America’s Independence Day, the Fourth of July, is just a few days away and we have been busy preparing for our annual BBQ/potluck on Pattison lake. The weather in the Pacific Northwest persists in being mostly dreary, sometimes drizzly, with a few bursts of sun thrown in to give us hope that summer will soon be here. My friend Emily assures me that summer will arrive on the 5th of July! We are blessed though, not to be experiencing the wildfires, extreme heat or the disastrous storms that much of our country has been struck with these past couple of weeks. Everything is very green here.
I’ve been looking back at pictures from the morning after July 4th, 2011 and remembering the glorious weather we had that day. This is a rare thing but, if my smart phone is to be trusted, we are in for sun and 70 degrees on Wednesday!
So . . . I was browsing The Pottery Barn catalog recently and fell in love with a rustic American flag wall hanging. I really wanted it but I didn’t want to pay the price. This is where my brain starts working . . . trying to figure out how I can recreate what others have already come up with.
I remembered some old pieces of plywood stacked along the side of the garage . . . pieces I wanted to haul to the dump . . . rescued by the protestations of my husband! You were right, honey, you are (almost) always right. They were pretty weather worn but this turned out to be even better for my project.
So . . . with some paint I had on hand, my peeling plywood, some old rope and a little hardware, I set out to create my very own American flag.
I aged and protected it with a little dark wax and scuffed it up with a sandpaper block. I have it hanging in a covered picnic area down by our beach. Though you can’t tell by the picture it is quite large, 3 feet wide. The most time consuming part was penciling in the stars and trying to get them (kind of) equally spaced.
I love The Pottery Barn catalog for all of the great decorating ideas I can copy. Whenever a new catalog comes in the mail I set it aside so that I can take the time to look through it with a nice cup of coffee or tea. What are your favorite catalogs to browse through for new ideas? I’d love to know.
To my fellow Americans, have a happy and safe Fourth of July. To my friends in other countries, be blessed and take some time to kick back and enjoy the long hot lazy days of summer.
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Patti, the flag is gorgeous! I LOVE Pottery Barn too and I am so excited that you are able to recreate the wonderful products displayed in the catalog. I love the whole ‘redemption’ theme going on with your obvious gift to bring worn out pieces of creation back to a beautiful state! Thank you for sharing! Blessings!!
Thank you for your comments. Your words are a real encouragement to a novice blogger. Blessings back to you!