Tag Archives: 4th of July

Stars and Stripes Forever Independence Day Decor

Stars and Stripes Forever Independence Day Decor with Authentique “Heroic”

Hello, Friends! It’s officially summer and that means the 4th of July is right around the corner. If you are hosting a cookout celebration, you might want to start thinking about a little Independence Day decor. With that in mind, I dipped into the gorgeous new “Heroic” collection from Authentique papers and put together some fancy fold cards that can double as home decor.

Red, White and blue Through and Through Step Out Card

The great thing about fancy fold cards is that they are a a natural for home decor. Because I wanted the option to use this card as home decor, I made the base to measure 7″ long x 5″ tall. (You can find the YouTube video tutorial for this card base HERE.)

Die cut stitched stars make me think of 4th of July fireworks and add a great sense of motion to this card. I’ve used 12×12 Details stickers from the Heroic Collection to add extra detail. The blue stars are cut from foil paper for a little extra shimmer.

Wouldn’t this make a great table centerpiece on your Independence day table?

The vintage patriotic gal on this large panel on the right is not just another pretty face.

If you untie the Navy Blue Stars Grosgrain ribbon, you’ll discover that it’s a gift card wallet. This would make a great host or hostess gift for July 4th cookouts or a great birthday present for those lucky 4th of July babies.

Stars and Stripes Center Step Card

This dynamic star studded step out card would also look great on a 4th of July table. I used a Cheery Lynn die to cut the card base from kraft cardstock, then decorated it with an assortment of 12×12 and 6×6 Heroic papers.

Red, white and blue Petaloo flowers anchor the left hand corner of the card along with a multi-layered patriotic star. Double mat the ticket stickers to give them more presence on the card.

And, the card folds flat for storage, or for mailing.

I love to celebrate the 4th with our family. We have a long standing tradition of enjoying a meal of chili dogs, potato salad, and coleslaw. The grand finale to the picnic is homemade brownies and ice cream. Honestly, is there anything more fun than watching the sky come alive at night with brilliant fireworks? I can hardly wait!

I hope I’ve shared some ideas, tips and tricks with you today that you can use in your own crafty adventures. If so, I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List

Authentique Heroic 12×12 Collection Kit (contains the detail stickers)

Heroic 6×6 Paper Bundle

My Favorite Things Stitched Star Die

Cheery Lynn Step Card Die

Navy Stars on White Grosgrain Ribbon

Red Sheer Iridescent Ribbon

Natural Burlap String

Petaloo Flowers

Cardstock: Kraft, Deep Red, Navy, Blue Foil

Scor-Tape, Buttons, Hot Glue, Scoring Tool, Craft Knife

Authentique Heroic Patriotic Folio and Video Tour

Just in time for Summer: Authentique Heroic Patriotic Folio and Video Tour

Hello, Friends! And Happy Memorial Day to all my US friends! This holiday weekend is the official kick off for summer here in the states. We enjoy parades, picnics and family fun. It’s also a day when we honor those who gave their lives in the service of our country. As a young girl, our family always visited the local cemetery to decorate the graves of those who served in the military. It’s a somber day, but also a day when we celebrate the freedom that was won for us with great sacrifice. So it’s the perfect day to share this Authentique Heroic Patriotic Folio and video tour with you.

To make this folio, I first created two 5″ x 7″ side fold card bases from kraft cardstock. Then I overlapped the cards to create a trifold base. Next, I scored the base at 4.5″, 5.5″ 10.5″ and 11.5″ to create a trifold folio with two 1″ spines. This gives you lots of room to add pockets, mini folios, and waterfall features.

Decorate the album with stickers, Petaloo flowers, die cut stars, ribbon and scrabble tiles. To add extra texture, machine stitch around the perimeter of each page.

A Peek Inside

Create a decorative belly band for photo mounts by wrapping them with a 1″ strip of patterned paper, gluing together on the back side. Then cut an image from a 3″ x 4″ journal card and glue to the front of the belly band.

A large center pocket holds two mini 3.25″ x 4.25″ fold out folios.

The small pocket on the inside can hold a gift card or other small memorabilia.

How to make a Waterfall Feature

A waterfall feature is a great way to mount loads of photos in a small space. Here’s how I made the waterfall feature for this Authentique Heroic Patriotic Folio:

Begin by cutting five 4″ x 5″ rectangles from patterned paper.
Then score 1/2″ from the left on the long side of each rectangle. This forms the flap for your waterfall feature.
Use a corner punch to shape the edges, if desired.
Crease the score lines.
Add glue or adhesive to the back side of the first rectangle and line up along the top edge of the panel. Glue in place.
Continue adding panels, lining each flap up so that it is flush with the previous rectangle. Do not overlap, just line up.
Add a decorative cover to the waterfall feature, if desired. I mounted mine on waste chipboard to add a little extra dimension.

In this photo you can see how each flap lines up.

And here is a side view.

This is a project that you can easily complete in an afternoon. To help you get an idea of the flow of the album, I prepared a short 5 minute video tour. Enjoy!

Authentique Heroic Patriotic Folio Video Tour on YouTube

Be sure to stop by the Authentique Blog today as we are doing a group share of projects made with this beautiful Heroic collection. I know you’ll be inspired!

I’d like to wish you all a very safe and healthy Memorial Day. And I’d also like to offer my heartfelt thanks to all the service men and women who keep our country free. You are appreciated more than words can say!

Thanks for stopping by!

