangle that was a little smaller than the first rectangle.

2. I picked out 2 main flowers for the corsages. I used these gorgeous round roses I found at my local Walmart that were about $3 per stem. I used 2 per corsage and 1 for my husband’s boutonniere. I made these round roses the focal point and added the other flowers as accents. I pulled the round rose flower heads off of their stems then I cut them flush at the bottom of the flower so that the bottom side of the flower was flat.

3. I started layering the flowers that surrounded the main flowers. This took me a little while to get the flowers where I wanted them to go. I used a combination of baby’s breath, lavender, and a spring flower bunch. I had to trim them up here and there, so don’t be afraid to do that too. This will keep your corsage from being gigantic. See the picture below, I had to trim down the lavender stems so that they wouldn’t be so long. I did this carefully making sure I wasn’t removing too much.

4. I attached the accent flower stems together. Basically I made double ended floral stems. I tried to make them somewhat similar in size in both length and width so that the corsage wasn’t lopsided. I didn’t make them identical, I used different accent flowers on each end but was sure to incorporate baby’s breath on each end. Then I wrapped the middle of the double ended floral stem in green floral tape to keep them together.

5. I placed them on the bigger rectangle to see where exactly I wanted to place them before I started gluing anything down. This is the time to trim your felt down if you need to.

6. Then I used my glue gun to glue everything down to the felt. I first glued down the double ended floral stem I made. Let that dry so that it gets secure. Then I glued down the main focal point flowers, the round roses.

7. Fill in the gaps. After I got the roses glued down and the glue dried I added in more accent flowers where I thought the corsage was bare. I even cut off single leaves, this spring bunch I picked up had the most beautiful soft lambs ear like leaves. I added in several of those leaves where I thought they would look good. I attached some to the sides of the roses. I also did this with the baby’s breath. Before I glued them down I was sure to double check I liked that placement. A tiny dab of glue is all you need for these little pieces.

8. Once I was happy with how it look and the glue was dry I flipped it over and added a thick hair tie. While recording this tutorial I actually attached my hair tie the wrong way. For the most comfort I suggest gluing on the hair tie so that the corsage lays vertically against the wrist. So you would want to attach your hair tie so that it would sit on the rectangle horizontally. Once that glue dries glue the second rectangle on top of the hair tie so that the hair tie is sandwiched in-between the two pieces of felt. This will make it really secure and will be difficult for the elastic to come off.

I hope you enjoyed this inexpensive tutorial. Like with all of my posts, if you have any questions at all please don’t hesitate to ask.

Happy crafting!

How to TIE DYE using food coloring

Teach your kids the techniques of tie dying using food coloring

For a long while now my girls have been wanting to try their hand at tie dying so we thought why not make tie dye red, white, and blue shirts for the 4th of July that was coming up. But there was one slight problem, we were pressed for time and I had NEVER tried to tie dye before…ever. So we did some searching on Pinterest and found a TON of tutorials. We came across ones that used food coloring and I thought that would be a perfect starting point for us since we’d never tried this whole thing before.

It was a pretty great experience too! I’m so glad we tried this method first. I need to add that the food coloring does NOT stay in the fabric after being washed. There are steps that we could have taken to make it stay but I wanted their shirts to rinse clean so they could try other folding techniques and not have a million tie dye shirts in their closet.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional. This is just a way I can help add to our family finances to raise our four daughters. Please know I would never recommend a product or service I do not totally stand behind.

Click here for more kid friendly craft tutorials. If you enjoyed this TIE DYE craft watch the video below on how to stencil on a canvas bag. This is a HUGE hit for a birthday party craft.

Here’s what you’ll need

I picked everything up from my local Walmart & Dollar Tree, but I’ve included links if you prefer to order these items on Amazon and have them delivered right to your door.

• food coloring

• condiment squeeze bottles

• white t-shirt

• rubber bands

• measuring cup

• clothes pin

• gloves

• water

EASILY TIE DYE WITH FOOD COLORING

1. TWIST YOUR SHIRT

First you want to unfold your t-shirt so it is laying flat in front of you. Then pinch the middle and twist the shirt so it coils into itself. This was a little difficult for my girls to do so I did this step for them. But with a little practice I think they will master it in no time.

2. WRAP WITH RUBBER BANDS

Next, wrap a rubber band around the circumference of the coiled shirt. Then add several rubber bands going the other direction around the shirt so it doesn’t come undone. The method gives the shirt a traditional spiral look but if you want to learn other techniques I recommend reading Stephanie Lynn’s blog post about other tie dye folding techniques.

