Easy Patriotic Art...Using Washi Tape {Tutorial!}

With Memorial Day weekend here and the 4th of July right around the corner, I needed a bit of patriotic decor to dress my home. These two washi tape projects took a combined 10 minutes to complete and were the perfect distraction in a rough day (of the sick, cranky kid variety). 

If you're a pinterest junkie or craft blog lover, you've seen washi tape used in a 1000 ways. I have a nice collection in my craft closet, and let me tell you, I love the stuff! I've been washi-ing everything lately. Oh, just wait until you see my Memorial Day mantel! 

All the washi tape used in this project were purchased at Target in the office supply aisle. It's $4 for 4 rolls. Not bad, eh? My Target has a set of yellow, a set of red, a set of green and a set of blue.

Why, yes. Yes I do own all 4 sets. 

Let's get to the tutorials, shall we?? For the American flag project, I took a piece of scrap cardboard and taped off lines in a flag pattern. I trimmed the edges with scissors instead of tearing to create the clean lines. Which is probably totally obvious. Pretty easy. I then trimmed the cardboard so it fit snuggly in the frame. Again, pretty easy.

For the Let Freedom Ring frame, I started with another empty frame and another scrap of cardboard. I placed random stripes of tape, leaving a space for my stamped line. For my words, I took out my tiny letter stamps (I actually have 3 sets, 1 from Michaels, 2 from Walmarts- all $1) and used them randomly to create my words. I kind of like the look of the mixed fonts.

I'm sure these frames will end up on a mantelscape one day. Perhaps on a 4th of July mantelscape? Yep, seems fitting.

Happy Memorial Day weekend! I hope you spend it with family and I hope you take time to honor the memory of the heroes who've given their life for love of our country and dedication to her freedom. I'm the sister of an army Captain (stationed in Vicenza, Italy) and so this day always makes me think hard about the weight of the sacrifice so many men and women have made in our nation's history.

Ronald Reagan said in a famous Memorial Day speech:


Today is the day we put aside to remember fallen heroes and to pray that no heroes will ever have to die for us again. It's a day of thanks for the valor of others, a day to remember the splendor of America and those of her children who rest in this cemetery and others. It's a day to be with the family and remember.

This weekend will find me praying extra hard that no heroes will ever have to die for us again.

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