Cheerio,

kathy

Supply List & Product Links

Please note: I have provided product links when possible, but some items have been in my stash for a long time, and may no longer be available online. Feel free to substitute when necessary.

Authentique Heroic 12×12 Collection Kit

Heroic 6×6 Pad

Petaloo Botanica Chantilly Mixed Blooms, White

Blue Baby Botanica Mixed Blooms

Red Botanica Chantilly Mixed Blooms

1.5″ Silky Crush Ribbon, Red

Patriotic Plaid Ribbon

My Favorite Things Die-namics Stitched Star Die

Scrabble Tiles (U, S, A)

Tim Holtz Idea-Ology metal embellishment from my stash

2 Sheets of 8.5″ x 11 Kraft Cardstock

Red and Blue Cardstock for Matting

Together We Stand Patriotic Card

Together We Stand Patriotic Card for RRR Summer Flowers Challenge

Hello, Ribbon Lovers! It’s time for another fabby challenge at Really Reasonable Ribbon. Since it’s almost the 4th of July, I created this Together We Stand patriotic card using my new ribbon crush and Authentique’s Honor paper collection.

I went on a treasure hunt in the RRR vaults looking for great summer ribbon choices. Since I’d already ordered this paper, I was looking for the perfect play pal to go along with it. Well, I think I found it in this gorgeous Navy Blue Silky Crush Ribbon. It ties the most gorgeous bows!

I topped this textured beauty with a jeweled Petaloo Flower that sparkles and shines like a 4th of July firework display. To add to the fun, I created a little paper rosette with my die cutting machine. ( “rose” ette..flower challenge…get it?) Natural burlap string is looped up beneath the rosette and tied onto that glittery l’il clothespin that’s holding the together we stand sentiment strip.

God Bless America

Ok…I have to talk just a little bit about these gorgeous kiddoes in the focal image. Don’t they just make your heart happy? I imagine they are singing a rousing chorus of God Bless America. I used to love singing all the patriotic tunes while swinging on the back yard swingset. I’m sure the whole neighborhood could hear my friends and me belting out one tune after another. I actually used to know all the words to all the various Military Anthems, and boy, did we love to sing ’em!

Here’s a peeky at the inside of my Together We Stand card. I created a pocket and then filled it with this stamped and stitched little tag.

I hope you will all play along in the summer flower challenge. Fireworks look like flowers in the sky, right? Wishing you all a very happy, safe and fun 4th of July!

Now go get your craft on!

Cheerio,

kathy

Star Spangled 4th of July

Home Decor with Petaloo and Authentique Honor Collection

Hello, Friends! Here we are at the end of June and I’m getting ready to celebrate a star spangled 4th of July with these fun Star Spangled home decor projects. All three were made with gorgeous Petaloo flowers and Authentique’s Honor collection.

If ever there was a holiday that called for a banner, the 4th of July is it! I have this banner hanging on my living room mantle and I find I want to sing “America the Beautiful” every time I pass by. It’s fairly large: each pennant measures 4″ wide x 6″ tall, so the banner spans about 3 feet from end to end.

Banners have to be one of the hardest items to photograph…but I love ’em, so I just keep on making them! If any of you have found a foolproof way to photograph banners, I’d love to hear from you! To make it easier for you to see the details, I have some close up shots below.

I love sparklers and fireworks on the 4th of July, so I worked with glittering jeweled flowers and sparkling sugared blossoms and vintage velvet blooms that look like the nighttime sky!

To add to the fun of this banner I dressed it up with ribbon streamers, burlap loops and Petaloo flowers.

Just look at these precious faces! Can’t you hear them belting out a rousing version of “God Bless America”?

The color match between these Petaloo Flowers and the Authentique papers couldn’t be more perfect!

I’m so very thankful for the men and women who have chosen to serve in our military. This touching image reminds me that every single one of them leaves behind loved ones who cherish them and feel their absence deeply. Men and women of the military, we do salute you, and thank you for your service!

Star Spangled Home Decor

To go along with my mantle display, I altered an old glass milk bottle and dressed it up for the 4th of July.

I painted the clear bottle with a layer of gesso. When that had dried, I added a layer of Deco Art Whisper Glass paint. The final coat was Ranger Picket Fence Distress Crackle paint and I love the way i the surface chipped and peeled as it dried. I added some fancy pinwheels from the Dollar Store. along with red and blue sparklers and some bodacious Burgundy and White Sugared Blossoms. This really dressed that old glass bottle up for the holiday!

Star Spangled Greeting Card

Since I had all these goodies out on my work desk, I used the leftover bits and bobs to create a special card to match the ensemble.

This Blue Vintage Velvet Peony is a real show stopper! I glued it to some sparklers and then tucked a shabby chic bow made with custom dyed seam binding beneath it. The background paper was dry embossed with a star folder, then tapped with Versamark and heat embossed with white embossing powder. I painted the Cherish chippie with Black Soot Distress Ink and heat dried it. Then I carefully wrote on the surface with Art Institute Dries Clear Adhesive and dipped in red glitter. I love the effect, don’t you?

Here’s a peeky at the inside of the card. The top half sports a little envelope and note card.

And I love this sentiment on the bottom half of the card.

I hope I shared some home decor ideas that you’ll want to incorporate into your 4th of July celebration. We’re getting together with the family and some friends for a cookout and games. Whatever your plans are, I wish you a very safe and happy 4th of July.

Thanks for stopping by! Now go get your craft on!