Patriotic Pinwheel Overkill.....

I got a little carried away making pinwheels this week.  Once I figured out how easy they are to make, I was spitting them out left and right.  Most of these are for "decorative use only" but I did make some real ones that actually spin, ordered of course by my kids.  They asked, "Mom, why are you making so many pinwheels when they don't even work?"   Because they're pretty!!

I made some patriotic cupcakes with mini pinwheels glued on toothpicks. 

My boys REALLY loved this craft.  I think after I snapped the last shot, ten cupcakes disappeared leaving the 3 inch frosting behind.

My extra paper scraps from the larger pinwheels worked perfectly for the toothpick pinwheels. 

Next, I made a pinwheel banner with a little rhinestone in the middle to finish it off.

I made some pinwheels on sticks for my flower pots....

And, a multi-colored pinwheel pieced together with left over scrapbook paper.  My son loved this one the best.  He sat beside me while I glued and glued,  singing all the patriotic songs he learned in Kindergarten.  I don't know how many times we sang...You're a Grand Old Flag....

And then I made a huge, gargantuan pinwheel for my door.  You could make it spin if you want to. Yeah, I did go a little crazy making pinwheels...

I used 52 cent, two toned poster board from Target.  For the stars I stenciled on some white stars.

In the middle, I put a small pinwheel made from scraps, topped with a star ornament.

I found the best directions for making pinwheels at Woman's Day. It's really simple.  Make a square, draw an X, cut in on the lines, leaving about an inch or more from the center depending on size of square. Fold in every other corner.  I used a glue gun for my "decorative" pinwheels.  For a working pinwheel, use a pin or tack and push into a straw and then into the back of an eraser head...at least that's what Woman's Day said.

You can use tacks and attach into wood dowels too.

I like the look of the double pinwheel.  I took my mini pinwheels and centered them on the regular sized pinwheel and added a little hot glue. 

I think it dresses up the regular old pinwheel.

When all my pinwheel making was done, my son asked me if he could have his favorite.

This is what I found on his door this morning. 

 All my craft blogging is rubbing off on him. :)

Nicole and I have just a few more patriotic projects we want to share with you, so stay tuned!

Centsational Girl's Stars and Stripes Party

      

Snap! Crackle! Pop! Firecrackers!

We've got a few fun Patriotic Decor items coming up

here on Crafty Sisters and thought we start it off

with these EASY to Make Firecrackers!

I made a smaller set of these for my

America Wood letters

and they were so much fun I decided I needed more....

bigger and better to boot!

SO

Go grab the biggest dowel you can find (about 1 1/2")

I cut them in 7", 6" and 5" lengths (I got 2 sets per dowel!)

Some pre-cut Stars (the bigger the better)

some wire

and any scraps of red white and blue paper you can find!

(you don't need much for these!)

and some spray paint for the stars!

After you cut the dowel to desired lengths

make sure to drill holes in the top and into the stars

so you can attach the stars.

Don't forget to sand em' smooth!

Paint the ends of your dowels,

trim out your papers ready to go.

While your doing this you can coat the stars 

and the wire that you curled with some spray paint.

I used a really fun "copper penny" shade that had a hint of silver metallic to it.

I love love love how it turned out!

After much trial and error and some help from the nice ladies in my class last week,

we decided it was definitely easier to put the glue on the paper first

and then.....adhere it to the dowel.

Just sand off any excess on the edge with sanding tools.

I dipped the end of each wire into the end

of my glue gun and stuck them into the stars and dowels.

The great thing about the springy wire attaching them is that

they have some give to arrange them how you want.

I also ran a bead of glue to attach all the firecrackers together.

I finished them off with a bow of twine

and now they're all ready to put out!

Fun, Cheap & Easy!

Star Quilts Into Wall Art

Years ago I went through a little Americana fixation. 

It all began with this quilt made by my super Mother-In-Law.

She made the quilt for my son to match his nursery. 

The night I went into unexpected labor a month early,

I was roaming the aisles of Home Depot looking for a dowel

to hang my beloved star wall hanging in the perfect spot in his nursery.

I had some serious "nesting" urges going on! 

I love how the squares are off just a little and the stars are scattered across. 

 Looking closely you see the quilt pattern of how it all fits together. 

Quilt patterns are so intriguing. 

It's the same pieces, but with different fabric and rotated. 

I've vowed that one day I'll learn to quilt! :)

For a while now I've wanted to try the same pattern

with wood for a wall hanging for my son's "older" room. 

I traced the pattern onto some mdf scraps and I used the scroll saw to cut.

It's so easy to use, it reminds me of a sewing machine. 

Nicole is really the master on this thing.

I am definitely an amateur... but practice makes perfect!

If you are careful and go slowly, you could easily do this with your jig saw.

I traced each piece onto scrapbook paper and cut it out.

I tried something I have never done. 

 I couldn't find my glue or mod podge, so I used my Gorilla Glue Wood Glue. 

I do have to say it worked really well, especially with the thick heavy scrapbook paper. 

Gluing scrapbook paper to wood surfaces is hard

because you have to make sure you have a really thin

layer of glue so that the paper won't buckle.

 I smoothed it out with my fingers to make it nice and even,

and it went on like a charm! 

 

Make sure you rub all over the paper for good contact!

I even used a pencil to smooth out those bubble pockets.

 

 

I built some frames with a 1x2's and thin plywood backing.

 

I took each block and sanded the edges where the paper overlaps. 

I did add some stain,

which I would recommend doing before you put the papers on.  :)

 

Then I put the puzzle pieces "back" together. 

We've been watching a lot of tiling shows on DIY lately

so I wanted a gap between that mimicked the feel of tile.

I ended up chopping a few chunks of extra wood and adding them

underneath certain squares to give it height and make them pop. 

 

 

 

My Mother-In-Law's quilt is pretty fabulous....

 

and I think....these will compliment it well!

 

If the older boys don't like them, thank goodness the little ones do!

My Father, My Hero, My Friend

My Father is a Master Story Teller

and us kids would pile onto the bed hoping to hear his latest tale

and squeal with laughter over his hilarious sense of humor.

His version of the 3 little pigs is the best!

He used to write us all letters when we went away to college,

hilarious stories like how he was dying of

a nose disease from buying the el-cheapo brand of Kleenex's

against my Mother's advice, and many others.

He always signed them with a funny face

and the words,

Be Good.

My Dad is the most humble man I know.

I used to think that all dad's were great

and I think a lot are.

But the older I get, the more I know

that my Dad is the Exception!

He made our home a place of safety, of peace.

He has always loved us unconditionally.

He has always made us laugh.

He still is my Knight in Shining Armor, my own personal Superman,

 still rescuing me

even though I'm at midlife with a child of my own.

He has set a pretty high standard and example

for men in my life

and for my Husband

and I am so grateful for that.

Thanks Dad for not only being my Father,

but for being my Hero and my Friend.

Happy Father's Day!

We hope all of you are enjoying your wonderful Husband's and Father's today!