The 4th of July is almost here. I love seeing all the flags and decorations on peoples homes and in the stores. Red, white and blue everywhere. It makes me feel proud and grateful for our country. Heres wishing all of you a wonderful Independence Day. Its great to live in “The land of the free and the home of the brave.”
1. I loved the arrangement….I age my new flags by popping the staples out and putting them in the washer with part of a box of tan Rit dye.
Do many at one time….
Not too much dye or you’ll have brown flags….
They do look cool…
leave wrinkles in for more of the effect….
I stick those flags in plants …..looks great!
by Julie — 6/29/07 at 7:38 pm #
2. I have a white, old farmhouse with a covered porch across the front. For the last 3 years I have attached a flag to the wall of my porch (nailing it flat to the wall) It is centered between the door and my kitchen windows. I love the way it looks (even if it is not proper flag etiquette).
I will leave it up through Labor Day.
by val — 6/30/07 at 4:46 am #
3. I agree. I love to display our nation’s colors, from a couple of weeks before Independence Day and throughout the month of July.
Last month, I dug through the quilting fabrics and supplies that I inherited from my mother, and was suddenly inspired to do my first quilting. I made a “flag” pillow out of rose, off-white and dusty blue scraps. I got so hooked, I made three more pillows! Too bad I don’t have a great sun porch to display them on — they’re in the family room!
I’d love to attach a photo, but can’t figure out how to do that in this blog format.
by Annette — 7/2/07 at 10:39 am #
4. Great idea about dying the flags. An easier way is to steep some tea bags, make a very strong brew and then you can soak the flags in the tea. It is a quicker and easier way to add age to your fabrics. And I too love to decorate for the summer holidays. I have a black hutch on my front porch that I deck out in the red, white, and blue from memorial day thru labor day! I also found a beautiful red toile throw(at Home Goods, of course) that I put on my wrought iron bench with a red pillow for some added texture and warmth! It is so easy to decorate with this store! Happy 4th!
by lynn — 7/2/07 at 12:52 pm #
5. Hello Julie,
Thats a great idea about “aging” a flag. It gives an antique americana look to new ones. I’ll have to try that. I’ve also heard “Tea” dying will work as well. They have to be all cotton and not polyester to absorb the color well. Thanks for the great tip.
Hi Val,
A setting right out of a Norman Rockwell painting! Old white farmhouse, porch with an American flag. All you need is a porch swing and a cool glass of lemonade. So inviting….Enjoy…..
Hi Annette,
Your first quilting project sounds wonderful! What a great idea to do flag pillows. I bet they’re adorable! I’d love to see them. Hope you can fiqure out the picture upload. Click on the “submit yours” under customer finds and it will tell you. Thanks for sharing your ideas.
by Cathy — 7/2/07 at 12:54 pm #
6. Hi Cathy,
Great minds think alike! Happy 4th.
Lynn
by lynn — 7/2/07 at 10:50 pm #
7. Right On Lynn, Happy 4th to you too!!
by Cathy — 7/3/07 at 12:31 pm #
8. Cathy,
I love the americana display…I too have an old farmhouse and my porch sounds much like the other described..I have been collecting americana items for several years and put them out for Memorial Day, the fourth of July..I hate to put them away..I hope your 4th was a good one..ours was and I am tired after all the festivities in our surrounding communities….Margie
by margie [...] — 7/7/07 at 9:44 pm #
9. Thanks, Cathy. I just figured out how to submit the photo of my quilted pillows. They should be there.
by Annette — 7/9/07 at 11:32 am #
10. Hi There Margie,
Nice to hear from you again, sounds like you’ve had a busy summer and a wonderful 4th. I bet your decorations were wonderful on your farmhouse porch. Theres just something about the Midwest thats so homey, comfortable and relaxed. Its the heart of America. Enjoy your summer.
by Cathy — 7/9/07 at 1:41 pm #
11. WOW Annette,
I just saw your GREAT flag pillows!!! ( click on customer finds in the right side bar) So glad you were able to upload the pictures. Not too hard? I can’t believe these are your first pillows. You even “welted” some of them it looks like. I’m very impressed. The designs are really good. You must be very proud. Thanks for sending them. Now you know how to send more stuff. I’ll be waiting to see more. Thanks so much!
by Cathy — 7/9/07 at 1:50 pm #
12. Cathy, I wanted to get those slipcovered furniture in off white or natural color but dont know what color walls to paint. As I think i will need to keep my two chairs, one is sage and off white checked and the other one is plaid, red, yellow, sage, and white. So what color walls? Right now its buttercream or wheat. I love those white slipcovered furniture but dont know if it will blend well with two other chairs and my natural color pine furniture. By the way, HomeGoods is my favorite store.
by Cindy — 7/13/07 at 6:18 pm #
13. Hi Cindy,
The slipcovered furniture is nice and is washable or dry cleanable.
You want to keep some chairs that both have sage in them as well as other colors. The color that would work with all of them is a sage color for your walls. That would give a little contrast with the off white slips and your existing furnishings will blend in nicely. Do you think that might work for you?
by Cathy — 7/16/07 at 12:54 pm #
14. i thought so… but the family room is combined with the kitchen. I have white cabinets with dark green formica countertop and backsplash (which I hate.. am trying to get my husband to put up wainscoting as backsplash) I have sage in my dining room, its rather dark but I do love it. Perhaps I can get light sage. I agree that the white slips will look washed out with buttercream walls. Thanks…
by Cindy — 7/16/07 at 10:11 pm #
15. Cindy, Go to the right side bar on this page and click on my picture. All of my posts that I’ve written will be listed. Find “Wall Color Idea” and read that post about using 3 colors on the same paint chip. I think this might work for you with your existing sage paint in the D.R. If you like that color get one or two shades lighter to paint the other rooms. They will all blend nicely. Add in some accent colors in accessories etc. Let me know what you think.
by Cathy — 7/17/07 at 11:47 am #
16. Cathy,
Yeah I found that post about using 3 colors on same paint chip.
Cant wait to go to Benjamin Moore… I believe their paint is the best!
I guess I should start shop around for slipcovered furniture. My husband
thinks I am crazy as we have a dog. I just love the looks and since it is slipcovered and washable. I see no reason not to have it. Thanks again, Cindy
by Cindy — 7/18/07 at 12:51 pm #