They’re super easy to make – you can make them yourself, but it’s easier and inexpensive to pick up the wooden flag set from my friends at Wood Connection — the set includes 4 bases, 4 flagpoles and 4 toppers, all for less than $8. (I’ll be sharing more flag designs in the coming weeks!)

This is a fun and easy project, and perfect to share with neighbors and friends! I’ll share the free printable from the talented Amelia Smith at Brightsides Designs below – and here’s how to make it:

If you’re making this yourself, you’ll need a wood base (you can use a small piece of 2×4 with a hole drilled to accommodate the dowel), a short length of dowel (about 12 – 18 inches) and a small wooden ball. You’ll also need fabric or paper.

(It’s easy and affordable to pick up the kit from Wood Connection, and you can use the four-flag kit to share with friends, neighbors and family – or keep them for yourself: I’ll be sharing more flags in the coming weeks.)

Paint the wooden ball, dowel and base the desired colors. If adding glitter, add it when the paint is wet. Spray with clear acrylic spray to secure the glitter. Let dry while you are making the flag.

Then, you can make the flag.

-Print the printable (there are four on a sheet. Consider making one for a friend and sharing some happiness.)
-Cut out the printable
-Cut fabric (or heavy paper) 4” by 14”
-Fold the fabric and cut the end to look like a pennant – like this: <
-Sew or glue the printable onto the fabric (Tip: use double stick tape on the back of the happy sign as sew at first to hold it in -place. Remove the tape after you have sewed one side of the paper down.)
-Spray fabric stiffener on the BACK OF THE FABRIC FLAG and let dry according to the instructions. (Note: I did this twice)

Roll the left end of fabric on to the dowel and secure with glue from a glue gun.

You can also use your glue gun to secure the wood ball on top of the post.

Find a fun place to put your flag. I love this terrarium from Lisa @Leafdesigns (Check her out on Instagram!).

 And here’s the free printable, courtesy of …

Hello!  I’m Amelia Smith.  I’m thrilled to be featured here on Tatertots & Jello! 

As a lifestyle blogger, graphic artist, and mother to four young children, I love to dabble in everything art + home.

My Etsy shop Brightsides Designs is all about making fresh, simple, personalized designs for all your favorite places & spaces. 

Here’s the free printable! Just right-click this link  or the image below and choose “save as” to download the PDF. As always, it’s for personal use only.

Happy Independence Day!

xoxo

(PS: I receive no financial remuneration from anyone mentioned in this post – they’re just awesome to help make this project easy, cool and inexpensive!) 

The post Easy Patriotic Decor: Happy 4th Flag [And Free Printable!] appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

>As summer gets closer, I start getting excited for red, white and blue decor! It’s not too early to get started on some patriotic decor projects, like these easy patriotic pillows!

For a fun twist, I took a light/beach blue and red for a little different alternative to the traditional red, white and blue. Here’s what I did:

I took Riley Blake’s Medium Blue Chevron Fabric, Riley Blake’s Medium Blue Polka Dot Fabric, Riley Blake’s Medium Red Dot Fabric and Riley Blake’s Large Red Chevron Fabric  — you can use any fabric you like! Don’t be afraid to mix and match patterns.

I love the way they look on my front porch.

I also embellished the round pillow with a bow on the front. This was so easy to do.

• I measured the circumference of the pillow and added two inches.
• Then I cut out a length of fabric that length, with a wide of 8 inches.
• Then I sewed that fabric with the right sides inside and then turned it right-side out. 
• I put that material around the pillow.
• Then I took another length of the same fabric and created a bow. I made the width of the bow the same width as the pillow — so the total length of that fabric was twice as long as the width of the pillows, then I doubled it in half with the open edges to the back.
• I then wrapped a length of fabric around the center and tucked the open edges in the back of the center of the bow.
• I hand-stitched that together and then added it to the length of fabric that was already around the pillow.
• And  I hand-stitched the bow onto that fabric and then put the pillow insert inside of the pillow. 

All of the pillows were made using a simple envelope enclosure, which is super easy to make and takes almost no time at all!!

I just love the way the pillows look on the porch!! 

Are you getting excited for summer decor?

xoxo

PS: This is an updated version of a post I did for Riley Blake Designs.

The post Easy Patriotic Pillows! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I’m so excited to be a part of the new Michaels Makers team! And to celebrate, I’m sharing an easy Independence Day gift idea with you — with free printables!!

They’re perfect for party favors or neighbor gifts.

Choose the “Have a POPPING 4th of July” option for a bucket of popcorn

and the “Have a SIZZLING 4th of July” tag for a bag of firecracker-style licorice!

