recommendation: actually DO the things you pin, 4th of July wreath

where have I been since my last post on June 12? I have no idea! I have been crafting, cooking, gardening, recommending and traveling but somehow forgot to keep blogging. Oops! Sorry all!

well we're hitting the road again for the holiday but I want to share my fun project before we take off. i love actually DOING the things I pin.

inspiration:since we're going to be out of town, I can't decorate the house too much or have fun party decorations...but a wreath can stay up on the door for all passerbyers to see! I saw the project on Pinterest from Nap Time Crafts and days later found a 50 cent straw wreath at a garage sale so knew I had to move forward with this project. My total cost was $7.27 (not counting glue sticks). Whoo hoo!!

steps:
- find a wreath (foam, straw, anything that is rounded will work): I got mine at a garage sale for 50 cents
- red, white and blue yarn, string, ribbon or fabric strips: I used yarn
- something to use as stars: I used buttons but I saw variations in tutorials as felt stars (hand cut), stickers, buttons or one big star

Since my wreath was straw, I had some interface I got for free at a garage sale and wrapped that around the wreath first to make it easier to wrap with yarn. I'm happy I did this because the straw still poked through a little and the yarn would of really stuck funny if I wrapped it straight. I just cut the interface in strips and hot glued them on. I suppose you could use other fabric or even maybe toilet paper for this? If your wreath is foam, skip this step!

I chose to wrap my wreath in yarn because I love to crochet! I do think something thicker like ribbon may take less time, it took me about an hour and a half total to wrap this. I got all of my ribbon in the sale bin at Michael's for 1.99, .79, and 2.99. I even had leftover to make these cool braided ropes to hang the wreath with and I also made one to wear as a headband or belt on Wednesday!

I eyeballed it and divided the wreath up into sections, doing 3 white, 3 red, and one blue. Doesn't have to be perfect. I have a lot of gaps but didn't have the patience to make it perfect. I hot glued the ends to the wreath and then wrapped each section round and round. It felt so good to finally get to the blue, I was tired of wrapping even though the project was relatively quick and easy. I got buttons at Michael's in the dollar section a while back so glued the white ones on as stars. This would be a great way to use up those buttons that come as extra's on shirts that you save but never really need!

This step is the COOLEST. A pop-top as a hanger. I would never have thought of this myself but the wreath I bought at the garage sale had this on it already. I had to cut theirs off but reattached a new pop-top to hang the wreath on a nail. Just hot glue it on. This is to hang the wreath on a nail. I ended up wrapping mine in a braided rope to hang it from a hook instead.

Last but not least, hang it outside for all to see!

final product: I am happy with the finished product. Its a festive and inexpensive decoration that will only go up for a few days a year, worth doing!

p.s. ONE year I will try these cookies again with Royal Icing.