DIY Wood American Flag Sign

Are you looking for a great way to show your patriotic spirit this year but aren’t sure how? There are so many great US Flag DIY craft projects you could make that will solve this problem. No matter your skill level, you can create an amazing stars and stripes project that you can proudly display for all to see. 

DIY MINI WOODEN AMERICAN FLAG SIGN

With the 4th of July holiday around the corner, I was looking for a patriotic craft project to make in preparation for the upcoming holiday. This mini wooden American flag craft is super easy to make and only requires a few supplies to make your own. Follow this quick and easy tutorial to build your own wooden American flag.

This is the perfect DIY project to do with kids too, but adult supervision is recommended. Also, make sure to gather up your supplies ahead of time before you get started.

 SUPPLIES NEEDED 

• 15 wooden paint stir sticks  

• Red acrylic paint

• Blue acrylic paint 

• White acrylic paint 

• White acrylic paint pen 

• Wood glue 

• Painter’s tape

• Twine 

• Staple gun & staples

• Water-based spray paint sealer (optional) 

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. To get started paint 6 wood paint sticks red, and 5 wood paint sticks white. Let the paint dry completely. 

To lay out your American flag pattern place one red paint stick paint-side down on the top of a flat surface. Then put a white stick, paint-side down next to the first red stick. Continue alternating the red and white paint sticks using all 13 which will result in the rectangular flag body. Line up the short edges of the sticks on each side to make sure your flag is straight. 

2. Stick a long piece of painter’s tape down the middle of the upside-down paint sticks starting with the top stick and ending at the last bottom stick to prevent the paint sticks from shifting.  

3. You should have two unpainted paint stir sticks left. Take these two stir sticks and run a bead of wood glue down the center of each stir stick spreading the glue evenly with your finger. 

 

4. Place the unpainted stir sticks, glue side down onto the back side of the flag body about three inches in from each edge. Set something heavy on top of the glue-coated paint sticks and allow the glue to thoroughly dry before flipping the flag body over.  

5. Once the glue is dry, flip the flag body over so the red and white stripes are face up. Measure and lightly mark with a pencil a 4” (across) by 3” (long) rectangle on the top left side of the flag. Place the painter’s tape along the outside of the pencil marks pressing down to ensure the paint won’t seep under the tape.  

6. Paint the taped-off box-shaped section with two coats of blue acrylic paint and let it dry completely. After the paint is dry use a pencil and lightly mark on the blue rectangle where you will want the stars to be placed. (This area will be too small to fit all 50 stars, so just do your best to make them look evenly distributed.) 

7. Draw stars with the white acrylic paint marker on the marks you penciled in over the blue rectangle and let the paint dry.  

8. To hang up your mini flag sign, cut a piece of twine 16” long and tie a knot at the end of both sides of the twine. Flip your flag body over and place one end of the twine over the glued-on paint stick. Staple the twine to the paint stick. Repeat this step on the other side to firmly secure the twine to the flag. (the staples shouldn’t poke through the front if you staple on the glued-on stir sticks)

9. Optional Step – If you plan on hanging your wooden US Flag outside you will need to seal it so that the paint doesn’t wash off or fade from the outdoor elements. To do this take your flag outside or in a well-ventilated area and spray the entire front and back sides with a water-based spray sealer. 

Congratulations, you successfully completed this easy woodworking project and just made a pretty awesome American Flag! Now go show your patriotic spirit and proudly display it for all to see.

How to Make a Mini Wooden American Flag: Step-by-Step DIY Guide

With the 4th of July holiday around the corner, I was looking for a patriotic craft project to make in preparation for the upcoming holiday. This mini wooden American flag craft is super easy to make and only requires a few supplies to make your own. Follow this quick and easy tutorial to build your own wooden American flag.

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

SUPPLIES NEEDED 

• 15 wooden paint stir sticks  

• Red acrylic paint

• Blue acrylic paint 

• White acrylic paint 

• White acrylic paint pen 

• Wood glue 

• Painter’s tape

• Twine 

• Staple gun & staples 

• Water-based spray paint sealer (optional) 

 DIY MINI WOODEN AMERICAN FLAG SIGN

This is the perfect DIY project to do with kids too, but adult supervision is recommended. Also, make sure to gather up your supplies ahead of time before you get started.  

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. To get started paint 6 wood paint sticks red, and 5 wood paint sticks white. Let the paint dry completely. 

To lay out your American flag pattern place one red paint stick paint-side down on the top of a flat surface. Then put a white stick, paint-side down next to the first red stick.

Continue alternating the red and white paint sticks using all 13 which will result in the rectangular flag body. Line up the short edges of the sticks on each side to make sure your flag is straight. 

2. Stick a long piece of painter’s tape down the middle of the upside-down paint sticks starting with the top stick and ending at the last bottom stick to prevent the paint sticks from shifting.  

