Wooden American Flag!

I know that there were a handful of you out there who had come to my house and had seen my wooden American flag out on my front porch and had all asked me exactly how I made it. Well here are all the instructions you need to make one of your own! Sorry it took so long :)

This project was so simple and fun I would do it 100 times over! This is my wooden American flag that I made for my front porch for the 4th!

I got this idea from a blog that was on my friends blog... make sense?

SUPPLIES:

• Old wood pallet
• red, white and blue paint
• A hammer
• Pencil
  
• Star stencils
• Sander
• Wood stain
• Old rag or towel
  

1. I took an old wood pallet you find in construction sights or in my case in my parents neighborhood on bulk trash day, and I tore it apart (helps to use a hammer to get the nails up) and put 4 of the 5 wood panels together flat on the floor.
Hint: I kept most of the nails in the boards and just hammered them flat on the other side. The nail heads gave the flag a more old rustic look.
2. I took my palm sander and sanded down all the wood pallets to make them smooth (this makes it easier to paint)

3. I then drew with pencil the square where the blue of the flag along with the stars would belong, (Just so I wouldn't paint that section red or white along with the stripes).

4. I then drew a line down the middle of each pallet to show me where my stripes would be.

5. I painted in my stripes. One half red the other half white. Once that dried I did a few more coats just in case.
6. I then painted the section I traced out blue.

7. I cut out the size of my stars I wanted on my cricut. Hint: if you don't have a cricut just print off a picture of a star from your computer and trace around that or go buy a stencil!!

I then traced the stars on the wood where I wanted them to go.
Yes the above photo has white already painted but I was showing you my traced star.

8. I carefully painted the stars white. I would strongly suggest using a small brush to paint the white on the stars... I didn't have a brush and was forced to use my finger! It worked but it was messy! Its a good thing I still like finger painting lol
9. Once the paint had all dried I sanded down the corners and the sides. (you sand the sides and the corners so that when you stain them they become darker and help with the whole Antique look)
10. I then took wood stain and wiped it on the flag to give it an antique look to it. I took a big foam brush and dipped it lightly into a walnut wood stain then brushed it on the corners and sides of my flag.

Hint: QUICKLY wipe off the stain with a close nit piece of fabric... the longer the stain is on the wood, the darker the stain stays. You just want an antique look not a burnt look.
I loved how it turned out and love how simple it was to make! I made it in one day. I put it on my front porch where it sat very well.

Here is the picture of the flag I got the idea from...


and here is mine!.....


Have fun and Good Luck!
Melissa Elizabeth