4th of July On The Front Porch

4^thof July displays on lawns, front porches and entryways are a great way to extend your spirit and share your celebration of this patriotic holiday!   It’s a bit like Christmas, just not so many lights!

My impetus for creating this 4^thof July on the front porch display was to only use items I already owned.  The exception was the banner; I did purchase fabrics to use for sewing it.  The sewing pattern I used is from Ann Drake over at On Sutton Place (here is the link). I also purchased some new flags and a few hydrangea stalks.

Starting at the bottom, I created the base with an old wrought iron table that we use occasionally in the backyard.  Does anybody else have one of these “helpers”??

Because of the uneven pattern on the top, I laid down to 2 sheets of chipboard to create a more stable surface. (Special thanks to the Print Team at my job for providing the chipboard sheets.)

I draped the table with this glue and white gingham pattern tablecloth I found at a garage sale earlier this year.  (True story – when I drove up to the garage sale, I could see the blue and white check tablecloth from the street.  I nearly double-parked my car just so I could dash in and claim it before anyone else did!)

To create varying heights for display, I pulled this magazine holder (garage sale) off its usual home on the hearth and flipped it over.  I also pulled out the small bale of hay that I typically only use in the fall. Other options could be different sized cardboard boxes wrapped in burlap, or covered in a wrapping paper pattern of wood or planking.  There will be plenty of red white and blue added in the coming steps.  I wanted to include light, natural colors and textures as a counterpoint to all the red, white, and blue.

I also wanted to incorporate a back-drop of some kind to create a visual triangle.  I brought out the ‘window-from-the-side-of-the-road’ that usually sits on our mantel.  I would have loved to have been able to hang it, but it just wasn’t in the cards logistically!  So, I propped it up on two candle holders. I found the star at TJ Maxx several years ago.  I didn’t really cross my mind to add it to this 4^thof July display, but then I realized how completely appropriate it is.

This red geranium plant actually has day job on top of the hutch in our kitchen.  I brought it out to add a nice blast of red, and the basket it sits in is one of those nice, neutral counterpoint colors and textures. Another option might be a textured galvanized pitcher, filled with summery faux flowers and leaves.  Adding greenery and foliage is just another way to create contrast and balance the red, white and blue.

My vision was to position the geraniums on top of the bale of hay.  But in actual practice – it was a fail!   The size of the geranium bush overwhelmed the poor little bale it was sitting on.  Well, there was an easy fix for that!  Grab a boxy basket, flip over, and put the geranium plant and the hay bale on top.

Now – on to the flags. This step was really the inspiration for creating this display.  My first thought was to use 3 smaller sized white pitchers to display the flags.  But since the flags I bought were so large, that I changed it up and tried using 2 larger pitchers.  And this was when it got messy.

You know that phrase “… any good plan or project gets messy in the middle…” ?  Well, I was in the middle of this project, and believe me – it got messy!!

Right away I saw the problem.  The geraniums (precariously) stacked on a bale of hay AND a basket, sat at the exact same level as the flags.  So much for creating visual interest by using different heights on the table.  (And honestly, the geraniums perched on the bale of hay and the basket just looked a little goofy!)

I got a little panicky, because I realized the bale of hay would not work, and had to go. And I REALLY wanted to bring in the bale of hay to create that “4^th-of-July-summer-in-the-country” feeling, along with the blue & white check tablecloth and the banner.  But I put it away, and remedied the situation by placing the geraniums on a smaller, more proportionate basket.

At this point, I had lowered the height of the geraniums, and decided to use just ONE good sized pitcher for the flags. (Another garage sale find in April).  I filled it with the flags, and then inserted the hydrangea stalks in the middle for a little brightness and contrast.

For fun, I tossed in a collection of faux apples to sit around the base of the pitcher.

The final touch is the banner draped between the two shutters.  I mentioned above that I used a tutorial from Ann Drake over at On Sutton Place to sew the banner.  I learn so much from her sewing posts!  This is my first banner, but it won’t be my last.  I don’t see them on blogs so much anymore, but I personally think that in the right place, at the right time, they are charming, festive, and fun!

I have started listening to a little voice in my head that says….less is more and simple is beautiful.

More and more, I find myself drawn to displays and vignettes that are open and uncrowded.

This was a big factor for me when I was creating this display.

Not surprisingly, the majority of the items I used are collected from thrift shops and garage sales.

The tablecloth, the upside-down magazine holder, the white pitcher, and the collection of apples all came from garage sales.

The window was free, as was the upside-down basket under the geraniums.

Staying true to your own vision of what décor items and accessories speak to you helps you build a collection of your own personal style. I hope this walk-through of how I built this display inspires you to share your patriotic spirit for 4th of July! For some more summer posts, click here and here!

From our home to yours – Happy 4^thof July!

Kristine

I am sharing at these link parties:

Finding Silver Pennies Sundays Link Party      //   Create with Joy Inspire Me Monday   //    Life and Linda Dishing & Digging It    //  A pinch of Joy Busy Monday   //   Flour Me with Love Mix It Up Monday   //   Marilyn’s Treats Over The Moon   //     A Stroll Thru Life   //   Hearth and Soul   //    Home Stories A – Z   //   Chasing Quaintness Celebrate Your Story    //   Yesterday on Tuesday Project Insired   //   Most Blogging Inspire me Monday   //   Jodie Fitz   //   Waste Not Wednesday   //   Designthusiasm   //   Ginger Snap Crafts Wow Me Wednesday   //