Star-Powered Displays
Put a crafty spin on your summer decorating with these easy-to- do projects full of festive fun.
Get in touch with your crafty side via simple ideas for putting a creative spin on red, white and blue decor.
1.Starry Shutter Transform a secondhand shutter into a showcase for patriotic cheer by giving it a flag-inspired paint makeover. Basecoat the entire shutter white, then paint the top third of the louvers blue and every other remaining louver red. If the slats are narrow, paint every two red for impact. After the paint is dry, glue several metal stars to the canton.
2.Delightful Tins Recycle your way to a lighting display that gets glowing reviews. Paint red, white and blue stripes on cleaned-out tin cans, and then use a drill or a hammer and a nail to punch a star or “USA” into them. Or, paint a small can blue, stencil on a few white stars, and then punch around each star. Arrange your luminaries in a sand-filled tray with votives.
3.Greeting Blocks Re-create this cheery block set with an assortment of scrapbook paper, wood cubes, Mod Podge and letter stickers. Cut squares of paper the same size as your blocks (these are 2-inch cubes), and then adhere them to the blocks with the Mod Podge. Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the top, let dry, and then spell out your desired phrase with stickers.
4.Treat Basket Take a standard bushel basket’s visual appeal up a few notches by painting its slats red and bands white. To complete the Americana overhaul, line it with blue bandannas before turning it into a showstopping part of a party buffet. Enhance your spread with a simple garland made of patrioticthemed ribbon strips looped around a rope.