After lusting after Barefoot Daydreams and Young House Love’s banners, I have been itching to put my own crafting skills to work this spring.  However, I didn’t know where I would hang said banner.  If you know my cats (especially Fosse), you know that burlap hung in my house is only inviting them to pull out the strings of the fabric or pull the banner down.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my animals, but they are the reason I can’t have nice things.

The perfect opportunity (and a location sans cats) came when planning our spread for Gold Cup.  Our tailgate had to have a theme and what better way to advertise the theme than an adorable burlap banner?

After a quick run to the fabric store, I was armed with 3 yards of thin rope (in lieu of twine), one yard of burlap, fabric paint, stencils and some no-sew hemming tape.

I knew how long our tables were and wanted the banner to run across both of them so I sketched out some flags (to make sure the stencils fit) and did some calculations to make sure that everything would hang evenly.

I cut out that flag and used it as a stencil to create the 15 burlap flags that I needed to spell out Tipsy in Madras with a blank flag to separate words.

See what I mean?  Nothing but helpful pets at my house.

I had grand plans to follow Barefoot Daydreams’ lead and use the no-sew hemming tape to attach my banner to the twine.  I’m a little embarrassed to say, I couldn’t figure it out.  It made me swear and burn my hand.  So on to plan B, the trusty glue gun.  It didn’t save me from blistered finger tips (or swearing), but it certainly saved me time and my sanity.

I was really looking forward to painting the banner and it was quick and easy.  A little fabric paint goes a long way.

I let everything dry overnight and fought to keep the cats from laying on wet blue paint, but I thought it turned out pretty cute when all was said and done!  We tied the ends to the table legs and safety pinned the rope in a few places on the table cloth.

Inspired by another one of Barefoot Daydream’s crafts, I purchased 12 plain mason drinking jars this morning with plans to etch them with our last initial.  I think that etched mason jars will look lovely with our new Fiesta ware.  I can’t wait to give this a try!

Assuming, of course, the rapture isn’t today (NPR hit on one of my greatest concerns with this article: After the Rapture, Who Will Walk Your Dog?).