We are officially in the dog days of summer, and with that comes one of our favorite holidays—the 4th of July! It’s the time to celebrate America’s history and our country’s independence. This holiday is also the time where we typically enjoy cookouts with family and friends and, of course, fireworks! There are tons of 4th of July crafts out there, and many of them are rhinestone-friendly! Rhinestones are a great way to turn an ordinary craft project into something really special, and what better special occasion than America’s independence? Here are a few rhinestone projects that will make your holiday sparkle!

Windsock

This is a really easy project to put together, and the addition of rhinestones makes this a sparkling creation that will make your porch or backyard shine. To make an easy windsock that flows in the breeze, you’ll need:

• Assorted red, white, and blue ribbons – choose different textures and patterns for variety.
• One wooden embroidery hoop
• Your favorite rhinestones
• String for hanging your windsock
• Glue for both ribbons and rhinestones

Your embroidery hoop is going to be the base of your windsock. Loop ribbons around the hoop so that there is a tail of about 18 inches, or whatever length you desire. Add a dab of glue to each ribbon where it attaches to the hoop so it stays in place. Alternate different ribbons and work your way around the hoop until it’s full. Then you add your rhinestones to the ribbons! Use smaller rhinestones so it’s not too heavy on the ribbons. Finally, add your string to the hoop to hang it up! What you’ll end up with is a beautiful, quirky windsock that flutters in the wind. As a bonus, this is a great opportunity to use some of your ribbon stash.

Flag Lanterns

This is a great project that doesn’t take a lot of effort, and it’s easy for kids to get involved. To complete this project, you’ll need:

• Glass jars (quart-size canning jars are great!)
• Small flags that can comfortably fit in the jars
• Enough sand to fill and inch or two in each jar
• Battery-powered tea candles

Add sand to each jar. This will be where the light will sit. Each flag will get rhinestones and will sit inside the jar. It’s up to you how you want to do it. You can add a rhinestone to each star on the flag, or you could do rhinestones for the stripes, or you could cover the whole thing! The light from the candle will reflect against the rhinestones and the glass jar, creating a sparkling effect at night.

As an alternative, you can add rhinestones to the outside of the jar. Star rhinestones would look great, and a ribbon tied around the top would make the lantern look a little more polished. If you don’t want to use a flag for the inside, consider painting wooden stars and adding rhinestones to the stars, then scatter the stars in the jar.

Bottle Centerpieces

You can recycle glass bottles and jars and turn them into vases for flowers or turn them into vessels for a patriotic centerpiece. You’ll want white acrylic paint, assorted ribbons, and rhinestones. Paint the jar or bottle with the acrylic paint, then you can start to personalize! Add rhinestones and ribbon to each jar or bottle, and make each one different! Use star rhinestones for an extra special touch. This is a great project for any age, so get the whole family involved.

Clothespin Wreath

Do you love wreaths as much as we do? Wreaths are a great way to decorate your door, and it’s easy to change them out when the holiday or seasons change. This particular wreath is great for all skill levels, and the addition of rhinestones makes it a sparkly invitation to your home, all while being patriotic! To make this wreath, you’ll need:

• A wreath base – a flat floral ring will work well
• Clothespins to cover (the number will depend on the size of your wreath ring)
• Red, white, and blue acrylic paint
• Wooden stars of different sizes
• Rhinestones!

You’ll first want to paint your wreath base white. Next, you’ll need to plan out your clothespin design. Attach the clothespins around the wreath base and plan for the upper left quarter of the clothespins to be blue. The rest of the clothespins will alternate red and white to demonstrate the flag’s stripes (remember: thirteen!). Paint each clothespin the appropriate color, and paint the wooden stars white. Glue the wooden stars to the blue section of the wreath, and add your rhinestones. You can add rhinestones to the stars, stripes, or both! When you’re done, all that’s left for you to do is hang up your wreath and admire your creative work!

Flower Pots

If you have a green thumb, you likely have an excess of terra cotta pots lying around (with plants in them, we hope!). The great thing about terra cotta is that it takes well to paint, and it’s a nice, smooth surface for rhinestones. If you’re hosting a cookout, use live plants for your centerpieces and decorate the pot for a patriotic feel year-round.

To start, you’ll want to paint your pots. Using acrylic paint, paint stars and stripes, or go with solid colors—it’s entirely up to you. You can also let the kids take a turn at painting. Let the paint dry, and then you can think about rhinestone placement. Use your favorite rhinestones of different shapes to create patterns or emphasize your paint pattern. For an added touch, tie a wide ribbon around the lip of the pot and add rhinestones to the ribbon. The rhinestones will catch all of the light and look great at a mid-day cookout!

With all of these great rhinestone projects in mind, it’s time to get started! We hope that you have a great holiday and enjoy the fine summer weather. Grab your favorite red, white, and blue rhinestones and get to work!