Happy Everything 01.

I don’t know about you, but I really love summer this particular time of year. I am all about barbecues, warm days and everything red, white and blue.  Then I have to admit shortly after the 4^th of July I’m kind of over it, which is not a good thing when you live in Southern California since it is likely to be well past 80 degrees until November.

For the next couple of weeks though everything summer is wholeheartedly embraced. With that in mind I have a couple of patriotic themed crafts to share with you…

Each holiday I send little themed gifts to my three-year-old niece and five-year-old sister (yes, I said sister) who both live in the Midwest. I wrapped up flip-books about the fifty states for them and tied a simple gift tag on the package.

I used a chipboard star shape as a mask on plain office tags before I sprayed them with red and blue mist. Then I stamped the polka-dotted star in the middle. I took this idea a little farther and got started on a 4^th of July layout....

I simply laid out a bunched of punched stars on some white card stock and sprayed away. (That’s my super fancy big box and old pillowcase misting system that I started employing after accidentally coating my entire bathroom counter in ink).

Now I have a red, white and blue design waiting for this year’s photos.
I am pretty sure my most favorite thing to do each holiday is craft up some decorations. This year I made a long banner to hang over our fireplace…

I know sewing a banner is far from a new idea, however this was my first time trying it out. Since I am a horrid seamstress I tried to figure out a way to keep it pretty easy. I sewed (messy) hand-cut triangles of fabric to a piece of grosgrain ribbon. 
And it worked!

Thanks for joining me in some red, white and blue craftiness. Have a great time getting ready for your own celebration…or come on over to my annual 4^th of July block party I’ll have a root beer float waiting for you.

-Nora

Comments

[Brenda]

I love love love your banner...It is so cute! You and Cheryl have SUPER inspired me to make a banner...but I am trying to sell my house so new decorations are not in the picture now...I will save that idea for when I move!

[Sasha "sweet thang" Holloway]

I love these .. I just sent off a crap load of thank you 4th of July cards and ATC mini's to some of my friends that are deployed and random troops ..

thanks for the inspiration to keep going Red White and Blue...

xoxo

[cindy]

this is SO amazing Nora! i just love what you've done w/ the banner & your tags are amazingly cool!!!

[rebekah]

love LOVE that banner, nora!! your house is beautiful, girl! :) and you are like the superhero aunt...i want to be your niece or sister that you send goodies to...how lucky are they?!! :)

[jan]

Loving your starts & stripes projects-you are a master mister! :)
Your banner is nothing short of f a b u l o u s as is the little
arrangement it hangs over!

[katie]

Great article, Nora!

[Acat2blue]

I LOVE your banner, it looks amazing!!! Great Job!