EASY DIY: Patriotic "No Sew" Stenciled Burlap Table Runner With Grain Sack Stripes

I'm so glad that you stopped by today! Happy "almost" July 4th! First, let me say that I can't believe that it's JULY already, can you!?  Today, I'm sharing a quick and easy DIY project: A Patriotic, no sew, stenciled burlap table runner with grain sack stripes.  It's my favorite kind of project...the one that's free...and can be done in under an hour!

Getting Ready for the 4th - Scenes from my Home and Gardens

We're getting ready to Celebrate America's Birthday in our home. My vintage milk bottle carrier is at the ready. The empty spots in the holder will be filled with condiments on the big day and daisies from my garden will be added to the flags.

The ledge on the hood above the cook top gets treated to a little "Americana" with an old porch newel that has been drilled and filled with American flags.  And who can forget my crazy American Flag Party Pick Wreath?  I know that I'll be shaking my head about that one for a long time!

When I made the patio cushion covers in May, I purposefully made one side solid white. This enables me to change the look for special occasions like this.

The 4th of July has always been cause for celebration in our family. The tradition was established by my parents and their life-long friends before I was born. I grew up having a party to celebrate the 4th and it's a tradition that became one of my own when I had my sons.

On some July 4th's, the party has been an all day event that starts with Red, White and Blue breakfast and a trip to the parade and ends at 11 p.m. with fireworks. Other years, it's been a simple cook out with family and friends. One thing that's always consistent, however, is that we always celebrate!

There's not a doubt in any one's mind that I love the 4th of July. At least I don't think there is...you can tell, right?

Here's the vignette that I created in our foyer using one of my favorite ironstone pitchers and some vintage books about flags.  Of course, my beachy starfish are also a part of the display. I think that they fit right in!

I found this cute pillow cover at Pottery Barn and added it to a "not too red, white, and blue" vintage quilt.

My favorite vignette is on the yardstick-covered chicken carrier that acts as a coffee table in our family room. It's a simple nod to the Great American Past time ...

                                                                                      ...and to the fact that I live in a house full of men! 

Of course, then  there's the outside decor....

The gardens are putting on a show of their own this year!  Daisies and larkspur are waiting to be picked!

Hydrangea, day lilies, monarda...the whole garden is ready for the party!

The decorating will be wrapped up today. Then it's on to menu planning, shopping, cooking and baking. Just as soon as July 1 rolls around and end of quarter/end of half at work is behind me because by then, I'll be more than ready for some celebratory time with family and friends!

How do you celebrate?

xo,


Linking to:
Common Ground 
Home Stories A to Z 
Not Just A Housewife 

Bedroom "sneak peek"

I can't really call it a "reveal because there are still chairs to slipcover, faux painting to finish and a cabinet to paint but the bedrooom is finally finished "enough" (my word for the year) to show it to you.
This was the "before" photo:

I loved the wallpaper and the drapes but it was time for a change.

Here's how it looks today:

The room looks larger and much brighter now that the ceiling is painted a pale powder blue instead of yellow and the  border paper has been removed. I think that taking down the dark brown drapes and the valance also helped to "lighten things up".





The wallpaper is probably my favorite paper of all time! Other than the two week while it came from the U.K., it is AMAZING!  Heavily painted paper with raised sections in the design and the fact that the instructions called for pasting the WALL instead of the paper made it a breeze to hang! Truly, it took me about 2 hours to do it by myself.  I also bought three old barn window frames from my friend, Diane Passi. I like the way that they act as a frame for sections of the wallpaper! 

The white pin dot panels (Rachel Ashwell Simply Shabby Chic) came from Target as did the white throw. The rest of the room was "repurposed" from the guest room and other rooms in my house. 

I'll post a few more photos later in the week....this is the corner that I'm still working on:

The cabinet may or may not stay. If it does, it's going to be painted...the chairs will (obviously) need reupholstery. The rest is anyone's guess. I do have a collection of frames to paint and put on the walls but I can't do that until I decide about the cabinet!

xo,

S