(And I even made you a set of blanks so you can use them for anything else – even serving containers!)

I’ll share the printables with you in a moment (I even made a set of blanks for you!) … but first, here’s how easy this project was. Michael’s now has online shopping — and they have project ideas along with one-click shopping lists for those projects, making it easy to get everything you want easily!

Here’s the project I adapted:

Obviously, I had to adapt the shopping list a bit simply to choose different paint colors. I went with red, white and blue!

So here’s what I did:

I visited Michaels.com to check out the project ideas and settled on the Polka-Dot Painted Galvanized Bucket. It was super easy to order online, and all I did is change the paint colors to red, white and blue. The supplies are easy:

The project page even comes with these easy-to-follow instructions:

So here’s step 1:

And step 2:

Note: when you paint the dots, slightly rock the spouncer back and forth to assure paint is placed on the curved surface of the pail.

Then, once the paint dries, fill each bucket with your treat of choice and add a tag!

I’ve even provided some blank tags if you choose a different treat to share! Or, you might use the blank tags on buckets you use to serve at your Independence Day BBQ party!

Here are the printables:

Right-click the image below or this link to download the Sizzling/Popping style tags in two sizes. Just print on cardstock, punch a hole where marked and you’re set!

Right-click the image below or this link to download the blank tags in two sizes. Just print on cardstock, punch a hole where marked and you’re set!

That’s it! Give it a try — it’s even a great project with kids!

So give Michaels Online shopping a try — it’s easy and fast.

Plus, free shipping on orders over $50!

Follow Michaels on Facebook to keep up with the latest ideas. And follow Michaels on Pinterest for ideas, shopping, and the latest trends in their “Favorite Pins” section!

What’s your favorite Michael’s project? What projects do you have in mind for the summer holidays?

 xoxo

* * * * *

This post was sponsored by Michaels. However, the modified project, original printables and post are mine. See my disclosures.

The post 4th of July Easy Gift Basket Project with Free Printables! #MichaelsMakers appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

It’s hard to believe that July is less than six weeks away. In just over a month we will be smack dab in the middle of summer!

I usually start thinking about adding a little Americana or patriotic decor to my home to celebrate the Independence Day holiday right around the middle of May. I thought you might feel the same, so I’ve designed a Fourth of July Chalkboard for you.

This chalkboard is sized 8″x10″ and for best quality should be printed on cardstock. This chalkboard sign would look perfect framed on your mantel, or on a party table. You could also easily resize this print to fit in a smaller frame over even to create a greeting card or postcard. I’m sharing some super cute coordinating Fourth of July printable chalkboard tags to with the sign over at my blog today, so be sure to come by and visit.

Please remember that, as with all of my free printables, this design is for personal use only, and is not to be sold or redistributed. Thanks!

Thanks so much for having me, Jen, I’ll see you next month!

****************

Thanks Kristin! She creates the most adorable printables, don’t you think? I love all of them! Here are a few recent projects of hers that I love too:

This Cherry Lime Ice Cream Float looks so amazing! I think I need one of these for a summer treat.

I LOVE her idea for an Ice Cream Sandwich Bar! It would make a really fun summer party idea, and she includes the free printables too!

And, these Lemon Blueberry Muffins look so good too! What a fun combo for a muffin!

xoxo

The post Happy Independence Day Free Chalkboard Printable appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

I am so thrilled to be back again at Jen’s place today to share another fun printable idea!

No other holiday truly epitomizes summer like Independence Day (Weekend). Cookouts with friends. Time spent outdoors. Fireworks. Even the lightning bugs venture out in the sultry summer night to put on a magical light show of their very own!

Catching lightning bugs is a rite of passage for children in our neck of the woods this time of year, and today I’m sharing a fun idea to create lightning bug catching jars to keep little ones occupied on summer evenings spent outdoors.

This would even be a perfect activity to incorporate into your Summer barbecues or gatherings!

To make lightning bug catching jars of your own, you’ll need my free Lightning Bug Catcher printables (linked below), along with a Mason jar for each child. You’ll also need a hammer and large nail, heavy duty adhesive (I like E-6000), some twine and a hole punch.

Using the hammer and large nail, make 5-6 holes in the top of each lid for ventilation inside the jar. If the lids for your jars are the canning type that come in two pieces, use heavy duty adhesive to permanently adhere the center portion to the outer ring. (This will allow children to quickly and easily remove and replace the lid when out catching bugs.) Set the lids aside to dry completely.

Print off the Lightning Bug Catcher tags onto cardstock using your computer and printer. Punch a hole in the top of each, and thread a piece of twine through. Secure to the jar with a pretty bow. All done!

