June 5, 2011

Fourth of July Firecrackers...and a giveaway!


{Be sure to read until the bottom!}





Do you know about Pick Your Plum and GroopDealz??  They are awesome discounted crafts, jewelry, vinyl deals.....they come daily to your inbox and are greatly discounted, but only for the day!


So when this came into my inbox, my mind starting spinning.......




First you need some background..... 

In our family, we fight over who gets to mow the grass.....I have actually withheld the mowing from my almost 12-year old because that means we would have to split the mowing 3 ways instead of 2....yes, I know that I am weird!

The only thing that I don't like is all the stuff that is laying around the yard in the way of the mower....namely, garden stakes that my hubby uses for his grapes.  We take turns throwing them in each other's way...




What can I say....I'm lazy, I don't want to get off the mower!  But they have been driving me crazy!!

{outlines of their yard imprint!!}


I've been looking for ways to get rid of them, so when I saw that email in my inbox, I knew exactly what I was going to do!!  CHOP THEM UP!!  

The only problem is that I am slightly terrified of the saw.....so I had to beg for the hubby's help!


We cut the garden stakes into 3 different sizes....no measuring, just eye-balling!  I grabbed some supplies and got to work!




I painted the wood....


....and sanded it to distress it.



I also took some distressing ink on a cotton ball and rubbed it all over the wood to make it look more aged.



Cutting a star out of wood is beyond my skill level with a saw and it's 40 miles round trip to Michaels, so I improvised!!  


I painted a piece of cardstock gray, free-handed a star, traced it on the cardstock and cut it out!  At some point, I'll replace it with the real thing, but until then, you can't even tell!!

I ran out to my clothesline and snipped three little pieces off the end and tapped them into the top of the wood with nails.

Voila....my own FREE version of Fourth of July firecrackers!!



Are you ready for the BEST part???  I made TWO sets and I want to give one away!!

So to enter.....become a Google Follower and leave me a comment telling me that you are a new follower.
(If you already follow, just tell me!)

For a SECOND entry, follow me on FB and leave me a comment!

For a THIRD entry, follow me on Twitter and leave me a comment!
(And if you are already following those places...just tell me!)


I'll be giving these away Thursday night!!



23 comments:

Karen said...

I love these! I want, I want!! I can't believe I wasn't following your blog before. It's awesome!!
I am now a follower:)
kweight@byu.net

Karen said...

I liked you on facebook!
kweight@byu.net

Karen said...

I am following you on Twitter!! Thanks for the giveaway:)

BluBabesCreate said...

Really cute!

Amanda M. said...

I follow you in google reader.

Amanda M. said...

I already follow you on facebook! But can't find you on twittr =(

Vivienne @ the V Spot said...

Super cute! I follow in google reader!

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

I'm already a faithful follower but I'm also now following you on FB! These are so cute and I'm surprised hubby agreed to cut up his garden stakes for you! Thanks for the info on getting the 'wicks' into the tops -- was wondering about this! Well if I don't win -- this will be in my 'list of projects to do' file anyway! Thanks for sharing!

Kristine@thefoleyfam said...

You did awesome!! I love it!!

Thanks for sharing!

Here's my linky :)
http://jandmseyecandy.blogspot.com/2011/06/gift-bag-redo-diy.html

Poor Badger Creations said...

I already follow your blog! =)

Lauren @ My Wonderfully Made said...

Thanks Nicole for giving us a chance to win your 'extra' project!

Tiffany & Brittany said...

I already follow your blog! :) I subscribe to Pick Your Plum and Very Jane-- just to get ideas from! Glad I'm not alone!

Brandy said...

I follow your blog.

Kathy@DandelionsandDustBunnies said...

Those turned out just perfect. Love using up stuff around the house for projects. I'm a follower.

Nancy said...

I have always followed you :) Where are we going?

La-Dee-da crafter said...

I follow you and on FB!!!
I love this!!!
ladeedacreations.com
You are soo generous!

Nancy said...

And not only do I follow you, but I also like you... especially on FB.

Rogers said...

Came over from Thrifty Decor Chick. LOVE these firecrackers! I would love to win a set :D

Rogers said...

Sorry, forgot to tell you I'm a new follower!!

Rogers said...

I now "like" you on FB!

Whit said...

wow that is awesome. thank you so much for the tutorial. I found your fourth of july fire crackers through the little luna linky party. Come and say hi back I love bloggy friends. And please Vote for me on my blog thanks it only takes 2 seconds I promise

A mommy's life...with a touch of YELLOW
tyandwhitneyulrich.blogspot.com

Sara said...

I stumbled upon your cute blog (I've recently started following crafty people on the blog-o-sphere in hopes to one day actually try to replicate them) and have been roaming around it for the past hour+! Definitely love these firecrackers and will definitely be following you on both fb & twitter! Thanks for all your awesome and inexpensive ideas (newlywed grad student here...) :)))

Anonymous said...

These are so cute! Oh, and I'm a FB follower =^)

Jo @ SmileMonsters

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