Hello friends!

This week I am super excited because I will be sharing with you my Dollar Tree challenge on Friday.  Yesterday, I shared with you my little votive star DIY, wasn’t that cute and so easy to make?  If you missed that you can go HERE to check that out.  The Dollar Tree challenge is a group of crafters joining together to make a July 4th home decor using 80% Dollar Tree items.  The budget is $15 or less.  What a fun way to use your imagination!

What I decided to design for my July 4th home decor piece is for my fireplace mantel. Today I want to share the focal point for the mantel.   If I wasn’t in this challenge I would probably be making these two items out of wood, but since I have to use Dollar Tree items I will be making faux signs.  Yep….let’s see if you can tell the difference! 🙂

Items I purchased to make my focal point:

• 2 foam board from the Dollar Tree
• craft knife
• ruler and pencil
• painters tape
• red, white, blue paint
• paint brushes and sponges
• star templates

Let’s get started!

*The Star board*

I cut an 18″ square from 1 foam board.

I took the 18″ piece of foam board and painted the whole front and sides blue.  I gave it two coats.

I took three different size star templates large, medium and small size stars.  I traced around the template randomly using the different sizes until I filled the whole board up with stars.

Painted the stars white.

This is what it looks like.  No rhyme or reason how I placed the stars.

=The Stripe Board=

Using the piece of foam board that was left over from the first board that I cut for the star board.

Items I needed to create this:

• a ruler
• pencil
• painter’s tape
• Red and white paint

I measured down from the top edge 3/4 inch.  Marking all the way across the board, made a line and taped it off.

I kept measuring down from the bottom tape line 3/4 inch, drew a line and taped off.  It came out to 13 stripes.  Isn’t that something…..13 stripes? 🙂

I painted over the tape with white paint so the red paint would not bleed under the tape.

Once the white was dry I took red paint and painted the board red.

Removed the tape before it dried.

This is what my striped board looks like.

To make my art look like framed wooden boards I cut eight 1/2 inch strips with the second piece of foam board.  I painted the strips brown.  I painted it sloppy so it look like stained wood.

I measured the top, bottom and sides of my stars and striped boards for the measurements I needed to frame the boards.

I hot glued each small brown strip to the edge of each board.

This really does look like a wooden framed decor.

Can you tell that these are made from foam boards from the Dollar Tree?

You could do the same measurements and painting technique I used here on regular plywood to get a more sturdier decor piece.

Another $2.00 was spent of my $15.00 budget.  I had the paint and hot glue on hand.

If you like this DIY  please click the LIKE button and SHARE it with your social media friends!  You can pin this to your PINTEREST page to save it to make in the future.  The buttons you need to click are at the bottom of my page.  I would love for you to be part of my family so follow me on all my social media.  Facebook HERE – Instagram HERE and Pinterest HERE.  Come by and say Hey!

Thank you again for coming by and spending some time with me!  Be sure to watch for all of my DIY for the July 4th home decor challenge!

Stay strong and stay blessed!

XO  Terrie