Thursday, September 24, 2015

Barn Star DIY

I'm almost positively certain, if you take a drive through a residential area you're gonna see homes adorned with a barn star. Barn stars, also known as Pennsylvania stars are most frequently seen painted with the primitive style of decoration. Although barn stars were first used as a makers mark they are now easily found in varying sizes. They typically are pricy compared to the materials they are made with and are painted to look rusty and distressed. I'm going to show you how to easily make barn stars for inside your home using basic household items including the paint.

Cardboard similar to a cereal box

A star to trace

Utility knife or scissors

Pen or pencil

Ruler or straight edge

Butter knife

Cutting board or some protective surface

White school glue

Food coloring (not pictured)

Rags for clean up

2 small cups or containers

Paint brush

Step 1: Disassemble your box so that it lays flat and trace your stars appropriate to your no side staying clear of the fold lines.

Step 2: Using your utility knife or scissors carefully cut out your stars making clean edges.

Step 3: On the printed side of your star. Use your ruler or other straight edge and line it up in the middle of each point and between each point. Using the none serrated side of your butter knife and medium pressure move it down the ruler lol your slicing it. Do this for each point of your star.

Step 4: Fold your stars along each point to the middle do not fold it all the way down.

Once you've folded each point they should look like a barn star.

You can paint them how ever you want. I like to make this one it dries quickly between coats and doesn't warp the card board

Add glue to one of your cups and food color of your choice. You can also color the glue with glitter, eye shadow, and for a flat color activated charcoal ( not the stuff you barbecue with).

Mix and paint your stars.

Now to distress them there are two simple tricks and I rushed these so they're not up to par with my regular standards.

Using your other cup add more glue. And using another paint brush dab glue along the folded peaks or just on the sides of the peaks. Small thin lines. Or you can coat the entire star with glue.

You have two choices to your distressing. Ground cinnamon and chili powder, the smells dissipate after a few days so don't wore about your living room smelling spicy. Sprinkle your choice of spice on to of your star.

After the glue has dried upi can dust them off and re shape them. Hopefully you'll end up with some beautiful barn stars. To hang them you can hot glue a rectangle of cardboard to the back of one of the points. Unfortunately I don't have any glue stocks to demonstrate. But hey Barn Stars!!!

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