Things are heating up as we get into the heart of summer, and at The Rhinestone Shop, we love how our European crystal rhinestones practically dance in the sunlight. This month, we’re featuring some of our favorite ideas for rhinestone projects for the 4th of July.
Red, white, and blue are obvious choices to celebrate America’s Independence, and we have dozens of color choices to match any style and background. We have a great selection of shapes, from diamonds and rounds to skulls and hearts. Put your creative energies to work to create a patriotic piece that’s sure to impress.
For most projects, we recommend using flat-backed rhinestones. Hot-fix rhinestones work well in most applications, but you may find that sew-on rhinestones may work better for specific projects.
Patriotic Hats
It’s hot out, and hats are a great way to stay cool. Why not turn an everyday hat into something spectacular? Pull out your baseball caps and straw hats and get ready to turn the ordinary into the extraordinary.
For a baseball hat, we recommend a few fun techniques for converting a plain hat into a sparkling masterpiece. First, choose a hat with a neutral or solid background that will coordinate with your red, white, and blue rhinestones. For a more subtle touch, try lining the edges of the hat with small rhinestones in a pattern of your choice. If you want to make more of a statement, make concentric arcs along the brim of the hat and cover the entire brim with rhinestones. European crystal rhinestones have more facets than standard rhinestones, meaning they will catch the light and shine with more brilliance.
If you have a straw hat, why not make a patriotic hatband? Use a wide, white ribbon as a base, and create a pattern of your choice on the ribbon. To measure the ribbon, simply wrap the ribbon around the base of the hat, and add one inch for overlap. Use your hotfix applicator to apply your rhinestones and use hot glue to glue down the band. Alternatively, you can hand sew the band to the hat. This would be a great time to use some of your unique rhinestone shapes, like hearts or diamonds.
Fun Tumblers
Summer is the time for cookouts, and the 4th of July is one of the prime times for it. Everyone needs refreshment, so why not do it in style? Adding rhinestones to everyday tumblers is a great way to jazz up a commonplace item. What you’ll need are rhinestones of a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, E-6000 glue, a hotfix applicator, and plastic tumblers.
Plan on a different pattern or color scheme for each tumbler so you can have the perfect party accessories. The idea is to have a set of coordinating, but unique, tumblers so that all of your party guests can identify what’s theirs, similar to wine charms. Use water-soluble markers to lightly sketch out your patterns. You don’t have to get complicated—with rhinestones, a little goes a long way.
Plates, Bowls, and Flatware
Like with tumblers, you can create your own customized set of tableware just for your patriotic celebrations. If you have a set of dinnerware that you want to use for seasonal occasions, use rhinestones to turn it into a unique set that will impress your guests and family.
Adding rhinestones around the rims of your bowls and plates will add a charming sophistication to ordinary dinnerware, and like with your set of tumblers, you can make matching place settings of give each setting an individual spin. To add to your place settings, try jazzing up flatware to match. We particularly like flatware sets that have acrylic handles, which makes rhinestone application a bit easier. Use dozens of small round stones in patriotic colors to fully cover the handles—partial coverage might make your forks, knives, and spoons feel uncomfortable to hold.
Sneakers
Turn your favorite pair of sneakers into twinkling footwear that celebrates America. We particularly love a classic black-and-white background because it’s the perfect platform for red, white, and blue rhinestones. You can be as subtle or as bold as you feel like, and there are endless possibilities. Try accenting the heel, toe, and tongue (the part behind the laces). We also love creating fireworks with small rhinestones, and making stars out of diamond shapes.
Roller skates
One activity that is rich in Americana is roller-skating. It may sound old-fashioned, but roller-skating is making a comeback! Just like with shoes, there are infinite options for customizing your skates so they sparkle as you roll through the streets. Kids will have a great time customizing their skates, and adding rhinestones to the wheels will make you look dazzling as you fly down the sidewalk.
Earrings
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again—we love earrings! Earrings are one of the most versatile accessories, and they are a great way to add a little bit of brilliance to your ensemble. You’ll need some additional supplies before you can get started. Depending on the style of earring you want to make, you’ll need hooks or flat-backed studs (for drop and stud earrings, respectively), rhinestone settings, fine jeweler’s wire (along with pliers and wire cutters), and of course, your favorite red, white, and blue crystal rhinestones.
For drop earrings, you’ll need sew-on rhinestones, jeweler’s wire, wire cutters, and a pair of needle-nose pliers. Connect rhinestones together by using your pliers to create a small loop of wire between the two holes in the rhinestones. Create fun designs that celebrate America and then watch your pieces sparkle in the light.
For stud earrings, you’ll need glue, flat-backed studs, sharp scissors, stiff felt, and rhinestones in settings. For each piece, cut out a small square of felt, which will serve as the backing. Create stars by starting with a small central stone in the center and adding diamonds radiating out from the middle. Carefully glue your stones together and on the felt. Trim the excess felt away from the stones and glue the felt to the earring back. Apply the same technique to any of your designs. Experiment, and see what you love best.
That’s all for this month! We hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July with your family and friends. Enjoy the cookouts, sunshine, and fireworks, and happy crafting!
