Patriotic Painted Utensils | 4th of July Craft

The 4th of July is just a couple days away, which means barbecues, parades and fireworks are on the horizon.  If you are hosting or attending a barbecue this week, these painted utensils are easy to make and can accompany whatever food items you plan to serve or bring.

Materials to Make Patriotic Painted Utensils:

• Unfinished wooden spoons
• Red, white and blue acrylic paint
• Small paintbrush
• Food safe varnish
• Scotch tape
• Star shaped hole punch or tiny star stamp

Directions to Make Patriotic Painted Utensils:

• Paint the top 1/3 of one spoon handle all white; paint the top 1/3 of the other spoon handle all blue.
• Allow the paint to dry.
• Cut a small strip of scotch tape in half lengthwise.  Wrap one strip of this tape around the white handled spoon.  Repeat this step to create a pattern of stripes– a white painted stripe and then a scotch tape stripe.  Make sure the tape is pressed down firmly.
• Paint red over the white stripes that are not covered with tape.
• When you have completed the above steps, carefully remove the scotch tape.  Your handle should have red and white stripes now.
• Set the striped spoon aside to dry.
• For the other spoon– If you have a small star stamp, lightly brush white paint onto the stamp and then stamp stars onto the blue part of the handle.
• If you do not have a small star stamp you can try this trick:  Cut a small square piece of scotch tape and punch a star out of the center using a star shaped hole punch.
• Press the tape onto the blue part of the handle and lightly paint white paint over the star shape.  Remove tape.  There should be a white star left behind.  Repeat this step using a fresh piece of tape for each star.
• You can also “free-hand” the stars onto the handle if you have a steady hand.
• Allow the paint to dry.
• Once the paint has dried on both spoons go back and do any touch ups as needed.
• When the spoons are finished and dry, add a layer of varnish to the handles to cover the paint.
• Allow varnish to dry and add one more layer.
• Allow utensils to dry completely.
• Washing instructions– painted utensils must be hand washed only.

I made this fruit salad to go with the utensils– I used a small star shaped cookie cutter to make watermelon stars and then added organic strawberry slices and fresh picked blueberries from the back yard.  I hope everyone has a safe and happy 4th of July!