Simple Fourth of July Door Decor

I've always wanted to be one of those Martha types who decorate for every season. Last year before I sold my house I had grand ideas of us staying there and I started to accrue some Holiday decor. I really wanted patriotic bunting for my front banisters at Fourth of July but stopped myself after spending just $6 total for three medium size flags. I stuck them into the ground along the pathway to my door and called it good.

I was awfully proud of those little flags.

This year, I'm glad I didn't spend more than that because I'd have to 1) store what I bought or give it away and 2) I'd have nowhere to decorate with it if I did find a way to keep it.

I've been wanting to make the entry to our apartment look a little better so with 15 minutes and a few on hand supplies, this is what I whipped up:

I started with a gold gilded frame that the Hubs had a wedding picture in (from his first marriage) which I gladly disassembled and repainted. The detail is lost in the wussy iphone picture, but it's one of those early 90's carved designs.

The first order of business was to add three thin coats of white paint that still didn't completely cover the obnoxiousness below. Then I placed the flags on top how I wanted them and used floral wire to tie the sticks straight to the frame behind the flag fabric. I tried putting the flags on with hot glue but it just didn't stick. For good measure I did hot glue the you-know-what out of where I'd tied the wire to keep it intact. I have a history with wire coming undone :(

Wire the flags together where the poles cross at the center, add a bow from leftover Christmas ribbon, and hang it on the door. To keep it from banging around on the door as it's opened and closed I added poster putty behind all four corners.

And that's it.

It's so simple and used only items I had on hand, which fits our grad school lifestyle quite well. Now it just screams for a pot of blooming flowers by the wall. Perhaps that will be tomorrows project.

Have you come up with something simple that completely transformed how you feel about your door? I'd love to hear about it.