3. TIE DYE FOOD COLORING MIXTURE

Now you’re ready to start mixing the food color mixture.

I read another tutorial they recommended 8 drops of food coloring to 1/2 C of water. We mixed that at first but it didn’t seem like the colors were very bright. So we doubled the food coloring drops.

You’ll need to mix 16 drops of food coloring:1/2 C water we just poured it all into our squeeze bottles and gave them a good shake. I wasn’t sure how much solution we would use since we had 3 shirts to do and we ended up having to refill one red bottle and one blue bottle.

Their little setup was so cute I had to snap lots of pics!

4. APPLY THE FOOD COLOR MIXTURE

Then start squirting on the food coloring solution. If you don’t prewash your shirt you might have a hard time getting your shirt to absorb the liquid. This was us lol! So we gave our shirts a quick misting with a spray bottle with water in it and after that it soaked the food color water up just fine.

Keep squirting on the solution until your shirt looks like the one below. Again, we are first timers here but this worked for us so this is what we are recommending ;)!

5. LET IT SET

Other tutorials we read said to soak the shirt in salt water after you’re done squirting on the food color mixture. Then remove it after so many hours and let it sit for at least 12 hours…but we didn’t do that lol! We were pressed for time and this was a just for fun tie dye experiment to get our feet wet with the whole tie dying experience. But we did let our shirts set for 24 hours, mainly because we had a million other things to do {momma of 4 life}.

Keeping your shirt coiled up with the rubber bands still on it, place it inside a plastic bag and wrap the bag tight squeezing out all the air. Let sit for at least 12 hours.

6. READY TO WEAR

After it has sat, take it out and hang it inside to dry, away from sunlight. Once dry you can wear your freshly food colored tie dyed shirt right away.

My girls did some fancy cutting and tying on their shirts. The middle two even used some of their discarded pieces to make fun headbands to match their shirts!

Like I said above, this method is not permanent. It WILL wash out. But it was so fun for the girls to test the waters of tie dyeing. Look how adorable they are!! BTW the youngest of the four daughters didn’t want any part of the whole thing….life with a toddler lol!

In my opinion this is THE perfect way for kids to experiment with tie dying. They can do so many wrapping and folding techniques and if they don’t like it it will wash right out. And if they find a technique they love they can try their hand at the permanent stuff.

I hope you enjoyed reading this tutorial. My girls had so much fun with this!

Let me know if you have any questions below.

How to make an American Flag leaning porch sign

I just can’t seem to get enough of the patriotic décor these days! It started a few months ago when I made these fun fireworks from a wood 4x4 . Then I added this old classic to the blog, a hanging wood flag made from 1x4’s {you can find this handmade piece in my Etsy shop that sells like crazy this time of year}. And I had to make a tutorial of a red, white, and blue rag wreath. I tell ya, I’ve been obsessed lately with making these tutorials! And I have another one ;)!!!

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I had everything I needed on hand to make this but I’ve included the links where you can get some of these supplies. Yes, those are affiliate links but not to worry, you will not be charged anything extra if you make a purchase through them. They are just a way for this stay at home momma to help with the daily bills of raising our four little girls :)!

I promise this sign is SUPERRRRR easy!

Here’s what you’ll need

• 1x8x48 {4 feet}

• 1” paint brushes

• Acrylic paint, red, blue, white

• burlap

• masking tape

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• 120 grit sandpaper

• vinyl star cut out

• wire {I picked mine up at our local farm store in the fencing area}

Handy tools

• RYOBI Sander

• RYOBI miter saw

• needle nose pliers

• wire cutters

• cricut cutting machine

First you need to cut your board and give it a quick sanding with 120 grit sandpaper. I personally LOVE working with Ryobi Power Tools. For years I used my husband much more industrial strength tools {he works commercial construction so his tools need to be crazy powerful} till I found these little gems and I have no plans of ever letting these guys go!

Then you need to paint your ENTIRE board white. Do one very thin coat, once dry add a second coat.

If you’re using a stencil cut it out while your board dries. I use my Cricut but you can use any vinyl cutting machine. The star I cut out was approx. 6” wide. If you don’t have access to one you can free hand your star. If going this route I recommend using a pencil when you do the outline.

Apply your star stencil to your board. Then decide where you want your blue line to stop below it. Measure that distance and make a mark on each side. I made mine approx. 9” from the top.

Now run a piece of tape from side to side where you made those marks. This will help to keep your line crisp.

