reclaimed wood American flag

While I am married to a Veteran (the hubs was Navy Search and Rescue) I must admit that I am not the most patriotic person but for the last few years I've had the idea of an American flag as "big statement art" floating around in my head.  I wanted to create something that was a tribute to the flag, something rustic with a twist of Americana. I know I am not the first to come up with something like this but nonetheless I set out to create my own version!  

Important note- this project is a representation of the American flag (not an exact replica). I am aware of the symbolism of the flag and appreciate flag protocol but I made the creative decision not use it for this project. I apologize in advance if this is offensive to anyone out there.

When my parents tore down an old fence a couple months ago, I knew that the old weathered wood would be perfect for my flag idea! I started by picking out 6 good pieces that had lots character to them and let them dry out in the sun.

Next, I lined up the pieces of wood and Andy nailed 2 x 2's to the back.

Then I taped off the different areas (for stars and stripes) and started painting.

I wanted a really light wash that would let the character of the wood show through so I mixed 50% paint- 50% water. 

Then I started painting!

I added stars with spray paint and a stencil.

The last step was to sand it down and distress the surface and add a wire to the back for hanging.

I am thrilled with the results and we loved it so much that we hung it in the living room- perfect timing for the 4th of July but I am excited to have it hanging year round!