I think it is important to remember where our nation has come from and how it has changed and the immense amount of freedoms we enjoy. I often get frustrated with politics, the direction this country has begun to turn, the taxes we pay, the amount of freedoms revoked and so much more. But at the same time, I can’t think of any other nation that has this much freedom and how voices can make such a difference.
I love the stars and stripes and I love this nation I’ve been born into. The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. All of the pomp and circumstance and celebration of the day turns my blood red, white and blue! It also reminds me of my extended family and the many years and wars they have served in over the years, and the ones who haven’t returned home. These men and women have so selflessly served this country and I reap the benefits. Other than these men, the only other man I know who would gladly lay down his life for me is Jesus Christ. What can be the motivation of these men except for the love they have for their country!
I want my kids to grow up knowing how this nation started, its progression and where we stand now. I want them to be proud to be an American and to be the first to put their hands at their heart or in salute when the National Anthem is played. I don’t want this holiday to be just another summer picnic. In order to start that at this age, I wanted to try a few arts and crafts in preparation for the day. There are also some good books out there as well, which I will hopefully add in another post.
The following craft is something my oldest son and I worked on. We had a lot of fun doing it while the younger two were napping. It was a great time to chat and talk together and spend some time without the little ones running around.
Replica of the First Flag
With its 13 stripes and 13 pom-pom stars, this ribbon flag is both cute and historically accurate.
Materials
• 7/8-inch wide grosgrain ribbon in red, white, and blue
• 12-inch-long strip of wood
• Silver pom-poms
• White buttons
• Tacky glue
• Scissors
• Self-adhesive magnetic tape (optional)
Instructions:
1. Cut four red and three white 14-inch-long strips, and three red and three white 24-inch-long strips.
2. Cut seven blue 10-1/2-inch-long strips.
3. Use tacky glue to adhere the blue ribbons to the shorter red and white lengths, overlapping the ends a half inch.
4. Glue all 13 ribbons to a 12-inch-long strip of wood, such as a ruler or paint stirrer, then cover the wood with blue ribbon.
5. For the circle of stars, glue 13 silver pom-poms to the field of blue.
6. Trim the ribbon ends with pinking shears, then glue a white button to the back of each end for weight.
Tips:
Use self-adhesive magnetic tape to hang the flag on a metal door, or attach a ribbon to the ends of the wooden strip to hang it from a nail.
These directions are for making it with ribbon. I didn’t want to buy any, but I had red white and blue crepe paper, so I used that instead. The width of the crepe paper is almost exactly double of the 7/8 ribbon. Double all of the measurements and it turns out great and hangs perfectly in the window of our screen door!
I used double sided tape to attach it to the door. We also used cotton balls for the stars and a glue stick to attach the colors! We had a great time doing it and hope you do too!
Green & Grateful 