4th of July Top Hat Centerpiece with Invitation

Other Supplies

6” x 6” round box (box only--you will not need lid), 8” hat box (lid only--you will not need the box), Paper maché ornamental flat stars, 3 toilet paper tubes, 1 block of Styrofoam™, 6” x 2” piece of cardboard, 1 piece white cardstock, 4 - 12" x 12" red and blue coordinating scrapbook papers, 2 sheets silver star stickers, 3/16” wooden dowels (14” two each--13” two each--12” two each), 2 yards of silver curly tinsel, 1 sheet silver mylar tissue, Red shiny curling ribbon, 4” x 5.5” blank white note cards, Patriotic scrap booking ribbon (6” for each invitation), Silver eyelets, Foam brush, Hot glue gun

Instructions

To prepare top hat:

1. Paint 1/3 bottom of round box True Blue.
2. Paint top and sides of 8” lid True Blue. 
3. Paint 2/3 top of hat box Wicker White. 
4. Cut 9 4.5” x 1” strips of red paper. 
5. Cut 9 stars out of white card stock.
6. Decoupage strips vertically over white part of box; spacing evenly.
7. Decoupage stars over bottom blue part of box; spacing evenly.
8. With hot glue, glue bottom of box to top of lid to create “top hat.”
9. Decoupage entire hat; dry. 10. Glue Styrofoam into bottom, inside of box.

Star picks:

1. Paint outside edge of stars with Silver Sterling.
2. Using paper maché stars as a template, trace and cut out 6 stars from red scrapbook paper. Cut out one extra star using white cardstock; set aside. (You will use this later when making invitations); using Sparkle Mod Podge, decoupage to fronts and backs of paper maché stars.
3. Cut out 6 stars from white card stock that are ½” smaller than the red stars; using Sparkle Mod Podge, decoupage to fronts and backs of paper maché stars.
4. Cut out 6 blue stars from blue paper that are ¼” smaller than the white stars; using Sparkle Mod Podge, decoupage to fronts and backs of paper maché stars.
5. Decorate blue stars with silver stickers.
6. Give all stars a coat of Sparkle Mod Podge; dry.
7. Poke a hole into each star edge and insert dowel; using 14”, 13” and 12”dowels; hot glue in place.
8. Hot glue silver curly tinsel along edge of each star.
9. Paint dowels with Silver Sterling; when dry paint dowels again with Platinum Gems; dry.

Rockets:

1. Using the end of one toilet paper tube trace 3 circles onto cardboard and cut out.
2. Poke a hole into the middle of each cardboard piece and place a dowel (using 14”, 13” and 12” dowels) through the hole about 1” and hot glue in place.
3. Slide a cardboard disc into each toilet paper tube (about 1” from the bottom) and hot glue in place.
4. Base coat 3 toilet paper tubes Wicker White.
5. Cut out 3 circles, 3¾” in diameter using 1 red, 1 blue and 1 blue patterned paper. Cut a slit from one edge halfway across each circle (to the middle of the circle); form into a cone and hot glue in place.
6. Cut out 3 strips, 1 ½” x 6”; 2 red and 1 blue; decoupage to one end of each toilet paper tube.
7. Cut out 3 strips, 2” x 6” 1 plain blue and 2 patterned blue; decoupage to one end of each toilet paper tube (mix-matching patterns).
8. Hot glue cone tops to each rocket (mix-matching patterns).
9. Decorate with silver star stickers.
10. Give entire rocket a coat of Sparkle Mod Podge; dry.
11. Paint dowels with Silver Sterling; when dry paint dowels again with Platinum Gems; dry.
12. Tie 3 pieces of 18” red ribbon onto each dowel and, with edge of scissors, curl ribbon; slide the tied parts of the ribbon up under each rocket so that the ribbon flows out of each rocket like billowing fire.
13. Arrange stars and rockets into Styrofoam and use a piece of Mylar tissue cut into fourths to add the finishing touch to your centerpiece. Note: If you will be using the arrangement outdoors, you may wish to use pebbles or sand instead of Styrofoam to add weight.

Invitations:

1. Cut the top corners off from blank notecards to create tag cards.
2. Using the card as a template, trace and cut out pieces of red scrapbook papers and glue to the front of each card using a glue stick.
3. Using the template you made earlier, cut out blue stars (one for each invitation).
4. Cut out stars from white cardstock that are ¾ ” smaller than the blue stars.
5. Cut out a 2 ½” blue squares; one for each invitation. Cut out 2 ½” squares with coordinating blue paper to glue on top of blue squares.
6. Write your invitation message and decorate edge of star.
7. Using glue stick, glue stars and squares in place. Use Sparkle Mod Podge to apply top coat to the entire card; dry.
8. Attach 1 silver eyelet to the top of each tag invitation (only the front of the card).
9. Attach decorative ribbon through eyelets.