Make This Instagram-Worthy Photo Booth Backdrop for Your 4th of July Party
You guys know we love a good DIY photo backdrop. Heck, we love any and every kind of DIY party decor, but a photo booth really brings something to the fiesta table. Any excuse to take a few too many photos with our pals, right? So we pulled out our trusty wooden dowel one more time for a super easy (and may we say flippin’ adorable) 4th of July flag backdrop. Scroll on to learn how we did it!
Materials:
— 1 yard light red fabric
— 1 yard dark red fabric
— 1 yard white fabric
— 12 yards white trim
— 2-foot by 1-foot blue fabric
— fabric scissors
— pen
— X-Acto knife
— cutting mat
— safety pins
— 5-foot dowel
Instructions:
1. Cut your red and white fabric into 2-inch-wide, 5-foot-long strips.
2. Cut your white trim into 5-foot-long strands.
3. Draw various-sized stars at random on your blue fabric. Then cut out the stars with an X-Acto knife. Fabric scissors also work, but it’s difficult to be precise.
4. Hang up your dowel, then tie on all light red strips using a double knot. Repeat with the dark red fabric, then the white, spacing out you strips to mimic an American flag. Add the white trim last.
5. Pin the blue fabric to the top right corner of your backdrop.
6. Take tons of photos with your pals!
Here’s another reason to make this backdrop — it’s a good excuse to use all the fabric scraps you have lying around.
Cut your red and white fabric into two-inch-wide, five-foot-long strips. Repeat with the rest of your fabric, then cut your trim into five-foot-long strands.
Draw stars at random on your blue fabric. Then cut out the stars with an X-ACTO knife. Fabric scissors also work, but they’re not as precise.
Look at that beauty!
Hang up your dowel, then tie on all of the light red strips using a double knot. Repeat with the dark red fabric, then the white. Leave space between the strips to mimic American flag stripes. Add the white trim last.
Pin the blue fabric to the top right corner of your backdrop.
Hello, you glorious flag, you. Guess what the next step is?
Take photos with all your homies! As always, silly props and sunnies are encouraged.
Are you going to make this backdrop yourself? If so, we want to see the results! Share photos with the hashtags #iamcreative and #britstagram so we can take a look!
It can be intimidating to step out on your own and build a business from the ground up. As part of our collaboration with Office Depot, we're talking with Selfmade alum and solopreneur Colette Lawrence, the faith-based motivator and relationship builder behind The M.E.E. Movement, about ways in which women in business can find success.
B + C: How did you know M.E.E. Movement was your business to start?
The M.E.E Movement represents motivation, empowerment, and encouragement for women. It is what represents me. I did not know at first that it was my business to start, but then the thought of monetizing what I loved came to me. It scared me, however. I registered the business in July 2020 and have been slowly building my wings since.
B + C: What's one strategy that's helped you start your business?
Thinking through and researching what the requirements are to start my business, and then asking questions of people who are in the business. Not all advice worked; however, it helped me to figure out what I needed to do and not to do.
B + C: Did you always know life coaching would be your entrepreneurial path?
(Smiles) No, I did not. I 'stumbled" on it. I knew that people were always coming to me for advice and I found that I loved having conversations with them, especially with women, young and old.
B + C: What was your most valuable takeaway from Selfmade?
My most valuable takeaway was the first day of training: Get out of your own way. There were a lot of great moments and important takeaways from every presenter. However, getting out of my own way, pushing past doubts, was for me my most valuable takeaway. Doing something that I had never done before took courage. If I do not focus on what is happening with me mentally then I cannot deliver to my clients successfully.
B + C: What's one piece of advice you would give to female entrepreneurs on the brink of starting?
Get out of your head. You have something to offer. You have what you need to succeed so go ahead and do it.
B + C: How do you stay motivated?
I stay motivated by listening to music and listening to motivational speakers, and sometimes someone will just reach out and talk about the impact that I made in their life. That adds the extra juice or sauce I need to pummel through the day.
B + C: What's your best organizational tip?
Keep a diary and journal. It's the best way for me to keep organized and it also provides a source motivation as I record not only my "losses" but my wins as well.
B + C: Who inspires you in the entrepreneurial space?
Shirley Toliver – She motivates and empowers and makes me always want to show up.
B + C: What has receiving the Office Depot scholarship to Selfmade done to help you start or grow your business?
The scholarship was a blessing in that all the areas that were covered offered valuable information that I needed, from social media to HR. As a new business owner, I needed to know this to increase my own personal awareness in what it takes to run a successful business. The candidness of the presenters made it easy to see myself in their shoes and helped me to realize that I can also get there.
Thanks Colette! You can follow The M.E.E. Movement on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
Want to feel motivated to take the next step for your business? Let Office Depot OfficeMax give you the confidence you need with a suite of business services & solutions to help you put your best foot forward. Make a good first impression with business cards & build the business pitch of your dreams with custom presentations. With Office Depot OfficeMax you'll find the tools to reach new customers with confidence.
Head to Office Depot's Selfmade page to check out even more amazing business resources (and discounts!) to help you accomplish more on your entrepreneurial journey. These offers are available for a limited time only, so be sure to take advantage of all this goodness while supplies last. Want to join the next Selfmade cohort this summer? Check out all of the scholarship details right here.
