Let your American flag fly high this Fourth of July! With the holiday right around the corner, it is time to show off your patriotism. Whether you are hosting your family’s blowout barbeque or just simply watching a montage of firework shows on the evening news, what better way to embrace that American spirit than with a little red, white and blue. Here are some of our favorite Fourth of July DIYs that will bring the holiday essence to your home:
1. Straw Fireworks Art
The night sky isn’t the only thing that has to be spotted with fireworks this Fourth of July. Make your own firework-inspired art with this straw technique. All you need for this craft is a bunch of plastic bendy drinking straws, tape or a rubber band, and some paint. Before you can begin painting, you have to create your straw “stamp”. To make the stamp, tape or rubber band about six straws together with all the bendy ends facing the same direction. Ensure that the bendy ends are projecting outwards like a starburst to create that firework shape. Once your stamp is finished, you can start the painting process.
For a more precise and clean stamp effect, paint each bendy straw with paint. However, if you want a faster method that still produces great (although slightly messier!) results, you can simply dip the stamp into the paint and then press onto the paper. Continue stamping until you are satisfied with your firework pattern. Sprinkle with glitter while it’s still wet to add some pizzazz!
2. Mason Jar Vases
Show off your American pride with these festive mason jar vases. All you need to do for this craft is paint the jars with festive colors (red, white and blue) and decorate with glitter and/or ribbons.
If you decide to paint stripes, paint a base layer of your first color and once that is dry, use painter’s tape to block off horizontal portions of your jar. Then, paint in between the lines of tape with your second color. Remove the tape once the paint is dry.
This holiday craft is perfect because it is not only easily customizable but is also multi-purpose: fill your jars with anything from flowers to utensils. These decorative pieces serve as great picnic table decoration or to adorn any flat surface that needs a little holiday spirit.
3. Festive Tassel Garland
Celebrate our nation’s independence by sprucing up your wall, fireplace mantel, or porch with this simple but effective holiday décor. To make the tassels, grab some red, white and blue tissue paper (optional: add in silver or gold as well for some shine!) and cut it into thin, rectangular strips. Keep in mind that the length of the tassel will be half of the length of the strip. Next, assemble all your strips together and fold in half so the ends meet.
Afterward, take one strip of tissue paper in the same color and wrap around the base of the tassel, leaving a loop at the top. Glue, staple, or tie off the wrapped piece of tissue paper to keep it looking polished. Now, just repeat until you have as many tassels as you desire. To complete the craft, simply string a piece of rope through the loops of your tassels and hang!
4. Layered Sand Art Candles
Why stick to just firecrackers and sparklers when you can also make some festive candles? These layered sand art candles are the best last-minute decoration as they only take minutes to make. For this DIY, all you will need is colored sand, a tealight candle (either real or electric) and a glass jar or vase.
To begin, choose any glass bowl or candle holder of your choice,. Then, simply layer your colored sand. Alternate your red, white and blue sand until you fill about ¾ of your vessel. You can play around with how you layer your sand: flat, even layers or more asymmetric, slanting layers. Once you are satisfied with your sand art, finish off your DIY with your tealight. You can merely place the candle on top of the sand, or you can slightly submerge the candle into the sand. However, if you choose the latter option, make sure that the candle wick/light is still visible. Feel free to decorate the glass with ribbons or any other embellishments for a finishing touch.
5. American Flag Palette
Easily make your own star-spangled banner masterpiece with just a wooden palette and some paint. You can use any sized palette or type of wood.
Sand down the wood prior to painting to ensure a smooth base. Once the palette is prepped, you can begin painting. Paint the planks of wood according to the American flag design using red, white and blue paint. Layer the paint (once the previous layer is dry) until you reach full opacity or let parts of the wood peek through for a more rustic and distressed look. For the stars, you can free-hand paint them, or use a stencil or stamp. After the paint is completely dry, you are done! Although, if you plan on displaying your American flag palette outdoors, you might want to coat your art with a finishing spray or gloss to help prevent the paint from fading or chipping off.
Which crafts are you going to make to celebrate this Fourth of July? Be sure to post your holiday craft creations and tag Pinspiration on social media! We would love to see your creative spin on them.
