American Flag 4th of July decoration made from Christmas Ornaments

I'm in the process of doing a big clean out. While going through my stash of stuff I tend to get ideas. That is just where today's project came from. I didn't plan it, it just happened.

I was going through boxes and one contained Christmas ornaments. Rolling around in the back of my mind was the need to do some 4th of July decorating. My eye happened to catch red, white and blue ornaments and the light bulb went off! Or is it on????

So I grabbed the ornaments, some wire and wire cutters and off to the front gate. I was planning on wiring the ornaments in a wreath shape but as I realized that the ornaments dangled so nicely in the openings of the chain link I thought of doing an American Flag motif.

As I was beginning to wire the ornaments on a neighbor walked by and said, "Christmas in July?" and I pointed out the beginning of my flag motif and he thought it was a great idea!

This ornaments hanging in the spaces of a chain link fence has an added bonus-it shimmers and sparkles like the back of a Sparklets truck!

Have a Happy 4th of July ya'll!

The First Crafty Blogger Links of Summer 2011

"Car engine on a grocery store chassis"
Filed under yes a grocery store shopping cart can support an engine.

Lindsay Sews
Have you ever tried the quilt-as-you-go method? Lindsay wraps up a rainbow ticker-tape quilt this week and experiments with a disco-floor layout.

Craftside- A behind-the-scenes peek at our crafty world
This week at Craftside there is Year of the Rabbit knit pattern based on the kanji of the Chinese zodiac, a tutorial on how to make a hollow lampwork glass bead along with a chance to win a copy of the book- The Glass Artist's Studio Handbook it's from, a call for entries and a free cute clip art crab perfect for summer art.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi has finished piecing and stitching her little bird quilt top, and now she needs advice on what to do with it!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
Computer key ATC card inspired by the book Inner Excavations.

About Family Crafts
Learn how you can save money and enjoy quality family time by making your own fun craft supplies.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen shows you how she made her old faded patio umbrella festive again!

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi has a new tutorial featuring the sweetest little elephants!

Craft Buds
Sewing with oilcloth is fresh and fun, and these sandwich bags will help you reduce waste! There's a little debate over whether or not laminated fabrics are safe for food. Do you know a food-safe alternative?

Crafty Princess Diaries
Tammy disovers some retro crochet items and has a brief moment of nostalgia.

Cross Stitch at About.com
You're the Designer! See what Irene did with Connie's Hummingbird Outline chart and try your own hand at designing and stitching too.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Here are a couple of ways to make hybrid cards to match a gift. Gift baskets of all sorts make lovely eye-appealing gift packages. Coordinating the elements is easier than you may think.

Computer Keys are the shape of most of my days it feels like

Today's ATC and card are inspired by the book Inner Excavation: Exploring Your Self Through Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media. One of the questions that is posed to help a creator make art is " What are the shapes of your day?"
Well, I feel like the computer keys on my desk are often the shapes that I spend the most time with. So they became my starting off point.
These are two additional keys I have added to my keyboard. The other main objective some days is to "find" things. If it were only as easy as hitting a key to make it happen.....
I have a book of clip art images that I love to use in my art and cards and funny enough there was an image of computer keys. Another element that is one of my favorites to include is a translation dictionary bit. I used a Spanish dictionary and the word "find".

Lastly I had this great picture of Brigitte Bardot looking like she is looking for something. Well there is the starting off point from Inner Excavation and where it took me. I look forward to trying more of the explorations in Inner Excavation.

More about the book from North Light Books:
Inner Excavation:
Exploring Your Self Through Photography, Poetry and Mixed Media

by

Liz Lamoreux

This book will guide you through the expressions of photography, poetry/journaling and mixed-media as they pertain to exploring how we not only currently see ourselves, but how we can learn to see new things hiding below the surface. Each of these sub-topics features a different contributing artist (or the author) and includes tips, prompts, meditations and other exercises, along with plenty of full color inspiration.

Liz Lamoreux is an editor, poet, photographer, yoga teacher and mixed-media artist living in the Pacific Northwest. She is the organizer of the Be Present Retreats where she teaches alongside nationally known instructors. She has been writing on her blog, Be Present, Be Here, for five years and has quite a following.

Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head out for a stroll

This is a little boy in my neighborhood I see a lot as we both go for lots of walks. This day was special as he was taking his Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head out for a stroll in his Jeep stroller. I would also like to point out how the bunny ears have been placed in the form of a mohawk. I love the creativity of kids!

And adults! Which brings me to crafty blogger links du jour!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world
This week at Craftside there is a tutorial on how to use spray starch to make a hand applique, a recipe for white chocolate cranberry blondies, tips on carving your own rubber stamps from the book Unfurling.

Eileen - The Artful Crafter
Most silk scarf painting/dying is done with a stretcher frame. But if you don’t want to spend the money on a stretcher and are not planning a detailed design, this easy dye method can yield beautiful results as well.

Mixed Media Artist
Cyndi continues her experiment using an antique trading card for quilt inspiration!

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery
See how to make a tiny scrap fabric dress decoration inspired by the book DIY Art at Home.

Cross Stitch at About.com
Great gifts for Dad for Father's Day or any other day. Do you stitch for Father's Day? Vote in the poll and let us know.

Crafty Princess Diaries
To give her hands a little bit of a break, Tammy is checking out the possibilities of loom knitting.

Carmi's Art/Life World
Carmi debuts her project for the a special Canadian workshop at CHA.

Aileen's Musings
Aileen tells you how she created a inexpensive fabulously fun outdoor chandelier for her porch from a hanging wire candle holder.

About Family Crafts
Check out several Summer themed beaded safety pin patterns can be use to make fun jewelry to wear to celebrate summer and they also make great gifts!

How to make a mini dress decoration inspired by the book DIY Art at Home by Lola Gavarry

Today's subtitle is "No scrap left behind" because that is what the primary ingredient is-the tiny little scraps of fabric I save.
Pretty cute little dress, hu?
This page from DIY Art at Home: 28 Simple Projects for Chic Decor on the Cheep with big wall dress decorations was my inspiration. Maybe some day I can make some big wall art like this but for now tiny it is.

How I made my tiny dress scrap fabric wall art:

I sketched a little dress silhouette on the back side of sticky back paper and then cut it out.
Then all I did was cut strips of fabric in varying widths and lay them onto the sticky side of the paper touching edge to edge.
This is what it looked like with all the strips of fabric on from the back side. All that was left to do was trim off the excess fabric.
On the right you can see my first mini dress. It was a bit small for my wire hanger so I mad a slightly bigger mini dress. I do have to say it makes me want to make a full size dress just using horizontal strips of scrap fabric!

More about the book from Watson-Guptill Publications:

DIY Art at Home: 28 Simple Projects for Chic Decor on the Cheep
By
Lola Gavarry

DIY Art at Home shows how easy it is to create modern masterpieces by using a few simple art supplies and the full-size templates that are also included. The book begins with The Practical Studio, which outlines the materials and tips that you'll need to get started. The five chapters that follow--Living Room Spirit, Kitchen Inspirations, Bedroom Influences, Office Décor, and Sweet Expressions--offer 28 fresh, beautiful, step-by-step projects for every room, all with a clean, modern aesthetic that will complement virtually every style of decorating.

Lola Gavarry is a designer who creates artwork for residential clients throughout France. Hiroko Mori is a commercial photographer based in Paris.