Paint the entire top area blue. I used a royal blue but any blue shade that you like will be perfect. I painted two coats of blue, allowing it to dry completely between coats.

Remove the star and the tape.

I at first planned to paint two stripes of white and two stripes of red going down my board…big mistake. It was not as cute so I had to repaint it. I had to paint the bottom part red, because it is far easier to cover white with red than to cover red with white.

Using the same measuring technique as above but going vertically instead of horizontally, tape off the bottom so you have three equal stripes. If I wouldn’t have messed my stripes up from the beginning I would have taped them off the opposite from pictured below and painted inside the tape lines red. Instead I had to make more work for myself. I hope that makes sense. Just like with the blue, paint two coats and let dry between coats.

Then peel off the tape. Go in with a small paint brush and fix any mistakes if necessary.

Using your sander, sand around the edges, corners, and give the front a super quick once over. Then you’re ready to apply your wax. Check out my DIY mini wood pumpkin tutorial for a more in-depth how to on applying antiquing wax.

Add a piece of burlap. I tied mine off with a piece of floral wire but you can tie yours in a bow or a knot.

I added a couple pieces of baling wire just to give it a little extra cuteness!

If you love this piece but don’t have the time to make it and NEED it in your life ;) you can purchase one personally made by me here ————> AMERICAN FLAG LEANING PORCH SIGN

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DIY 4th of July rag wreath

I love the shabby chic look for many reasons but mainly because that look is totally imperfect just like me. I’m a busy momma to four little girls so there’s no room in our beautiful chaos for absolute perfection.

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I needed a new wreath for our front door for the 4th of July. I have been truly slacking in the red, white, and blue décor the last few years and really needed a spruce up. But I didn’t have the time to make anything big and wonderful and it’s not in our budget to make a ton of new decorations. So I decided on a RAG WREATH for our front door and I’m so glad I did! If you like this tutorial check out the DIY spring rag wreath I made.

save on Pinterest for later

Here’s what you’ll need

• 5 fat quarters of fabric, I found these at my local Walmart and even better I got a few of them in the clearance aisle!

• wire wreath form, I found mine at Dollar Tree

• scissors

If you love the big burlap bow go here ———-> to my HOW TO MAKE A BURLAP BOW tutorial.

Working with one fat quarter at a time, unfold and don’t worry about the creases. You won’t be able to see these. Going along the bottom make a small cut every .75”-1”. If you want your tie pieces to be larger make your cuts farther apart.

Now rip each of those cuts all the way to the other end using your hands, not your scissors. This will give your fabric a frayed looked.

After you have all your small cuts ripped cut each strip into 3rds like the picture below. Because I am a far cry from a perfectionist none of mine were the same size. If you like things a little more perfect than this you can measure these out.

Repeat these steps for ALL the fabric quarters.

After you have all your pieces ripped and cut into thirds start tying them to your wire wreath form. To make sure I had enough fabric to cover the entire wire form I moved to the next section before it was full and did that for all the sections. Then I went around and filled in the blank spaces.

Be sure you are staggering out your fabric prints. You don’t want too many of the same print in one spot.

You can leave it plain and simple or tie a bow to it like the burlap bow I tied to this one.

What do you think? Super adorable and SUPER easy to DIY at home!

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Check out these other 4th of July DIY crafts.

DIY hanging wood flag

I love patriotic décor. Not only because I truly love being an American but because it never goes out of season! You can leave it up year round and it looks perfectly beautiful and not at all out of place, unlike the wooden Santa I had hanging out in the living room five months after Christmas. Yes, that’s a true story! My grandma painted this amazing 5 ft tall Santa ages ago and I somehow overlooked him for months in our living room.

So unlike Mr. Claus, patriotic décor would not stick out like a sore thumb long after Independence Day has passed.

If you don’t have time to make your own be sure to stop by my Etsy shop and purchase your own handmade wood American Flag made by yours truly ;)

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

Ok, on to the tutorial.

Here’s what you’ll need

SUPPLIES

• 3- 1x4x12 {white and red pieces}

• 1- 1x4x13 {blue piece, top}

• 1” paint brushes

• Acrylic paint, red, blue, white

• baler wire {you can find this at a local farm store}

• 3 wood stars

• chip brush

• antiquing wax

• 120 grit sandpaper

TOOLS

• RYOBI Drill

• RYOBI Drill bits

• RYOBI Sander

• needle nose pliers

• wire cutters

After you cut down your 1x4 into the correct sizes you need to give them a quick sanding. I use my Ryobi handheld cordless sander for this but you can use just sandpaper or a sanding block, although it will take a lot more work and more time. I purchased my sander fairy cheap at my local hardware store, one of the best $50 I’ve ever spent! After you have all the 1x4 pieces sanded give them a quick wipe down to get all the saw dust off.

