Charming 4th of July Flag Finial Project

	Create an attention-getting 4th of July centerpiece that can handle attention from little hands! Our patriotic flag finial brings the charm of old-fashioned wood turnings of yesteryear to your table - but without the shopping time or price. Decorative wood turnings are great finds, but they can be hard to locate and expensive. So we put together our own with 4 simple post toppers from the hardware store. Add a coat or two of paint, and we have a great, durable conversation piece for the 4th of July holidays --or anytime we need a dash of patriotism.
Paint yours to suit your personal style. We chose a star-studded design with bright colors in a crackled finish. You can stick with simple bands of color or add a rich antique patina to soften the hues - anything goes! Materials: Post toppers - we used 4 outdoor deck post toppers/finials (these are treated for outdoor use, but fine for painting after being primed - we left them unsanded for a country look) Water base primer (spray or brush-on) Acrylic craft paint in Red, White and Blue Craft paint special finish (we used crackle medium) Paintbrushes: small and medium, fine point for stars Drill and bits sized for the bolts in post toppers and the flag sticks Wood glue 4-8 American flags
	Step 1 Configure post toppers to suit your design. We stacked 2 square toppers for the base and topped them with two finials. Finials typically come with bolts for securing, but the square toppers may need to have a hole drilled to assemble.
	Step 2 Assemble finial using wood glue between the pieces. After dry, determine where you want to insert flags and drill holes - drill them a bit larger than the flag sticks, at a angle, about .25 to .5 inch deep. Sand if desired (we didn't) and prime the entire finial with water-based primer and allow to dry thoroughly.
	Step 3 Top the primer with a full coat of white paint which will act as an undercoat for the crackled red and blue areas. Top dry white paint with crackle medium - thicker in some areas than others for uneven crackling - and let dry at least 2 hours. Paint blue and red areas over the crackle medium in long strokes. Try not to stroke over wet paint to get the best crackle effect. After paint is dry, coat with clear sealer or add a coat of antiquing stain (or thinned brown craft paint) with a cloth or sponge, working into the cracks for an aged patina - then coat wth sealer. Add flags and display for all to enjoy!