Firecrackers

Just barely in time for the 4th of July I am finally posting my other firecracker idea. This is for a little center piece or piano decoration (I think pianos are so fun because they are a great place to put decorations).

First you will need an old broom handle or in my case an old plunger handle. (Just a side note for those who know my backyard, this picture is also to show you that the pile of rocks/cement that once adorned the back corner of my house is GONE!!!!!!)

Cut it into sections of varying lengths. I had my husband do this with his big power saw but you could do it with a hand saw as well. You just don't want them all the same length. At the last minute I decided that I wanted to vary the width of my firecrackers too and so I searched our sheds once more and found another random handle that I had my husband cut as well; this one was a bit fatter than the other. Sand all of these down if they are rough or have paint on them.
Next paint them. You don't have to be an artist for this part. I actually think having the lines somewhat uneven makes them look more rustic. After they are dry I add a bit of brown ink and smudge it around to make them look a bit antique.

Next sand them again.

Now to make a hole to put your wire in. I was thinking that this would need a power tool for sure but I decided to just use a push pin and poke a hole in the top of each firecracker piece. This was just the perfect size and depth for my wires.

For the wire I just cut a random length of wire and wrapped it around a pencil, pen or paint brush to curl it. I left both ends straight to attach to the firecracker and to the star. To attach it to the firecracker I used my new favorite crafting adhesive-Superglue. If you can get away with out getting any on your finger this stuff can be fantastic in your craft room. I put a little dab over the hole I made with my push pin and stuck in my wire.

After I had painted my stars (they are wooden craft stars), I sanded them and then attached them to the wire with hot glue. Using hot glue instantly turns the this craft into a one sided creation but I couldn't think of a better way to attach them and except for a center piece on a table, it would always be looked at from one side anyway so I decided to go with it. Then I attached the firecrackers to a wooden base with hot glue as well.

TADA!!! Let freedom ring.