Patriotic Decorating with Crafty Ribbon Flag

 Hello, Dear Friends, I hope that you are enjoying some 

sweet summer pastimes.

This special season goes by quickly, so I am trying to 

savor every moment. 

Especially with time spent outdoors. 

Now that we are 'retired', we love 

just hanging out at home and making our little 

slice of paradise as cozy as possible. 

Most of you know that I love decorating for holidays

and that usually involves some type of sewing or craft project. 

For Independence Day, I decided to try my hand at making 

a fun ribbon flag! 

I found the idea in an old issue of one of my favorite magazines. 

It's from the summer of 2018. 

It was so easy and quick to do. 

I used a straight stick (a dowel would work, too), 

and went through my stash of ribbons and trims 

for anything red and white. 

Rick-rack, lace, seam binding, holiday ribbons - it all works. 

I cut them all to length, starting with the widest ribbons. 

For the length, I just went by sight. 

It would depend on how large you want your flag to be. 

I hot-glued the widest ribbons on first, spacing them out evenly

and filled in with the rest.

Then I cut a rectangle of blue from a tea-towel and fringed the edges

a bit and sewed on buttons from my collection for 'stars'. 

(The magazine flag used denim and fabric paint to stamp stars.) 

Once that was glued on, I covered the front edge of the stick with 

a length of rick-rack to hide the glue. 

I tied a string to both ends to make a hanger. 

And Voila'! 

It looks so pretty with the sun shining through it, fluttering in the breeze! 

(The bottom corner of the blue cloth curled up a bit)

It only took me a couple of hours of an enjoyable afternoon, 

using my deck table as a work surface. 

Of course, I had to sew a cushion cover to match! 

I used two patriotic handkerchiefs I found at my local department store. 

Flags and potted geraniums complete the patriotic theme. 

I found the red bucket and vintage sign at a flea market a while back. 

I had almost forgotten that I had them and had to go searching...

The Mr. recently replaced the top of my little potting bench. 

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I just love it. 

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Even my hummingbird feeder adds to the theme. :)

Kai seems to approve. 

I continued the patriotic theme with a sweet table setting, too. 

Everything was gathered over time. It's fun when it all comes together. 

I just found the red gingham plates. 

I had the blue enamel dishes and the utensils are from way back when. 

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I plopped the flags into a vintage Pepsi bottle. 

I put my flag pillow on the daybed to bring the theme inside. 

I made it from tea-towels a couple of years ago. 

A little bowl of leftover trims. 

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Even though we won't be home to celebrate Independence Day, 

I wanted to show my patriotic spirit! 

I think it is pretty enough to keep all summer. 

It has a sweet 'picnic' vibe. 

I hope all of my American friends have a fun and safe 4th. 

We will be going to my daughter, Jennie's lake house 

with the family. There will be a bbq and even a little boat parade! 

I'll be sure to take some photos to share. 

Happy Independence Day!! 

xx

"True Patriotism springs from a belief in the dignity of the individual, 

freedom and equality not only for Americans but for all people 

on earth. 

-Eleanor Roosevelt-

"I think Patriotism is like charity - it begins at home."

-Henry James-

"We're blessed with the opportunity to stand for something - for

liberty and freedom and fairness. 

And these are things worth fighting for, worth devoting 

our lives to."

-Ronald Reagan-

"The fate of America cannot depend on any one man. 

The greatness of America is grounded in principles

and not any single personality."

-Franklin Roosevelt-

"Ask not what your country can do for you, 

ask what you can do for your country."

-John F. Kennedy-

xx