for the red white and blue

On Independence Day, Jared and I are having our entire family over for a cookout. With both sides of the family, the guest list comes to eighteen people, which calls for a full-out summer bash. This means lots of food and games and music and citronella candles-- and decorations.

Here is one idea I am using: colorful bursts of paper to hang from windows, string on garlands, or festoon tree branches. If you have construction paper (or any paper at all) you can make them easily.

Perfect instructions can be found right here. She uses three accordion-folded papers per rosette, so each piece of paper forms a third of a circle; I am only using two per rosette, so each piece of paper forms a half-circle.  Her rosettes are fuller, and personally, I didn't want such a ruffly look. So I spread them out more. :)

I am using white and red paper of various sizes, and plan to hang them with some patriotically colored ribbon.