Next you need to paint all the wood pieces and the stars. I only did two coats on each piece. To get the look that I did on mine you will need to paint all three stars WHITE, 2 of the 1x4x12’s WHITE , 1 of the 1x4x12 RED, and the 1x4x13 BLUE. Let them dry COMPLETELY between coats.

After everything is totally dry you need to mark your pieces where you will drill your holes. I am not a perfectionist so I just eyeball it. It’s rustic so it doesn’t have to be perfect anyway ;) I do this with a pen but if you’re worried about messing up you can use a pencil.

Not counting the stars, your pieces should have a total of 11 markings, 3 on the top of the blue piece where you will attach the stars, 3 on the bottom of the blue piece where you will attach the hanging white and red pieces, 1 on the top right of the blue piece and 1 on the top left of the blue piece where you will attach the baler wire to hang for displaying, 1 in the top middle of each white piece, 1 in the top middle of the red piece. I don’t typically mark the stars because it’s not necessary, the hole goes in the top of the star.

Now it’s time to drill. Your drill bit will vary depending on how thick your baler wire is. I always use a drill bit that is just a size above the wire size, that way the wire has room to move so that it’s not super tight. Be sure when you are drilling the holes in the stars you don’t get too close to the top. If you get too close you will crack the tip of the star and you won’t be able to use it. PRO TIP: place a flat discarded piece of wood under what you’re drilling into so you don’t drill into the table underneath.

Now it’s time to distress. Using your Ryobi sander sand around the edges. Here’s a good example on how I do this in my Dr. Seuss keepsake craft. There are some good close ups on sanding just the edges and rounding the corners of the wood to give it a perfect rustic look.

I only sand the 1x4 pieces. The stars are so small and fragile that yo don’t need to sand those, using the wax on them in the next step will work just fine.

Apply wax around all the edges, corners, and give them a light coat down the center of each piece. Check out my DIY rustic wooden pumpkins post on a more detailed way to do this using your chip brush. I love pretty much any brand of antiquing wax, they all work great! PRO TIP: cut the bristles down on your chip brush. You get a better outcome when the bristles are shorter and stiffer.

You’re almost done! The next steps are just assembling your pieces together. You’ll need your baler wire and wire cutters for this.

You’ll need 3 wire pieces cut to approx. 6”-7”. Cut your pieces short if you want less space from the blue piece to the hanging pieces, and longer if you want more space from the blue piece to the hanging pieces. Now make a loop with your plies on ONE end of each piece like pictured below.

These loops will go on the BACK of each piece.

Then connect it to the blue piece and loop the end just like you did before. This is what the BACK of your flag should look like before you attach your stars.

The star wire is slightly different. You’ll need a 3” piece for each star. One end you need to wrap a few times around your needle nose pliers. This doesn’t have to be perfect, mine never are. Leave the other end open.

Then feed the straight end of the wire through the front of your star then through the front of the boar where you drilled a star hole.

After you put your star wires through their holes on the blue wood you want to do the same thing and loop them on the back like you did with the other wires. Pictured below is BEFORE they are looped.

Add a piece of wire to hang at the top corner holes and you’re done! I know it seems like a lot of steps but it’s SUPER easy! I’d love to see pictures of your handmade patriotic decor, especially if you make this piece:)!!

DIY 4X4 Wood Firecrackers

Affiliate Disclosure. Some of the links on this website are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a small commission if you click on the link or make a purchase using the link. If you make a purchase you will not be charged anything additional.

I am a sucker for a quick and easy simple crafts! These kind of projects give you an instant satisfactions because you don’t need to wait days for them to cure and you can even get the kiddos involved in the creative process because honestly there’s not a whole lot they can mess up with these little guys.

This project does require the use of some power tools but if you don’t have them handy you can purchase an easy craft kit from our studio. We do all the cutting, pre-sanding, drilling, and include all the materials PLUS printed of instructions on how to make them at home so you don’t have to come back to this page while your hands are covered in paint.