3. You should have two unpainted paint stir sticks left. Take these two stir sticks and run a bead of wood glue down the center of each stir stick spreading the glue evenly with your finger. 

 

4. Place the unpainted stir sticks, glue side down onto the back side of the flag body about three inches in from each edge. Set something heavy on top of the glue-coated paint sticks and allow the glue to thoroughly dry before flipping the flag body over.  

5. Once the glue is dry, flip the flag body over so the red and white stripes are face up. Measure and lightly mark with a pencil a 4” (across) by 3” (long) rectangle on the top left side of the flag. Place the painter’s tape along the outside of the pencil marks pressing down to ensure the paint won’t seep under the tape.  

6. Paint the taped-off box-shaped section with two coats of blue acrylic paint and let it dry completely. After the paint is dry use a pencil and lightly mark on the blue rectangle where you will want the stars to be placed. (This area will be too small to fit all 50 stars, so just do your best to make them look evenly distributed.) 

7. Draw stars with the white acrylic paint marker on the marks you penciled in over the blue rectangle and let the paint dry.  

8. To hang up your mini flag sign, cut a piece of twine 16” long and tie a knot at the end of both sides of the twine. Flip your flag body over and place one end of the twine over the glued-on paint stick. Staple the twine to the paint stick. Repeat this step on the other side to firmly secure the twine to the flag. (the staples shouldn’t poke through the front if you staple on the glued-on stir sticks)

9. Optional Step – If you plan on hanging your wooden US Flag outside you will need to seal it so that the paint doesn’t wash off or fade from the outdoor elements. To do this take your flag outside or in a well-ventilated area and spray the entire front and back sides with a water-based spray sealer. 

Congratulations, you successfully completed this easy woodworking project and just made a pretty awesome American Flag! Now go show your patriotic spirit and proudly display it for all to see.  

Are you looking for more fun patriotic flag crafts to make this year? Make sure to check out this post: 15 Easy American Flag Craft Projects!

How To Make An Easy DIY Wood Picture Hanger

Do you have an odd-sized poster or picture you can't find the right size frame for and you don't want to spend a ton on a custom frame? An easy and affordable solution is to make your own wood picture hanger. 

What is a wood picture hanger you ask? A wood picture hanger is a great alternative to a traditional picture frame to display your favorite poster or artwork. Simply put a wood picture hanger has wood slats that are cut slightly longer than the width of your piece of art and are mounted at the top and bottom of your poster. 

There are several different ways to mount the wood slats so they hold your picture. I opted for a permanent solution since I knew I wasn't going to be changing out the pictures in the future.  

Several years ago I got a large calendar that had beautiful graphic drawings for each month of the year. I kept the calendar thinking I would frame them and hang them on my wall as a decorative display. I shopped around looking for the right size frames with no luck! Years flew by and I still hadn't come up with a great and affordable way to display the pages. 

Until...

One day when I was scrolling through Pinterest and came across these cool-looking wood picture hangers. I knew right away that this was how I wanted to "frame" my calendar pages! I headed out to the hardware store to get the supplies I needed so I could build some custom wood picture hangers. The end result turned out better than I had hoped and so I thought I would share with you how I made them with an easy-to-follow tutorial. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

I really enjoy making custom wall decor to fit the spaces in my home. You can check out a few of my other creations here and here.

DIY Wood Picture Hanger Tutorial

Gather up the following supplies from your local hardware store before you start this project. 

Supply List

Wood glue

Sandpaper

hand saw

miter box

tape measure

1/4" x 1" x 8' flat pine molding

Staple gun & staples

Leather cord or twine

Wood stain or paint (optional)

4 clamps

Step-by-Step Tutorial

Step 1  

Measure the width of your poster or picture. I wanted the wood slats to be about 1/4" longer on each side of the picture so I added 1/2" to the width measurement of the picture. Transfer the measurement to the wood molding and cut 4 pieces to this length. 

Step 2

Sand each piece of wood, wipe it down with a clean rag, and then paint or stain each piece letting them dry completely. (optional step)

Step 3

On the back side of each wood slat measure and mark 1/4" which is the amount of wood overhang you choose for each side of the frame. Next, lay your poster face up on a flat surface, place one wood slat on top of it and adjust how high up on the picture you want the frame placed. 

For my calendar poster, I didn't want to cover up some of the dates and design so I marked lightly on the poster where I wanted to place the wood frame and then measured this mark so I could transfer the measurement to the back of the wood. Do this for the top and bottom of the poster.

Place both the top and bottom frame slats face down on a flat surface then place your poster over the wood slats making sure to adjust the picture along the pencil marks you made.

Step 4

Staple the poster in several places along the top and bottom wood frame pieces. 

