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XOXO Painted Valentine Letters

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I was criticized by a commenter when I posted a Valentine craft on Christmas night on my craft blog. She didn’t know I had been sick for 3 days and it made me feel great to post something, even if it was Valentine’s Day. But even so, crafts tutorials always start early. Teachers, daycare providers and even homeschoolers plan their curriculums in advance and need projects ahead of time. Imagine my delight when I discovered that Jen over at Craft-O-Maniac has been busy posting Valentine crafts too! Thanks Jen 🙂

Get the scoop on these super cute XOXO painted letters on Jen’s blog.

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Comments

  1. I love the fact that you are already posting about Valentine’s Day. It helps me to plan what I want to make and do well in advance of the day. I hate waiting until the last minute to prepare, or even worse, finding out about a cute craft when there’s not enough time left to gather materials and make it. So thanks a bunch!

  2. Thanks amanda for the feature. We do need to plan ahead v-day is at the beginning of feb. Forget. The negative nancies, sheesh we r just trying to help. Xo jen

  3. I LOVE early posts & how-tos.Posting one the night before a holiday causes me to bookmark or print and then lose it for next year. And there are early shoppers as well. I just sold a set of Valentine magnets. Keep it up & I hope you feel better.

  4. I LOVE early posts! With two little kids running around, I need time to plan everything out. I started looking at last year’s Valentine’s posts a week ago. Love this idea, too!

  5. I love to see these crafts posted early, as I need time to gather all materials, and work it into our meeting plans for my Beavers and Cubs.

  6. I also appreciate early posts because it gives me a little time to get it done. Posting a Christmas project wouldn’t have helped me any on Christmas! Hope you are feeling better!

  7. First I hope you’re feeling better!! Second, the reader who criticized you is off his/her rocker!!! I love early posts because it gives me the opportunity to choose what I may want to do without rushing!! I love your OX’s and thank you so much for posting them…even on Christmas night!!! Hmmmm…can’t wait to see what you post on New Year’s EVe hehehehehe!!

    • Thanks Monica! The XOs weren’t mine, those are jen’s from Craft O Maniac, just didn’t want there to be any confusion and I don’t want to take credit for Jen’s ingenuity! 🙂 I did post something on my own blog, but only one criticizer. Maybe Santa left her some coal in her stocking and she was just mad at the world LOL

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Make This Rustic Patriotic Flag Wreath for Your Front Door

There are plenty of shiny red, white, and blue decorations out there, but every now and then a patriotic project comes along that feels a little more heartfelt. This 4th of July Patriotic Flag Wreath from CraftBits is one of those projects.

Instead of being overly fussy or store-bought looking, this wreath has that lovely rustic Americana feel — a grapevine wreath base, a flag draped diagonally, and a large star layered over the top. It is simple, bold, and just handmade enough to feel special without turning into an all-weekend project.

You can find the full tutorial here: 4th Of July Patriotic Flag Wreath on CraftBits.

What I really like about this wreath is the story behind it. The original CraftBits tutorial explains that the project was made using a damaged flag brought home by a veteran, and his wife, Marsha, turned it into this beautiful wreath for her family to enjoy. That gives the project a little more meaning than a standard seasonal door decoration.

The supplies are very simple: a grapevine wreath, an American flag, a large metal star, and glue. The flag is folded lengthwise to create a sash, then secured diagonally across the wreath. The star is layered on the side to cover the gathered section and give the whole piece a finished focal point.

This would look beautiful on a covered front porch, garden gate, entryway wall, mantel, or even as part of a Memorial Day or Veterans Day display. It is not just for the 4th of July either — with the right styling, this is the kind of patriotic wreath you could bring out for several red, white, and blue occasions throughout the year.

If you’re planning more handmade patriotic decorating, you might also like our 10 DIY 4th of July wreaths to dress up your front door roundup, where this CraftBits wreath is already included as a classic front-door option. For a bigger porch refresh, pair it with our 15 DIY 4th of July porch decor ideas and add planters, lanterns, bunting, or painted rocks for a full summer entryway look.

One helpful note from the tutorial is that you can glue the flag in place, or stitch it to the back of the wreath if you want the option of removing it later. That is especially worth considering if you are using a sentimental flag, a vintage flag, or one with family meaning. Stitching gives you a bit more flexibility and avoids permanently attaching something you may want to preserve.

You could also soften the look with a few extra details. Add raffia for a farmhouse feel, tuck in cream or red faux roses, use denim ribbon, or add smaller stars around the grapevine base. I’d keep the extras fairly restrained though, because the flag and star are already doing the heavy lifting. This is one of those projects where too much “more” can tip it from rustic to crowded very quickly.

For supplies, Amazon is a handy option for grapevine wreath forms, metal star accents, glue, and mini flags. Etsy can also be useful if you want a handmade metal star, rustic Americana embellishments, or vintage-style patriotic trim, but I’d keep it simple so the wreath still feels meaningful rather than overly decorated.

This is a lovely beginner-friendly patriotic craft because there is no complicated measuring, no sewing machine required, and no special tools beyond basic craft supplies. It is also a good project for using a flag that may not be suitable to fly outdoors anymore but still holds meaning. As always, if you’re using an actual American flag with sentimental or ceremonial value, take care with how it is handled and displayed.

The finished wreath has that warm front-porch welcome feel — festive enough for the 4th of July, but classic enough to suit a farmhouse, cottage, or rustic summer decorating style.