American Ingenuity

For some reason, as patriotic as our little White Mountain community is, I had a really hard time finding patriotic decor this year! However, that didn’t stop this patriot from going room to room, closet to closet, hunting for everything red, white, blue, and just plain American, to make this place PERFECTLY PATRIOTIC. It’s called, “American Ingenuity”, and I got a lot of it. 😉

This house cutout frame came from Dollar General back in 2020. Originally it had a plastic tile with some kind of phrase and greenery painted on it. I had it hanging in the trailer while we lived in it, but when we moved into our new home, it just didn’t fit “the vibe” I was going for, ya know? Anyway, I was sure that I could use the frame for something, eventually, and stashed it in my craft closet. 😛

The flag was part of a garland I found at Hobby Lobby years ago. I love all things Americana, so the garland was always proudly draped across the top of our classroom chalkboard for every patriotic holiday in our old house. Here, I just couldn’t find the right place for it…So, I took it apart. It made four individual flags, and this one fit PERFECTLY into the frame! Cute, huh?! I couldn’t decide between the star or the W as a centerpiece…SO I opted to put a magnet on the back…I mean, it’s all about FREEDOM, right…‘MERICA! 😛

There are a few items on my mantel that deserve a special mention:

That “Official Red Ryder, carbine action, two hundred shot, range model air rifle” (yeah, we’re HUGE fans of “A Christmas Story”) was a sweet gift from my son, Joe. 🙂 He knew I had always wanted to incorporate it into my Christmas decor, so he bestowed it upon me for just that purpose when he moved out on his own. <3 (Stay tuned for that reveal at Christmas!)

The beautiful eagle is hand carved alabaster, and it is inscribed, “A. Gianelli 1977”. This is a cherished piece that was given to my husband from his Uncle Larry’s collection, after he passed away. It has been sitting on my husband’s nightstand for a while now, but I knew he wouldn’t mind if I borrowed it. 😉

The vintage red oil lamp was a steal of a deal that I found a few years ago for just $6 at Hopeful Treasures in Show Low! I frequently move it room to room, because…it’s a free country and I can. (P.S. Hopeful Treasures is my FAVORITE thrift store around these parts, fer sher. If you’re ever up here, check it out!)

Oh! I also made these fun patriotic floral arrangements with silk flowers that I had in my stash, and a variety of flags that my daughter bought me at Hopeful Treasures. 🙂