I love the classic looks of American patriotic crafts – red, white and blue streamers, sparkles and stars make my heart happy. So of course this craft is full of these! Reading the supply list might make one think you’re getting ready for a picnic but with a little help from scissors and glue you can turn your picnic supplies into a fun patriotic porch decoration!

Project estimate:

• Rectangular plastic table cloth in red, $1 and up
• Rectangular plastic table cloth in white, $1 and up
• Rectangular plastic table cloth in blue, $1 and up
• Plastic juice pitcher lid, on hand or $1 and up
• Three star shaped noise maker necklaces, $3 and up
• Scissors or rotary cutter and mat, on hand
• Hot glue gun and glue, on hand
• Pipe cleaner, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $6 and up

 Step 1: Cut tablecloths into strips

Use scissors or a rotary cutter (not your fabric one!) and mat to cut tablecloths into 1.5 inch strips. I cut the white tablecloth lengthwise and the colored tablecloths widthwise. Craft tip: Don’t unfold the table cloth all the way. Leave it partially folded while cutting and unfold the strips as you go.

 Step 2: Glue the white strips onto the juice lid

Fold the long strips from the white tablecloth in half. Stagger the “legs” of the fold a bit and then attach to the juice lid with hot glue. Be sure to use a low temp glue gun or use a chopstick to help you press the tablecloth into the glue to avoid burns. Attach folded strips all the way around the lid.

 Step 3: Attach red and blue strips to lid

Unfold the full length of the red and blue strips and glue them in an alternating pattern on top of the white folded strips all the way around the lid.

 Step 4: Add stars

Cut the sparkly stars from the noise makers. Save one of the beaded strings they are on to use as a hanger and set aside.

 Put hot glue on the back of the extension that was used to hold the stars onto the noise maker and glue the stars around the top edge.

Step 5: Make a hanger

Cut one of the beaded necklaces into thirds. Use hot glue to attach the beaded strips to the top of the juice lid.

 Hold the three beaded strands together so that the windsock hangs level. Secure strands with a pipe cleaner. Don’t forget to make a loop in the top of the pipe cleaner for hanging. Trim excess beads if needed.

Step 6: Hang it outside!