Ah, summer. We all know what that means. School’s out, the sun is shining, your kids are begging to go to the pool, and all the stores are filled with adorable patriotic gear that you can’t enough of. I know, friends. I’ve been there too. Here are some of the ways I’m thinking of using all the red, white, and blue ribbon I’ve found so far (because if I’ve got a crafty way to use it, it’s not a waste of money, right?)
Photo Credit: www.seven-alive.com
Cute Hair Bows
There are some hair bow tutorials over at The Ribbon Retreat that I’ve been itching to try, just look through their 4th of July DIY page. I’m really digging the korker bow with krinkle ribbon. How cute would any of those bows be on your little girl? You can just attach it to a barrette, or make a headband with some fold over elastic.
Welcoming Red, White, and Blue Wreaths
Is it really even a holiday if you don’t have a themed wreath hanging on your front door? I think not. There are tons of creative ways you can incorporate ribbon into your 4th of July wreath, but here are a few of my favorite tutorials that I’ve found so far:
I’ve seen a cool wreath where you cut lengths of ribbon and tie it around a foam craft wreath. It’s tedious and takes a LOT of ribbon, but it’s pretty simple once you have all the supplies. You just cut the ribbon into 16-inch segments and then tie it around a foam craft wreath. Easy peasy. And it’s probably something the littles can help with if they’ve learned to tie knots. Check out The Suburban Mom’s blog for pictures and a detailed tutorial, if you’d like.
If you’re feeling something a little more sleek for your front door, you can just wrap the ribbon flat around your foam wreath (I think that’s what I’m going to try this year). The Ribbon Retreat has a great tutorial for this if you look at their DIY wreath projects (look for the Ribbon Flag Wreath). I love how she color-blocked the ribbon, don’t you?
Safer Sparklers for the Littlest Ones
Photo Credit: www.merrimentdesign.com
I may be an adult, but I am a little ashamed to admit that I am still afraid of sparklers. I just can’t bring myself to trust the littlest ones with real sparklers yet, though, which is why I love ribbon wands and sparkless sparklers. There are lots of ways you can pull them off. Jessica from Mad in Crafts recommends painting a wooden dowel, adding a skinny screw to the top, and then attaching ribbons with a small clasp (look for her 4th of July Ribbon Wand tutorial). You can also simply use electrical tape to wrap around a pencil or something similar, and then attach the ribbons at the top with tape. Kathy at Merriment Design has a tutorial for this, and she even attaches a painted wooden letter to personalize it for the kiddos.
These faux sparklers are such a cute way for younger kids to participate in fireworks festivities without getting too close to the explosives, and I have a hunch that even the older kids will have a good time with them before it’s dark enough for the real thing. Not to mention that it’s a great way to use up all the leftovers from your other ribbon crafts 😉
Top Photo Credit: www.psaplano.org
So which of these clever ribbon crafts are you going to try first? I’d love to hear how it goes!
Bio –
This guest post was made by The Ribbon Retreat, a ribbon supply and craft company located in Idaho and offering a large selection of ribbon sizes, colors and types including jacquard, grosgrain and chevron ribbon.
