Happy July 4th, my friends! I hope this post finds you well and I hope you feel like celebrating even though most of us are still social distancing! Since we’re avoiding going out and shopping unnecessarily, I thought I would create a few simple July 4th decorations at home and share the results with you here! These are all so easy to DIY because I’ve already done the legwork for you! All you have to do is print, cut, and attach.
What I wanted from this DIY:
- Must be EASY and QUICK to create for anyone
- Had to incorporate a print from my original artwork
- Little to no waste (there’s no unnecessary packaging when you print your decor!)
- Kid-friendly (can be done without too much supervision for kids old enough to use scissors 😅👏🏼👏🏼)
How cute is this tiny little flag?!! It would be great on burgers or cupcakes too!!
I sat down and created a watercolor (gouache for the stars) of an American flag. Watch the YouTube video here! I wanted it to look hand-painted and imperfect with color fading in and out. This gives an otherwise static object a bit of visual movement and interest.
I used some skinny wooden sticks we had leftover from a different project and they are the perfect size for using as picks or for waving on July 4th! If you don’t have any tiny dowels like these, you can go outside and find some small sticks! They would work just as well and would give a more rustic feel to the decor. I think these flags would be so pretty attached to an old stick from the yard.
The kids love these little straw flags. I clipped a V-shape from the ends to vary the texture a bit from the other flags but you could also leave them straight if you don’t care for the extra step.
These toothpick flags can be used on ice cream sundaes, cupcakes, burgers, cocktails, or even a stack of silver dollar pancakes! This little fella might be my favorite of the three printables because it is so versatile!
Speaking of versatile, I didn’t include any text on the flags because I want you to be able to use these for any patriotic celebration! These would be perfect for Veteran’s Day, Memorial Day, President’s Day, Election Day……you get the picture! So many uses! Find these flags available in my shop now and make your Independence Day an easy one by printing your own miniature flags this year.
View directions and video below!
Happy 4th! – Hannah
What you will need to create your flags at home:
- Printer paper or cardstock
- Printer
- Scissors (a paper cutter makes the task go faster)
- Glue, double sided tape, or double sided adhesive roller
- Toothpicks
- Straws (we used paper ones in red, white, and blue, but anything will do!)
- Thin wooden dowels or small sticks from the yard
Directions:
- Cut flags out using scissors or paper cutter (see video if you’re confused about where to cut!). Helpful hint: Both the top and bottom horizontal edges of the flags are red.
- Fold flags in half to create a crease then open back up and lay flat, printed side down
- Apply adhesive on inside of flags, being sure to get some in the crease (if you miss the crease, your flag will slide off of your “flagpole”)
- Lay your stick, straw, or toothpick in the crease and fold flag over, matching the ends of your flag first then smoothing in towards the flagpole. Let your “flagpole” stick out of the top a bit and be sure to place them low enough on your straws to give room for drinking with them!
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