Arnold Grummer's Papermaking - Red, White & Blue Banner

Banners can be a simple decoration to be used around the house for any occasion. Celebrate the beginning of the summer season on this Memorial Day, with this red, white and blue banner.  It can remain up as a decoration all summer long or all year long as a simple All-American sign.

To make this decoration, I made three sheets of paper for the base of each of the three pennants.  Using sheets of red, blue and white papers, I cut them into thin strips before processing in the blender.  The red and blue strips were pre-soaked.  I created a thicker sheet of each color using the pour method.  NOTE: I started with the white sheet. Use the water in the blender from the red and blue soaked paper shreds. Continued with the red and blue, cleaning all items used and changing water between the colors in the container.

Once the sheets are formed and dried, trim them each to measure 5 1/4" x 8".  I scanned and printed images from a "flag" book to be used on each of the pennants.  NOTE: Any images can be used, such as photos, drawings or other patriotic images.  The images were layered onto glittered card stock in coordinating colors before being attached to the handmade sheets.

Rosettes, in two sizes, were die-cut from vellum.  Discs and stars, as added embellishments are also die-cut from coordinating papers.  NOTE: Any embellishments of your choice can be used to decorate each pennant.

The three pennants are attached with tiny wooden clips onto a thin length of red, white and blue ribbon for hanging.

Go the Arnold Grummer website to place an order.  Use the code SPRING20 for a 20% discount.

Seasons, Home & Holidays

"The seasons are what a symphony ought to be: four perfect movements in harmony with each other."  - Arthur Rubenstein

The summer season is upon us once again.  We had a little tease a few months back which caused so much of nature to be fooled into plants blooming much earlier then usual.  The weather sure can be fickle!

Now we are approaching the first "holiday" of the summer season.  We celebrate Memorial Day on the last week-end of May, instead of it's true date of May 30th, and it will be here in a few days.  Where or where do these days go?  Didn't we just celebrate Easter?

With the beautiful weather this past week-end I decided to do a little annual summer planting.  The plan this season is to keep it easy to take care of.  I do enjoy visiting Garden Centers and Nurseries to see all the wonderful plants and look for the unusual or interesting.  I may ask the family to help me dig up a small area near the garage to plant a hydrangea.  I have come to love the new varieties there are.  Some favorites I planted are a new very vibrant petunia, Superbells (love the colors these come in), Sweet Potato Vine and African Daisies (love the shades of these too).

        "Be like a flower and turn your face to the sun."  -  Kahlil Gibran

With all three summer holidays being very "American"  I put together a quick banner to hang from the porch railing.  Took several flags off sticks and glued them to a cotton cord and then added gold foil stars for a homemade "All-American" easy decoration. 

Had to come up with another idea for a banner to hang above the fireplace.  Again I pulled out my trusty Sizzix Big Shot and dies, some paper punches and a bunch of scraps to create a banner for my 

"Home Sweet Home"!

Materials:
Variety of paper scraps
Sizzix Big Shot
Sizzix Dies: Original Pocket, Rectangles, Round A Bout Alphabet, Over the edge "On the Fence", Mini Paper Rosettes, Tiny Tabs & Tags
McGill Paper Punch, Mini Flowers
EK Success Leaf Punch
EK Heart Punch
Mini Rick-Rack
Beacon Adhesive Zip Dry Glue
Ranger Stickles
Ranger Distress Paint-Picket Fence

Here is a link to the post from last summer with another banner idea:
http://madelinesthoughts.blogspot.com/2011/06/junes-designer-craft-connection-red.html
This will be going back up for the summer to replace the "butterfly & flower" garland in another spot.