Step 5

Next spread a thin layer of wood glue on the back of the remaining two wood frame pieces. Align the wood pieces over the front pieces and staple down the poster making sure to keep the edges even. Clamp the wood pieces together on each side of the frame. Let the glue cure overnight. 

Step 6

Now it is time to attach the leather cord or twine to the back of the wood frame for hanging. Depending on the length of your wood frame and how long you want the hanger to be your measurements may differ from mine. To determine the length of your twine I measured and marked 1" in from the end of each side on the backside of the top frame. Unroll a length of twine and stretch it between the two spots you marked add an additional two inches and cut the twine to that length.  Tie a knot at each end of the leather cord or twine then staple each end of the twine to the wood frame.  

Woohoo! You did it! You make your own wood picture hanger. Now go hang up your custom-framed piece of art and enjoy looking at it all the time. 

Since I had a few supplies on hand before I started this project (like the stain, staple gun, and twine) the total cost for this project was less than $10! I just love how these wood picture hangers look and I can't wait to make a few more for some of the other pictures and posters I've been holding onto for a while! 

I'd love to know what you plan on framing with a wood picture hanger. - leave me a comment to let me know what you will frame. Did you choose a coordinating paint color for your wood or did you stain it? I'm thinking of painting my next wood picture hanger frame and I can't wait to see how it turns out. 

More DIY Tutorials

If you liked this project make sure to check out these other easy DIY projects and tutorials:

How To Build A Wood Stool

How To Make A Wood Coinhole Game

DIY Upcycled Silverware Caddy

How To Make A Simple Silverware Caddy From Tin Cans

Whether it's summertime full of outdoor grilling, cookouts, and picnics or fall and winter with indoor potlucks and holiday parties one problem I run into and maybe you do too is finding a good solution to hold the silverware for your guests.

Leaving it in the box it came in won't work because it all gets messed up and disorganized. You never know how many forks, knives and spoons you have when they are in a big jumbled pile. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my Disclaimer page. Thanks!

Upcycled DIY Silverware Caddy

There are so many great silverware caddies available to purchase but to me, they all seemed so dainty and fancy - not really practical for an outdoor family cookout. Our family cookouts are anything but fancy. I need durable! This caddy has to last a while, especially with kids. 

Making my own silverware caddy seemed like the perfect solution and today I'm excited to share with you how I did it in this easy-to-make silverware caddy tutorial. Gather up the following supplies and let's get started making a DIY silverware caddy!

DIY Silverware Caddy Tutorial

Supplies:

4 - 6 tin cans (28oz) washed & dried

wood (measuring 11.5" x 3.5" x .3/4" thickness)

small screws

spray paint

water-based spray sealer

screwdriver

nail (any size to puncture the tin cans)

hammer

ruler

staple gun & staples

trim (optional)

hot glue gun & glue (optional)

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Cans

Step 1 - Make sure all of the cans are clean and dry and any leftover glue residue from the labels is scraped off. On a covered surface, preferably outside spray the outside and inside (optional) of each can and let them dry completely. You might need 2 coats of paint. After the paint drys spray each can, inside and out, with a water-based spray sealer. Let the sealer dry completely. 

I added a decorative piece of trim around each can using hot glue to secure it. This is a totally optional step and you can leave the cans plain too. 

Step 2 - On the inside of each can measure from the top down about 1/2" and make a light mark. Press the nail on the marked spot and gently hammer the nail through the can until the tin is punctured. Repeat this step until each can has a small puncture hole. 

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Step 3 - From the inside of the can screw in a small screw through the nail hole in each can.

Wood

Step 4 - Cut your wood to size then sand any rough spots. Stain or paint your wood and let it dry completely. Spray your wood with a water-based spray sealer and let it dry. 

Step 5 - Prop the wood up and set the cans along the perimeter, three on each side with the screws facing the wood. Once you have the cans where you like them firmly press the screws into the wood to make a mark. With a screwdriver begin to secure each can to the wood at the spots marked. 

Step 6 - Add a handle to carry your caddy on the top of the wood by stapling a piece of thick twine or thin rope to the top edge of the wood. For a decorative look add a washer and a small screw over the staples to conceal them. 

This easy-to-make silverware caddy provides plenty of space for you to organize and carry all the silverware you will need for your next picnic or cookout! Customize the color to your liking and add any decorations to the outside of the cans including labels, trim or painted stripes, and polka dots. 

More Easy DIY Tutorials To Check Out!

Easy DIY Dip-Dyed Yarn Wall Art

How To Make A Tabletop Bimini Hook & Ring Game

How To Build A Wood Step Stool - Easy Beginner Project 

How To Make DIY Wall Art With Seashells

Finding the right piece of wall art to hang in your home can be challenging especially if your space isn't a standard size. After a recent update to our living space, I was on the hunt for the perfect wall art for our living room. I had a hard time finding anything pre-made and affordable that would fit the space so I started dreaming up some DIY ideas instead. 