Children will be delighted to run to their hearts’ content, collecting lightning bugs in the warm summer night. Just be sure to let the bugs go before bedtime so they can continue to put on their light show for many nights to come!

To access the free printable tag download, click here.

Thanks so much to Jen for having me over today. I’ll be back again next month with another fun project, but in the meantime, y’all are welcome at Positively Splendid any time!

* * * * *

Thanks, Amy!

I positively adore everything Amy does at Positively Splendid! Here are a few of my recent favorites:

Fizzy Lemon-Berry Slush (perfect for the hot months!)

Summer Tabouleh Salad (and check out the Creamy Curry Cole Slaw!)

And of course I love …

Custom Monogram Pillow Covers (with tips and tricks for using marine vinyl)

Be sure to visit Positively Splendid for even more amazing ideas!

xoxo

PS — It’s Friday!!

My favorite day of the week.

The Weekend Wrap Up Party starts tonight at 6 pm MST.

I love to feature YOUR ideas!

The post DIY Lightning Bug Catching Jars and Free Printables! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

In charge of a Fourth of July Celebration, or just bringing something delicious to one?
Ignite a sizzling celebration with the help of any of these patriotic party ideas and recipes!

Fourth of July Cupcake Toppers @ Hoosier Handmade

Vanilla Bean Doughnuts @ a pumpkin & a princess

Star Spangled Marshmallow Pops @ My Sister’s Suitcase

Patriotic Cake Pop Toppers @ Sweet Rose Studio

All-American Burger @ Pocket Change Gourmet

Patriotic Party Invitation Rolling Pins @ Jacolyn Murphy

Patriotic Party Printables @ Sweet Rose Studio

Berry Mini Cheesecakes @ Hoosier Homemade

4th of July Firecracker Centerpiece @ Chicken Scratch

USA Sugar Sips & Tons of Other Ideas @ Moore Minutes

Roman Candles @ Homespun With Love

Five-Minute Patriotic Cupcake Toppers @ Shaken Together

Easy 4th of July Table Decor @ Nest of Posies

Pancake Puffs with Fruit @ Pocket Change Gourmet

Patriotic Mini Parfaits @ What’s Cooking, Love

DIY Cupcake Picks @ It’s Overflowing

Watermelon Ice Cream Cake @ Raising Memories

4th of July Flag Lunch @ Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons

4th of July Party Decor @ organize & decorate everything

“Uncle Sam” Mustache Pops @ no. 2 pencil

 …

And don’t forget!

You could win selections from the Boho line of {styled} by Tori Spelling!

Come check out all the great projects already linked up at the

And link up your great ideas too!

(And don’t forget to enter to win!)

 xoxo

The post Great Ideas – Patriotic Party Ideas & Recipes appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.

Only a couple of weeks left until the most explosive holiday of the year! What better way to celebrate than any of the patriotic projects linked up this week!

(And if you’re not in the US, there are some great ideas you can adapt for your own holidays or any occasion!)

DIY Tie-Die Pillow @ The 36th Avenue

DIY Patriotic Necklace @ Tattered & Inked

Easy 4th of July Wreath @ Landee see, Landee do

 4th of July Mantel @ Landee see Landee do

Patriotic Bandana Banner @ Hoosier Handmade

Patriotic Washi Tape Wreath @ Shaped by Grace

4 x 4 Fourth of July Firecrackers @ The Happy Scraps

Rufflicious Star Shirt @ Polkadots on Parade

Fourth of July Banner @ Lil’ Luna

Red, Dye, and Blue Bracelets @ Jacolyn Murphy

Fourth of July Faux Mantle @ Chicken Scratch

15 Minute Patriotic Embroidery @ Chicken Scratch

Nautical Summer Wreath @ The 36th Avenue

God Bless the USA Printables @ Simply You and Me

Fourth of July Mantel @ Homespun with Love

Patriotic Candle Holders @ Coley’s Corner

Easy Patriotic Blocks @ Burton Avenue

God Bless the USA Sign @ Cheap Crafty Mama

REd, White & Blue Decorative Cans @ Homespun With Love

Decorative Bottle Rockets @ Homespun With Love

 Patriotic Can Clunkers @ MK Inspired

USA Pennant Banner @ A Diamond in the Stuff

Patriotic Embroidery Hoop Wreath @ The … Late, Young Family

Patriotic Flower Wreath @ The Sweet Survival

 …

And don’t forget!

You could win selections from the Boho line of {styled} by Tori Spelling!

Come check out all the great projects already linked up at the

And link up your great ideas too!

(And don’t forget to enter to win!)

 xoxo

The post Great Ideas — Patriotic Projects!! appeared first on Tatertots and Jello.