USA All the Way -- According to One Girl's Mantel

Although July 4, 2012 is in the books, our patriotic zeal (and therefore decor) is going strong and will stay up throughout the summer until the completion of the 2012 Summer Olympics. We've even got The Sheriff chanting "U.S.A." while waving mini-flags. Parenting win!

I used red, white, and blue for W's party colors; poor kid might get stuck with that for years to come as the 4th follows so quickly behind his birthday. Well, that's if we have any more of those parties after all.

I am pretty much in love with these sparkly tributes:

I found the original idea here, and after beginning the project realized that my letters were indeed thicker than hers and that using glitter spray paint is MUCH easier than spreading glue and trying to apply glitter. They came out great, but I might spray paint glitter over them next year to freshen them up a bit.

The front of my mantel looks like this:

Old Glory + Mason Jars -- yea, I'll have some. I found my inspiration on Pinterest but the pin is not linking back to the original source. Sorry! Can't credit ya!
I love this look but it's perfect in its simplicity and doesn't offer much room for additional items, so I'll have to rethink it.

Our latest addition came with help from the neighborhood's latest two-year-old. Check out the original for a more appropriate looking flag, but The Sheriff's cooperation and listening for this activity won him the gold medal in my eyes. And he chants "U.S.A" when we look at it. It works for me. I should have had a bigger canvas (yes, I let the boy paint on something "expensive!"), and perhaps I should have practiced placement first. Yet, he's so proud, and so am I!

Come back tomorrow when I'll link up with Michelle for Oh How Pinteresting to show off the other projects I will add before the Olympics begin.