Union Jacks Revisited

The is the last time I will be visiting Great Britain for awhile.  I need to get back to America for Flag Day and The Fourth of July and paint some Americana pieces.

I started this journey with furniture, then went to torn muslin ribbons, now onward to the rest of the Jacks!

I purchased the small Union Jack flags some time ago and went ahead and put them in the booth.  I guess I will add more as the Olympics get closer, but we will see.

Here is the whole lot of them displayed in my booth at Riverfront Antiques.

I love the bold graphics and the color!

I made the tags first.  The Union Jack image came from Karen over at The Graphics Fairy.  I used the one that had an antiqued color and printed it on an ink jet printer nine images to the page. This is 110 lb. paper - very heavy with a antiqued finish.


 Next I cut them out leaving no border, used red and white washii tape (from Pretty Tape - Etsy) for both sides, and stamped a crown in the middle of the Union Jack.  (I hope this is not considered defacing their flag!)  On the back I stamped:  KEEP CALM AND... 

 I left it to your imagination what you should keep calm about!  There are a number of things I need to keep calm about.  Starting with... Oh, never mind.  If I told you, this post would never end!  

Back to the tags.  Punched a hole on one side, attached a brown kraft paper hole reinforcer (called a hole label in China!), and added a tie of navy French seam binding.  (I love this stuff - there are crates of this binding sitting in warehouses because most clothiers do not sew French seams anymore.  I bought a gross of hundred yard rolls.  I think I will never run out, but....)

Some of the labels I tied into packs of five to sell, but I had to use some of them on...

YES - tinware and wire baskets!

First I attached the labels to the colonial red candle boxes I painted last week.  I told you I would get to them and finish and I did!




 How attractive these would look with British tea bags and biscuits as a gift!

Next up were the wire baskets purchased at Hobby Lobby last month.  (I only have a few more of these left so I hope they get in some soon! -  Oh, no!  I am on the junk sober diet - I cannot buy or drag anything home!)

I squirted out some red craft paint and used a foam brush to hit or miss paint the baskets.  When painting wire, a distressed finish is best.  You can easily become obsessed with trying to cover every little bit of the wire.  Trust me, that will never happen!  I painted these in the living room while watching the rain pouring down outside - glad we finally got some.

Gosh, I cannot believe I actually finished all these Union Jacks!

As you can see the baskets got their own Union Jack tags.  I picture a gift  with a lacy doily, English tea, and maybe some boldly designed tea cups!

I don't really know what I am talking about - I only drink sweet iced tea with a bunch of lemons!  To me hot tea is just a waste of tea!

On second thought,  some croquet balls would look nice in these baskets!

Nice you came to visit.  I really appreciate it.  Wait until you see what is next to finish!  (I'll be anxiously waiting, too, because I don't know either!)

See y'all!



  .