Americana Bucket

• Make a bucket to serve snacks at a party or to hold potpourri around your home. Start with a small-galvanized bucket. Choose one in white or paint it white yourself using acrylic paints. Thread a length of leather cording, long enough to wrap around the mouth of the bucket one and half times, with red, white and blue wooden beads. Attach a small star charm every sixth bead. Once the beads and charms are threaded on, tie off the ends of the cording to secure the beads. Wrap the beaded cording around the mouth of the bucket and secure it by tying the ends together.
  
  

Papier Mache

• Use wooden cutouts to create papier mache-covered decorations. Draw a 5-inch star on a piece of 1-inch-thick wood. Alternatively, purchase a star cutout from the local craft store. Paint the star white with acrylic paint and set it aside to dry overnight. Tear red, white and blue tissue paper into 1-inch-by-6-inch strips. Dip the strips of paper into liquid starch and cover the star with them. Use a uniform red, white and blue pattern with the strips or place them in random positions to create a jumble of colors. Smooth the strips onto the star and let the papier mache dry overnight. Place the completed star on a shelf or drill a hole in the back and hang it on the wall with a nail.
  
  

Stepping Stone

• Decorate stepping stones from your yard with acrylic paint to create an outdoor Americana craft. Choose a stone that measure at least 6 inches across. Clean the stepping stones thoroughly using soap and water. Allow the stone to dry overnight. Paint four red and four white strips on the stone across the width. After the paint dries for three to five hours, paint a 4-inch star in the middle of the stones using blue paint. Let the stone sit overnight. Cover the surface of the stone with an acrylic sealant and let it dry overnight before placing it back in the yard.
  
  

Hanging Cookie Cutters

• Use old heart- and star-shaped metal cookie cutters to create a wall decoration. Paint six cookie cutters in different sizes using red, white and blue acrylic paint. Let the paint dry overnight. Tie six pieces of twine together. Vary the twine lengths between 5 and 8 inches. Tie one cookie cutter to each piece of twine. Use a nail to hang the completed bunch on the wall.