Happy Independence Day!

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Wishing you a wonderful Fourth of July,
enjoying your family, friends and freedom!

Have a happy and safe holiday weekend!

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More For the Fourth

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I love to decorate for holidays---aaaahh, let's face it,

I just love to decorate!
Here's a few more 4th of July decorations.

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A Flag in the Window

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I'm enjoying my latest flag project and thought I'd complete just one more before the big holiday. Kari and Kijsa's flag flying parade gave me a deadline and this project gave me the inspiration.
I bought an inexpensive flag. I pulled an old window out of the the pile in the garage, (I really should just call that area my "project supply unit" because it houses my creative junk and my cars have to sit outside). I made a template approximately the size of each window pane.
Then I used the template to cut the flag into pieces that would fit inside each pane. I felt a little strange about cutting the flag, but I'm still honoring the flag with the finished project. My son asked if I was committing treason. My husband said he hoped I wouldn't have bad luck for cutting a flag. I think he mixed up cutting the flag with breaking a mirror.

I sprayed adhesive on each pane and adhered each flag piece.

I love the finished project! It shows my patriotism.
I hope I don't get arrested for treason,
or have a streak of bad luck now.

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Creating Old Glory

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I'm very happy with my fourth of July decorations on the mantle in my family room, but I think my dining room shelf is a little jealous. It called out for a big ol' flag too. I certainly couldn't just go out and buy another matching flag. Even at half off that one took most of my decorating budget for the month (not that I really have a decorating budget), AND it was the last one, AND who wants two identical giant flag decorations for two different rooms, AND where's the creativity in always buying things, AND I was in the mood to make something fun. So I went out into the garage and found some leftover bead board from an old project. I cut it down to size, making sure to have thirteen strips.

I used my "can't create without it"
black satin spray paint.

I dug out my old craft paints and
painted alternating strips red and antique white.
Once the paint was dry I took my sander and
lightly sanded the entire piece
to distress it and let some of the black show through.
I cut a rectangle of wood, painted it blue,
then sanded the edges.
I cut a star shape from some thin wood,
painted it antique white and distressed it.
Then I glued and screwed the whole thing together.
I don't think that my dining room is jealous anymore.

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Design 101

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Hooray for the red, white and blue!

I've been decorating for the fourth of July holiday.

I thought I'd share some of my design philosophy with you. (Doesn't that statement make me seem important and very knowledgeable? Hee! Hee!) In the last few years I've tried to incorporate two tricks into my displays. The first is to "go big". It's better to spend your hard earned cash on one big item that will have a lot of impact, than on a lot of small items that can appear as clutter. This was a hard one for me to learn because I literally like to get the most for my money. I want to show a lot for what I've spent. But I've learned that if I buy something big, it will fill up the room, catch my eye, and make me smile, much faster than a bunch of smaller decorations.
The second trick is to layer your design. An extra layer gives the display more dimension and depth. Store displays always use the layering technique. Layering finishes the display---you don't wonder if there should be something more. But, beware not to add so many layers that the display appears too busy. You need to know just when to stop.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words, let me show you how to incorporate these techniques:

This over sized flag really makes a statement
on it's own.
Adding another layer with the candle light and stars
makes the display look finished,
and now it really "pops" (4th of July pun).
The large letters and flags look great. . .
but with the addition of stars and vine balls,
the display appears more finished.
The stars repeat the colors in the flags and
the vine balls repeat the black in the letters and candles.
And everyone knows that good design repeats itself.

Okay, the design philosophy lesson has concluded.
Now, your homework is to go try these tricks
in your home.

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