Here’s what you’ll need if you’re making yours totally from scratch…

• 4x4 wood blocks cut approx. to lengths of 4, 5.5, & 7 {you can pick this up at your local hardware store}

• twine

• 3 paint brushes

• acrylic paint in RED, BLUE, WHITE

• antiquing wax

• RYOBI cordless sander or sandpaper

• RYOBI miter saw

• RYOBI drill

• RYOBI drill bit

• baler wire {you can pick this up at your local farm store}

• wire cutters

• glue gun

If you prefer to order online I’ve attached Amazon links to most of the supplies above. You can purchase most of the supplies at your local Walmart and home improvement stores.

First you need to cut your 4x4 down to 4, 5.5, and 7 inch lengths. Some home improvement stores will do this for you but usually their blades are very dull and will splinter your wood badly. For this project the splinters would add a ton of character but I wouldn’t depend on this being an option for most of your other DIY projects.

My husband got me my own saw last year and I am LOVING it! Granted it was more money than I wanted to spend but it has been one of the best investments we’ve made in our business. Ryobi makes a really great line of tools, especially if you’re just using them to make projects for your home or running your own creative craft business like I do. This particular saw is great because it is a slider. It can cut anything from 1/2” pieces all the way up to 12” wide {and probably a little wider but I only cut up to 12”}.

After your pieces are cut you need to give them a quick sanding. Again, I use my trusty Ryobi tools for the job. I typically use 120 grit sandpaper for most of my projects. This is a good in the middle grit. If you want to get crazy you can sand with all the way thru the different grits but I don’t usually do this…I’m a busy momma of four 120 works perfect, lol!

After you have your pieces sanded be sure to wipe off all the saw dust. You don’t want this on the wood when you start painting.

Depending on the size wire you get will depend on the size drill bit you’ll need. Drill a hole in just the top of each piece of wood. I drilled mine about 1/2” deep.

Paint each of your blocks a different color. You’ll need one red, one white, one blue. I did two coats on mine. This is a good time to get the kiddos involved. They really can’t mess these little guys up. Be sure to let the paint dry COMPLETELY between coats. If you don’t your paint will likely pull away from the wood as you apply it on top of wet paint.

After both coats are dried you want to give your blocks a light sanding. Focus on the edges and the corners.

Using your chipbrush apply a light layer of the antiquing wax to the areas you sanded. You can do this as heavy or as light as you like. Remember a little bit goes a long way and you can always add more if you want to.

Now add a little hot glue to the end of the wire and quickly stick it down in the hole you drilled. Once they are dry and in place you can twist them if you’d like.

Wrap the middle of each wood block in twine and you’re done! Super easy!

I hope you found this craft as fun as I did! Enjoy your Fourth of July!

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Super simple DIY, how to make a tied rag wreath for SPRING

EASY SPRING RAG WREATH

All the perfect imperfections just get me every time. I’ve never been one to be too keen on things being perfect though, I am a mom of four after all. We have coloring on the wall, chipped dishes from the girls dropping them a little too hard into the sink, and don’t get me started on what the inside of our minivan looks like…so yeah, I LOVE imperfections.

This craft fits right into my love for imperfections. the unevenness, the frayed edges, the random fabric pattern, it’s a beautiful mess! And it is SO easy to make. You literally don’t have to have any “crafty” abilities to create this gorgeous wreath.

And did I mention it’s SUPER INEXPENSIVE to make? Yup! For less than $10 you can pick up everything you need to have a perfectly imperfect wreath for spring!

So let’s get started.

Want instant access to all of my FREE printables, templates, and patterns? Click here for my FREE RESOURCE LIBRARY

Here’s what you'll need

• a wire wreath form

• 4 fat fabric quarters

• scissors

• something to hang it with. I used thick braided rope

And that’s it! I’m telling you this tutorial is sooooo simple!

Ok, let’s get started. First, using your scissors you need to cut slits every 3/4” on the widest side of your fabric. Then rip them off individually. I’ll post a video at the very end of this so you can watch how to do this.

After all your fabric is ripped into strips you need to cut each strip into thirds. You can do several strips at a time.

Then start tying them using only one knot if you tie a double know the strips will be very short. You will use all the pieces of fabric from your 4 fat fabric quarters. I just grabbed whatever pieces and tied them on so.

This is so simple the kiddos can even help you make it. I know my girls LOVE helping me rip the strips.

Just keep tying and tying till you fill the whole ring up.

When you have all your pieces tied on you can add something to hang it with. I added a cute piece of thick braided rope I had on hand.

I just LOVE the way this turned out! So gorgeous!

Check out the video tutorial I made during a FACEBOOK LIVE