The evenings are getting warmer, and that gets us all eager to spend them outside — hanging out on the deck, cooking out, enjoying the company of friends and family. Once spring hits, Memorial Day and the 4th of July seem to arrive in a blink. Here’s a quick, super-simple, affordable American flag mason jar craft to add a bit of patriotism to your decor!
This project, inspired by Thrifty Decor Chick, is about as easy as they come. With just four materials and a few minutes, you’ll have a decoration for the backyard, a family dinner under the stars, an outdoor party — or just line up a few along a windowsill or mantle in your house. They make cute gifts for neighbors and grandparents, too.
Gather your supplies
Flag: You can pick up the little flag you need at the dollar store or in the bargain bins at Target or Walmart. They have lots of uses, so don’t worry about ending up with leftovers.
Mason jar: You’ll find mason jars at craft, department and home stores. Be sure to get the right size jar for the size of flag you purchase.
Sand: If you’re not fortunate enough to live near a beach, you can buy bags of sand at stores like Home Depot, Lowes, Ace Hardware or Walmart. For a little more pizzaz, check craft stores for colored sand. Again, you can save the leftovers for other crafty purposes.
Light: Add some flameless tealight candles to the mix, and you’re ready to start creating!
Enlist the little ones
If you’re making multiples of this cute craft, get some little helpers together and set up an assembly line. With the jars lined up on a counter or table, the sticks removed from the American flags, and a funnel to help put the sand in the jars with minimal mess, you can assign each helper a job and crank these babies out in no time. If possible, put these together on the ground outside so you don’t wind up with sand all over your kitchen. This way, spills are no big deal.
To make this even safer for little hands, use clear plastic containers in place of mason jars. This will eliminate the worry of dropped jars and shattered glass.
This is a great class project for small groups at a table outside (preferably, with some parent volunteers to help). It’s also an easy, fun activity for preschool and church groups, as well as neighborhood gatherings of kids and moms.
A few more tips
Spread any leftover flags around your yard for the 4th of July, or stick them in your houseplants. As summer winds down, remove them from the mason jars and save them for next year. As for the sand, tealights and jars, set them aside for your next DIY undertaking!
>> Click here to jump straight to the craft instructions
The supplies you need to make this American flag mason jar craft
Using a funnel, pour sand into the mason jar
Line the mason jar with the flag
Slip a flameless tealight candle into the jar
Enjoy the beautiful finished product!
You might want to make extras of these American flag mason jars!
Materials:
Mason jar
American flag on stick
Sand
LED votive or flameless tealight candle
Directions:
1. Remove the flag from the stick.
2. Funnel the sand into the mason jar.
3. Place the flag inside the jar.
4. Place the LED candle inside the jar on the sand.
