Beavercreek Adult Take and Make: Wooden Firecrackers

Can you believe it's time to get ready for the 4th of July already?  These wooden firecrackers were fun to make, although I made several mistakes and learned some lessons I will pass on to you here 🙂

Sign up for your kit here:  https://greenelibrary.bibliocommons.com/events/665e08b23849bf4100bae316

Included in your kit:

3 wooden blocks

red, white and blue paint

1 paintbrush

1 sponge dabber

Star stencils in 3 sizes

Twine

1 rustic star

1 piece of sandpaper

Floral wire

Not included in your kit:

Scissors

Glue 

Tape (painter's tape works well, but this is optional)

I used a couple of different inspirational pictures to come up with this craft.  I liked the twine and the star of the first one along with the red and white stripes and the distressed look on the second one.

Instructions:

1.  Paint the small and middle block white.  You might need multiple coats.  Allow to dry.
2.  Paint the tallest block blue.  You might need multiple coats.  Allow to dry.
3.  Put tape on the middle block to create stripes and then paint it red between the tape.  You might need multiple coats.  Allow to dry.  I pulled the tape off my sample too soon and it pulled some of the red paint off the block.  I tried covering this up using the sandpaper and distressed look, but you might want to allow this to dry for a couple of hours (or put a fan on it).
4.  When the blue block is dry, use the star stencils and dabber to paint white stars on the block.  I did not use a dabber for this part for my sample and the stars didn't turn out as clean as I wanted.  Using a dabber in small taps should create a crisper star.
5. If you'd like a distressed look, use the sandpaper to sand the edges (and wherever else you want).
6. Tie the twine around all three blocks - wrapping it multiple times.
7. Cut the floral wire into 3 separate pieces.  I made a base for each "fuse" by twisting the end of the wire into a small circle (see picture) so it will stand upright.  Then, use a pencil to wrap around the rest of the wire to give it a curly look.                                             
8.            

 9.  The last step is to glue the star to the front and the fuses to the tops of the blocks.  I used hot glue, but I think other types of glue would work too.  You just want to make sure it's a glue that will dry clear.  Be sure to put just a small amount on top of the blocks for the fuses.   

That's it!  You're ready to decorate for the 4th of July!

Happy crafting!

-Morgan