DIY WOODEN AMERICAN FLAG

My husband recently moved into a new office at work and asked me to help decorate.  I wanted to run to Marshalls or TJ Maxx,  buy a bunch of pieces and call it good, as I don't really have time to do fun "crafty" things and make pieces like I used to. But he didn't want to fill it with a bunch of random items that meant nothing to him.  I totally understood.

Because he always liked the wooden flag that I had made for Jack's room over 10 years ago, he asked if I would make one for his office.  I had to dig back into my mental DIY files and try to remember what I did.

This was a total Pottery Barn knock off project.  I couldn't pay the over $200 price tag back then, so decided to make one myself:)

After a trip to Lowe's, Marc made a frame for the panel (flag front) to attach to and nailed it together with my brad nailer.

I didn't prime the board because I was going to distress it and didn't mind the coverage not being too thick.  Using the girls craft paints, I painted the entire base white because that was going to be my background color.  I did 2 coats, making sure to get the sides.

The most difficult part was figuring out how to get the strips equal in width.  Still don't know how I figured it out.

Using Jack's flag as a reference, I knew that I needed 7 red and 6 white which I am sure I copiedfrom the original PB catalog years ago.

After making VERY LIGHT pencil marks using a yardstick, I taped off the white stripes and where the 50 stars where going (which I eyeballed) and filled in the red stripes.

After it dried I taped off the area for the blue.  I had a few cups of coffee that morning and didn't trust my unsteady hand:)

I forgot to take a picture of the stamp part but found a small "star" stamp at Joann's.  Again, following what I did on Jack's flag, added the stamps.  I did a much better job on stamp placement with my first flag but it wasn't too bad and I was not about to go back and redo it.  Once you put that stamp down, your committed!

I then distressed and did a light glaze.

Here is the picture of the flag for Marc's office.  You like?

He also hung up a starburst mirror that I made.  I tried to charge him for it, but he would pay me:)

Yeah, ummm, I had NOTHING to do with this wall!