This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase through one of these links I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more information please see my disclaimer page. Thanks!

If you have ever found yourself in the same situation don't worry because the project I'm excited to share with you is completely customizable, affordable, and easy to make! But first, let me tell you where I found my supplies to make this cool custom wall art. 

Our family had taken a vacation to Hilton Head, South Carolina a few years back and every day we spent a lot of time walking the beach along the ocean collecting shells. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with all of these seashells but I knew I wanted to incorporate them into something that would remind us of this amazing family vacation. Unfortunately, when we got home from our trip we jumped right back into our normal busy life and the bucket of shells got set aside waiting for a day when I would have the right idea and time to make something with them. 

Repainting a room can have an inspiring effect on you and that is exactly what happened after I painted our living room a completely new color. While repainting, I decided to make one of the walls in the living room an accent wall and chose to use the deep blue color, Hale Navy by Behr. With the painting done it was time to add some wall decor. After staring at the narrow, empty space next to a window on the accent wall I had a light bulb moment - the seashells from our trip a few years ago would look amazing in that space! 

I came up with the idea to make a custom DIY seashell wall hanging with the seashells from our trip by mounting them onto a narrow piece of wood and hanging it in that small empty space. I LOVE how it turned out and wanted to share how I made it with you today. 

How To Make Custom DIY Seashell Wall Art 

Making this custom seashell wall art piece was so easy anyone can make it! A variety of different-sized shells makes this piece look more natural too. I even used broken shells since that is what I found on the beach along with a bunch of unbroken shells.

Materials For Seashell Wall Art

• seashells
• wood - you can buy this at your local hardware store and they can cut it down to the size you need.
• glue - I used Wellbond Multi-Purpose glue because it has a super-strong bond once cured
• picture hanging kit

Clean Your Shells

Seashells purchased from a craft store have already been cleaned so you can skip this step if using them for this project. 

If you are using shells you picked up on the beach I highly recommend cleaning your shells before using them. Wiping them off with a little soap and water and then soaking them in a solution of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide should clean them up without harming their natural colors. 

I don't recommend bleach unless you want your shells to all turn white.

Set your clean shells out on a clean dishtowel or paper towels until they are completely dry.

Prepare The Wood Base

While you are waiting for the shells to dry you can prepare your wood base. If you are using a pre-cut piece of wood from the hardware store make sure to wipe it down to remove any sawdust. I chose to keep my wood in its natural rough state so it resembled the coarse texture of sand but if you want a smooth surface you can always use some sandpaper and sand it - just make sure to wipe off any sawdust after sanding. 

The wood I used for the base was a narrow piece of maple that I left unstained and in its natural state since the color reminded me of beach sand.  

Arrange The Shells On The Wood Base

This step is very important to do before permanently gluing the shells to the wood base. 

I really wanted the shells to look just like they did on the sandy beach by the ocean so I placed the shells in no particular order on the board making sure some were slightly overlapping other shells, some were upside down and others were right side up. I filled any open gaps with smaller shells or broken pieces of shells and sand dollars allowing some shells to slightly hang off the edge of the board. 

Attach The Shells To The Base

After I had all of the shells laid out on the board I grabbed my bottle of glue and plastic work gloves and started securing the shells to the board one by one. 

I highly recommend the clear Wellbond glue because it securely bonds about anything, has a narrow dispensing tube that makes it easy to get between small spaces like little seashells, doesn't cure immediately, and is non-foaming. 

You do not want to use super glue since it bonds immediately making it impossible to re-arrange the seashells as you attach them to the base. 

Once all of the shells are glued onto the wood base let your wall art sit for a bit until the glue has cured according to the directions on the glue's package.

Attach A Picture Hanging Kit

To hang my seashell wall art I purchased a picture hanging kit to install on the back of the wood base. Depending on how heavy your piece is make sure to get the correct kit so your artwork isn't too heavy for the kit you use. You definitely don't want it to fall off the wall because you used a picture hanging kit that couldn't support the weight of your piece. 

Aside from the time I had to wait for the glue to cure properly this project took less than two hours to complete from start to finish! I love how it turned out and that it didn't cost an arm and a leg to make because I had all of the supplies on hand already. If you don't have any of the supplies readily available the overall cost to purchase them is minimal making this a very budget-friendly DIY project. 

The best part about this project is that every time I look at my finished custom wall art I am reminded of that amazing family vacation!  Good memories!

More DIY Projects

Be sure to check out these other easy DIY projects you can make in a few hours!

How To Make A Wood Growth Chart

How To Make A Yarn-Wrapped Hoop Wall Hanging

How To Make A Wood Coinhole Game